Life is Like That

Survival Tactics for Life's Unexpected Foibles

2006-04-11

Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Dreams

2005-09-08

Search for Family Members

We are still experiencing the continued watching of the weather as a few more tropical systems continue to develop and or linger off our coast. One thing I'm sure of is Floridians will always heed all warnings from here on out, preparing early even if only a tropical storm.

After our own experience with 3 direct hurricanes last year and watching what this year's Hurricane Katrina did as she went through the tip of our state and redeveloped and turned into a huge catestrophic storm, I still find myself in complete disbelief at the destruction and complete devestation from "mother nature".

All our prayers go out to all the families in the Gulf Coast Region.

My grandfather, Walter J. Watson, Sr. was born in Slidel, Lousiana and at 92 is in disbelief of what has happened to his hometown.

He recalls in 1915 his mother having to rescue him and all his siblings from hurricane related flooding, before the levies were built, and their moving permanently to St. Petersburg,  Florida as a direct result.

I have since learned that we have alot of "distant relatives" still residing there. If there are any relatives from the Watson, O'Herlihy, or Kirkonnel Families, we welcome you to contact us as most of our family here in Florida would like to know how we can help!




Posted at 10:50:34 AM  |  Post Comment  |  Read Comments (0)

Good Hope for ADHD Kids

My son started his 2nd year (10th grade) of Florida Virtual School. He has 7 courses from Web Design and Business Systems Technology to Life Management Skills, Biology and Algebra.

Each time I see the topics discussed and the layout of each class, I only wish they had something like this available for us when we grew up.  

I like that he has a pace guideline to follow, yet can basically set his own schedule to handle the workload. We had 7 teacher phone
conferences to attend as he was activated in each course.

I feel the opportunity to truely learn and at his own pace is remarkable.
With ADHD and a Visual Processing Deficit, this has really turned around alot of the issues he was facing in a normal highschool setting.

I also like very much that he has online access to all the other students in his classes, within secure setting and they often have group discussions as well as the ability to socialize with other students his age, from not only Florida but all over the country.

Empty Nest Syndrome...First Day of School

My precious "baby girl", Katie, started her first day of Kindergarten...which brought a whole new array of mixed feelings, joy, excitement, little bit of sadness as she's growing up and starting her own journey outside the home. I'm so proud of her, yet I'm a little sad...I know it's time for her to spread her wings and start her own life experiences.

Getting used to more strict/defined bedtime hours, new daily schedules, homework and the whole experience from her new responsibilities such as laying out school uniform the night before, preparing backback, getting ready in a timely fashion in the morning to sharing those wonderful talks in the afternoon hearing all about her day.


Posted at 10:45:19 AM  |  Post Comment  |  Read Comments (1)

2005-07-21

Gotta Laugh at Life's Little Foibles

Since my last posting have I ever experienced life's little foibles. There have been alot of great lessons learned.

I always take the time to unplug my computer during thunderstorms, however never practiced unplugging the ethernet line from the network to my computer.

Unfortunately we had some outer bands from Arlene come thru that created alot of lightning and I lost my entire computer, as lightning went thru the ethernet line and zapped my motherboard. Thank goodness for backups!! We also lost our tv antenna, answering machine and one dvd player.

We've had alot of thunderstorms lately, even unplugged, lost the dsl line (but not my new computer ..thank goodness). Also a few roof panels down on mom's property and we haven't even really begun this years hurricane season. My prayers go out to all the families that were affected by Hurricane Arlene, Dennis and Emily!

Lesson 1: Always unplug everything, even your ethernet wires.

Lesson 2: Always back up your data!

Also I got news in regards to divorce, after 5 years and 12 days of waiting, it was finalized and I'm happy to report I'm finally free from all the heartache and trouble. Talk about a huge mountain off my shoulder. I really didn't believe in divorce. I was taught that marriages should last forever, however with marriage, must come trust, communication and honesty. Mine was full of mistruths, hidden truths found out after the fact and alot of violent abuse, mostly related to excess alcohol. I really can't even begin to consider what I had as a real marriage. I will be forever grateful for my precious Katherine Cheyenne (she'll be 6 in September). I look forward to finally have the ability to move forward and no longer be stagnant awaiting for it to finally be over.

Lesson 3: Research who your partner is fully. Know their past before you marry. Any criminal past...RUN. Treat each other with respect, open the door for compromise and communication and most importantly always be honest with each other.

I feel relieved, like a great weight has been lifted and I shall now finally be free to pick up the pieces and move ahead with my own successes.

I mostly feel bad for my two children, my son (16)whom was very negatively affected and has struggled to get beyond it and for Katie whom was too little to know or even get to know her father. I had very close bond with my father, so I can't imagine the heartache or missing link she will endure...

Last 4 weeks have certainly been interesting, no doubt and I do apologize for not posting a blog sooner. Still wishing for that maid and handyman to appear on the doorstep or via canoe...lol..

I look forward to writing more blog posts and always interested in your feedback.

Wishing you the Best of Success!

2005-06-08

Oh Boy, Hurricane Season already?

One of the bigger foibles, we had to deal with last year was the hurricanes. What an experience that was to overcome.

I must say that I'm counting my blessings that we had at least a week between storms to prepare, unlike the Tsunami victims, with little or no warning. My heart and prayers go out to all those families.

As I sit here preparing for the day ahead of me, I hear in the background the lastest weather report with signs of some possible storms already brewing just a week into hurricane season.

I lived in Florida my entire life, with the exception of about two years when I lived in Tennessee and started my home based business. Never in my entire life have we ever experienced the hurricane season we had last year. I cringe at even the thought of more storms this year. They have early projection forecast of 15 tropical depressions, 9 hurricanes and 4 to make landfall.

After last year, just hearing that and also we are in a 20 year weather cycle, makes ya want to pack up and move far far away...however I do really love living in Florida, after all it is the "Sunshine State".

Where we live in South Lake county right in an area now known as Four Corners, Florida approximately 7 miles from Walt Disney World we were blessed with 3 of the 5 hurricanes. In all honesty I've never experienced anything like that and I am really counting my blessings.

We had to evacuate 4 times within 6 weeks, I swear at times you didn't know if you were coming or going. About the time you got things semi cleaned up enough to unload it was time to evacuate again...with the exception of my grandfather, he refused to evacuate and at 91 years old he rode out three hurricanes all by himself. He said, "If it's my time to go, I'd just as soon be here at home." The property here is beautiful, 24 acres on lakefront property completely surrounded by woods...hard to find that kind of privacy, in the Heart of Central Florida.

I have two children, so I had no choice but do the responsible thing and get my children to safety. Feeling guilty the entire time about leaving grandpa behind. Found a hotel that was very closeby so after the storm we could make our way home to check on grandpa.

We had about 25 downed 40-60 year old trees just on the immediate property surrounding the house and one of them decided to rest upon the top of my mom's vacation home, which we call the greenhouse. It looked like a war zone on this beautiful property. However all things considered I believe it was faith, the angels and the trees that protected grandpa and the house.

You could see where a tornado had moved across the lakefront edge bumping against the trees toppling alot of the cypress trees,one crushed the canoe, pushed the sailboat completely up on land and left the wind surfer dangling up in a tree across the lake and eventually found a clear spot and headed up to mom's property to leave them a new huge roof ornament.

We had alot of roof and water damage to both houses and it took us about 6 months, to semi put things back in order. But hey, we got really great at using the chainsaw.

We were really pretty fortunate, there are so many still feeling the hardships from last summer. Many roofs not fixed, alot of trouble with insurance premiums and coverage. Alot of people still living in FEMA Aid mobile homes awaiting repairs of their homes.

As you make the drive down the I-4 corridor you can still see blue tarps everywhere you look and many many trees leaning or fallen. I believe the effects of last year will remain with Florida for many years to come.

Unless you were here to experience it, it's hard to really appreciate. It was very stressful, they call it hurricane anxiety and have provided counselors for those still having a hard time coping.

The last storm we were without power for 7 days following the storm. We had the opportunity to "get back to the basics" and actually had alot of time without computers, video games, tvs, to really be together and communicate and work together cleaning up everything. Boy did I ever miss my computer, that was quite a long downtime.

Two of the ear trees we still have in the yard, roots up in the air about 6 ft, and completely down..are an amazing site to look at.One of them we call "Charley's Arch" the way it fell it sorta looks like a huge arch and both have managed to still be growing, a wonderful sign that life does go on. For mother's day we planted flowers in the beds of the trees like a trough, in honor of all mothers.

One thing I would like to say is Governor Jeb Bush, the City and County Government Officials and the police and firemen were truly terrific and all was very much appreciated.

Governor Jeb Bush was the perfect person to lead us all thru those hurricanes. No I'm not a republican, he really did a great job, keeping all calm, reassured and informed, helping this beautiful "Sunshine State" to recover.  

Can you imagine how fun his job was...being the Governor of a State that got hit by Bonnie,Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne yes that's right, 5 hurricanes within 6 weeks?

Also I should mention Chief Meterologist,Tom Terry, from WFTV was absolutely amazing. All throughout the storms all of WFTV staff were pretty incredible. They provided 24 hour coverage and information.

Tom Terry used some special equipment brought in from Oklahoma, to track all the storms and the entire team provided us neighborhood by neighborhood reports as to when the worst of the storms would be crossing our path.

They started calling me the "weather lady" because I stayed glued to all the reports. The technology was so advanced that I could see exactly when the worst storms were passing here over grandpa and all the most tornadic cells. We had a portable tv with lots of batteries. I found all the scientific technology and knowledge really interesting.

There was a great deal of tornadic activity, before after and during each of the storms. Those weather radars were lighting up like Christmas trees. Should I mention that we watch thru the hotel window the roof blow off the hotel across from us? And transformers blowing lighting up the sky as far as you could see. Needless to say, we all spent alot of time camped out and getting to know the bathroom of the hotel, pillows in the bathtub, cooler and battery operated tv in hand.

And thank goodness for cell phones, I believe everyone should have them for emergencies. When the power was out over on the Coast, my cousin could call us and get the latest weather reports on when to expect the worst headed that way. Cell phones were definately the most reliable form of communication during that time and the television/radio broadcasts were all on top of things.

I should thank all the organizations and all the states and countries that poured in truckloads with supplies,water and electrical trucks all lined up coming down the highway, immediately following the storms. Your kindness and assistance was greatly appreciated!

The sense of community that had been gone for many years prior, was restored, neighbors helping neighbors it was truly an experience of a lifetime!

I could probably write a book on this subject and still not cover it all, however WFTV did put together a wonderful 2 disk DVD set, that pretty accurately shows what really happened here. It has been set up that all sales of the DVD's will go to all the non profit organizations to help build up the hurricane supplies and funds that were depleted.

Can't forget to mention all the hurricane babies being born 9 months after the hurricanes. Oh no..not me..I have two and that's plenty.

Latest forecast, tropical storm out in the gulf and hurricane plane will go out tommorrow to check it out for us all...oh boy! Here we go again...it's hurricane season already.

 


 

 

2005-06-05

My Cat Loves Me, I Think

Life's foibles are not always about the human factor. Sometimes they are about our 'loving' pets. Then again it may be some of our most funny foibles are the results of the furbies that grace our laps.

My cat Mario is typical of all cats, haughtily striking the pose of being the boss in our home. Mario loves the most inappropriate places to rest when feeling a need to be close. For the umpteenth time he chose to rest upon my DSL box. One of his most favored spots, to my chagrin. Upon telling Mario to get off the darned box and getting no response, I took a swing at the air above his head and away he went DSL box and all.

Grumbling to myself as I put the DSL box back on its shelf, and reconnected the Internet, I did not notice Mario's actions. Feeling satisfied all was right, I slipped on my shoes to find he had left me a deposit as payment for my shooing him off the DSL box. The shocked reaction on my face must have created the satisfaction looked for as I swear that darned cat was smiling.

My cat loves me .. I think



Posted at 02:25:06 AM  |  Post Comment  |  Read Comments (5)

2005-06-03

Introduction

Hi my name is Vicki Osgood-Whatley. I am a marketer, a mother of two great kids, a caregiver for my 91 year old grandfather - and way too many days, a frazzled, overworked survivor of life's unexpected foibles.

You will soon learn by my postings just how extensive a word like foibles represents. Thus the name of my blog - Life is Like That.

Tactics including personal and professional development, women's business issues, caregiving, time management, parenting, balance, financial management, everyday life issues and more.

Are you juggling many roles? Home business entreprenuer, caregiver, single parent, maid, handyman ...

Have you Been there and done that? Experienced and know the amount of faith, determination, strength and courage it takes to persevere ...

I look forward to many a happy exchange with you, thru sharing of your own "survival tactics".

Wishing you the Best of Success!

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