January 25, 2002
My user name is COLady and I was born in Denver, Colorado, attended High
School, then business school, and later on, I studied accounting and
physiology in college (Not at the same time of course).
I was an Administrative Assistant with the City of County of Denver,
retiring in May, 1997 after 23 years of employment. While I was with the
city, I worked for mayoral appointees. My job was demanding, varied, and
certainly not boring!
My family consists of five children, three girls and two boys, nine
grandchildren, five girls and four boys, one great grandson. Quilting,
sewing, bridge, traveling, computers are my interests. I had two dogs,
Bichons, until recently. I had to have the male put down. I still have my
female, Tasha, who is 14.
I travel lots, taking several extended trips by car or air to various parts
of the US. I spend the winter in south Texas and the summer in Colorado.
Most recently, I took a two week Thanksgiving trip by car to Portola,
California which is 50 miles from Reno. Of course, I stopped in Las Vegas
and Reno going and coming!
Favorite books and authors are "China Bayles Mysteries" by Susan Wittig
Albert and mysteries written by Mary Higgins Clark.
.
I have been on-line continuously since the fall of 1997 and off and on
since the internet was introduced. Being on-line enhanced my life, I think,
by meeting people that I would have never met otherwise. I have made life
long friends on the internet. I've attended two bashes, one in San Antonio,
Texas and one in Clearwater, Florida. I've also met chatters in Colorado
and Washington for lunch. Not at the same time of course.
"If I had one day to go anyplace or do anything, how would I spend that
day?" Oh my! What a tough question to answer. I've always wanted to go to
Alaska so I would love to go to Fairbanks, Alaska even if it were only for
one day. I would spend my day by taking a tour of Fairbanks and learning as
much about it as I could. I would try to make at least one friend to keep
in touch with as well so that I could learn even more about the area and the
people.
My favorite quote is, "It is better to have loved and lost than to never
have loved at all".
To take life as it comes and offer what you cannot handle to your Higher
Power is my lesson in life that may encourage others.. I have a strong
faith in God and have turned many things over to Him that I could not deal
with. He has always comes through for me. I may not agree with His answer
when He does but He has never let me down though. I have a handicapped
son. When David was hurt, his dad and I flew to Germany together even
though we were divorced and married to other people. Our son was in
critical condition and we would have walked on water to get to him. We
arrived on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. On Wednesday, he was having
trouble with his heart and had gone into urinal shutdown. I went back to
my room and prayed. I asked God that His will be done, not mine. I
literally gave my son to God. He lived and is alive today...21 years
later. I am sure that many people have done the same thing on and since
September 11th.
I am a very open person who loves to talk to just about anybody. I have a
delete key that works quite well if I care to use it, so you have my
permission to post my email addy.
COLady
summersday@earthlink.net
January 18, 2002
Shewho
Shewho is my main nick name, my other nick name is Judd.
New York, New York is the city of my birth. I was an easterner until
WWII began and then my widowed mother, brother and I drove to
CA where my maternal grandfather lived.
We bought a home on the edge of Oakland, CA and I attended school in
that area from fifth thru most of the eighth grade. My mother met a
Navy man at the Naval Hospital close to us, married and we then moved to
Los Altos, California the place that I call home.
My new step-father was disabled but had been raised on a huge wheat farm
in WA. My parents decided to become gentleman farmers and purchased a
house on five acres of land. Instantly this city kid became a kid with
lots of chores. We went over board and
started out with a cow, calf, pig, 100 chickens, 3 horses, one mutt dog
and one collie who soon had 9 pups, plus raising 4 kittens whose wild
mother disappeared. I learned how to feed and care for animals and ride
a horse in short order.
My highschool had 400 students total and it was a big deal that my class
was the first one with 100 in the class. That was a good time to live
in that area. Now the population is about 50,000 and then it was
1500 with a volunteer fire department. Mt.View Highschool was the
school for Los Altos and Mt. View students. October 2000 my class held
a 50 year reunion which I attended.
A year in college and then I went to work. Most of my working years
were spent as a secretary or clerical worker. I went to college in
Connecticut so was working on the east coast when I met an married a
navy man. He was from AZ and I loved the west coast, so when he was
discharged we went west to the Los Angeles area. We bought a tract
home in Anaheim and our two sons were born there. My husband was
always on the move. Our house was sold and went to Montana where our
daughter was born. Then back to southern CA for a few years, with a
stop in Los Altos as we worked our way up to Oregon.
I lived in Portland, OR area for about 20 years. The kids graduated
from high school, I divorced and changed careers from being an office
worker to working for the telephone company in 1979 as an information
operator. That was my favorite job. In 1984 the telephone office was
moved to Everett, WA a city about 20 miles north of Seattle. There I
stayed until my retirement in 1994.
Bend, Or is in the middle of the state and referred to as high desert
country. Mt. Bachelor a well known ski resort is here along with many
beautiful lakes and rivers. This area draws many tourists.
Two of my children were living in Bend, OR. When I retired I moved to
Bend my idea of paradise. I hope never to leave this area.
I like to read but seem to do it in fits and starts. Crazy about movies.
Right now I am in seventh heaven with the Olympics coming up and I
always follow the ice skaters each year. I like to view sports on
TV but certainly have two left feet when it comes to being athletic.
I have been talking in chat rooms two or more years now. Chat rooms
have certainly added to my daily enjoyment. A real bond has grown up
with several chatters and though we haven't met we really have shared
the ups and downs of our daily lives. I have been blessed with so much
support over the internet. Yes, I have met a few of my chatting
buddies. I was in Wichita this past October and met the writers group.
I have also met a CA chatter, plus one on the other side of OR. My
chat room friends are very special folk.
One day to go any place and do anything. I would request a magic carpet
to help me visit favorite places and people all over the world.
First stop England and my cousins who I visited in 1950, then to New
York City and take in a show at the Radio City Music Hall and the
rocketts. Then I would stop to see family in several states, and of
course chatters sprinkled across the US and up into Canada, and then
back here to Bend and my two cats. I could then spend many happy hours
recounting my wonderful day to my feline buddies.
One of my favorite quotes that I try to practice came from the opera
singer Beverly Sills. She said, I can't always be happy, but I can
always be cheerful."
My days are full acting as trustee for my step grandmother who just died
at age 98. I had been involved for several years with her well being.
This year my new years resolution is to have more fun. 2001 was a year
of many serious challenges for me and so I hope to do lots more laughing
and silly things in 2002 as well as keep in close contact with friends.
January 11, 2002
RUTHIE
1943 was the year that I made my appearance. July 9 to be exact. At the
time, I was known as Martha White. Now if I have done my math correctly,
that makes me 58 years old. I must tell you though, that I do try to play
with those numbers but they always add up to the same thing.
I was born in Tacoma Park, Md, and I had a 6 year old brother waiting
for me. My two sisters followed,one two years later, the other 6 years
later. If my math still holds, that counts up to 3 girls and one boy = a
family of six.
I lived my very young years in Md, of course, then New York and then a
very small town in west central Illinois. That would be Loraine Ill, which
is hardly there today.
When my parents divorced in 1953, my mother re-located with her four
children to the Washington D.C area where she had a job working at the
Pentagon. As all of you from broken homes know, that is a difficult
situation, but life for the four of us was as good as it could be. My
mother later remarried, but we will not talk about that here.
I graduated high school in 1962 with a job and a car that I had earned
while working part time my last two years of school.
Now........ let me tell you about this car !!!!! If not for
that car, I would not be where I am today. Why, you ask?
Because I
could never keep that &*%^$&*(&% car running, that's why. Every day after
work, I had to call the garage across the street to fix my car, and get it
running. It wasn't long before I realized that it would come in handy to
have a mechanic in the family. So, in 1963 I married my career army
man/mechanic. I then became Martha Angle.
We were blessed with our first son on Dec 24, 1964. Our second son
arrived on Dec 11, 1965. I guess I finally figured it all out, because
there was never a third or fourth baby, or even a fifth one. :)
For the next 30 years, I had the good fortune of being a stay at home
mom. I was always grateful for that because my older son was born with
cerebral palsy, and required total care. Forgive me while I brag about him
for a bit, but when this boy was two years old, the doctors told me to find
a "place" for him, because he would never even be aware of his own personal
needs. Today, he lives in Chicago Ill (900 miles from us ), he has a job,
and his girlfriend is there. So....... the moral to that story is to
follow your heart and your own instincts.
After caring for my ill mother for the last 6 years, and after her
death this past Aug., my life has changed dramatically. My hubby, Gates is
now fully retired, and we are spending our time traveling. We are either on
a trip to or from somewhere, or we are planning one. And of course, all
this transpires between our pet sitting jobs.
When I am home and not at the computer, (which is not often ) you can
find me curled up with a good book. A good book for me is almost any
historical romance. And, if you look quickly enough, you might find me with
a vacuum cleaner or a dust rag in my hands. Or, you may find me in the
kitchen trying out some new experiment.
Now that I have told you about Martha White and Martha Angle, let me
tell you about Ruthie!!!!!!!
You are likely to see Ruthie at any time and any place on the internet, but
mostly in a chat room having the time of my life. Just ask Judigirl.....
she has seen me sit at her computer while I was visiting her, and I was
LOLOL literally. And then she started laughing at me. And then we
would both be laughing. I have also had the pleasure of meeting with Gnomes
and Gerrope, and Perbear this past fall. Gnomes took us to a park for a
picnic and a great time was had by all. My hubby even got his fishing line
wet.
Until May 2000, I did not even know how to turn one of these puter
things on. Since I discovered the internet, my puter is almost never turned
off. In fact, my use of my puter prompted my son to give me a new keyboard
for Christmas..... just because all the letters had been worn off, and my
fingernails had made dents in the keys. I kept telling him that my keyboard
was fine, and I was not having a problem at all. But I got the keyboard
anyway, but not until he had popped all the keys off and put them back all
scrambled up!!!!!!!!
Before I finish this, I want to tell everybody how very much I cherish
all of my internet friends. You all mean more to me than you will ever
know, and I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as I possibly can.
So if you see a big blue van pulling a 26 ft trailer down the interstate, be
sure it is Ruthie and her hubby Gates coming for a visit. I love you
all.
maangle@shentel.net
January 4, 2002
My user name is Hank.
I am located in Northeast Pa. on Lake Wallenpaupack. I was born in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan, NYC. I attended Stuyvasant High School in N.Y. graduated from N.Y.U. with a bachelors degree in instrumental music.
Later attended Queens College and obtained a Master's Degree in Education. I had two separate careers. From 1939 thru 1970 I played trumpet with the so called big bands which led me into a career, in 1943, playing first trumpet in all the big Broadway shows. That lasted for 27 years including shows like Kismet, Damn Yankees, My Fair Lady and culminating from 1966 to 1970 with the Angela Lansbury show "Mame" There were many other hit shows during that time.
Also during those years I did many recordings for TV, movies and commercial jingles. During that period I also did hundreds of arrangements for shows, vocalists and dance bands. I also taught music in high school until I retired in 1980.
I was married to the girl next door for over 60 years. I have three children, five grandchildren and 4 great granddaughters. I have several hobbies such as photography and woodworking. I have built many large pieces of fine furniture as I have a completely equipped wood shop.
I have travelled the world and have been on all continents except Antarctica. I have been on line now for two years and am grateful for the pleasure and friends I have met during that time. Since I have attended a few bashes I have met many of my PC friends in real time and have visited with some of them. I have been to so many places that I always wanted to see, that, at present, there is really no area that is lacking.
Having been in the boy scouts as a youth I still like the "Be Prepared" quote of that organization and find it to be a good piece of advice to follow. During my lifetime I have been interested and worked in such diverse occupations as a TV repairman and other technical areas.
After having the basic shell constructed I built, with the help of my late wife, our present home in the Poconos. I still play the trumpet when I am not travelling, with a big 17 piece band made up of senior citizens. We do this every week and enjoy playing all the good tunes of the 30's 40's and 50's.
I believe in being honest with everyone. I maintain a healthy lifestyle never having smoked or done much drinking.
Thank you,
Hank
December 21, 2001
Greetings!
Many of you already know me from Senior.Com, but for those who don't, my
name is Willow Miranda and I live in Sebastopol, California.
It's in Sonoma County and is called The Redwood Empire because it's the home
of the Giant Sequoia
Redwood trees. The area is also a famous wine growing region, and nope, I
don't grow grapes, but I do have two HUGE Sequoia Redwood trees right next
to my
house where I put them about 22 years ago "until I found a spot where I
wanted to plant them permanently".
For many years, my user name has been my real name, Willow. When Jann
(Katz) and I decided to do an on-line newsletter, TIME_FOR_THE_NEWS
, we
were feeling kinda feisty and decided to choose different names, hence, Katz
'n Jammer. (I'm Jammer.. *S)
I was born in Fairland, Okla., on Flag Day, 1939. During the depression, my
family migrated to this wonderful little corner of the world and we have
been here ever since. Barely completing the tenth grade, I finally acquired
my GED at age 44 (only because I needed it to attend a nursing program at
the local Junior College).
In the past, I worked for many years with older adults in nursing homes,
hospitals and in personal home care. Other employment involved working with
Special Education children, instructing developmentally disabled
adults, and caring for adults disabled with quadriplegia. (Oops, I almost forgot the 12 years that I worked as a school bus driver and school bus driver instructor.)
Volunteer
organizations included being a puppy raiser for "Canine Companions for
Independence", "the Assistance Dog Institute" (with my dog and I
licensed as a "Social/Therapy Dog" team), and the "Golden Retriever Rescue
Organization of Northern California". Other volunteer activities were with
"PALS" (Pets Are Loving Support) (an association helping to care for the
pets of people diagnosed with AIDS), and the Laubach Literacy League
(assisting adults in learning to read and write).
My first computer was purchased in about 1993 and I joined Senior.Com when
it first went on-line in 1995, becoming a staff member in 1997. I have to
admit that it was the most
time-consuming, energy-sucking, patience-building occupation I have ever
had. When the site closed
early in 2001, I decided it was time to retire. It took me at least six months to learn that it was "OK" to sit and just do "nothing", and Boy, Oh Boy, am I ever enjoying it NOW!.. *s
I was never really
interested in traveling, but during my time with Senior.Com, I traveled to
business meetings and to bashes around the U.S., meeting many "chatters" in
person over the years and in fact so many, that I've lost track of the
number.
Manny (my hubby) and I have one son and 2 grand-children. The word, "grand",
is an exact description of the children. Manny and I share our lives with a
Border
Collie and 2
Golden Retrievers (Bern, A.J. and Bubba). Living in a country setting, we
are fortunate enough to have space for a flock of Toulouse (Tooooo loose..*S) geese and
chickens. Writing poems and short stories has been one of my joys. That, and
generally just savoring life.
Favorite reading is non-fiction, hobbies are coin collecting and
studying the habits of all the critters, creatures, wild-life, and
not-so-wild life I find out in the yard, everything from slugs and bugs, to
the passengers and pilots who land their colorful hot-air balloons in the
fields in front of my house.
One of my favorite quotes is,
"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that crushes it".
That is the lesson of my life that may encourage others. To forgive and
forget has some of the same physical and mental healing effects of a healthy
belly
laugh!
If I had the opportunity, for one day, to go anyplace or do anything, I
would most likely spend the day at home, surrounded by my family, (and a
caterer.. and a housekeeper..*S)
My main home-page, with photos, is WilloWorld and
if you click on the following names, you will meet some of my special
companions who brought laughter, love and companionship into my life:
Nokie ,
Ruby
,
Murphy (Look to top menu and click on VIEW / INCREASE FONT, in order to
see the text better on Murph's page.)
Happy Holidays,
Willow
Willow_M@pacbell.net
December 14, 2001
"Janice/Mommc"
Hello everyone..my name is Janice and this is my chat name also. When I
first started chatting I used the name of Mommc6, so some of you that I
haven't seen in a while might remember me by that name.
I am located in Georgia. I have been here since 1961. I was born in
Pennsylvania and raised in Michigan. When I was in my teens my parents
bought a business in Florida and we moved there. Thru marriage I ended
up in Georgia.
When my children were small I was fortunate enough to be able to stay at
home with them. I lost the love of my life in June of 1976. He was only 42 at
the time. At that time I still had 2 children left at home and was able to see
them through school before I started working again.
I went to work at a hospital here and worked my way from admissions clerk
to director of medical records, admissions and patient business. I worked
for the hospital for 22 years. It was a very rewarding experience for me. I
won several awards during this time and am very proud of this. My mother
was a very dedicated volunteer at the hospital. When she passed away
they built and dedicated a beautiful garden and fountain in her memory. I
always feel close to her when I go to it for relaxation and prayer.
My family all lives close by. I am an only child. I have four wonderful children.
I have 2 boys and 2 girls. All are married. I have 10 grandchildren of which 2 are married.
No great grandchildren yet but am looking forward to that.
I also have my Chelsea, who is a Yorkshire terrier. She is a lot of company
for me. She is very independent like me ...lol
As for my travels I have done a lot in my life. Have been to all states with
the exceptions of New England, Hawaii, Alaska.. Maybe someday.
I collect Teddy Bears and figurines of old people. My house has bears in
every room. Two of my favorites are my Harley Bear dressed in leather
given to me by my oldest son and wife and a pair of bears dressed as
school children from the pioneer days along with a life size antique school
desk that they sit at given to me by my youngest son and his wife.
I have only been chatting for about 2 years now. I first started in Seniors.
com. Met a lot of nice and very helpful people there. Never thought that I
would go into a chat room. Now I can't stay out of it. LOL. Have not had the
good fortune of meeting any of the chatters yet but have made some great
chat friends.
I feel I have lived a wonderfully fulfilled life and have had many blessings.
There is a quote that I really like and that is:
"Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured."
Thank all of you for the kindness you have shown me and for allowing me
be do this
Your friend in chat,
Janice/Mommc
December 7, 2001
GNOMES
My daddy always said the buzzards dropped me on a tree stump but I
never did believe that story. As a matter of fact, I was born down by
the Skunk River in southern Iowa. No, my mommie didn't set me adrift in
the bull rushes, she decided to keep me. Forty years later I returned
to the old deserted farmhouse, crawled through the window and took the
porcelain door knobs off door in the room in I was born , later to
mount them on my curtain rods, a constant reminder of my 'beginnin' so
to speak.
My first few years I attended a country school, walking barefoot
uphill both ways in the snow!. My grandchildren cannot believe that I
didn't have indoor plumbing, electricity, or gravel roads until my
teens. Those were the good old days, chopping down the Christmas tree,
pulled taffy, ice cream made in an old lard bucket,churning butter,
and bob sledding in the winter.
After finishing high school, I took some business courses , ending up
in Aurora, Illinois,as teletype and switch board operator at a large
company.
Papa Gnomes and I are the proud parents of one son and two daughters;
having them all in college at the same time. Talk about that being
expensive.
We spent our early married life taking vacations in a home made camping
trailer, touring the west, seeing some awesome sites and making friends
along the way. Many unexpected events happened along the way; getting a
flat tire in Canada at a very remote French speaking community;
bearings burning out in the Grand Canyon; the poodle chewing up papa
gnomes fishing rod; being interviewed by a newspaper reporter at Glacier
National Park and having our picture and story appear in the paper. I
could go on and on and have even forgotten alot.
Now with the third generation of seven grandchildren growing up, last
summer we returned with our children and their families to one of our
favorite camping areas in Wisconsin and had an enjoyable week
together, just like old times.
I have had numerous hobbies through the years. I was very fortunate
and could stay at home and raise my family. I became interested in
ceramics and after many, many hours ended up owning my own shop. For
eight years I worked with senior citizens and that was very rewarding.
After Papa Gnomes retired from AT&T I retired ,so to speak, too. We
were going to travel and see more of our country. We moved out of our
big house into a mobile home, out back.
In l992 Papa Gnomes started having strokes and shortly after that he
had triple by pass, so our travel days together have ceased . Soon after
I became his care taker I decided I was smart enough to learn the
computer, bought one, and installed it all by myself. As if that
weren't enough I proceeded to purchase a computerized sewing machine
and I spend many, many hours at both. When I am not puttering, you can
find me at our local health club in the pool.
Some of you have wondered why the name Gnomes. Several years ago I
became interested in the wee people and started collecting Tom Clarke's
famous sculptures, having several with his personal autograph. Yes,
Virginia, there are wee people, and if you don't believe me, just look
out in ;your yard early at dawn or just before dusk, and there those
little wee people will be scurrying from bush to bush, Honest!
My greatest thrill is meeting my fellow chatters. I have been very
lucky to meet over 40 of them, including KatznJammer, Ducky, Surly,
Kidsmom,Ruthie,to name a few, and of course, our late Monkeycatcher,
bless his soul. Last but not least, I got to spend the day in the VIP
lounge at O'Hare with Perbear and Pam from Australia..
If any of you chatters are hesitant in meeting with fellow chatters,
put all fears aside, there are wonderful people out there. These are
memories and friendships that a price tag cant be placed on.
Next to my computer is a book case loaded with little mementos from my
chat buddies, everything from a ball point pen, Marti Gras beads,
kaola bear,and a picture frame with Kidsmom smiling down at me.
I hope this interview has helped you know me a little better, so I
will close with my rule to live by; whenever you see someone that
needs help, give them a helping hand. They may not even give you a
thank you, but some where down the line, you will meet with someone to
return the favor.
I'll see you on line somewhere down the road, I don't know where, but
just look for the purple boots.
May your blessing outnumber
the shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you,
Wherever you go.
Gnomes
Email: willow_M@pacbell.net
