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4:28 p.m. - 2005-10-26
part -changing things

WHAT ARE THE THINGS I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN MY LIFE.


Hmmm, Well, even though I know we couldn't afford for me to go to college...Even though I also know several of my friends who did go away to school didn't make it past the first year. It would have been an adventure to go away on my own and live in the college atmosphere.

I don't regret not having a college diploma because I had the job I wanted without going for 4 years. I did take classes in insurance and graduated with 3 Associate Degrees while working. I did get picked to travel around during the period when computers were added to the job. The company felt if adjusters were teaching adjusters; it would be more accepted by the employees. Basically, because we could tell them it was going to make their jobs easily in the long run. I took several two week trips for about 1-1/2 years - probably about 10 trips in all.. I really enjoyed that. I even talked to the Team leaders who did traveling all the time about joining their group. I finally decided it would be too distruptive since I had a son and husband at home.

I have thought that I would have liked to have lived in an apartment alone before I got married. I went from living with my parents to living with my husband. I have never been on my own completely. I know some day that may be the case but I wonder how I would have handled in when I was younger.

I also have thought whether having a second child would have changed our family. For sure, my son would have a sibling. Would they have been close? I think so. Would it have been easier for my son to have someone in the immediate family as a sibling? I think so. But, that is some thing that didn't happen and I didn't try long enough to have the choice.

There is no question that I had the job that I loved very much. I still miss the job, the responsibilities, the busyness, and especially my co-workers and contacts. However, during the last 4 years, the company has closed the claim office and any remaining employees work out of their home. I think I could have handled that very well. I am a self-starter and can work without instruction.

I also could not have fallen in love with a better man to be my husband. We have been together for 40 years and I expect we will be together until one of us is gone. I don't intend to every marry again if I am the one remaining. I just don't see it in my future.

One thing I would have done differently is that I would have spent more time talking to my paternal grandmother and my father about their history. I just didn't think about it and now I wish I had known more about their lives. The same goes for my mother. I didn't ask her questions about her life. She never talked very much about her childhood or her mother or even the marriage she had with my father before they divorced. Lots in information lost because I didn't think about asking.

The only other thing I can think of I wish I would have taken better care of myself. I lost about 35 lbs 20 years ago and got into great shape. Of course, it all came back and brought "friends". Then I lost about 35 lbs about 4 years ago and I gained almost all of it back. Too much yo-yo dieting.

But, all in all, I am very satisfied with my life so far.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The House Behind The House

One of my fondest memories
As I recall the days of yore
was the little house, behind the house,
With the crescent o'er the door.

'Twas a place to sit and ponder
With your head all bowed down low;
Knowing that you wouldn't be there,
If you didn't have to go.

Ours was a multi-holer, three,
With a size for every one.
You left there feeling better,
After your job was done.

You had to make those frequent trips
In snow, rain, sleet, or fog--
To that little house where you usually
Found the Sears-Roebuck catalog.

Oft times in dead of winter,
The seat was spread with snow.
Twas then with much reluctance,
To that little house you'd go.

With a swish you'd clear that wooden seat,
Bend low, with dreadful fear
You'd shut your eyes and grit your teeth
As you settled on your rear.

I recall the day o l' Granddad,
Who stayed with us one summer,
Made a trip out to that little house
Which proved to be a bummer.

'Twas the same day that my Dad had
finished painting the kitchen green.
He'd just cleaned up the mess he'd made
With rags and gasoline.

He tossed the rags down in the hole
Went on his usual way
Not knowing that by doing so
He'd eventually rue the day.

Now Granddad had an urgent call,
I never will forget!
This trip he made to the little house
Stays in my memory yet.

He sat down on the wooden seat,
With both feet on the floor.
He filled his pipe and tapped it down
And struck a match on the outhouse door.

He lit the pipe and sure enough,
it soon began to glow.
He slowly raised his rear a bit
And tossed the flaming match below.

The Blast that followed, I am told
Was heard for miles around;
And there was poor ol' Granddad
Sprawled out there on the ground.

The smoldering pipe still in his mouth,
His eyes were shut real tight;
The celebrated three-holer
Was blown clear out of sight.

We asked him what had happened,
What he said I'll ne'er forget.
He said he thought it must have been
The pinto beans he et!

Next day we had a new one
Dad put it up with ease.
But this one had a door sign
that read: No Smoking, Please!

Now that's the story's end my friend,
Of memories long ago,
When we went to the house behind the house,
because we had to go.

For those who never had to trot out in the Cold.....
Just Give Thanks!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^----------------
A panda bear walks into a bar and orders a sandwich. The waiter brings
him the sandwich. The panda bear eats it, pulls out a pistol, kills the
waiter, and gets up and starts to walk out. The bartender yells for him
to stop. The panda bear asks, "What do you want?

" The bartender replies,
"First you come in here, order food, kill my waiter, then try to go without
paying for your food.

The panda bear turns around and says, "Hey! I'm a Panda. Look it up!"

The bartender goes into the back room and looks up panda bear in the encyclopedia, which reads:

"Panda: a bear-like marsupial originating in Asian regions. Known largely for it's stark black and white coloring. Eats shoots and leaves."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking
her son into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice,

"Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?

The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug.
"I can't dear," she said. "I have to
sleep in daddy's room.

A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice:
"The big sissy."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal
and a bottle of wine, they lay down for the night, and went to sleep.
Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend.

"Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.

Watson replied, "I see millions and
millions of stars."

"What does that tell you?" Holmes asked.

Watson pondered for a minute.
"Astronomically, it tells me that there are-millions of galaxies and potentially billions of stars.Logically, I observe
that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately
a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all-powerful and that we are small and insignificant.
Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.
What does it tell you?

"Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke.

"Watson, you idiot. Somebody has stolen our tent!"

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