Sean's Theraputic Horseback Riding Lessons

Sean all ready for his horseback riding lesson

Sean going to get his horse Lilly for his riding lesson

Today I was suppose to head down to Nicki's and her family for a few days but after taking a SCIP-R (Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention-Revised) for four days and pulling some muscles in my lower back, I thought maybe I shouldn't get on one of the bikes or even the car to maybe put even more strain on my injury. It was a horrible decision to make to stay home as I really wanted to get to Nicki's in time to go with them to watch Sean's theraputic horse back riding lesson. I guess it was a good decision as this afternoon I'm very stiff, but not so sore. Then Nicki sent me some pictures of Sean taking his lessons and in many ways it made me even sadder not to be there to actually share in the experience but also made me happy that I could see Sean in action with his horse "Lilly". Hopefully I'll be able to upload pictures today so you can share in the joy that I felt when looking at them.

This picture has nothing to do with his riding class, but this was Sean's graduation day in June of 2006

A Thought about Women

THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Men don't do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.

BUT......... Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you.
A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you. Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still.

Old Friends

Make new friends, but keep the old,

One is silver and the other's Gold.

Those are the words of a sing we use to sing in Girl Scouts many years ago. Many times I think of those words when I think about the friends I have in my life. Those who I've known for years and years and those that I've just met within the last couple of years. I guess I could go as far as saying those strangers that I haven't met yet who will become friends.

Today I spent some time with a Golden Friend, Nancy. She needed a ride to pick up her van which had had some repairs made on it. Seeing it was a Saturday morning we then went out for breakfast.

Nancy and I have been friends for almost as long as we can remember. She is a couple years younger then me and I think because of that, I was always the older kid that had to take care of things. Of course the thing we still laugh about is when Nancy turned five and there was going to be a little party with her family. I decided that seeing I wasn't invited, that I would "steal" Nancy and take her home with me. I lived about a half a mile from Nancy's house which was located at the former "Elma Nursery" where my Mom worked for Nancy's grandfather who owned the nursery. (a little sidebar, my Mom and Nancy's Dad rode the same school bus back in the 1930's)

So Nancy agrees to be "stolen" by me, the big Seven year old. We walked down the road towards my house, very carefully of course as I was a very responsible seven year old and I wasn't going to let anything happen to Nancy. I don't remember how long it took for us to make our way to my house, but then of course we couldn't go into the house! So back into the woods we went to sit and wait to be found out. Little did we know that one of the neighbors had ratted us out having observed us walking down the road. (I sure hope she noticed how cautious we were). As we sat in the woods we could see just about everyone from the nursery walking through the field looking for us. What's funny is I don't remember actually being found, but I know it happened. Nancy made it safely back to her home and the family birthday party. I was told by my parents that I had to apoligized to Eddie and Grace (Nancy's parents) and as little as I remember of that, Nancy remembers that I never could bring myself to say the words. I was allowed to go back and play there again so I guess all was forgiven anyway. Hmm, but now that I think of it, I wonder if Grace kept a closer eye on us after that?

So now all these years later, Nancy and I are still having fun together. There have been years that we didn't see each other much as we went on with our individual lives and even though I live just around the corner from where I grew up and Nancy now lives in her grandparents home on the old Elma Nursery grounds, we could go months and months without talking. But whenever we did get togehter, we would just take up where we left off the last time. It's good to have friends like that! As John Prine would say "that's golden".

There was supposed to be a picture to go with this latest rant, but I couldn't get it to load. I'll keep trying.

My Grandson Sean

I saw my grandson, Sean, a couple weekends ago. He lives with his Mom and Dad about 300 miles from here so I don't get to see him as much as I would like.

Sean is a special child, born with Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome. Here is a website that Nicki added a page to about Sean about 8 yrs ago.
RTS - Our Pages - Sean Patrick Regan - Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome
Here is a link that explains about RubinStein-Taybi Syndrome
Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome Information on Healthline

As you can see, it's a complex syndrome and Sean has most of the things you just read about. He is so incrediably musical which I guess he just couldn't help with the all music in his family! He also loves playing basketball and has been taking theraputic horseback riding lessons. I hope to see him taking part in this activity someday.

So here are some pics of him from this year. He turned 12 in June. Oh My! Where has the time gone!

Sean relaxing with Dad.

UnAnniversary

If I was still married, today would be my 35th wedding anniversary. Now I call it my "UnAnniversary".

What a long strange journey it has been! I married when I was 19 yrs old to the first guy who asked me to marry him. Was this a mistake? Was I just young and stupid? Was I just idealistic thinking that everything would be fine forever? Who knows? I sure as heck don't know.

For many years I thought I had a great marriage, sure there were ups and downs but I thought we always worked everything out and that as life went on things would get better. I was wrong. Yes, I had a pretty good life, but it turns out much of it was a lie. He was lying to me and I was lying to myself about how things were really going.

Shortly after our 32nd anniversary, I finally asked him the question I had been afriad to ask for so long. I simply said to him "don't you love me" and he looked at me and finally told me the truth "no and I haven't for the last 22 years". My life crumbled and within one month of severe depression and loosing 30 lbs. I finally started getting myself together with a little help of my friends (both flesh and blood friends and little blue pills in a little bottle). I got myself a good lawyer, learned what I was going to face in the next few months, started listening to my friends who kept telling me that I was going go to be OK, I joined the gym and the most amazing things happened!

I was OK. I found out I just needed to spread my wings and soar! I had never lived on my own and then I found out I liked it! I started changing the house so that it truely become MY HOME!

My divorce was granted on April 21, 2004. (Would you believe he had called me on April 21, 1971 to ask me out for the first time?) I walked out of court with my lawyer, got to the parking ramp where I had parked my car on the top floor. It was the only car there and I just walked around for a while making a phone call to a friend in PA. I stood there overlooking the Niagara River on the most beautiful spring day. I knew that I finally was on my own and I had to make the most of it to prove to myself and to everyone that I could make it. I wasn't going to let the lies and deceit that had filled my life for so many years stop me for making the rest of my life the best that it could be.

Yes, it's been a long and strange journey, but one that I wouldn't give up. Everything in my past is what has made me what and who I am today. I'm stronger then I ever imagined. I have better friends then I had ever given them credit. Sure, sometimes I have my weak moments, ones that I'm not proud off and some that just make me mad at myself for letting myself fall apart. But there are many many more moments that I'm proud off! I love my life now. I can finally be who I really am, I can make my own decisions and live with the results whether they are good or bad.

It's been a while since my last update. I was away for the weekend, going to my daughter's on Saturday to attend the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Freedom of Speech Tour at Bethel Woods Arts Center. It was a beautiful night and one I won't forget for a long time. On Monday Nicki came home with me so she could see some remodeling I had done to the house since she was here last and also to catch up with friends. Tuesday I went to work where she joined me a few hours later so we could take her bike to have some maintence done on it then out to lunch where we had a fabulous meal at one of our favorite places, Tantalus, in East Aurora. If you like something just a bit different or maybe more upscale, this is the place to eat.

The pictures are all from my new cell phone. First pic is just a little bit of the crowd (18,000) at the CSNY concert. We were too far from the stage to really get any pictures of the band.

This is a picture of Nicki's and my bikes when we took our first break from our ride home. This was the first time that we had ridden together in three years. I hope it isn't that long before we get the chance to ride together again!

This is my friend Bob whom we stopped to see on our way home. Bob and I are both members of the Venturers. His picture is in an earlier part of the blog. He was in an accident last fall on his motorcycle and is still recovering after several surgeries on his leg. Hopefully he will be on the road again very soon!

An amazing discovery!

The other day I was searching through Amazon.com looking for an artist I had just heard played on the folk station on aol radio. It was a song by Christine Lavin called "What was I Thinking?" from her album "Sometimes Mother Really Knows Best". The song was hilarious and I thought I just might want to get some of her albums. Turns out most of recording of live performances and sounded very funny as she makes social commentaries through her songs. While searching through her recordings, a group called Four Bitchin' Babes was recommended, so I started looking at their stuff as well. I accindently click on "one click shopping" and within a few minutes I found out I had ordered one of their albums. At first I tried to find out how to cancel the order, then figured, what the heck, maybe this is something I'll enjoy. I'm sitting here listening to it now and IT'S GREAT!!!!!! With songs like Viagra In the Water, Toe to Toe with The HMO, and Beautiful Fool. But the words on the song "If I Were Brave" really caught my eye and heart.

What would I do if I knew

that I could not fail?

If I believe would the wind

always fill up my sail?

How far would I go, what could I achieve

Trusting the hero in me?

If I were brave I'd walk the razor's edge

Where fools and dreamers dare to tread

And never lose faith

even when losing my way

What step would I take today if I were brave?

What if we're all meant to do

what we secretly dream?

What would you ask if you knew

you could have anything?

LIke the mighty oak sleeps

in the heart of a seed

Are there miracles in you and me?

If I were brave.........

If I refused to listen to the voice of fear

Woud the voice of courage

whisper in my ear?

What would I do today if I were brave?

What would I do today if I were brave?

What would I do today if I were brave?

The songs on this album are funny or thoughtful, crazy and loving. I think Four Bitchin' Babes just won another fan! Check out their website

Babes Home Page

What a nice day

I slept in this morning! YIPPEE!!! Seems like forever since I was able to do that but no work today! I did meet a fellow Venturer from one of my online motorcycle club today. Will Burke from North Bay, Ontario was traveling to Ohio for a few days with his friend George. After spending the night in Fort Erie, they crossed the Peace Bridge and headed down the thruway. I met them later at the Angola Service area where we enjoyed breakfast together. Will and I had written e-mails back and forth and chatted in the chat room in the Venturer's website so it was really like meeting an old friend.

It was also fun today to play with my new iPod that I have found can be played through my system on my Venture. I had just figured out how to shuffle within a playlist which made the music all the more enjoyable. I also finally figure out how to load photos to the iPod.

On my way home from meeting up with Will and George I stopped and picked up a new cell phone. I've spend hours downloading tunes that I like to have for different people. This new phone is also a camera phone so I plan to take pics of my friends to use as wallpaper for their listings.

I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!

I have two very important men in my life, well, I guess I should call them boys. My two Grandsons, Sean and Mason. I don't get to see Sean as often as I would like but will see him this week so I'll post updated pictures of him next week. Mason comes to visit every weekend to stay with his Daddy, my son Cory. With the nice weather, Mason and I have been able to spend some time in the pool. Now that it's getting late in the season and fall seems to be showing up a little with cooler evening, I know our pool days are winding down.

It's getting late, but.......

It's getting late, I'm tired and want to be in bed sleeping but I got a new toy today and I'm having way too much fun with it. I got further into the 21st century and bought an iPod. I'm leaving for a couple days tomorrow and want to have some of my favorite music to listen too. Music always makes the trip go faster! Hmm, music, sounds like another blog topic for the future.

Tattoo Pics

Here are a few pics of some of my tats. I'll post more some other day. Sorry about the poor quality of the dragon print.

Tattoos

I have many passions in my life, just one is tattoos. I guess I should explain that for years I thought tattoos were rather nasty but after my son started getting tattooed when he turned 18, I started taking a closer look and started learning about the people who are tattooed. Every two years I have to take a behind the wheel road test to keep my CDL (commerical drivers license) and one time my examiner had a small beautiful tattoo on her wrist which I had to ask her about. She explained that she had it done before she could afford gold jewelry. The proverbial light bulb went off in my head and within a couple years I had my first tattoo, a small vine on my right wrist. Of course that was only going to be my only tattoo until the next year I had the insides of my ankles done, one with a small skunk (my motorcycle mascot) and the other with a pair of skunk footprints (to honor the many miles traveled by motorcycle). Of course I wasn't going to have anymore done, until the next year when I had a decorative piece done on my upper left arm to honor my Dad who died in 1999, and my Mom and my grandparents and my ancestry. In this tattoo is hidden a S for Striegel, a P for Phillips and a C for Cindi. The next year brought a celtic tree of life to honor my children and grandchildren on my upper right arm. The year I turned 50 I had a oriental dragon down on my left thigh. I was born in the year of the dragon. I am also a green, water dragon so my dragon is green. My artist, Tattoo Joe Marzolf from Roadhouse Tattoos in Holland, NY then said I should get a Koi and the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. Turns out in oriental mytholoy, the Koi swims upstream and if it's makes it's way through the rapids he is rewarded by being turned into a dragon. This then became a three year project and finally a fully sleeved thigh including a tiger (my son was born in the year of the dragon) and flowers (my daughter was born in the year of the rat but didn't want to be represented by a rat), then we added a pair of cranes for my husband and me. When we divorced his crane (cranes represent faithfulness in oriental art) was inked yellow to represent cowardice (another whole story). The background of this tattoo is bamboo and shading. I also have a celtic heart on my chest to represent a broken heart held together by a vine. (As Carly Simon sings "there is more room in a broken heart). On the back of my neck is a sun/moon with a shooting star to show the different sides of my personality. Above my butt, sometimes called a tramp stamp, is the Yamaha Logo placed between two tribal oriental dragons. This past spring I had the cover of John Irving's latest book inked, a simple broken heart with the banner that reads "Until I Find You" which is the title of his most recent book. I've always wanted to honor my love of JI's books and this was just too perfect. Tattoo Joe dressed this tattoo up with tribal designs. At the same time I had Indian Larry's Logo tattooed on the inside of my left arm. His logo is a question mark and reminds me of the mysteries of like. This is to keep me on my toes and also to honor the memory of Larry. Am I finished with my tats? No way! I have others in the planning stages. I have big plans for my full back piece. I'll publish pics in the near future. I think I took up too much room here to post any now!

Motorcycling Friends

Today I said Good Bye to my Friend Ed, Run In Bare, from Ajax, Ontario. Ed had spent a night last week while traveling to visit with friends in PA. When other friends weren't around in another part of the New York, he decided to cross the border in Buffalo again so came by this way to spend another night. Ed is the guy who carved my little mouse that was pictured in an earlier post. I have been very lucky over the years to meet some of the nicest people through my different motorcycle clubs. Many of these people have been friends for years and years like Elaine (The Bag Lady), BW (Bad Wendy), MooKaw (Bonnie), PASue (Sue) and many other wonderful friends from Women On Wheels (r). In the last few years I've made a whole new batch of friends including Bob (PABob), Joe and Elaine (BroJoe & SisE), Ed (Run In Bare), Bob (Patroller) and another Bob (BongoBob) just to mention a few. I have truly been blessed with great friends in my motorcycling community!

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Pic #1 PABOB

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Pic #2 BroJoe and Patroller

Pic #3 PASue,

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Pic #4 The Bag Lady, BadWendy, MooKaw

Pic #5 Run In Bare, Me and BongoBob

Another Hot One

Man, it was another hot one today! Too hot to ride the bike, I just got in the car and turned the a/c down to 60 degrees. It felt so hot at work but when I walked out the door, it was walking into a blast furnace. When I finally got home it didn't take too long to get into the swim suit and hit the pool which is up to almost 84 degrees now. A break in the heat is on it's way and I'm looking forward to it. I'll be out riding on Friday, meeting a friend who will be coming to spend a night or two here. Hopefully I'll get out of work early enough to get down into PA before I meet up with "Run In Bare" a friend from some of my online motorcycle clubs. He spent the night here last week and left the little friend pictured below from his wood carving collection.

Dog Days of Summer and work

OH WOW, it's another hot one today. I really don't do well in the heat and humidity. It's just one of the many reasons I didn't want to move to Arizona. OK, you will say "but it's a dry heat" to which I always answer "and in Western New York Winters we have that dry cold". Looks like today will be another day to spend in the pool once I get home from work this afternoon. I spent several hours in there yesterday and it was heavenly! So what do I do for work? I drive school bus and have for going on 19 years. This summer I'm working as an attendent with another driver. I'm working with a very autistic child and it's a real challenge. Today because of the heat, she didn't go to school so I got to come home and work on this for a while. Later I'll head to Aspire for one of my other jobs. I'm a driver/trainer/manager at Aspire 12 hours a week. I'm getting use to working in management and really enjoy it. What is Aspire of WNY? It use to be UCPA of WNY (United Cerebal Palsy Association). They changed the name several years ago when they realized that the great majority of their consumers had more handicaps then CP. Another job I'm currently doing is working as a secretary at a small local church, but I just resigned that position as it was becoming increasing difficult to find the time to do that job with my other jobs. In the winter I work at this same church as their organist when the other organist is wintering in Vegas. This works out perfectly for me as I'm not too likely to want to travel during the winter so I don't mind being home every weekend. Time to head to the couch and sit in front of the fan until I walk out the door to go to Aspire.