Our Family gathering was great fun.  I’ve missed them a lot since moving to AZ.  Paul bbq’d and loved it.. Even made home made potato salad..

Here are a few photos from a great day…..Thanks for taking the time to read my blog today

Yes Shane (our wonder dog) is playing tether ball too....

I have company due in an hour…. My house is clean…. (enough).. I however need a shower a hair wash and makeup.. and Here I sit in my office looking out at a quiet street on a beautiful day.. NOT showering but blogging..  My daughter, Katie, Grand daughter Sabby along with her newish boyfriend and his brood are coming for a bar-b-que..  They say they’re in love. No relationship/courtship is guaranteed of success or ending the way we hope when we first fall in love, but this one is special.  Katie lost Adam 18 months ago and though she’s dated some in the long hard months that have passed, she hasn’t shown a lot of interest.  Has shown a lot of distrust.  Friday after an appointment I met them briefly at MacDonalds and met his kids.. I was pretty sure I was in a fourth dimension.  His 14 year old got up on his own and picked up the mess from the table and threw it away..  I looked at Katie and was struck with a feeling that all was right in her world..(almost). and the joy in her eyes was a wonder to me.  I’d missed that sparkle and it felt so right to see it again..  Oh I worry.. Sabby who has been through too much to be only 9 1/2 likes him a LOT and so I worry.. Katie is now worried she may again lose too much.  I reassure her and tell her there is always the risk of loss when we love.. But you just don’t want to Miss the Dance, just because it might end (not my original line — Garth Brooks).. But I worry – That’s MY job, not hers.

On that awful day, in May 2010, I told her she WOULD cross that awful ocean to land.. She and Sabby would build a raft and they WOULD make it across.. She WOULD love and laugh and feel joy and hope in her life again.

Friday I saw that whether this romance lasts or not, Katie and Sabby have reached the beach and Katie’s o.k.  She’s let go of Adam for the most part.. This is a good thing. She’ looking forward and not back. She’s understanding deep in her soul that while she may have been the best thing that ever happened to him, he wasn’t the best thing that happened to her.. THAT is still in her future and she’s ready for it now.. and in fact, Adam helped her see a glimpse of what could be in love and relationships..

So while I should be getting ready for the visit, I thought I’d sit here a minute or two longer and and experience the Wonder of a voyage completed..for the most part.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog today..

Last week, as Paul and I were getting ready for Sabby’s award ceremony, we received a phone call. Paul didn’t recognize the phone number but picked it up anyway.  He hears.. “Pappys? It’s me Sabby, I’m in the restroom right now (speaking on her outlawed cell phone). I’m having an awards ceremony today and want you to come”.  I guess she wasn’t sure we were going and wanted to make sure. Well somehow she got an award in citizenship and we are very proud…. wait for it…. made the Principal’s list with straight A’s for both quarters. She was very proud and so were Pappys and I.  For most of my kids’s school days I worked so far from home, I couldn’t make it to their award ceremonies.  This is all quite a treat.

In the flurry of our Fall Wedding season and photo editing, along with Christmas, it’s been pretty busy around here… AND I got lazy.  This morning I updated our photo blog, moving to to word press and adding it to our website.  More updated version.  I realized how long it’d been since I’ve posted to my blog.  I’ve missed reading about friends on blog sites and missed posting my own.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog today.

Never Forget

2001 was a pretty good year for Paul and me. We had our second Grand child, Makayla. Ricky was 16, We had a few extra dollars. Our oldest was away at a law enforcement academy, fulfilling his life’s dream, Our second daughter got married in 2011. The summer of 01 was really great. Three of our four “kids” were in a softball league and Paul and I’d spent many summer evenings watching our grand kids while supporting their team. Paul’s mom, Marie passed away in February 0f 01 and in June, we had a family reunion in Northern CA where we reunited with our Northern CA family.. It was sad to say goodbye to Marie, but our Flocken Family was doing well the family had gathered together. Cousins met after many years and we were bonded again.

Katie and me - That day, her world seemed complete

Madi and Makayla, Easter 2001

One of our many family gatherings in Murrieta CA.. Our going away party for Robbie

Robbie's Cake

Ricky turned 16, April 2001

Northern CA Family Gathering 6-01

Softball game - break Summer 2001 Katie, Carla and Makayla

Game Time; Summer 01

Madi and Pappys kicking back, our house in Murrieta.. Summer 2001

 So many gatherings and occasions we celebrated that winter, spring and summer. Our kids were growing up; we were close by and so much was celebrated in our family in 2001.

September 11th, I was getting ready for work when Paul called, telling me that a “small plane” had gone into the world trade center.. Believe it or not, at that time I wasn’t sure what the World Trade Center was .. I turned the news on and told Paul that it didn’t look like a small plane to me.. Fifteen minutes later, I was backing the car out of the driving and hitting the road for my 65 mile journey to work.  I didn’t have my cell phone with me at the time.  I was stunned to hear a second plane had hit the trade center.  The drive was slow and I was a talk radio listener.. I listened to Bill Handle at KFI in those days. He was very upset and as the drive progressed, My world seemed surreal. I felt bonded in shock and loss with the other commuters that day. The Pentagon?!  That was a horrible blow. Then I heard the Capitol building was hit (not accurate).. Kathie was suppose to be flying to Pittsburgh that morning and I was desperate to reach her to tell her NOT to fly.. As though all planes weren’t grounded.  Before reaching work, both buildings had come down..I could not believe or wrap my head around all the dead…I reached Irvine and stopped at a liquor store to use a pay phone to call my kids to tell them to stay home! Lyndsey went to work, Ricky went to school. When I got to work on the 11th floor in Irvine near the OC airport, the Moron I worked for (a tall moronic man).. informed us the best way to “fight back” was to do our jobs.. But oh don’t call in these zip codes because the addresses in NYC no longer existed.   Along with 300 of NY’s first responders.. Like equipment leasing had ANY importance that day?   He was pretty much ignored and his supervisors told us to go home.

I did go home… and hung the flag.. It wouldn’t come down for over a year. Neighborhoods all over the country looked alike.. Flags flying.

We all remember where we were that morning, what we were doing and feeling when we watched the buildings fall.. I was safe on the other side of the country; but I think we were all New Yorkers that day.  The heroes were the firefighters and Police who went into those buildings to get people out. The heroes were also the people on flight 93? who fought back and won the “first battle” of the 10 year war we’ve fought since then..

A lot of people don’t like former President Bush.. I still do.. I didn’t like a lot of his decisions over his next 7 years in office; but I never forgot his speech at ground Zero later that week, while talking to the fire fighters and police. His courage in NYC on the first day of the world series ; throwing out the first ball with basically a target on his back…the next month and his speech to the nation on the 20th.. I was 49 and felt like a scared child during those first few days and President Bush and his actions that week gave me hope and the feeling everything would be o.k… Mayor Guilliani (sp) was another hero. to me He was everywhere that day and you knew his courage, outrage, and pain..   All the people who lined up to give blood, the people in other states who traveled to NYC to feed the “rescue and recovery” workers were my heroes too.

New York and America responded to the hate that day; with Love for each other and determination to find the killers, and make them pay.  I heard on KFYI here in Phoenix Friday, a man who worked across from the World trade center. His brother was killed in one of the buildings.. He was a firefighter who went into the building to get people out.. His best friend was on the 104th Floor of the first tower hit. He said the killers didn’t win that day. Our country remained strong; our financial health wasn’t destroyed that day.. and Americans responded to the hate that day with love.. We went to church as Americans that Friday and prayed.  I understand that Bloomburg in NYC did not invite the first responders to the memorial today as there wasn’t room  ( let the politicians stay home then) and that there would be no clergy.. I wish he was a better Mayor.. Certainly no Guilliani..

So those are my memories of those days, and I’d like to know what my blogger friends remember and think today.

So, God Bless America, and I’m so proud that my fellow Americans prevented the killers from winning that day.. Yes lots of changes in our lives these past years; but they didn’t win.

Thanks for Reading my blog today

I mean, is it really worth the extra money?

I bought my first IMAC in 2006, about 5 1/2 years ago.  It took awhile for me to get use to the differences between the PC and Mac programs but gradually I let go of windows completely and really liked the i work and i life programs.. There was also the “security” of knowing I didn’t need to invest in a computer virus protection program. This summer, I really needed a faster and lets face it.. bigger computer.. I negotiated with myself for months and finally spent the money on a new i Mac. I have enjoyed it and was able to transfer all my apple programs over.. A Few problems with programs crashing and initially I couldn’t get the “migration program” to transfer my old mac files to the new mac.. but nothing major.. until last night.. I couldn’t sleep and ended up in my office.  I got an e-mail from my website which I took as a scam immediately.. I made the mistake of opening the e-mail. and then the 2nd mistake of clicking on a link.. Though I knew it was a scam (i’ve gotten a few) I didn’t worry about a virus.. Well I should have.. Note to Mac owners – the viruses we don’t worry about are out there.

I went into my safari (mac’s internet thingy) shortly after that and got an alarming message.. from safari— I’d just won something—- yeah it was a virus .. I didn’t click on the OK button but then my safari program wouldn’t work — it froze still trying to open this winning page.. Well I pulled the plug.. yeah like that helps and tried for hours in the middle of the night to fix my mac..Eventually I downloaded a virus protection program for MAC – the cheapest I found was 49.99.. and that took the rest of the night… Norton didn’t find a virus after scanning for 8 hours.. On the advise from a good friend on Facebook, I called apple.. The computer is now 95 days old — maybe 100 days.. My 90 day call you free was up so ONE call would cost me 49.99.. yeah .. I tried talking to the “customer service” rep at apple and after being told there was no difference virus wise from PC to MAC and that basically it was my fault, I told him NOT to speak to me like I was an idiot.. I’m pretty sure I had hung up BEFORE the foul language came flying out of my mouth.. Yeah– He told me as with ANY car you still have to wear your seatbelt.. That was the moment, I paused and asked him what his name was… And then, on the other side of 50 , I realized I had just lost my temper and had no concern whatsoever about it.. I told him I’d quote him on Facebook and twitter ( I don’t even know how to use twitter) and hung up.. Ass

I decided what the heck.. clicked on the OK button for the prize I hadn’t won.. then click cancel to disable my mac from connecting to the site an voila.. after 10 hours, I’d fixed Safari.. Now that I have firefox.. do I really need Safari.. uh no..

I have time machine and back up but wasn’t able to go back in time to erase problems like I can on my laptop.. I ask.. was time machine worth it? No.  My Mac knowledge may not be what it should be, probably isn’t… but I think 49.90 for a phone call or pay the extended service  for 169.00 for 9 months after  90 days is not what apple advertises.

Well then.. I feel better. My brand (almost) new shiny mac is working now after all…

Have a great weekend.. and thanks for taking the time to read my blog today.

This guy would not get out of our way

Kathie’s (my sister)  Grand Daughter,  graduated a year or so again with a degree in Engineering.  She got a job here in AZ in February working at a large Copper mine.  She lives in a company town which I didn’t know existed anymore,  in Marenci AZ.  All the homes are owned by the company, and if you’re lucky, you rent one for a really good price. Marenci is located ABOUT 20 miles from the State line with New Mexico..  It’s a long drive from Buckeye AZ which is on the far west side of the Phoenix Valley..  Kathie and I set out early Saturday morning on a quest to visit her oldest Grand Daughter in her new digs.

Growing up and reaching middle age in the giant suburban sprawl of freeways in Southern CA, I am still delighted when making a road trip through the more untraveled areas of AZ.  Highways – two lanes most of them, intersect our state and you see signs warning of cattle crossings and farmer crossings all across the state.   In our journey, we crossed over some mountains (more like hills) through Apache country, down through farm and cattle lands through Safford, then up to the mining country.  (I think it was up) .  Road trips are more carefully planned now with Kathie and I.. No more spontaneous trips to Las Vegas on a Monday Afternoon on Labor Day weekend..  But we did travel over 4 hours each way.  I napped while Kathie and her grand daughter (another beautiful Red head by the way) did a short tour of this company town.

We pass through Globe AZ on the route we selected. Near the San Carlos Apache Nation

The area around Globe is really beautiful.

Arizona, is best known, I guess as a desert. It’s not all desert – HOT during our long summers – unless you’re in the “high country” where pines grow and snow falls.  During our trek from the Phoenix to Marenci, I was again struck by all the farming done in AZ and the towns along the high ways.

Kathie and our other beautiful red head on her street in Morenci

 

Driving home, we decided to take a “flatter” more traveled route through Tucson toward Phoenix.

I haven't seen this set up at a Rest Stop in probably 30 years.. Free coffee to Holiday weekend Travelers

Years ago, while a young(er) couple, Paul and I stopped at these rest stops in CA and took advantage of the coffee… ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 50, I didn’t consider it.. WHO MADE IT? WHAT MIGHT THEY HAVE SLIPPED IN IT???? And of course HOW LONG TO THE NEXT BATHROOM???? Ah yes..

Hope you’re all having a great labor day; thanks for taking the time to read my post today.

 

Lyndsey's first grade picture

 

Since moving to Waddell last year, I haven’t taken Sabby to school as much, but the last two days she’s spent the night with Gran and Pappys and so I’ve taken her to school. Yesterday I was “too early” and we waited in the car until the gate opened.. While sitting there I made several observations.. Our schools in this part of AZ are K-8 so I see kids of all ages coming and going.  1st the teaching staff at Sabby’s new school is much friendlier than at her old school.. All of them this morning in 91 degrees with humidity managed to smile and wave.. I like that in teachers. 2nd Jr high school aged boys still travel in packs.. I was most amused yesterday at how these 7-8th grade boys were greeting each other after their long two day weekend.. They approached each other and gave the hand bump hand shake.. Well now, aren’t we all grown up.. Girls hung around the boys much as I remember doing so in Jr high.  I love watching their tentative advances in the “grown up” social skills..  3rd  I’m very glad Sabby is still in 4th Grade.

This morning I was later, and we were almost late getting to school, then you have the mob scene of parents and children walking and driving their kids to school.. This morning I noticed ALL the pregnant moms walking their older kids to K-3rd (approx)..

I was reminded again, that despite it’s drawbacks.. Wrinkles, sagging in all the wrong places; pain, health issues, MEMORY issues.. I’m SO GLAD I’m the gran now a days and not the mom  Speaking of memory issues, I hit the button as I drove into “my” driveway and wondered why the door didn’t go up.. Then I noticed I was at the wrong house.. My door was coming up… Next door… Who says all newer homes in AZ don’t look EXACTLY alike?

Happy Friday everyone and thanks for taking the time to read my blog today.

Herman Flocken circa 1925

 

Herman Flocken was Paul’s father. He loved a good party. Paul claims he may have had short man’s syndrome..

He immigrated from Germany in 1926, coming to America as a very young man, to live the American Dream. He learned English and became an American Citizen. Throughout his life, he was an extremely proud American. He helped fight for unions back when they were breaking heads of the protesters (so I’ve heard)   Herman met Marie Lutz while they both worked for a rich doctor in NYC during the late 20′s. Marie was a maid and Herman was the Chauffeur.  They married on 12/23 in 1932 (or was it 1933)

They lived in NYC for a while and eventually lived through out the United States, LA, TX, Indiana, then on to CA where they settled.  They lived in the Mid West during World War II and told those who asked, that they were Dutch. Herman worked as a pipe fitter for most of their life. They had four kids, Paul was the youngest.  By the time I met Paul, Herman had had a brain Aneurism which left him unable to speak and unable to walk without the aid of a walker.

He was a great talker, I hear.  One story told often was about Herman at Paul’s sister’s party.. Dancing, he broke his foot.. Not being deterred, he hobbled off to the bedroom and wrapped his foot up.. Then he came out  and danced some more.  He’d sit outside in the back yard, while two of his daughters, snuck a smoke in the bathroom as teenagers — not realizing the smoke was flowing right out the window.. He didn’t mention that for many years… My husband and Sisters in law claim that the Grand Father their kids had was NOT the same man who raised them.  His grand kids could make all the noise they wanted to and behave poorly in car.. Once while driving with his three oldest grand sons in the back seat – a burning paper flew up at him.. Turns out the kids had been playing in the back seat and stuck a piece of paper in the cigarette lighter.. When the paper caught fire, they threw it up into the front seat.. Now his reaction – as a grand father was NOT the reaction it would have been as a father.  He Laughed. His Grand sons, now in their forties, still remember him with love and still miss him.

Herman, Marie and friends on their wedding night - 1932

A Family Meal circa 1954, In either San Diego or Texas

 

I met Herman in 1978; He took my hand and kissed it, smiled and said “OK, OK, OK”.. His speech was limited then. I loved Herman and wished I’d known him before his stroke.  He had Methosemioma (spelled wrong) from his years as a pipe fitter – Asbestos .. His death was difficult as were his final days.  I was with him at the hospital, alone, one afternoon when a hospital employee, smiled and said.. He’s so cute.. Whaaat?  His was 73, he’s was no longer a child, he fought with others for unions, he raised four kids, he struggled to put food on the table and he enjoyed years of plenty. He built his house in Orange and built a map of california for his patio.. He enjoyed his grand children and was a great man.. HE WAS NOT CUTE..  I was 28 then, and wanted to smack her in the head..  today at the ripe old age of 59, I might have.

Dancing with Herman at my wedding

Herman died 31 years ago tonight. Finally at peace, without pain.. During those first few days, I imagined him telling the Angels jokes, finally able to communicate again after many years..  I was 2 months pregnant with Lyndsey then, and regret that she and her younger brother, Ricky, never met papa. I’m pretty sure, he passed on his strong personality to Lyndsey.

Herman… THIS post is for you…..

OK OK OK

This seems to be a yearly tradition with the lopez birthdays

Izzy is getting her sugar on…

 

Getting ready to nail that piñata

Got the candy in mid air...

She got the DSI

I'm thinking there is not enough sugar at this party

6 candles on her cake

What's up with this?????

We had a great time with the family and Victor makes a heck of a Carne Asada (Saturday)  Paul ate too many of Rosa’s beans at the party and was up all night Sunday.. We made it home though…

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog

Moment of Izzy's Arrival 8-30-2011 a.m.

The Lopez Family 8-30-2005

Gran checking out my newest Treasure

Daddy with Makayla and Izabella Rose

Seems like yesterday my brown eyed beauty was born. She’s grown up quick.  She talked, mimicked her daddy, hung up on her daddy  in disqust, in dismay, when I broke my leg, she asked “did you cwy” ??!!! all before her 2nd birthday.

On my lap in November 2005, our last picture in our back yard in Gold Canyon, AZ

about 8 months

One of my favorites of Izzy.. She was only 8 months old and already used to Gran taking pictures.

Last November at the park near Gran and Pappy's house.

In January 2011 getting at that Piñata'...

Izzy is a delightful, happy, very intelligent beautiful little girl.  She’s right out there; always has been and I can’t get enough of her. She’s turning 6 now and as it has been with all of her cousins, I cannot believe how fast she’s grown.  She’s Lyndsey’s middle child and has brought an enormous amount of joy AND laughter to Paul and me.

We’re headed to Southern CA this weekend to celebrate Izzy and her sixth birthday.  Thanks Lyndsey and Victor for this amazing little treasure.  Izzy you are and will always be Gran’s brown eyed beauty!

Thanks for taking the time to read my post today.