Monday, December 31, 2007

New Years Eve 2008


So we woke up on the 26th of December and decided that if Brad was going to go to Florida with me and we were going to have time to see my Dad and Doris that we needed to leave the next couple of days. So after a few phone calls and lots of luck, off we were to MA. Jenny Wideawake drove us to Nancy and Peter's house, where we stayed for 2 nights to have Xmas with them. Then Nancy took us to the airport on the 30th and off we were to Florida. My Dad and Doris were generous enough to let us stay with them for the week. We had tons of fun in the sun and at the flea market.

New Years Eve was one to remember! We were getting ready to go out when Brad got a call that Caitlyn was going to the hospital. Thank goodness it turned out to be nothing. The rest of the evening was spent at a dance at the club house where Dad and Doris live.

All smiles for me! We had lots of entertainment watching the retired couples party down.





If you ADDED our age together we were the average age of each person in the room. But their age didn't seem to matter because they could have won any dance competition against Brad and I. We certainly had LOTS of laughs that night, at OURSELVES!





My Dad and Doris, certainly know how to cut a rug!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Our Christmas

This year for Christmas we got to have Cait with us. She was here for the week before and Christmas as well. Brad was finishing up his last few days at Manchester and we were busy playing with the puppies and all the company that stopped by. We got to go see my parents on the 22nd and Brad's family came here on the 23rd. Christmas day we had to a BIG breakfast, and opened LOTS and LOTS of gifts. Brad had to leave for work at 2:30, but by then Cait and I were ready to veg and watch a movie. It truly was a VERY special Christmas for us.

XMAS 2007

Monday, December 24, 2007

New Job


After 6 months wading through a hiring process like I have never been through before the news came. At 10:00 am on December 24th I received the call from Lt Geno of the Rutland City Police Department that I had been given the job of Communication Operator there. I think the whole neighborhood heard my yell of triumph. I was in Manchester within the next few hours tendering my resignation with the Chief.

Of course Donna and I celebrated that night with a bottle of champagne!!!!
I had been a dispatcher for the Manchester Police Department for over 18 years 15 of that full time. After moving to Rutland City the commute was getting long and the schedule at Manchester allowed little time to be with Cait.
The news could not come at a better time, what a Xmas present. Also It allowed Donna and I to sure up our plans to vacation in Florida and attend her National conference in Tampa between jobs.



Our Visitor


This little gem was a guest for one night before christmas. Our friends Paul and Shelly got this little girl for their son for Xmas. She is a English Mastiff just 8 weeks old and already heavier than our Lola who is 7 months old.

Here they are picking her up to take home. She was to stay with us until christmas eve but they could not wait and took her the next day couple days before Xmas. Merry Christmas!!


Extended Family


This is Vince and I with our Godson, Jelani. Hard to think that he is already 8. It just seems like yesterday that Mark and Tina asked Vince and I to be his Godparents. I LOVE being his Ninang (means Godmother in Filipino). He is just one of the sweetest young men you could meet. Mark and Tina have done an amazing job teaching him to be a gentleman.



This is Jelani's mommy, Tina. This is where
Jelani gets all his sweetness from!





Here is Mark, Jelani and Vince. Jelani gets all his athletic ability and smooth talking from these guys!

Vince is one of my longest RutVegas friends. I can't tell you how many times my phone has called his number to help me in some way. I know that I can always depend on him!!!

These guys couldn't be anymore family then if they were of the same blood!!!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Pia's Cookies

Who is Pia you ask? Pia is my adopted german daughter. She is a wonderful 21 year old blue eyed 'strassenkouterblond' which literaly means street dog blonde or dirty blonde. This gem stayed with my family for three weeks in 2004 on an exchange trip from Luedinghausen, Germany. And as luck would have it we visited her in Germany in 2005 for 4 weeks. To let everyone know Pia loves american chocolate chip cookies with nuts. I send some whenever I can.


Before christmas this year while Cait was staying with us we decided to make a batch of cookies to send over as Pia is attending University in the Netherlands and every college students needs care packages from home.


The results of Cait's and my labor are below



Lots of chips and nuts and a whole bunch of LOVE

After cooling we packed the cookies into a tupperware bin each individually wrapped. It weighed over 4 pounds. I have heard back from Pia who is the envy of her mates for having an american dad who bakes her cookies. I hope she shared them!!!!

Just a note here....usually with divorce there is a lot of negativity, but luckily I have been able to do alot of these little projects and spend time with Cait more than I did before the divorce. I love you Cait.