We had a small crowd, but they were a very responsive crowd. The food was awesome. I had the best whiskey flank steak I ever tasted. It was to die for! There was chicken in a creamy sauce, salmon and lobster in a creamy sauce, filet mignon, and ham. Plus, cut up potatoes that were so yummy, with different veggies, some mixed with pasta and some not. The desserts were scrumptious. All different kinds from cream pies to yummy cakes, with even a chocolate fountain for dipping your fresh fruits in.

Our Gala for New Years Eve

I had to take the band's setup before the evening started.

Our Babies

Patches is just so darn cute, that I love taking pictures of her with her teeth sticking out.

Dutchess is so cute, also, that she always has different looks to her. I just had to take these close-ups of the two of them.

Every time Chuck wants to lay back and take a nap, our Dutchess wants to bother him. I really love to see her interrupt him doing his favorite thing, because she is so darn funny. I really believe if she was small like, Patches, she would lie on his lap, like she does at times. If you look closely, Dutchess, has a stuffed animal in her mouth. She always has to have something in her mouth, when she interrupts Chuck. When we come home or get up from sleeping, the first thing Dutchess does is grab something and run around with it in her mouth. She even takes it with her when she goes out to relieve herself. Sometimes she forgets to bring it back in with her.

Sassy and Chuck are enjoying the heat from the portable heaters. Chuck hates to be cold and always has the heater blowing on him. I, too, think Sassy hates being cold, because she is always laying on something that is warm, i.e. Chucks Macintosh tower under his desk, on the heat register in the kitchen, or a nice warm lap. Sassy has become very attached to Chuck. He calls her, Nanny, like he did with our, Taffy and Misty, they were our older cats that just loved mothering the other younger cats.

This is Chuck favorite pass-time. My mom's cat, Sassy, loves to lay on his lap when he is sleeping and I couldn't resist taking a picture. Sassy, is finally, after 2 years, since my mom's death has come around, to enjoy her new home with us. She is around 10-12 years old now. My mom got her after, my grandfather, passed away in 1997 from the SPCA. She loves laying in the upstairs wardrobe that I keep the towels in, but she lays on the bottom on a blanket that's in there.

Dutchess is looking at her and probably thinking, what are you doing on my daddy's lap. Dutchess loves to chase the cats around the downstairs part of the house, if I didn't have the steps blocked off, she probably would run all through the house after them.

Here is Patches on the back of the sofa. She is just some amazing dog. She is the first dog I have ever seen climb the sofa and lay on top of it. She just thinks she can do anything she wants, and most of the time she does. Patches will be 2 on March 3rd, Cody will be 12 on May 13th, and Dutchess will be 2 on May 22nd. Doesn't Cody remind you of Marley, in the movie, Marley & Me. Cody is such a good doggie. If, any of you see the movie, our Dutchess is Marley. I call her our doggie from hell. She gets into so much trouble when left alone, that is why she is created, when we leave the house, or go to bed.

I really recommend you see the movie, if you are considering a dog for a pet, because they are so cute and they can be a handful to raise. Marley got kicked out of dog obedience classes and our Cody was the same way, when he was in obedience classes. Our first Dutchess, was a Golden Retriever, and she passed her classes with flying colors, but Cody was another story.

My little Miss Queeny

This is our little miss queeny of the house. Have you ever seen a dog jump on a chair and then climb up on a desk? Well, Patches does it all the time if Chuck's desk chair is pushed right up to the desk. I have to turn it around so she doesn't get up on the desk, because she loves to play with things on his desk, as you can see in these pictures.

HAPPY NEW YEAR....2009

Happy New Year everyone!  Let us all hope for a better 2009, may all our dreams of a better year, be upon us.

Has anyone made any New Year's resolutions?  I haven't thought about it, yet.

My Real Hubby

This is my real husband!!

John and Jamie's little boy

This is Jonathan, he is my foster son, John & Jamie's little boy. He is 4 years old now, boy is he growing up. As you can see he is waiting for Santa with a plate of cookies and milk. That cookie sure looks good. Santa is going to love the cookie that Jonathan made for him.

Merry Christmas to All

I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. May the love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shine his grace upon you.
My saviour is born, oh glorious night.

It looks like more snow is on its way

Tonight into tomorrow morning we are expecting more snow. So my little grandkids and all other kids can build a snowman like this one.


When I was a child I loved playing in the snow and building a snowman. So all you little kids at heart, enjoy the snow that is on its way. Let it snow, Let it snow, for we all will be dreaming of a "White Christmas, this year!

Leroy, The Redneck Reindeer

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all like this little video. I know the kids will like it.
Just click on the title to watch and listen.
Enjoy!

Now My Firing Is Making Philadelphia News

I really wished I would have talked to that reporter, Stacie Weaver, to give her my side of the story, but I was too afraid to be on camera. Now, I regret it this morning as I am writing this posting.

Yes, I feel it was very wrong for Wilson Borough Council to fire me for not letting me explain the truth behind all this bull. I don't really care what they think of me, after, all this was made public. All I care about is the well being of our school children. The Wilson Borough Council ought to worry about the corners being covered, now that they are very short on crossing guards. If a child gets hit by a car and there was no guard on the corner where it happened, oh boy, huge lawsuit. I hope, it doesn't happen, because that will be on their heads.

I didn't do that job for 27 years, if I didn't like the kids. Who in their right mind would work with 2 artificial knees in all kinds of weather and jeopardize injuring themselves, if they didn't like their job.

Wilson Borough claim to be equal opportunity employers, YEAH RIGHT THEY ARE. Here is what happened to me. I was a meter-maid and a crossing guard for the boro, when I was having my knee problems. I fell on the job and tore my menisci, which developed into major problems later. I was told by Dr. Reid that I had to use a cane for assistance while walking around Easton Hospital writing tickets. Well, I was called in for using my cane, so I walked with a lot of pain. Then, it got to be very hard for me to continue to walk like that, so I started using my car and driving around to write tickets. Well, I got called in again for doing that. They said I wasn't covered on their insurance to do that. That is when I made a decision to resign as a longtime meter-maid of almost 12 years. I tried to continue being a crossing guard at that time, but it was getting harder and harder for me to continue doing that. Dr. Reid told me that all the walking and standing on the concrete wasn't good for my knees and it would kill me. That is when I made the decision to resign as a school guard. I really missed not working with the kids.

I had my first knee replacement in October of 2002. After is was healed and I could walk and stand with no more pain, I decided to apply to be a school crossing guard again. I was hired back in 2003. Well, shortly after being hired back, I was informed by another orthopedic doctor, Dr. Iallegio (he did both knees), that I had to have the other knee replaced. I waited until school was out and had it done. I was able to go back to work after the summer was over. So, I only missed one year from being a crossing guard. If I didn't do my job well enough I don't think I would have been hired back. DO YOU?

I want my readers to know........

I was coming home from getting gas in New Jersey, and as I was driving on Washington St, when I saw the young boy that this article is all about. I stopped my car and and rolled my window down to call the young boy over to my car. I apologized to him and he said to me, it was ok and he was not upset with me. He also said to me for me to not worry about it.

That made me feel kinda good inside. To think, that I may have caused him some internal damage from my remark that was BLOWN out of proportion.

Now, if we adults can learn from this that would be great.

I have created a lot of controversy in The Express-Times

I have written a letter to Action Express to see if the person in charge could help me get my job back that I have loved so much and had so much passion for. I didn't hear anything from them for almost a month. Last week a reporter called me and told me my letter was passed to him. He said that his editor thought it would make a good article and that my voice should be heard. I was nervous and excited all in one package. My husband was totally against the whole thing. So, after his disapproval over the article I tried my hardest to get it squashed, but the reporter said to me, it needs to be heard.

Well, let me tell you something to all my readers that I am in no way prejudice and that I see all God's children were created equal. God made us different skin colors, he made us with different talents, he made us with different intelligence, he made us with different ethnic backgrounds. But, he made us all equal and to love one another. That's what I have been always taught, since I was a young child.

After reading some of the comments that have been posted after the article in yesterdays paper, you would have thought I was this horrible person. To them that don't know me, you are all wrong. I would give you my last penny if you needed it, even if I needed more. I have done that so many times in my life and I would not take that part of me back. I have help anyone that has ever needed help, whether it is money, friendship, or anything else. Your comments that have been written will not change how I feel about all the people that I have come in to contact with. Like the one person wrote, STICKS AND STONES WILL HURRT MY BONES, BUT NAMES WILL NEVER HURT ME. I have been called many names most of my life and I have let them roll off my broad shoulders.

I have done that job to the best of my ability and beyond. Here are some of the things I have done to assist a child; Years ago when Shull School on Southside Easton was a school for bad kids, I took a middle school child over their after one of my crossing shifts because he missed his bus. That child was of different color, but he was a child that always showed respect because I showed him the same respect. Yes, he was sometimes a bad ass, but he wasn't to me. Just the week prior to me losing my job I took a family of 3 to the Wilson Elementary School so they wouldn't miss their bus to the Avona School, with the mother's permission, of course. The next day she brought me a little gift, I told her no I didn't want her to do that. Her remark to me was; In my country where I am from that is what we do to show our appreciation to someone that does a nice thing. After taking this beautiful gift, I asked her where she was from and she told me Mexico. Why can't we all be like this person to everyone we come in to contact with, the world would be a better place.

My girlfriend, said to me that she can't believe that I am this upset over losing a $5,000 a year job. I told her that this job might not have paid a lot of money, but I loved the kids. Yes, not all the kids are nice kids, but they are all kids whom will grow up to be, hopefully, wonderful adults. And when they look back, I hope I made a good impression in their life, in some way or another. That is the reward in crossing, teaching, or driving a bus with school kids.

The Christmas Shoes

I have watched this movie tonight and it is the greatest movie I've seen for the second time, that I had to share the song with you. What is Christmas without the love of a child for it's mother. If you haven't seen this movie, please do, you won't regret watching it. The Christmas Season is upon us and it is such a beautiful time of year.

I may not have money to buy the things I may want to give someone I love. I may not have the money to make a beautiful dinner to share with my loved ones. But I do know what I truly have in this whole wide world and that is the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ. He has given me so much. So much more than money could ever buy. He has given me hope & faith of a life after this, in his home above all homes, and that is Heaven. So, treasure the life you all have here, until you go home to heaven.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

I would like to wish all my friends, family, and daily readers to my blog a very Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful today for my loving God to allow me to wake up and share my thankfulness with my readers. I am thankful that I am a very loving, giving, christian woman, who I will brighten anyones day. I am also thankful for what my Lord has provided me and that is a hard working man, 2 beautiful boys, 1 foster son, a beautiful daughter-in-law, lovely girlfriends for John & Billy, and six grandchildren, with one on the way. Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for.

I have three beautiful dogs and 4 loving kitties to greet me everyday with their love and adoration for me. What more can I be thankful for. Amen!

The Truth Behind My Firing

I always tell people things happen for a reason and God always sees us through the bad and brings us to the good. But here I am going through some difficulty and I'm really having trouble making sense at my wisdom.

Here is my story;

A week and a half ago I had a girl running with her brother telling me that another little girl was bullying her and wanted to beat her up. I tried to make peace and told the girls to just go home, but the bully girl kept screaming at the other girl telling her that she wasn't supposed to go home that she was supposed to come with her and her mom was going to take her somewhere. Well, I don't believe that was true on her part, because when I was trying to tell her to go home, she screamed at me that I wasn't her boss, I can't tell her what to do, and that I was nothing but an old crossing guard.

I went to her grandmother's house where she went to tell her how she was very disrespectful of me and what she wanted to do to this other little girl (I won't mention names because it isn't relevant). The grandmother told me that she wasn't even supposed to walk to her house she was supposed to go home after school. So she called her daughter to come get her. When the daughter came back around past me, I told the mother what she wanted to do, about beating up the little girl. That mother told me if she wanted to beat someone up she can. I told her that she wasn't going to do it on my corner. The mother didn't like that and pulled her car over and parked it. Came out of her car pointing her finger at me and yelling that I am nothing but WHITE TRASH. She threatened me and I called 911 to get the police there. I had many witnesses to what had happened. Meanwhile, while I was waiting for the police to come the grandmother was yelling at me and told me in no certain terms, if I get her daughter in any kind of trouble she will hang me. Well, she did.

The next day or so, I was crossing a group of kids and I was talking to a little boy. Telling him to go home the way he lives. A little girl asked me who I was talking to and I said that little black boy. She asked me, why are you calling him a color. I said because he is of different color than me, after she asked me twice, why was I calling him a color. I said to her, why did you want me to call him a little chocolate boy. He had on a brown coat and my mind couldn't respond the way I wanted it to and it came out wrong. Yes, that was my mistake for saying what I did.

That group of kids were walking on the south side of 17th street and this grandmother of the child from the previous incident was across the street from where they were walking. She called all of six of them over to her side of the street and asked what I said and they told her what I said. I'm sure it was like whisper down the alley, things got added to the story. This happened on a Friday.

Wednesday of last week I was called into the Boro Office for a meeting in front of the Boro Manager, President of Council, and the Police Chief. I was accused of making a racial slur. They said they don't tolerate that. They asked me if I called a little boy a chocolate boy. I said yes by mistake and I wasn't able to explain myself to them. I asked can you give me another chance. The council president said NO, that he had too many complaints about me. Well, he hasn't. He said to hand in my equipment and that I was done as of today.

I just want my family and friends to know the whole story and to know that I am not a prejudice person. I don't see color when I look at someone. I see the person God created. We are all created equal in God's eyes. I was told by a friend that is a teacher. He said we can't call them black anymore. We are to call them African Americans and we are called Caucasian Americans. Why is it wrong to call a black person black and a white person white, anymore? You see it in the newspaper all the time when the reporter is describing different races, i.e. black, white, hispanic, etc. Now, to me that sounds prejudice.

If the previous crossing guard that was stationed at that corner didn't have trouble (from this same grandmother), she would still be on that corner and I would be on my corner at 20th & Washington St. I was helping her out so she wouldn't quit, because she really needs the money. I tried to do good for her and it bit me in the butt. I don't resent helping her to move to my corner and me to her corner because we were both crossing the kids.

That is the whole story..........I love working with kids and elderly people. Hopefully, I find someone that could use my assistance, like my elderly friend. I take care of her in her home while her daughter works. I feed her lunch, take her to the bathroom, or do errands for her. What ever she needs done I try to accommodate her. Today I took her to the doctors.