Whimsical Gardens Coloring Pages

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Knitting Patterns: Oversized Wrap and Cabled Beret

Knitting Patterns: Oversized Wrap and Cabled Beret

  

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"This could have been preventable," Stanislaus Sheriff on police shootin...

12/28/18 - Press conference at the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department in regards to significant developments in the Newman investigation.

Pretty much every legislator in California ignored the killing of Corporal Ronil Singh. In fact, of the only politicians who even mentioned Singh's tragic death was House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R). Rep. Eric Swalwell (D) did retweet something said by New York Police Department Commissioner O'Neill saying he was thinking of the family. LINK

Community Vigil honoring Cpl Ronil Singh

 at Newman Downtown Plaza

Town on Lockdown

NUMB

3rd hit in less than a week

Still reeling from #1 and #2

On Dec. 26, 2018 at about 2 am our phones started sending alerts. 

We were under Blue Alert.

Blue Alert - The purpose of the Blue Alert Program is to establish a quick response system designed to issue and coordinate alerts following a violent attack upon a law enforcement officer. The goal of a Blue Alert is to provide immediate information to the public about violent suspects via media broadcasts, and other notification resources to solicit help from the public in the safe and swift apprehension of the suspect. 

These alerts continued throughout the morning on our phones and TV.

We were told to stay inside, lock doors and windows.

It took a few hours to find out exactly what was happening.

We finally got word.

Our K9 Officer Cpl. Ronil Singh was shot and killed at a routine traffic stop.

The suspect had disappeared, but they did have a description of his vehicle and photos of him at Chevron on Main St.

That's only a couple minutes from my home.

Hwy. 33 (N St.) which runs through our little town was closed.

About 3:30 pm we received an update: 

BLUE ALERT UPDATE - The suspect's vehicle has been located. The suspect is still outstanding. @StanSheriff IF SEEN, CALL 9-1-1

About that time Hwy. 33 was semi-opened 

and a traffic check was posted.

Our community is in mourning and remembering Ronil by 

 dropping off flowers, cards, and balloons at the Station.

 Cpl. Ronil Singh was a very sweet man and an asset to the force.

Our sincere condolences go out to his wife and 5 month old little boy.

There have been no more updates to his whereabouts

 or where his vehicle was found.

End of 2018 and No Break in Sight

Dec. 23, 2018 sure won't let go without a hand grenade aimed at us!

We've been taking it easy trying to be calm since the fire next door 3 days ago. It's very unnerving and takes longer than you think when you have a history of PTSD. You feel very unsafe. 

We had another big scare yesterday, 12/22. Around 2pm we heard Tora barking and what sounded like fighting in the backyard. Couldn't imagine what was going on. She was at the fence which looked at first like she was fighting with our neighbors dogs through the fence. There's not a hole in the fence and besides they don't fight, but we could hear their's going crazy acting the same way.

M walked out to check and screamed RACOON!! About that time I saw it climb our small tree. Yelled for Tora to get inside, locked her in. Went looking for our other 2 smaller dogs, they were shaking under the table. OK all dogs locked in.  I and M cried as we immediately checked Tora for wounds. Searched and searched ~ couldn't find any this time, even though it was on top of her as it fell from the tree.   In the meantime, T & C had gone after the coon with a shovel and claw cultivator my Dad had made. The coon finally headed out but not before stopping and charging them even after they had stopped hitting it. They thought they were done, had turned to come in and luckily saw it coming from about 8 feet away. Had to defend themselves, it finally turned and left. 

This was 2 in the afternoon, what was it doing out??? It took a while for all of us to compose ourselves. We checked our security cameras ~  the 40 ponder nonchalantly walked down our sidewalk, used the stepping stones to the street curb then strolled across the street and went into the neighbors yard.  Never ran, just calmly walked.

We went next door to see if their dogs were OK, which they were. They're on board to get rid of the six that think these are their homes not ours. They have to be careful when they come out their front door because coons sit in their front tree and will jump them.

Not sure how many of you have followed my blog and the terrorism from these raccoons since '09. You can see blog 11/22/09, 11/25/09, 11/27/09,  10/08/12, 10/19/12, 12/12/12, 3/25/14, 5/16/16,  5/24/16, 12/26/18.........

Anyway, dog door is locked up - can't let dogs out day or night on their own.  Need to pre-check for safety.

Frustrated, exhausted mentally which has affected us physically. Scared to even take trash out.

Wasn't even able to finish this post before #3 bomb was thrown.......next post.

Perspective

Dec. 19, 2018 was just another day. Dr appointments in the morning. Stopping at the grocery store on the way for last minute needfuls, then the pharmacy for meds before the Holiday closures.

Got home, checked my purse calendar with the kitchen calendar and realized I hadn't updated the one in my purse and double booked a day in Jan. I was frustrated with myself and dreaded the call to reschedule. M was running kitchen trash out to the tote, she came running back in saying there was a fire.

Still caught up in dates it took a minute for what she said to sink in. I ran outside to find the street filled with thick black smoke. The house next door to us was on fire! Being in a similar previous situation, my thought was move the cars. Which we did further into the Court away from the fire. Walking back into the house I heard someone yell ''grab a few clothes and get out!''.  Surely they weren't meaning us. Unfortunately they were!

 Thrown into a panic the 4 of us started grabbing things...things?! what the heck do you grab? "What do we put them in?" I heard, I yelled back "grab a trash bag!" Seemed handy at the moment. A few of us grabbed clothes, I grabbed everyone's meds, including the animals. M got the carriers down and loaded the cats. OMG Tilly! The only carrier we had left was an old one I was getting ready to toss that had been out in the rain full of debris - yuk! NOT what you put a bird in! No time to clean it I lined it with a thick layer of newspaper.  Pet food ~ having several geriatric pets they each have their own special prescription diets. Their food was grabbed by one of us.  As each of us thought of something, we yelled it out. The next person who was able, grabbed it. Water! was yelled, someone grabbed it.

As panic stricken as we were and not knowing what we were suppose to be doing, I thought we did exceptionally well as a team. Species separated in different cars, special foods, everyone's meds, a few clothes ~ headed for the cars to leave and told we couldn't take the cars ~ say what?  We just ran crazy for 10 - 15 mins -  not fast enough. The entrance to the court was blocked by fire engines, police cars, etc. - and they had sealed off the streets.  A firefighter told us ''you have to leave on foot.''  I asked where do we go? is the corner ok? he said there's smoke there and smoke is deadlier than fire. OK - the park? His response, well, there's no fire there.
OK ~  I get your drift, you can't tell us where to go for liability reasons in case something happens to us.

Leashed the dogs, grabbed the crates and paraded through the 25 - 30 onlookers to the park -  I was thinking open air, less smoke? No idea what I was doing. AND didn't understand how come we had to evacuate but on lookers could stand across the street, watch, take photos, videos, etc.?????

But I was more concerned for our pets and that thick black smoke. Tilly would be the first to go. Trying to weave through the bystanders, not breathe but peek at the house - couldn't see much as the smoke stung our eyes. I don't know how the onlookers could stand it.

We stayed at the park until we saw a fire engine leave, then headed back. The streets were still blocked off. Firefighters were in clean up mode.

Walking by our neighbors house it looked like a tunnel. You could see from the front all the way through to the backyard, there wasn't anything inside.
Heart pounding as we got closer to ours - did we have damage? did it jump to ours?

God was watching over us! The firefighters kept it from jumping to our home! They had put sprayed/something down, a retardent? along the property line, fence, roof...
Such a relief to see our home unscathed.

I saw our neighbors as we came home, they both had gotten out and were ok. They are elderly and rent the house. The Salvation Army had already contacted them and were to receive help. Our little town had an outpouring of support and was ready to help them in anyway possible.

We're still each processing and decompressing in our own way. Each day is different. Back on an emotional roller coaster. I keep thinking tomorrow I'll feel normal again. I think my normal has changed.....again

Bottom line everyone was safe. But it puts things in perspective. You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, heck not even an hour from now. Be thankful for what you have. Try not to sweat the small stuff. Choose to be HAPPY!
Keep your family in your heart and tell them you love them ♥

I didn't post this before Christmas when it happened. Not sure I could have, emotionally. It's not meant to bring anyone down just wanted to share my experience.

♥ Love to all ♥

Rabid Raccoon?

Aug. 12 -
Spent most of the night at Taylor ER Vet. The boys were going out to get into the car with Tora. A raccoon jumped out of our tree onto Tora. 😱They had no idea it was even there. Luckily she didn't get torn up as bad as Cyndar did, she was able to grab it off her shoulders and toss it. But it kept coming back for more. T was able to finally get a good kick in and get Tora in the house. The vet said there was something wrong with it for it to attack without being provoked and to report a rabid raccoon. Will do come Monday. She also said we have every right to shoot to protect our property ~ our dogs are our property. Out come the guns. We've seen 6 - 8 HUGE raccoons in the front yard the last few weeks. Scary. It could have jumped on T! They are out of control and SO aggressive. Tora is cleaned up, on antibiotics, got another Rabies shot and the cone of shame 😥 We finally got home about 4am, she's stopped shaking and is at last asleep. Wish I could say the same, I had just fallen asleep when the alarm went off. No worries tho, we've been drinking to calm our nerves. Feeling pretty good 😋 Gonna be one of those liquid or sleeping days.....😴



Aug. 13 -
Tora is doing better, Thank God.
Attact reported. NPD Animal Control wish more would report attacks due to rabies epidemic.
Tora is quarantined 45 days per vet even w/3 yr. booster, 8 mths.after reg. 3 yr. vaccine. She's still on antibiotic & pain meds, but now walking on injured leg. 💖 Been up with her the last few nights. Hoping to sleep tonight 😴

The True Story Of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

A man named Robert L. May, depressed and broken hearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.  His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing.  Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.   Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?"

Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears.  Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life.  Life always had to be different for Bob.

When he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys.  He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember.  From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in.

Bob, after completing college, married his loving wife Evelyn and was grateful to get a job as a copywriter at the Timothy Eaton Department Store, in Toronto,  during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the poorer area of Toronto.  Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift.  But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined a make one - a storybook!

Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope.  Again and again, Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling.

Who was the character? What was the story all about?

The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was.  The name of the character?  A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose.

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day.

But the story doesn't end there.

The general manager of the T. Eaton Store caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. They went on to print, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores.

By 1946, Eaton's had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph.  That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Eaton's to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Eaton's returned all rights back to Bob May.  The book became a best seller.

Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.  But the story doesn't end there either.   Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph.  Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

A true Canadian story, can you believe this? eh?

Scatter Kindness ~ #sktrkndns ~ WW

It's Holiday Time..

rolling out the cheer!

These are probably the last of our Christmas ones

that we'll do.

Found by Sandra K.

on Nov. 24, 2018

''Found this lovely rock at my house today

California “Rocks”. #sktrkndns''

Found by Ryan J.

on Dec. 8, 2018

''Found this Rock at the mall in Modesto and 

now it’s at Mi Wuk Village in the snow.''

Found by Sandra K.

in 2017

"Last years rock I found"

California “Rocks”. #sktrkndns''

Found by Cecilia E.

on Dec, 12, 2018

''My son loves rocks and found this rock in Turlock.

 Thank you to the person that painted this''

Found by Cassandra O.
on Dec. 18, 2018

''My children found this rock at the Patterson Walmart... my kids are inspired to paint their own rocks and hide them! Thank you & Merry Christmas!''🎄🎁 ❤️

A branch of The Kindness Rock Project

Christmas Tour 2018

OK 

Pretty self explanatory...

but you're probably wondering why is your Christmas Tree on the table?

Several of our pets have gotten to that geriatric age, with one losing her sight and another starting dementia.

We didn't want to move the furniture around

and make it harder on them so.....

we decided to keep it to a minimum and 

place the ones we chose to put up out of their way.

Plus I could sit with my leg up and decorate, 

thanks to an injury

M took care of the mantle and the

the snowflakes, but paid for it the next day.
Darn AS.

Wishing you and yours a Magical 

Memory Making

Merry Christmas!!