9/11

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm back in bed after a successful day so far. Did the annual review, had a nice lunch, did more Ministry and Personnel work around the musician situation, took the videos back to the rental place and picked up the mail from the General Store.

I've got nothing on tonight so will rest as long as I want and then maybe get some housework done this evening.

[DeeClutter]

Proud of your progress, Kathryn. Can't believe the length of whatever has hit you!

[OKay]

Back from taking LO to his appt and returning him to school.

Dee - NO!!! NO!! NO!! I am so very frustrated with our legal system sometimes! Wondering if the lawyer did not do his job by leaving out necessary evidence. Somethings just don't make sense. I am so very sorry for you DFriend wife, family and friends. I hope they can find closure somehow......

9/11 - I was at work (federal military base) when it happened. There was only one TV in my building (located in our Colonel's office). I watched a few minutes of the news on that TV, but there was no time to dally. Everyone went into an "all hands on deck" mind frame. I'm sure part of it was from training of how to respond in an emergency and part flash-back to seven years before (1995) when a federal building was bombed nearby. Over 1/2 of the people from our building immediately left to staff that emergency, so the feeling that happened on 9/11 was the same ....that many may be mobilizing soon to help with this emergency. It was much later when I arrived home that I sat and watched the video of the 9/11 events on TV. I didn't want to watch it over and over because the horrifying video had already been burned into my memory.

I'm scratching two of my afternoon time slots so i can continue working on documents for court. Back at it! *POOF*

[Twins' Mom]

After the guys left, I called the office and reported I won't be there and took a good nap. I feel more rested (getting up early two mornings in a row right after vacation did a number on me) and slightly more together. I puttered a bit and put the bathroom counter back together and it looks great with the new mirror - very open, and put some of the things away in the "nook" area and the laundry room. Somehow I didn't get it that the laundry room didn't have more internal shelves so they need to drop those off - the shelves are adjustable so I can put them in.

I need to change clothes and head to the temple for these meetings....

[Sunny]

Oh my, Helia. So sorry; I must have been more tired last night than I thought.

((Dee)). I'm so sorry for your ((dfriend)). That seems so unfair!

We did go to the memorial dedication this morning. It was very emotional at times and all of the speakers choked up during their talks. There were boxes of tissues set out on some of the seats; firefighters gave out bottled water and personal fans to spectators. The Coast Guard had a helicopter fly-over. Dgd10's elementary school chorus sang two songs, two of the city's piper band were there and played Amazing Grace on bagpipes. I'm glad we went. If anyone is interested, here is a link: http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/art ... rial-today. The two main granite towers holding the steel post are two tons each. I did get a few pictures, we will go back sometime when there are not so many people there to read all the plaques.

Eleven years ago I was off work for the day and getting ready to go on errands and shopping. My dsis called and said to watch tv. We talked to her for a long time watching the news and saw as it happened. We did go out and while at W-M watched their tvs with a crowd of other shoppers. I remember for months afterward most every car had flags in the windows. Ds#3 had enlisted in army 9 mo. before, my dcousin was in Coast Guard and her dh was Navy - both worked at the Pentagon. Took us an hour before we could reach her by phone, but they both were all right.

Well, I've got a few things to do yet and I want to finish cuop.

[DeeClutter]

I am hoping, Okay, that dfriend's family will make it their fight to get the law changed in NYS. Right now it doesn't say a certain level of marijuana coupled with other anti-depressant drugs, etc. constitutes 'impairment'. THey know he had 5.4 nanograms of marijuana in his system. Even the D.A. says we lack a law that gives us a figure like the .08 of alcohol. Sad. One of his ds's stated it's like a big slap in the face and how weird it was to sit in the front of the court room hearing the verdict and hearing people cheer behind them that wanted him to 'get off'. Also commented on how they hoped this would bring some closure to them, but there is none.

DS-A just called and asked, "How old was this kid?" KID? He's now 56! I don't think DS realized he drove for the other landscaping company in town.

[scattered]

I'm up, somewhat, drinking coffee and watching the Disney Movie Hercules. DS13 came through long enough to say that they had the Myth all wrong. lol leave it to my little genius to be very familiar with Greek Mythology. Actually that is due to the Lightening God Books. When he reads about something he is not familiar with he studies it.

Eleven years ago I was working as a Paramedic and at the time of the collisions I was on a long distance transport bringing a Vet back to the VA. When we got to the VA it was eerie and quiet every one was watching the TV's. I saw a DF of mine who was also a Vet and we just hugged each other. The rest of the day was just like I was walking around in a haze. I have a DF now who was a retired NYFD that responded and was at the base of Tower Two when it fell. He has problems with PTSD and memory issues but is a true hero.

Sunny - thanks for the comment about my DMother, thankfully we have survivor-ship on the deed and mortgage if anything were to happen and she is only 62.

UGH I now remember why I quit working night-shift I am a total lump now. Working tomorrow.

[ellyphant]

Sunny--That is a nice memorial. Thanks for the link.

Can't believe the steady stream of traffic on our little country road since about 4:30. It's going in both directions...most unusual. There must be an accident out on the main road.

Dee--Sorry for the bad outcome.

Got so much wallpaper removed today! It is slow going, but doable. Clearly, no one ever intended to remove this stuff as wall was not prepped properly. But I will not be defeated!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Scattered: My ds does overnight shifts and loves them (more pay, more collegial attitude among staff.) He has done at least 8 in a row over the Christmas season to really rake in the dough.

The only thing he doesn't like is that is isolates him from his friends on weekends (during the week, he sleeps until 5, eats, goes rock climbing and then goes back to work for 11 - unlike a nurse he only works 8 hour shifts, not 12 hours.) A couple of weeks ago he got off work at 7 a.m., went outdoor rock climbing, met dh for a movie in the afternoon, ate a quick, early, dinner and then slept 11.5 hours until his weekday, day shifts started on Monday.

He's just turned 24. This explains it. I get exhausted just writing about his schedule!

I'm just waking up from my nap now. Slept pretty well for over an hour and dozed for another hour. Tummy is growling now so I'll drag myself out of bed. I'm going to just have a lunch for dinner since I had my dinner at mid-day at the restaurant.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

As for 9/11, I came home from the school run and walked into the house with bags full of cabbage to dh calling "turn on the tv!" We made coleslaw for 100 people with the tv on in the background.

Dd called, hysterical, from school saying a plane had crashed at LAX. This was near to her heart because her daddy commuted from home to LAX twice a month at that point (and worked for Boeing.) I set her straight. There was no point telling her not to watch the coverage, she was in high school and the kids were all cutting class and hanging around TVs and radios.

Ds was in private elementary school which had better control over the students so they made an announcement after lunch with the facts. When I picked him up, he knew the story, we put on our book on tape we listened to and he put off watching the coverage until we were home. He was drawn into it fully but wanted distraction. We don't have cablevision and all the network channels had wall to wall coverage but one multi-cultural channel stuck with their regular programming so he watch sitcom reruns before bed.

On the way to pick up ds, I stopped in to the nursing home to see how my mom was doing with the news and give her a hug. Sure enough, in the Alzheimer wing, all the tvs were on the coverage (more for the staff than the residents.) To this day, I question the wisdom of that although I understand why the staff would want it on.

In the afternoon I also phoned the Red Cross and told them how many beds I had and that I was set up to handle families with small children if there was a stranded family with no money for a hotel. But Ottawa was not a diversion airport so we didn't have too many stranded passengers to house.