Thanks, Faithful. I am thrilled they are safe, too. I hadn't talked to any of them in 6 days.

I’m trying to use the horrific situation in NO and now growing in BR as a tool to explain to my DD10 how people can behave, etc in situations of unbelievable desperation. There are many examples of great acts of kindness and generosity that almost defy comprehension. But it’s difficult to explain how people can turn on one another so viciously for their own needs. I would fight to the death for my family, but cannot imagine the total lack of compassion or concern for your fellow man in some of the instances I have seen. Not to mention the kind of mentality it takes for someone to sniper-shoot at military aircraft trying to rescue the critically ill from a flooded hospital, etc. As a learning experience for her (one she is following avidly following because so many dear relatives live in that area), it is difficult to share the realities of this horror without sacrificing her tender innocence and beautiful hopes for humankind. And aside from my attempts at explainging this to my DDs, it is deeply saddening to me personally to see part of my youth washed away, in great torrents of death and despair.

The New Orleans I grew up with and loved, the gentle people, the quiet, easy way of life, is gone forever. Perhaps it was truly gone long ago, and I just failed to realize it.

Those poor, poor people.


slh

I watched on TV this morning........... it is not pretty.

Thought about asking SLH what was happening..... glad you posted.

It tends to take our mind off our own troubles, and make us wonder why we were so worried. However, the troubles are still there, and still need to be taken care of.

Note the words "taken care of."

Sometimes we look at trouble as an intrusion on our happiness, when it often is the catylist for change that increases our qualithy of life.

Take good care of your troubles, that they may turn to your good. Not that we seek them out, but that we don't let them define us.

I hope Ti is taking this chance to hold you, and look in your eyes, and say "I am so glad YOU are safe, and I am so glad we are together." I hope he uses his opportunities.


We pray for those in need, we do all we can on this end to help in addition to the prayers.

SS

Faithful, how are you doing?

SS

Hi SS! Doing ok, just up and down with pain hitting in cycles and then relief knowing that in some ways there is an end in sight. DD starts counseling on Tuesday.

Hope you enjoy your weekend. We had a blast yesterday.

We had a blast yesterday.

Oh?
And you did what?
Did I miss something?

Remember to take time to unwind. Sometimes when people are wound to tight, their spring breaks.

Un-wind
1 a : to cause to uncoil : wind off : UNROLL
b : to free from or as if from a binding or wrapping
c : to release from tension : RELAX

SS

SS, took DD and DS to the aquarium for the morning. I took the day off from work to spend with them. We spent the morning at the aquarium and went to a special lunch. DS got to pet a shark, sting ray and a sea anenomoe (sp?) Wonderful day and I almost cried from the joy of seeing DS so happy. DD had a great time too.

Sounds like you have it down pretty well.

I am glad MOM had a good time too.

You have a nice weekend, and keep going on the unwinding - until it's enough.

We pray for you.

SS

Hi.

(shhh)


I'm at work.

(giggle)

Ok, you made me laugh again.
(said in a whisper, with a big smile.)

SS

I missed your "not gettin older, gettin better" day, GC (aka: De Nile in another language is a big effin river, but here in Texas it means YOU HAD ANOTHER BIRTHDAY, HOPE YOU DIDN'T GET DRUNK AND WEAR YOUR CHONIES ON YOUR HEAD day).

Squidges dear one.

GC, I have a question...

When the decision for D was in process did you feel an explosion of sorts inside? I know my WH is still around while you had to go to plan B but I wondered what your experience was? I find myself having these jolts of pain inside and then sometimes what feels like huge explosions of pain in anticipation of the future. I don't know if I am explaining it well or not.

2long,
Have a good trip. Have a very good trip.

May it be all that you wish it to be.

SS

My wife served me in July '04, filed for divorce in January '05, and we were finally done a month ago, right? Right. So.

I pretty much existed for that year having sporadic pangs hit me, often several times a day. Something would pop into my head, and I'd feel like my soul had the hiccups. I'd be hit with a vague nauseous feeling and a tightness in my gut. I'd breathe in a shaky breath, and if it was real bad, and I was alone, I'd hug my arms around my middle, put my head down, close my eyes, and just soak it up.

I've been divorced for five weeks and it still happens.

ADs make it happen less often.

Funny thing about it though. It's very unpleasant, but there's something else to it, a feeling of being alive and in the moment. An understanding that there's something in that feeling that makes me stronger.

I never experience any real dread of my uncertain future though, even though there could still be major changes in my life, not chosen by me, resulting from what's happened. Usually I hurt the most when I imagine my XWW carrying on happily, having never acknowledged how she hurt me. Her indifference towards me still hurts, though her power to make me feel eradicated is diminished now.

I'm partly responsible for it being this way. When she first left, I told her I meant to forgive her and would always be there for her. She responded with such cruelty and callousness that I had to break my promise. I still feel guilty about that.

What I don't feel guilty about, though, is making sure she understands the truth as I see it. She's done an evil thing that will never be okay, and the shockwaves it's created will echo through all our lives forever. She could be redeemed if that sort of thing mattered to her.

I don't even feel very sorry for her anymore, because I'm pretty sure she doesn't think she's done a bad thing. She thinks she's done what she "had to". I think she did what she had to to keep from growing up.

Did I get in the ballpark with any of that?

GC

Oh, hey Kimmy. Thanks. I didn't get drunk, but had a good time.

That stupid book Night, some birthday present! Dang thing made me tear up at the auto dealership today. Wiesel's statement about his first night in Auschwitz:

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky.

Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.

Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.

GC

SLH,

I am so happy your family and friends are safe! What a tragedy down there.

JJ,

I read your post and it was most enchanting. I wish I could see the new you, and the old you too! lol Good for you, whatever it is that is going on.

Gray,

I missed your birthday! You are but a baby, only 35????? A man doesn't even come into his own until 45, even if his "boys" do get in the way when he sits down at times. LOL

I am never going to read that book!

Faithful, still praying for you and thinking of you daily. I hope you are okay and so glad you had a good day.

SS,

Rock on!!!!!

And Kimmy, congrats on the new job!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike, good to see you again.

2long, you been gone too long but am glad you are doing better at "lurking". LOL

Oh and AD....GET SOME SLEEP!

To anyone else on here - HEY!

And Binder, you other "lurker", hi!

See this is why I left Idiotville, can't keep up.

That is pretty close to it yeah. I think what makes it worse right now is

1. We were doing really well together recently and I am stunned by his double life.

2. The baby. That part will likely hurt til the end of my life. Exactly! He could still redeem himself if he so chose to but he doesn't and so the damage and its ripples will continue for the rest of our lives. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Thank you, I hate to ask you about painful stuff but just need to understand what I am going through right now.

Love ya, Weaver!

Weaver,

Sorry I didn't get this message yesterday. I'll go to sleep soon, I (sorta) promise. DD is here and maybe we'll make it to church tomorrow.

Oh wow, the campfire's out. hmmm. I'll leave it for somebody else to fix up. I'm saving my fuel.

Actually, I've been building a burn pile all summer. Yesterday I cut two overgrown spreading yew's and tossed them on there. The house looks better without them. Maybe I'll light it on the 27th, when the D's final, but that would be a Monday, and making too much drama on the end of the D gives it more power - and I'd rather give it less - just light the fire when the weather and etc. are favorable, like the day after tomorrow, for example. I've still got some brush to cut. We got enough rain out of Katrina that I can be sure the grass won't burn - so it should be safe, but it's been clear for a few days, so the pile should be dry enough. All the cardboard that wrapped my new washer and dryer, soaked with a gallon of unusable year-old 2-stroke mix and should make adequate kindling. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

... and if 2Long would drop by with a couple of gallons of LOX, we'll be finished in about 30 seconds. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> (we'll have to wear sunglasses)

-AD