Just where does my time go, seriously?

People who’ve known me for a long time know that I am a busy person, and even if I have some open time, it can fill up quickly. I’m always up to something, whether it’s working, spending time with my friends, or best yet - doing something adventurous with my son Chad. Regardless, you can always count on me being a “trouble maker” of sorts, where I like to believe that I’m working toward improving the quality of life for at least a small group of people, whether it be survivors of sex abuse or domestic violence, improving the quality/quantity of jobs for those seeking (better) employment, or whatever else may require me to be the advocate that I am. It’s just in this case, rather than being community activated to push a political or legal agenda, it’s actually giving me a lot of personal satisfaction in helping in my small little way in the name of humanity and making my corner of the world a little bit at the Hospitality Center. No, I do not work in the entertainment business. Nor do I work for a hotel/motel chain. This actually has less to do with the hospitality industry as it does touching the daily lives of those in the greatest need in my fair city within the Badger State called Racine, WI.

As the Mission Statement states in the Hospitality Center website, is: To provide hospitality without agenda to those in need or underserved in Racine - the homeless, near homeless and mentally ill. At a glance, it sounds nice. Simple enough. Yet it goes so far beyond that. This place literally welcomes everybody, offers a judgment-free zone, and offers so much more than just some meals.

While I’ve been familiar with the Hospitality Center since it’s inception, and have given little bits of whatever I had, it’s only been since mid May of 2018 until present where I’ve been here regularly and somehow became a part of the daily grind, and I’m surprised they actually LIKE me around here, if you actually believe it or not!

It is located inside of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and the hours of the center are Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays from 7:30 am -1 pm - some exceptions for holidays apply but inquire before assuming whether they will be open or not. Reverend Seth is the minister for the church as well as the Executive Director of the center, and Carl is the Program Manager for the Hospitality Center as well as having other important titles for other organizations.

These two guys seriously put in a lot of work for this place, and it’s really been a positive experience working with these two guys, who have grown on me in various ways. The regular staff & volunteers are pretty neat, too, and if you ever come in, please insist on getting some Navy coffee.

Of course, the staff (paid and volunteer) works hard to ensure that the meals are available for all. One super cool lady insists on offering a hot breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day, and the clients who have the least are who she thinks most about when offering this service. But what’s breakfast w/o coffee? Yes, there is a bottomless pot, one is always brewing, and thank goodness for that, because if I’m a fiend for anything, it’s a good cup of java! One guy, in particular, has me spoiled. I make some good stuff, but his rates even better than my Godmother’s (just please do not tell her that). While the coffee is good the whole time, the hot breakfast is from 7:30-8:30, and fresh donuts, muffins and more are offered until 10.

There is always a nice, hot dinner served at 11:30 with a choice of beverages. It is always a healthy and well-balanced smorgasbord that you can brag to your doctor about. Most of the time, it is our staff & volunteers who prepare and serve the meal, but on occasion, we get some really awesome people in the community who come in, and they even cater the food, too! I’m sure the kitchen staff/volunteers are grateful when they get these types of breaks because normally they are going overtime with busting out their moves getting the good food out & serving cafeteria style. Fortunately for me, it does not make MY job any easier.

On Tuesdays & Fridays, there are AA meetings at 9 am. All are welcome. Approximately every 8 weeks on a Monday, there are free haircuts for those who need to update their hair, whether it’s to shave it in the summer or just to clean up the tips. Thursdays are when it seems everything else happens... Sign up for healthcare, dental check-ups, clothing banks, and today, Aurora healthcare was there doing women’s well checkups because it’s always good to take care of your breast health.

This is the 1st time I know of that they’re here, and it’s possible that Aurora may come back in the future with other health programs to cover other exams, so please stay tuned, you never know if the life it changes is yours, and in that event, it might be good to know that EVERY Thursday is clothing day, and there are lockers you can use temporarily utilize a locker while you stay and enjoy the company of others. I, for one, am thankful that the volunteers who keep the clothing bank straight are there because have a look, who wouldn’t want to “shop” for free here? They just ask that you only take what is needed, and if there is a shortage of clothing, there may be limits to what is able to be given out at any certain time. There is always a need for clothing of all sizes, especially undergarments, socks, women’s hygiene, personal hygiene, and more. The people who put this together definitely go above and beyond the call of duty.

Yes, it’s impressive at all of the services that are offered, but most importantly, it offers a place for people to connect, and for those who are in poverty, it helps people not get that sense of social disconnect. Seriously, this place is perfect for anyone who needs a place to go, something to do, and people to see. While for me, personally, yes, I can go anywhere and adapt to what it is, especially when it comes to talking in front of elected officials to talk about what needs to be done, the Hospitality Center goes beyond that. When I first arrived as an intern to do administrative work, I thought I was just going to be offering my professional services in the office and maybe offering some of my own hospitality to add to what was already there, which was easy. What I didn’t expect was to be given some of that back, and while it was awkward for me to try to accept it at the beginning, it actually kind of feels nice that this unlikely clientele would be part of the group giving the vibes back. I don’t ask for much, but I feel like I really do get more than I give (which isn’t much) and it’s huge.

I invite, actually dare you to come in and have a look around. And make sure you stay a bit, and not just once, either. Come in regularly, even if it’s once a month, and see what it transforms into for you. IF you’re lucky, I’ll share some of that good coffee with you, and we’ll talk a bit and take it from there.

In the spirit of keeping with good things going on at the Hospitality Center, my dear friend Soldwolf, the author of the Military Sci-Fi story called Meeting the Parents, also is a volunteer, who makes the awesome coffee. With the amount of work he puts in, Soldwolf is extremely valuable to the entire staff, paid and unpaid there. Sometimes he's misunderstood, but in reality, a good guy who is also funny, smart, and a great friend. He's there all 4 days but doesn't always stay for the whole time, so if you're especially lucky, you'll be able to meet the guy whose coffee won my heart over but do me a favor, don't let him know that I'll fight for that last cup... Sh! Just be a dear and read his next 4 chapters, will you? This retired Navy guy deserves your support in this endeavor to get his story published into a real book.

Chapter 29: Lunch & Phone Calls delves into some interesting info on ships designed for space, and how it can be difficult to juggle personal and professional business (especially when you have to clear intergalactic military clearances) with a business lunch and formal calls to family.

Chapter 30: Phone Calls & Introductions dang... It would be cool to have video calls to meet and get introduced to new people, and I like the international flair of having a multiethnic earth unit. The family affairs can get quite complicated and interesting, but is it time to start biting our nails or do they have it? It's business before pleasure for sure, especially in military life... The tension builds. How fast can these people work?

Chapter 31: Meetings & Arrivals It's interesting that in this day, we are still figuring out how to understand fellow Earthlings of different cultures, yet in the future, it's all about knowing how to fit in with the other humanoid species from other galaxies. The way it pans out often is hilarious, and hope that the snafus are at a minimum, and if not, at least workable. In the meantime, enjoy the humor in getting to learn & know the various cultural customs. And oh, the seduction! Wow. I think maybe a new vent system is in order, but then maybe it's the heat coming off of the active military personnel...

Chapter 32: Celebrations We all know that the bride-to-be's family is good for throwing the parties. It's even more fun when the groom-to-be's family does the same, and it's heartwarming to be able to see certain things. Just like earthlings, "alien" culture also revolves around the arts as well, which is refreshing to know. I wonder what Talmanii music sounds like? Hmm. I just know that sometimes it's interesting as to how we have to balance family & work business.

Memorial Day Remembrance

Happy Memorial Day to you all, especially our veterans and others who have served in various ways.  I truly appreciate you.  In appreciation of those I'm lucky enough to call friends, I'm toasting deployment coffee to you all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zudFEvTj9H0

Each year on this day, I go out to the cemetery to visit my family plot.  My maternal grandfather never served in the military, but when the WWII draft was out, he was a newlywed to my grandmother with a young child who is my Godmother.  He was given the choice, with a young family between being drafted or to work full-time at a factory to help with the war effort.  He chose to work at the factory, thus giving him 3 full-time jobs total - 1) executive at Knight Barry Abstract Company (which his father-in-law owned)  2) factory war effort and 3) a devoted family man who swore to support his family.  He's really the best grandfather anyone could possibly ask for.

The rest of the family plot includes my great grandparents (my grandmother's parents who owned the title company at one time), my great grandmother's father, my cousin (who was the above-mentioned aunt's 3-week old daughter) and my 1st son.  My grandparents are to the left.

Not too far away is my former mother and father in law, my son's paternal grandparents, who called me their other daughter until they died, and I am forever grateful.  The Greenbay Packers kitchen magnet and money clip were placed there back in 2003 (my mother in law was an avid fan) and they are still there, to cheer on today.

While we're there, we pick 2 random graves to clean, where it's obvious that there aren't any family members available to do so.  1 is always a veteran, and then at least one more.  Today, we did 2 more.  One was for a woman who's grave was completely covered over, and almost didn't recognize it as someone's grave.  The other was for a girl who died just before her 6th birthday back in 1937, and I placed a pinwheel for her (as I do for the 2 babies in my own family).  It's a quirky tradition I started...

I’d like to remember some relatives who have served and are no longer with us, whether they passed during their service or served and returned to civilian life: Great Uncle Wally Patrick - US Army in WWII. 1st stepfather John Haggard Sr - US Marines in Vietnam. Uncle Norbert “Torp” Saliscente US Navy in WWII. Others whose service is still under research...

While honoring those who gave it their all, I'd also like to give special kudos for present veterans, particularly Soldwolf, an author, who I consider a good friend that I'm fortunate to have. I'd like you to check out his story, called Meeting the Parents. It's a Military Science Fiction novel in the making, with action going in a few good directions, featuring a love relationship between an American military guy and his special interest is from a planet called Talmal, and their journeys with the intergalactic protocols, learning each other's cultures, interplanetary militaries, and of course, the humor that comes with all aspects of life. Chapters 1 - 24 are featured or highlighted here in my last blog. The characters are endearing, and you want to read about the adventures yet root for these two to succeed in their missions, both professionally and personally.

Chapter 25 - Family Meeting almost sounds tense, with the news that has to be brought to important people. Even with the best blessings, it’s still intense, though the conversation might not be with who you’re suspecting.

Chapter 26 - Lake Chat should be something romantic and private, yet the action might surprise you in some ways. Not to worry! No one gets hurt!

Chapter 27 - Pudgy Pies & Dinner has me thinking how fun it was to introduce S’Mores to my Japanese relatives several years ago, and seriously, it sounds even MORE fun to introduce these things to alien species from other dimensions!

Chapter 28 - Short Trips is action packed, and if you thought nosy neighbors are pesky, think about being tailed by some of these other guys, and hope they’re not some sort of intergalactic spies!

I can't want to like that!

Our children are funny.  They all make me laugh.  I can't count the number of times I laughed until I hurt because my son would say the damndest things, and at 19, he's STILL cracking me up.  Plus, being a boy after his mother's heart, he loves Science Fiction and the weird stuff too, so I'm going to try to get him into my friend Soldwolf's military sci-fi story, Meeting the Parents - which so far capitalizes on so many of my interests. I’m hoping to share his stuff, just because the characters are endearing, and while the hero & his betrothed are strong people who can not only steal the scenes but the show and thunder too. Plus, the more hits that are received, the better he can catch the attention of publishers who may end up helping him to get a book deal that could end up on the shelf... I’m linking my previous blogs as a reference for previous chapters published...

Anyway, I remember the time when my son was the ripe age of 2. Yes, 2. he was probably one of the easiest 2-year-olds, since he rarely threw a tantrum. I could count on less than one hand how many he had in a week, and if he had a particularly large one, I knew it would be a while before another occurred. But I digress... Poor lil guy. We did some deep house cleaning one day, and here it was 8 pm and we hadn't started cooking dinner yet, and he was patiently annoyed by the fact that he was hungry and tired. We took out a glass jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce and figured we'd doctor it up. Italian food is ultimately his favorite food to this day. So we get it on a plate, and he practically jumps into his high chair, eagerly grabs his fork & starts twirling the pasta like a champ. It goes into his mouth, and oh, the look on his face! As he's chewing, he throws his fork onto his plate. While swallowing he pushes the plate away and as soon as he catches his breath, insists, "I CAN'T WANT TO LIKE THAT" Ooh, boy!!! It was one of the better brands you can buy, yet, here is this ripe old 2 years who knows it's not the good homemade stuff and refused to have any of it! A food connoisseur at this age? Whoda thunk? Well, he's always hated Spaghetios, too. Go figure. Now, he works at a 5* restaurant.

I think my young chef would like Soldwolf's story, and in chapters 1-4 (listed in my blog I Have A Story About That) shows how a futuristic Earth would have a single conglomerate military that works in alliance with each other as opposed to individual countries being separate, which not only unites humanity but also has alliances with other humanoid species.

Going back a couple of years before my son was even born, I remember picking up my Godchild from kindergarten on a nice fall afternoon, and on the way home, he's pointing out the various trees randomly & casually stating, "Oh, look. That tree is naughty. Oh, and that one, too. Ah! That one is really naughty!"... Just to have the record straight, I asked, "Why are the trees naughty"? and braced myself... "Because the trees are BUTT-NAKED"! I about tripped over my own feet.

My Godson always loved reading active books, and I'ms sure he'd enjoy this, too, especially the hero, who is strongly focused, yet protective over his Talmanii sidekick, who keeps him balanced. In chapters 5-8, posted within Reading, Writing & Tutoring, you'll see the character development of these two.

Then there was the time when my nephew was in preschool... My sister in law and niece lived upstairs, and he'd slept over... I woke up in the morning with my niece knocking on the door to say that her cousin crapped in the driveway... Oooh-wee! And there he is, with this bewildered look, and could have played Calvin from the comic strip, Calvin & Hobbs. My sister in law was called to clean up. It still makes me giggle thinking about this.

Mind you, now, he's kind of like the barbecue master on that side of the family, and he also does yard work & flies homing pigeons as a hobby. He'd love chapters 9-12 from Interesting Tidbits just because it would be interesting for him to learn about the space adventures that happen out there.

Fast forward a few months, into mid/late fall, when my sister in law made lasagna that didn't hold together... My Godson 1st stated it looked like throw-up then decided to call it lasagna soup. At my niece's birthday, she was going to make lasagna again, and the nephew, who'd heard about the lasagna soup exclaims, "I don't want to eat lasagna that looks like throw-up"! I locked myself into the bathroom... fortunately it all came out fine.

I think my niece would like the character development so far because of the main couple as this interspecies being so endearing, as you'll see more in chapters 13-16 in my Rants blog, to cheer this cute Talmanii gal with the cute ears and her studly Earthling hero. Her mother, my sister in law, would fall in love with the romance of the couple, and how her family supports the relationship. Chapters 17-20 is captured in Summer fun & Adventures.

Please read and if you could, keep reading. It is a work in progress, and you'd be helping a veteran break into the business. With enough hits, he can catch the attention of the publishers and possibly get his story published into a book.

I just love these characters in the story, though. The main gal is kind of a contradiction and in some ways. She is strong, capable and independent, yet is close to her family as you read in Goodbye's & Travels (Ch 21). She is also adventurous & curious while cautious in a smart way as you'll see in (Ch 22) Journeys & Preparations. Because she knows how to balance work, family & relationships, she appreciates her studly for his strength and enjoys that he accepts her family the way they do him in Preparations (Ch 23). And who knows what to look for, when there are Deliveries to be made, and are the dynamic duo sending or receiving these in chapter 24?

Summer fun, adventures & ...

It is the middle of May, and the weather acts like it's the beginning of April.  Strange things for sure, but, I am fortunate that it's raining when it's not sunny out.  Living in Wisconsin, it seems as if we can get all 4 seasons in a ridiculously short amount of time.  I'm just waiting for my favorite season, which never lasts long enough, which is summer.  I know some people don't like the temps higher than about 75, but, here is how I figure...  The East Coast gets earthquakes.  The Southwest is desert-like.  The Southeast gets hurricanes.  New England gets terrible blizzards.  The Pacific Northwest and further north can get terribly cold on top of getting 10' of snow at a time, and so I figure being here in S.E. Wisconsin isn't so bad.

Some of the things I like to do in the summer is to go swimming at the beach.  It's not always nice enough, so I do have a pass to the YMCA, so if by chance I'm actually able to get a vacation (which is unlikely) I can use the Y anywhere in the USA.  So for now, my vacations will have to consist of going to places like Lake Michigan, Quarry Lake Park, Root River, etc...  Barbecues are also nice, but, of course, a date night out at a park going all out picnic style would be awesome!

On rainy days, I love to read. Whether it's an actual book, eBook download, online, where ever...  My favorite genres are Sci-Fi, action, thrillers, mysteries, and on occasion, biographies (if I'm interested in the person).  One of my favorite authors is Lee Child, who does military thrillers, so, when I found out that a friend is writing military sci-fi, I was intrigued and had to start reading...  I've mentioned in my previous blogs about Soldwolf, with his story, Meeting the Parents which has its share of romance between an intergalactic couple where the hero is an earthling who is an NCO/UNSC, and his betrothed is a humanoid from the planet of Talminii and she seriously would make an excellent Wisconsinite because she is a cheesehead just like us, even though she looks like she should want to eat salads with those ears of hers...

Please have a read, and just remember, with more reads on these chapters, Soldwolf has a higher chance of getting noticed by publishers and then hopefully published into a real book to get put on bookstore shelves.  Not only would it be cool for me to be able to brag that one of MY friend's stuff is at the stores, but, just think how much more exciting for him to have his stuff out like that?  Don't be a lurker, go ahead and read. If you have any questions for me, please ask. 

Chapter 17 First Night Out is the couple's commitment party, hosted by the bride-to-be's sponsors help show off the couple to their friends, family, and the general public.  Of course, this tall & muscular human doesn't get the reception you'd think he'd get...

Chapter 18 Dessert - well, duh, if you're going to have a party to celebrate, you have to get some good after dinner treats, right?  Of course!  But will it be cheesecake?  Chocolate souffle?  Or my personal favorite, a fresh fruit compote?  Well, read and find out!

Chapter 19 Concert, those lucky people!  I could go for getting treated to some cool music and more!  They might be VIP's, or they might try to sneak in with the regular crowd, and the adventures continue through this chapter, and it's cute how the special couple have a special name for the evening.

Chapter 20 A Mother's Gift is special.  Although my personal situation is from a different angle, it was special to read about how a special item was left for when the hero would find his forever mate, and while I'm no romantic, mind you, it melted me a little as to what & how it had to get delivered.

Happy reading people, and support starving artists of all sorts, which includes painters, musicians, actors, and writers!

Cultural Rant of an Advocate...

Here in North America, today is Mother's Day.  I kind of like the idea of celebrating parenthood.  It's weird, though, because I spent the 1st 8 years of my life in Japan, and don't remember having specific days where we honored our parents of either or both genders.  In Japan, they celebrate Girls' Day on March 3 of every year, and I remember the doll set that would be carefully taken out, in honor of the ancient old customs of the Japanese royalty coming out and placed just right in a prominent spot in the house, to show off to everyone who comes in, to brag that you are proud parents of daughters.  I guess because all children are expected to respect and obey their elders, to the point that even teachers are revered as secondary parents to all in school.  I do vaguely remember celebrating Grandparent's day, but, because I had no living grandparents there, I never got to celebrate.  But my sister & I always looked forward to putting this up, just because it was fun, and it was carried over into our teens even after coming here.

Even though people like to think that Eastern and Western cultures are very different, there ARE similarities.  While specific foods might be different, what carries over is the love of barbecued foods, except those of us who live(d) in Tokyo could never have anything awesome such as a Barbecue Pit (Ch 13)!  Reading is also something that is common, and of course, the most popular types of things were documentaries, biographies, crime fiction, and of course, who can forget Sci-Fi?  I bring this up, because my friend, Soldwolf, the Navy veteran who is writing a story called Meeting the Parents, which is a military Sci-Fi novel with a few other genres put in, and has aspects of work ethic, family values, romance, and humor...  He also spent at least a little bit of time in Japan, and actually trusts my cooking skills in making ethnic, homestyle Japanese food and enjoys it.  I just hope it doesn't get back to the Naval SSQH (Ch 14) because the only thing I might be able to keep up with the sailors is my swearing capacity, possibly... But, I do enjoy feeding people, especially family and friends.



Even though my mother is totally a born & raised American, from right here in Racine, WI (she never left the area until she married my father), and my original language was English, (I actually had to go out to the playground as a tot to learn Japanese from the other children), I basically was raised mostly Japanese while there, so when my mother came here with my sister and I, there was a time where I had to go through Familiarization (Ch 17) to get acclimated to life in these United States.  It wasn't always peaches and cream, that's for sure, and some fresh strawberries have always been my favorite.  Of course, when I had my own family, I have a son, but we've always been here, so I was never able to celebrate Boys' Day, which happens ever May 5th, by being able to fly windsocks like this off my front porch to brag that I am a boy mom!  I'm not sure, but I think I would have 2, a bigger black one to represent my 1st son who I lost in childbirth, and then a red or orange one that is slightly smaller to celebrate my now 19-year-old.



Of course, we shouldn't always be afraid of Cultural Differences (Ch 16) because I think it's fun celebrating many of those unique things.  Think about how fun it is to go to events such as Italian Fest or Greek Fest.  I think we should bring back Afro Fest, and then add Asian Fest or something!  



Anyway, please click the highlighted chapter titles incorporated into my blog.  The more reads he gets, the better chance Soldwolf actually gets to being sold as an author.  Thank you!

Interesting tidbits of Racine, WI

Most people know me as an advocate.  Even if you don't, it's probably one of the 1st things that come to mind, just because I don't ever seem to step out of that role, even during a regular dinner.  That is primary before even my interest in politics.  What people may or may not know, is that I love history just as well.  I love learning about it.

I came to Racine in 1977 as an 8-year-old from Tokyo.  I've always loved being near large bodies of water and learned that Captain Gilbert Knapp is the founder of "Port Gilbert" (where the mouth of the Root River meets Lake Michigan), and has an elementary school named after him, which is the 1st American school I attended.  Neat.  Captain G. Knapp first was a shipmate at the ripe young age of 14 and eventually served in the Civil War.  Here is a picture, potentially a part of his uniform that is displayed in the VFW.  Pretty neat, isn't it?

Captain Knapp did all sorts of neat things, like start a business, served in public office, but my favorite part is that he was a military guy.  Seriously, who doesn't love our brave men in uniform?  Just to let you know, the author and my friend Soldwolf has also served in the Navy for a LONG time, and please, do NOT call him Sir, because he works for a living!  If you wouldn't be so kind, though, please keep reading the chapters of his story, Meeting the Parents, which is a military Sci-Fi with an inter-species relationship along with the humor that goes with life in combat, cultural differences, and everything else that comes with life.  Links to previous chapters have been posted in previous blogs.  You can access them when you go to read the chapters since there is a list to the side you can click on to see where you're at and go from there.  Chapters are listed from newest to oldest, from what I can see, FYI.  The author is also a Racine citizen.

Chapter 9:  Later That Day 
Chapter 10:  Back Yard
Chapter 11:  Outdoor Dinner
Chapter 12:  Grandmother

Please support these stories here, with enough hits on each chapter and story, it's one step closer to being able to get published eventually, into an actual book.  In helping to do so, you're even helping this advocate possibly get a signed copy of the book, which would be so exciting!

Reading, writing & tutoring

I am a tutor for the Racine Literacy Council.  It's fun.  They're also having a new tutor training at the end of the month.  I like tutoring, not only because you get certain perks, like treats and events, but, it's personally rewarding.  It's really neat to see how the students progress, and adult students learning English or polishing up their reading and writing skills is a really neat process to watch.  Each year, a book is written, called Life Journey where the students submit their stories.  One of the tutors is a gardener and cook, and he brings in his goodies.  Many of the students bring in homemade food from the region they came from.  So many good things going on, from chili cookoff, tutor recognition, pot lucks, cookouts, etc. it helps bond the people who are there, and I am fortunate to be a part of this.

And, of course, speaking of reading, I'd like to plug the next 4 chapters of the story Meeting the Parents, written by my friend Soldwolf.  It's a military Sci-Fi with some endearing characters and intergalactic romance where the couple went through a ton of stuff to try to make it last.  I'm getting a connection with the main female character, who is strong and badass in her own right, but still very chick.
Chapter 5 - Big Sister Interrogation 3
Chapter 6 - Big Sister Aftermath
Chapter 7 - Morning Revelations
Chapter 8 - Morning Revelations 2

Happy reading, and any likes & comments are most welcome! Just remember, the more hits this story gets, the better chance there is to get published to a real book.  Thank you in advance!

Ann Jaworski tribute

My friend and adopted relative passed away yesterday morning. Her name is Ann, the woman I'd been taking care of on weekends from January 2005 until mid-December 2018. I'd been going there 1-4 times a week for almost 14 years. In 6 weeks, she would have been 104. Ann knew who I was back in grade school since we'd attended the same church, but I didn't really get to know her until high school, where she was one of the lunch ladies in the cafeteria.

Her life has been a full life, where she lived through the depression, married her love, had 2 sons, and had many adventures in her life. One adventure was getting through the Depression era. As an adult, Due to being able to pinch her pennies and being responsible, she and her husband bought a plot of land and they had the foundation built with a roof... When they had enough money, built the rest of her house. She sold her car to put the kitchen cabinets in and even installed her own linoleum floor. This is amazing that they never went into debt, in a day when women were expected to quit their jobs when they got married. To pay for it all, she babysat and took sewing jobs to save up the money.

32 years ago, she'd suffered a major heart attack that caused her to be in a coma for 3 months, and they didn't think she would come out and be back to herself, yet she did. In 2004, she broke her hip, and that is when I started going over to take care of her when she arrived home just after the New Year in 2005. I've been blessed to know this woman, who had a lot of chutzpah and was ornery to the point that each time I showed up at her house with my husband, Mike, she couldn't stop making eyes at him, and it was funny.

Please say a prayer, meditate, send good vibes, etc. for her two sons, especially the younger one, who does not really have many other people in his life. I will miss her dearly, and remember her with fondness. I can't say that life is short, with her being almost 104, but, I will say life is precious. Celebrate those who are important to you, because they won't be around forever.