Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[bigskygirl]

I was at the law enforcement center earlier helping out with the files. Someone brought in their kids so an officer would talk with the kids about behaving and listening to their parents. I guess this was not the first time someone has done this. A female officer and a young good looking officer were the ones talking with the kids. I found it funny and interesting a parent would take their kids to the law enforcement center to have a little chat with an authority figure. I wonder if this would work with my husband's youngest nephew because I guess he can be a handful at home. I also wonder how well this works with the kids in relations to behaving afterwards.

[lookeyloo]

1 minute ago, bigskygirl said:

I was at the law enforcement center earlier helping out with the files. Someone brought in their kids so an officer would talk with the kids about behaving and listening to their parents. I guess this was not the first time someone has done this. A female officer and a young good looking officer were the ones talking with the kids. I found it funny and interesting a parent would take their kids to the law enforcement center to have a little chat with an authority figure. I wonder if this would work with my husband's youngest nephew because I guess he can be a handful at home. I also wonder how well this works with the kids in relations to behaving afterwards.

I would hazard a guess that this won't work.  There is research to show that the Scared Straight programs don't work either.

[bythelake]

6 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

I was at the law enforcement center earlier helping out with the files. Someone brought in their kids so an officer would talk with the kids about behaving and listening to their parents. I guess this was not the first time someone has done this. A female officer and a young good looking officer were the ones talking with the kids. I found it funny and interesting a parent would take their kids to the law enforcement center to have a little chat with an authority figure. I wonder if this would work with my husband's youngest nephew because I guess he can be a handful at home. I also wonder how well this works with the kids in relations to behaving afterwards.

I guess it would depend on the kid. My Dad was a Police officer in a fairly large city. One day when I was around 4 yrs old, he took me to the precinct to visit with his cronies.. He took me to see the holding cells and told me that this was where people went when they did bad things. He had the big loop of keys in his hand and stood there jingling them. Decades later. I still remember that day, it scared the stuffing out of me. Never did a bad thing in my life . :-)

[Jynnan tonnix]

8 hours ago, bythelake said:

I guess it would depend on the kid. My Dad was a Police officer in a fairly large city. One day when I was around 4 yrs old, he took me to the precinct to visit with his cronies.. He took me to see the holding cells and told me that this was where people went when they did bad things. He had the big loop of keys in his hand and stood there jingling them. Decades later. I still remember that day, it scared the stuffing out of me. Never did a bad thing in my life . :-)

My dad always used to tell the story of when he was little, maybe 5 years old. His father was a Major in the Polish army (this was just prior to WWII), and they lived right by the base.  Dad used to like to go to the barracks, despite being forbidden to do it, because sometimes the soldiers would give him chocolate. Well, one day, his father caught him, and put him in the brig for violating his orders. I guess he was there until bedtime wondering what was going to happen to him. I don't know how much that played into his becoming scrupulously law-abiding - likely he would have grown up that way in any case - but he certainly never forgot the lesson.

Edited October 26, 2017 by Jynnan tonnix

[Catfin]

On 10/25/2017 at 1:22 PM, bigskygirl said:

I was at the law enforcement center earlier helping out with the files. Someone brought in their kids so an officer would talk with the kids about behaving and listening to their parents. I guess this was not the first time someone has done this. A female officer and a young good looking officer were the ones talking with the kids. I found it funny and interesting a parent would take their kids to the law enforcement center to have a little chat with an authority figure. I wonder if this would work with my husband's youngest nephew because I guess he can be a handful at home. I also wonder how well this works with the kids in relations to behaving afterwards.

You'd be amazed at the random people that threaten their kids around DH when he's identifiable as a LEO. "I'm going to have him take you to jail if you don't behave!"  Right. How 'bout you parent your little womb fruit? 

Kind of funny, it's been high school toilet papering season around our area the past few months.  We've been hit pretty spectacularly multiple times. (Gotta say I admire their craft and attention to detail! Lol.) DD's BFF lives right across the cul de sac, so they typically both get hit, two for one destination. Anyhoo, DD got tired of being bounced out of bed to clean it up early weekend mornings. She told one of the very gullible likely culprits that it was a felony to vandalize an officer's home, with the possibility of there being hate crime implications. She told them since DH is a detective, there is video monitoring of our house, yada yada, the state is getting involved. All total BS.  Pretty much took care of that problem.  It's hilarious to run into this kid/culprit out and about. 

[SMama]

911 deaths from "natural causes" in P.R. AFTER Maria. How does lack of water, food, medical care, electricity, medication, etc. are categorized as a natural cause?

https://www.buzzfeed.com/nidhiprakash/puerto-rico-natural-causes?bftw&utm_term=.hmbzEDZjqB#.txX9pZvVQj

Edited October 29, 2017 by SMama

[Arwen Evenstar]

2 minutes ago, SMama said:

911 deaths from "natural causes in P.R. AFTER Maria. How does lack of water, food, medical care, electricity, medication, etc. is categorized as a natural cause.

The fact that in this day and age, in a developed country, it should be regarded as completely unnatural for people to die like that.  It was inhumane and unnecessary to boot. These people died needlessly and they suffered. 

Just because they didn’t drown, were injured because of the storm, took their own life or met with foul play doesn’t mean they died of “natural causes” when they were deprived of lifesaving food, water, and medicine.  My heart has shattered once again.

[Natalie68]

On 10/25/2017 at 7:37 PM, Jynnan tonnix said:

My dad always used to tell the story of when he was little, maybe 5 years old. His father was a Major in the Polish army (this was just prior to WWII), and they lived right by the base.  Dad used to like to go to the barracks, despite being forbidden to do it, because sometimes the soldiers would give him chocolate. Well, one day, his father caught him, and put him in the brig for violating his orders. I guess he was there until bedtime wondering what was going to happen to him. I don't know how much that played into his becoming scrupulously law-abiding - likely he would have grown up that way in any case - but he certainly never forgot the lesson.

My mother in law is from Lodz, Poland and her grandfather was killed in Katyan.   We are supposed to go visit family for a wedding in May and I really hope it works out! 

[Jynnan tonnix]

1 hour ago, Natalie68 said:

My mother in law is from Lodz, Poland and her grandfather was killed in Katyan.   We are supposed to go visit family for a wedding in May and I really hope it works out! 

My father's father was killed in Katyn as well! My dad was instrumental in bringing all that to light. https://www.timesofisrael.com/newly-declassified-memos-show-us-hushed-up-1940-soviet-mass-murder/

[Natalie68]

23 minutes ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

My father's father was killed in Katyn as well! My dad was instrumental in bringing all that to light. https://www.timesofisrael.com/newly-declassified-memos-show-us-hushed-up-1940-soviet-mass-murder/

CRAZY!  Very small world.  Her past is quite interesting.  She had been going to school in England when she was 18/19 and the Polish government had her best friend spying on her.  Not sure why but certainly weird.  She was the interpreter for GW and Laura when they went to Poland maybe during his 1st term and said he was goofy and she was VERY nice.  I have asked her if she would go if she were called for the new resident of 1600 and she said, um, no.

[Arwen Evenstar]

15 hours ago, SMama said:

 

@Arwen Evenstar, the toddler in chief is having fun dabbling in genocide. I won't shut up just because my mother and her husband are OK

 

@SMama, I said as much every time I tell people my family  and friends there are OK.  It’s  NOT over for those who still can’t get their basic needs met, and I make sure people know that things are still far from normal even for those whose creature  comforts have been restored. 

It’s disgusting that they are underreporting the deaths over there. People couldn’t even walk in the hospitals without throwing up due to the stench of having no refrigeration in the morgues, so it’s BS that there’s only low numbers being reported.This was happening  in Ponce, so you can imagine elsewhere isolated being much higher.

My insulin dependent mother in law passed away in 2011, otherwise, we would have had to evacuate her as well. I’m afraid the numbers will likely get even worse.  I have plenty more to say about this, but I don’t want to risk a mod slap. Hugs to Mi Gente!

[Jynnan tonnix]

22 hours ago, Natalie68 said:

CRAZY!  Very small world.  Her past is quite interesting.  She had been going to school in England when she was 18/19 and the Polish government had her best friend spying on her.  Not sure why but certainly weird.  She was the interpreter for GW and Laura when they went to Poland maybe during his 1st term and said he was goofy and she was VERY nice.  I have asked her if she would go if she were called for the new resident of 1600 and she said, um, no.

Dad's was interesting as well, if lacking in a little intrigue...He was orphaned in Siberia after his mother died there, and he & the middle brother found themselves rescued through an orphanage in India which was taking in Polish children. A couple of years later, with funding being very unsure, all the children in the orphanage were adopted (on paper, at least) by the Maharajah of the district. Eventually, through the Red Cross in England, he found other family members who had been taken in via that route, and was able to rejoin his brothers (the middle one had found his way to England a few years earlier) there. Which is where he met my mom who has her own tale to tell of her family making its way through the middle East (Lebanon, Iran) to also end up in England. How crazy is it that I even exist at all!!

[ChiCricket]

3 minutes ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

He was orphaned in Siberia after his mother died there, and he & the middle brother found themselves rescued through an orphanage in India which was taking in Polish children. 

 Wow..this is so interesting to me! I would've thought that an orphanage in India would be overwhelmed by the orphans in India. 

[Jynnan tonnix]

1 hour ago, ChiCricket said:

 Wow..this is so interesting to me! I would've thought that an orphanage in India would be overwhelmed by the orphans in India. 

There are a number of things you can find on Youtube related to this, from the cursory to a full documentary. This one is a good compromise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZjRcm5GEb0

[Arwen Evenstar]

@Jynnan tonnix, wow, that is a very interesting story indeed. You just can’t make this stuff up if you tried! That seems like your dad should have written a book, or maybe you should. War unsettled many of various diasporas in ways we could never imagine.

[Jynnan tonnix]

9 hours ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

@Jynnan tonnix, wow, that is a very interesting story indeed. You just can’t make this stuff up if you tried! That seems like your dad should have written a book, or maybe you should. War unsettled many of various diasporas in ways we could never imagine.

My dad did actually write a book (self-published), but it's in Polish. He was putting the finishing touches on his English version when he passed away. My daughter and I proofread/edited it for him. We have a few copies, but were not really planing on getting it published in any great numbers.

[Nysha]

3 hours ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

My dad did actually write a book (self-published), but it's in Polish. He was putting the finishing touches on his English version when he passed away. My daughter and I proofread/edited it for him. We have a few copies, but were not really planing on getting it published in any great numbers.

Have you thought about having it published through Amazon as a Kindle book? It really sounds like a unique and awesome story.

[bigskygirl]

Happy Halloween!!!  

[Catfin]

I love Halloween! Only 47 kids tonight, as our neighborhood is aging out. We've got five pumpkins ? carved, ten luminaries, creepy lighted eyes in the upstairs windows and assorted ghosts hanging in trees. Couldn't find the sttobe light and forgot our fog machine broke last year.  I miss my kids being little, but they still love it and decorating.  

[Sew Sumi]

We're in a security building, and presently, there are no kids living here. I don't remember the last time we had trick or treaters. Before I put on weight just by looking at junk food, I used to buy some candy anyway. 

I have to go by CVS tomorrow. Maybe I'll still pick up some candy, slashed down to half price. I'm cheap like that. :D 

Edited November 1, 2017 by Sew Sumi

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

 

I have to go by CVS tomorrow. Maybe I'll still pick up some candy, slashed down to half price. I'm cheap like that. :D 

I do the same thing. Last Christmas I hit the jackpot and got the big bags of peanut M&M's for 75% off. I sneak them into the movies so I don't have to pay outrageous prices for theater candy.

[Sew Sumi]

I stock up on Snickers, Milky Ways, and Red Vines. Perfect candy for movies. :D

[Catfin]

Speaking of Red Vines, Costco stopped carrying them! We all took turns picking up the jumbo tubs for our department at work. Come to find out Amazon has them at a better price and delivers. 

(Ducks head and 'fesses up to preferring Twizzlers).

[Sew Sumi]

I've tried Twizzlers many times, but I like me some pure sugar. Go Red Vines! LOL 

I don't buy the jumbo tubs of Red Vines (don't have a Costco membership anyway). My husband's savory to my sweet, although when I bake my famous soft center ginger snaps (yes, an oxymoron here), I find he's eaten half the stash I save for us overnight  - he doesn't get home from work until after I'm asleep most nights - and goes to bed at some ungodly hour that I pretend not to know. All I know is that I get up the next morning and there are bowls and whatnot in the drainboard (no dishwasher). But at least he cleans up his mess, unlike another couple we can't name in this thread. :D

[Catfin]

Omg, soft ginger snaps. Drool. ? 

[Sew Sumi]

A couple minutes out of the oven, they just melt in your mouth. I can NEVER resist having a couple out of the first oven batch. It keeps me going as I usually make a triple recipe for all the people who seem to expect them every year. 

I should make them more often so this doesn't happen, but eh, they're the one baking task that I've truly mastered, so they are SPECIAL. :D

[bigskygirl]

We were handing out regular sized candy bars last night. I only handed out five out of the twelve we had. The kids who came to our door were surprised and happy they got a regular sized Hershey's Chocolate candy bar. One of the kids was trying to tell me he was allergic to cats because Sassy was watching the kids when I handed out the candy. So cute! Sassy was a little nervous, but at least she did not try to sneak outside.

And winter has made his way to Montana. It is cold and snowing right now. Great news is the moisture we are getting, bad news is my eyes and the rest of me does not like the changes in the weather. I think the bears have the right idea of bulking up and going to sleep for a few months until next spring. I feel so bad for the wildlife after the nasty fire season we had, and bad drought conditions after a long cold winter. Less food and wildfires destroying areas where they roam. Breaks my heart!

[P2C2E]

Okay, I need the recipe for soft ginger snaps in my life! Pretty please with sugar on top!

[doodlebug]

I got about 75 kids; kids don't seem to Trick or Treat like they used to.  Lots more parents out and they don't seem to roam as far as we did when we were kids.  I grew up in the inner city and, still, would go out by myself with siblings and/or friends from about the age of 9 and we walked and walked and walked until the clock struck 8 and we had to quit.  Sometimes we'd get so much candy, we'd come home, dump it out and go back out again.  And we weren't opposed to hitting up the houses with full sized candy bars twice.

Last night, my dogs dressed up as Thing 1 and Thing 2.  It suited them quite well.

Edited November 1, 2017 by doodlebug

[Catfin]

I figured you sickos would appreciate this picture. This was a SW Airlines pilot at the airport on Halloween. 

[BitterApple]

That is so up my alley. I'm glad some companies still let their employees have a sense of humor.

[Arwen Evenstar]

Hi you guys. I just finished my 3rd and final of my second round of chemo.  They wanted to do 2 to 3 more treatments to make sure the lung mets are gone so they can do surgery.  My CA125 has dropped to 35, and below 38 is considered normal and that was before my last treatment. 

Ive been pretty quiet about my progress because there’s not been an appropriate time to bring it up with all the disasters one after another.  I started back to chemo after Harvey.   My peach fuzz on my head all fell out as well as my brows and eyelashes again.  I’m  finally feeling a bit more energetic.  On the 7th, I have my PET scan to see if my progress is continuing and the lung Mets are gone.  If you guys would be kind enough to remember me and my family in your thoughts and prayers next week, that would be amazing.   Thank you in advance.

[wilsie]

@Arwen Evenstar  Love, prayers, blessings, good thoughts and whatever else there is, dear Arwen, for you and everyone who loves you.  May you know peace, healing and get kind and compassionate care.  May your loved ones know incredible peace.   

[Jynnan tonnix]

1 minute ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

Hi you guys. I just finished my 3rd and final of my second round of chemo.  They wanted to do 2 to 3 more treatments to make sure the lung mets are gone so they can do surgery.  My CA125 has dropped to 35, and below 38 is considered normal and that was before my last treatment. 

Ive been pretty quiet about my progress because there’s not been an appropriate time to bring it up with all the disasters one after another.  I started back to chemo after Harvey.   My peach fuzz on my head all fell out as well as my brows and eyelashes again.  I’m  finally feeling a bit more energetic.  On the 7th, I have my PET scan to see if my progress is continuing and the lung Mets are gone.  If you guys would be kind enough to remember me and my family in your thoughts and prayers next week, that would be amazing.   Thank you in advance.

Oh, Arwen...that's Fantastic!! Full-body frontal sqeeeeezes for you! Virtual ones, just in case you are still a bit weak. SO happy to hear the news!

[crazycatlady58]

I will definitely  pray.

[Sew Sumi]

I'll keep sending healing vibes and keep you and yours in my thoughts. 

[Westiepeach]

Lots of love and prayers and full frontal hugs to you! Always, but especially next week!

[lookeyloo]

@Arwen Evenstar - so happy with your progress so far. Sending many positive and healing vibes through the interwebs to you. 

[emma675]

Arwen Evenstar, thoughts, prayers, well wishes, blessings, good vibes and every other healing there is coming your way! 

I hope you know you don't have to keep anything back just because there are a lot of bad things going on. This group is strong enough to handle multiple crises at a time! We're here for you!

Edited November 3, 2017 by emma675d

[Arwen Evenstar]

Awwww, thank you all so much for your good wishes.??

[Love2dance]

@Arwen Evenstar, you have been in my thoughts all this time. Thank you for letting us know how you are doing. Please feel free to share with our prayer closet family any time you need or wish. Hugs and healing thoughts coming your way for continued good news.

[latetotheparty]

3 hours ago, Arwen Evenstar said:

Hi you guys. I just finished my 3rd and final of my second round of chemo.  They wanted to do 2 to 3 more treatments to make sure the lung mets are gone so they can do surgery.  My CA125 has dropped to 35, and below 38 is considered normal and that was before my last treatment. 

Ive been pretty quiet about my progress because there’s not been an appropriate time to bring it up with all the disasters one after another.  I started back to chemo after Harvey.   My peach fuzz on my head all fell out as well as my brows and eyelashes again.  I’m  finally feeling a bit more energetic.  On the 7th, I have my PET scan to see if my progress is continuing and the lung Mets are gone.  If you guys would be kind enough to remember me and my family in your thoughts and prayers next week, that would be amazing.   Thank you in advance.

Much love and strength to you, Arwen, in the weeks ahead. Cancer is a lonely disease; please know that you can reach out anytime. I always want to know how you're doing. *squishy hugs*

[Arwen Evenstar]

15 hours ago, latetotheparty said:

Much love and strength to you, Arwen, in the weeks ahead. Cancer is a lonely disease; please know that you can reach out anytime. I always want to know how you're doing. *squishy hugs*

Thanks.  It is an isolating disease because the very nature of chemotherapy suppresses your immune system, making you too delicate to be out in public or at church, restaurants, concerts, etc. And when your counts are low, no raw foods, you have to peel your apples, no pedicures, etc. But, depending on how strong your chemo is, you won’t feel like it anyway.  Though that said, there were some folks getting chemo playing tennis, running, going to work...etc., like it was nothing for them to do this

[SMama]

Keep on fighting and it’s perfectly appropriate to yell FUCK CANCER whenever you feel the need. 

Sunny Hostin from the View is traveling to Puerto Rico and will report on the conditions now. This is really personal to her as she is half Puerto Rican. BTW I had never heard the expression “Wepa!” until she uttered it on The View. How could I have lived eighteen years there and never heard it?

Edited November 3, 2017 by SMama

[BitterApple]

Arwen, hugs, thoughts, prayers, well wishes and a heaping helping of virtual tater tot casserole heading your way to aid in your recovery! Keep fighting!

[abbey]

Arwen I have never posted on the Prayer Closet before, just read,  but I have been praying for you since I read of your diagnosis.  I am  happy to hear the treatments are working so well.  This heathen Catholic will continue to pray.  Keep up the good fight!

Edited November 3, 2017 by abbey
typo

[Honeycocoa]

Happy, Healthy thoughts to Arwen! Yea!!

Catfin that's a great picture!

About 75- 100 trick or treaters here. There are lots of kids in the neighborhood and in the apartment buildings near the neighborhood. Our neighborhood has several very decorated houses. Although as I was walking the dog this morning, I was noting to myself how two of the major decorators have yards that are completely abandoned looking the rest of the year. Dead lawns, inches of fallen leaves, weeds, fallen branches etc. I get that not everyone likes to garden, but a quarterly raking and weeding would be a huge improvement. Why do they suddenly want everyone looking at their decorations once ( or twice - Christmas) a year, when they clearly could care less about the yard the rest of the time? It's just weird.

[Arwen Evenstar]

2 hours ago, SMama said:

Keep on fighting and it’s perfectly appropriate to yell FUCK CANCER whenever you feel the need. 

Sunny Hostin from the View is traveling to Puerto Rico and will report on the conditions now. This is really personal to her as she is half Puerto Rican. BTW I had never heard the expression “Wepa!” until she uttered it on The View. How could I have lived eighteen years there and never heard it?

My hubs says it all the time!

[SMama]

OMG,  I'm Duggar level sheltered! OTOH my family was kind of snooty when it came to "pedestrian" talk (their words). Even in GATE classes I was the butt of jokes because of my vocabulary. It was brutal but also all I knew. I need to do better with my daughter. Maybe that's the reason that in English I cuss like a sailor on shore leave. 

Edited November 3, 2017 by SMama

[Arwen Evenstar]

5 minutes ago, SMama said:

OMG,  I'm Duggar level sheltered! OTOH my family was kind of snooty when it came to "pedestrian" talk (their words). Even in GATE classes I was the butt of jokes because of my vocabulary. It was brutal but also all I knew. I need to do better with my daughter. Maybe that's the reason that in English I cuss like a sailor on shore leave. 

Oh, my hubs is the same way with me speaking Spanish.  Only “Sunday” words.  Next time I feel the need to say “maldita”, I’ll tell him, ‘Quit clutching your pearls, unless you want me to drop the f bomb.”