CSI San Jon????? or What the heck happened here?

What the heck indeed.

Michael and I went back to San Jon NM to clean out his dad's house and hopefully get it sold. Got to San Jon on the 22nd and this is the first thing we saw when we opened the front door.

We knew right away that something was wrong. Note the cabinet doors and drawers that are open. We didn't leave things that way when we left in August.

So....................we went further into the house and saw this.

And..............

Yep, as much as we didn't want to accept it, someone had broken into the house. But the worst was yet to come.

Milo's beloved train layout had been destroyed and all the rolling stock (cars, engines, etc.) were missing along with some large pieces of the scene. The whole family loved that layout and one of our main objectives in making the trip was to bring the layout back to Omaha for Brandon. Doug and Brandon were already making plans for the layout along with additions they wanted to make. I was speechless and knew Brandon was going to be devestated.

We called the Quay County Sheriff's department and Ben, a deputy on the force and good friend of Milo's arrived on the scene to investigate.

Dusting for prints

Discovering the point of entry.

As of the date of this post, we have gotten no news on anything that may have been recovered. We are guessing nothing will ever be found.

They got away with alot of "stuff", but the only thing that really mattered to us was the train. A reward is going to be offered.

We brought back as much train stuff as we could. Doug and Brandon will use it to start to rebuild. The legacy will continue in our memories of Milo and all the fun he gave us. They can never take that away.

But I will probably alway be mad. We are saying "if only". If only we had brought more pieces of the train back home with us in August. If only we had gone back to finish cleaning the house sooner. If only we had arranged for the Sheriff's office to check on the house regularly. So many "If onlys".

Life will go on. I just hope that whoever is responsible is caught before they can destroy other people's lives. We were lucky. Only stuff was taken. No damage was done to the house and no one was hurt. Others may not be so lucky.

On a brighter note, I saw Brandon tonight and he is disappointed but already making plans for the new layout. You just can't keep a good family down!!!!

:-)

Good Things Come To He Who Waits...........

Don't know who said that, but it has really been proven true for me this week. My post from Monday was, to say the least, a downer. I apologize. I had really had a bad day and Tuesday and Wednesday weren't awhole lot better.

Then we get to today, and boy do I feel better.

Why.......................................?

Annual Shareholders Meeting was scheduled to be held at our Papillion campus (my building) and that meant ALOT of extra work the last couple of weeks. Meeting was held today and I'm happy to report................................

IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!

Tons of fantastic comments from shareholders, board members and fellow employees about how nice the building looked. What a professional and slick set-up we had in the cafeteria for the meeting and for new product demos. And how smoothly everything went. Totally seamless. I'm am so relieved, happy, excited, and proud. All the hard work was worth it.

I think I should be able to sleep tonight without all the dreams about everything that could possibly go wrong.

Yeah!!!!!!

So...I'm off to dreamland. Good night. :-)

Old Photo Wednesday # 11, Springbrook.......

With our annual campout just held a couple of weeks ago, I started looking through some old photos of Springbrooks past...........

Here are a few with my girls. Don't know the years for sure, but it's early 80's.

Cindy Rae and Aunt Emma

Jennifer and her best friend Mo

Jennifer and Cindy sitting on the bridge over the spillway.

Jennifer, Cindy and Grandma Margaret.

Jen and Cindy sitting in the window of the shelter. Looks like Cindy got into grandma's brownies!!!

I love family traditions. Springbrook has been a tradition with our family for almost 50 years and I know my girls will continue it long after I'm gone. It makes me feel good to know that.

Here's to your traditions. :-)

To put it mildly.........today sucked!!!!

Just a quick note on how badly this day sucked!!!

I'm not kidding at all when I say, "I'm really glad this one is over!!" Why? Well it's that old "first day back after vacation" syndrome. You know. The emails stacked up, the boss is in a bad mood, the hot topic of discussion in the facilities world is: When should we clean out the refrigerators and what should be the rules regarding this topic, the shareholders meeting is Thursday and I'm not even close to ready for it, sucky day.

I know tomorrow will be better. I don't think it could possibly be any worse. (I didn't say that out loud, 'cause it just might be)

It was great to get home, sit on my couch and just veg. The best part was my kitty. She sat on my lap all evening and purred for me.

While we were away on "vacation" Sugar spent the week at Jen and Tom's house. She bonded with Tom and wasn't really happy about coming home last night, but tonight, she curled up on my lap and made all the bad stuff go away.

:-)

Sunday Funnies # 7, Boss driving you nuts................

This was our solution. It might work for you.












:-)

Stuck where????

This week hasn't been the best I've ever had, but that's another post. Probably several other posts. Anyway, Michael and I headed back to New Mexico again this week to empty out his dad's house and meet with some prospective buyers.

To put it mildly, nothing went right!!!!

But....................We did have a couple of light-hearted moments.

As I said we were cleaning out Michael's dad Milo's house (he passed away this summer) and we were going to borrow a trailer that belonged to a friend of Milo's. We went to Marlin's house to pick up the trailer and well, I think this picture says alot.

Yes, those are ruts in the desert. They've had alot of rain in San Jon this year.........but who would think you get stuck in mud up to the truck's axles in the desert????

It took some doing, but we did get out. Check out what the truck looks like. What a mess!!!!!

Thank God for 4wheel drive!!!!!

:-)

Old Photo Wednesday # 10, The Motorcycle

Alot of people would look at this picture and say "Old hippie on a motorcycle" or something like that. It's really not. It's one of my favorite pictures of my dad taken back in 1974. My sister Carol and her husband Jim were traveling and we, and by we I mean my dad, were babysitting their motorcycle. Dad was usually clean shaven, but 1974 was Modale's centennial so he grew the beard for the "beard growing contest". It was shaved off the day after the contest.

We had alot of fun with that motorcycle. I was always surprised he didn't get one for himself.

:-)

Flu Shot Blues

I like doing new things. At least I usually do. So, today I did another first. Not a really exciting one, but a first just the same.

I GOT A FLU SHOT!!!!!

I know, I know how lame is it that I've never had a flu shot before??

Our company is really making a push towards preventative health care. So, with that as their goal, they offered free flu shots (and rumor has it that when the H1N1 is available we're going to get that for free too.

Anyway, back to my "first"!!! I volunteered to go to our Carter Lake office this morning to set up for the large amount of people they expecting to show up for their shots. I volunteered 'cause I'd missed the opportunity to get my shot at both the Ralston and Papillion offices when they were available, so this was my last chance.

So, I showed up this morning, got everything set up and then I almost chickened out. It's not that I'm afraid of shots. I'm not. It's that I had always heard that there was a possibility that you could actually get the flu after or from getting the shot. Well, as I stood outside of the cubicle where they were giving the shots I kept hearing her say over and over again that this shot wasn't an active flu virus and you couldn't get the flu from the shot.

Well, after that I filled out my paperwork and got in line. I got the shot and now my arm's a little sore, but I'll survive.

Now, I have to remember to remind Michael to get his shot as I'm pretty sure he hasn't gotten it yet.

So, my story has a happy ending, at least so far. Hope I don't get the flu before the 2 weeks it takes for you to build up your immunity.

So, stay happy and healthy this winter and get your flu shot if you haven't done it yet. It really doesn't hurt. At least not all that much. :-)

Sunday Funnies # 6, Extreme Sports

OK, I know Jen is going to read my blog and think I never have an original thought, but this is another funny she sent me years ago. At the time we were having a problem with mice in our building and it was so appropriate when I got it. I still chuckle when I see it.





Just remember, "Some days you're the mouse and some days you're the cheese". :-)

Boss's Day 2009

This has been a GREAT Boss's Day. I had greetings from my employees before I even reached the office. An e-card from Tom and a text message from Donna. I had forgotten all about Boss's Day so had to improvise really quick for my bosses. So, here's what I did........................

To Scott and Kerri,

Happy Boss's Day from the whole "quacky" bunch!!!!!

The Party Girls!!!!!

Crystal "Feathers" Alexander

Sherry "Webfoot" Jantz

The crazy Pirates!!!!!

Tom "Quills" Hill

Donna "The Beek" Becker

Sharon "The Sexiest Duck on the Seven Seas" Johnson

So, go out and PARTY like a duck!!!!!!

Scott said, and I quote "Ha! That's just kind of wierd....but thanks!

Nobody gets us...............

So, I was just sitting at my desk, minding my own business when Donna came rushing in saying" You have to come with me, NOW!!!"

Who was I to argue, so I went with her........................

Yeah!!!!! Ice Cream cake from Dairy Queen. My employees ROCK!!!!!!

It was, however, a Husker cake and I'm NOT a Husker fan so the knife stuck in it is symbolic.

Donna, with black teeth and lips from the cake.

Crystal and her cakesicle.

This day totally ROCKED!!!!!!:-)

You Collect What?????

I always wonder what motivates people to collect the things they do. I used to collect refrigerator magnets. I don't know why. I guess because they were small and inexpensive but still reminded me of the places I'd been and the things I'd seen.




One of my employees collects ducks. You know like rubber duckies.





I can't help but wonder, WHY??????

:-)

Old Photo Wednesday # 9, Float Trip

It's funny how you can be having a conversation about one thing and it totally makes you think of something else. I was talking to some friends at work today about our annual campout family reunion that's coming up. We were talking about camping so late in the season and how the weather is so unpredictable. One year it's freezing and the next year we're boating on the late, all the second week in October.

Anyway, the whole conversation suddenly made me think about the first float trip I ever took. I was with my family in Minnesota and the girls were pretty young. I think Cindy was maybe 4, anyway we were visiting my sister Carol and her family and we decided to take a float trip on a local river. We packed a picnic lunch and headed out. After we finished lunch we were ready to get in our canoes and head out. Cindy was thinking this was a really great idea 'til she found out we actually had to get into the canoes. Her reaction.....................

"No you can't make we go!!!!! I'll just stay here an wait for you."

We then had to explain that we weren't coming back here and she would have to come with us. Anyway, she did finally get in the canoe and ended up having a good time. Oh sweet memories..............

:-)

Sunday Funnies # 5, Which shade of blue.......

Jen sent me an email along time ago with some pictures of clever ads companies have run. I thought this bill board was really cute.




Benjamin Moore ad.

:-)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow............

And snow it did. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Every good story should begin at the beginning. This might not be a good story, but to the beginning we go.

Maybe you remember, but maybe you don't, I mentioned in a previous post that "it's that time of year". Well, it is, or was, I guess. SPRINGBROOK!!!!!! Our annual family reunion, picnic, campout, etc. It's something I look forward to all year. We headed out on our adventure on Thursday. Packed up the camper, loaded the firewood and headed out. Guthrie Center and Springbrook State Park here we come.............

We arrived about 3:00 PM on Thursday and set up camp.

After we got our spot picked out and set up we headed back into Guthrie Center for supper. Primetime Cafe. Good food. I know, we're camping, but we decided we wanted to take it easy for the evening. After supper we went to the local farm supply store for a few supplies and then back to the campground. We took a quick walk, after dark of course, and then headed to bed.

Up early on Friday morning to head back into town for a couple of things we had forgotten. We got back just as Jennifer was arriving. She picked her spot, unloaded her car and then we took a hike. Springbrook has a really pretty lake with a trail all the way around it. We usually make this hike a few times while we're there, so there was no time like the present to make the first one.

Springbrook is a spring fed lake, hence the name. Here's the sping that feeds it.

Bambi was out for a walk too.

This is the bridge over the spillway.

When we got back from our hike, Michael, Jen and I finished setting up for the arrival of the rest of the gang.

And then Jen and I set up the Bocce court. (you can just see the white lines outlining the court)

Of course we took Sugar along. She really does like camping and discovered on this trip that she likes sleeping in a tent. She spent the afternoon in Jen's tent.

Cindy and Emalee arived later in the afternoon. I wish I had gotten pictures of Emalee. Cindy had bought her a fleece "jacket" to keep her warm and Jen had brought she a stuffed duck. She didn't really appreciate the jacket, but the duck was a hit.

Mel, Shelia and Mikie arrived about supper time. Michael and Jen helped them put up their tent.........

While I got the Chili going on the fire.



While the chili was cooking and the tent was going up I took a quick walk close to our campsite. Here's the brook from which Springbrook gets it's name. The spring feeds the lake, the water goes out of the lake and over the spillway (sorry no picture) and then travels on it's way in the brook. This part of the brook was right behind our camper.



(That's our pick-up in the distance)

Doug arrived with Brandon and Lauren just as we were finishing up supper. The campfire was going and everyone spent the evening sitting around the fire. Except Brandon, who spent some quality time with Sugar.

Before retiring for the night Jen, Mel and I took a walk on the dam to look at the stars. We saw some falling stars, visited for awhile and then headed back to bed.

During the night we could hear the wind picking up and Michael had to go out about 3 AM to put the awning away. Then about 5:30 Jen came to report that our shelter was taking flight. No damage done, but we had to put it away so it didn't try to run away again. And yes..........................................is was snowing.

So, while some got the fire going, I got breakfast going. We had to eat in shifts as our camper is pretty small.



We all decided that the snow and cold were making things pretty miserable, so we all started packing up to head home. We had to have a little fun though, so Jen and Cindy had a snowball fight.

So, here are a few snowy scenes from Springbrook 2009. Maybe next year we can go swimming in the lake. This time of year, you just never know.

So, there you have it................a first for us. Camping in the snow. We didn't get to do everything we wanted to and we had to leave early, but life's not perfect. Join us next year if you dare. On our trips you never know what might happen.

So, happy camping from us to you.

:-)