Winter 2022-2023

We had a great winter in Rockport, TX at Wilderness Oaks site #72.  This was our 8th winter.  Pat rode his bike in campground and did 600 miles.  I walked the park with Kilo and greeted the new people and visited with old and new friends.  Many gave treats to Kilo.  When we went to office, he also got treats.  He also played in campground dog park with dogs his size.  

I did two classes of line dancing on Thurs mornings.  We Zoomed church back home on Wed evening and on Sundays.  The other evenings  I played Bingo, Pass the Trash, and cards.  I was busy every evening.

We attended concerts in our park and in others.  Attended the Gospel Festival at First Baptist.

We ate out at various places in Rockport, or at our clubhouse for potlucks.  Pat also grilled out.

We visited friends who were in other parks.

Weather was good, even some days in 80.  I could sit at the  pool. Love the sun, since I like being warm, and good for my blood pressure.  

We were at the campground for 3 months and 10 days. 

Told my friends,  See you next winter Lord Willing     

Winter of 2021&2022

 We arrived at Wilderness Oaks in Rockport, TX on Dec.9.  We parked in the same spot on third street #72 that we have had for the last 7 years.  Beautiful warm weather on the 10.  We left on Dec. 8 after my Doctors appointment and made really good time.  Pat drives while I sleep with Missy and Kilo.  Last winter while in Rockport we put Riley our doxie down, so it was strange coming down with only two dogs.  It was great warm weather and fun walking the park with Kilo seeing old friends and and meeting new friends.  I did line dancing in Mary R.  driveway when it was good weather.  I went to a Christmas line dancing party at another line dancer’s home.  That was a fun time.  We had Christmas and New Years events at the clubhouse.  Sat morning breakfasts, bingo on Friday evenings, Sunday Pass the Trash.  We were able to Zoom Wed and Sunday Millard Community Church messages. Terry and Connie Santo our church friends came down and camped for a week across from us.  

January was a strange month.  The clubhouse and all activities were closed down due to illness in the park.  It was closed for about 3 weeks.  Pat turned 70 on January 7 and we ate at Pier 77 our favorite place since they give you a lot of food.  Pat got sick and couldn’t eat for two weeks and loss 22 lbs.

On Jan.19 we put Missy down.  The night before she had lost all body functions and the RV was a mess.  Pat was up with her and she was passing blood.  We took her into a 24 hour dog hospital in Corpus.  Kilo came with us to say goodbye and he would not lay on the dog bed that he cuddled with Missy until days later.  

Kilo has been working in the park twice a day.  We had some cool days, and even had a couple of evenings of freezing but no ice or snow.  A couple of rainy days, so Kilo stayed in.  Most days after working the park in the morning and then afternoon, Kilo is rewarded with his second favorite thing.  First is food and second is playing in the dog park on 4 th street.  Joleen my friend from 5 years ago has two male dogs Zeke and Zeus that Kilo loves.  Jim and his girl dog Hallie comes and plays with the boys.  The four of them run and play and have so much fun.  Kilo barks at them and I have never heard him bark except when he is playing with his friends.  This afternoon was his last day playing since we are leaving in the morning to go to Red Bay, Alabama to get work done on front seats and new recliner.  So today I told my friends goodbye and see you next winter Lord willing.

My Thoughts on Having a Guide Dog

April 12, 2019

My Thoughts on Having a Guide Dog

    By Rene J. McQuinn

     I started my teaching career back in early 80’s teaching preschool and ended on 1-24-12 teaching 18-21 year olds that needed additional skills to be successful in life. On that day, I had a brain aneurism that left me blind.  I find myself needing additional skills to be successful and safe in my 60’s.  One of those skills is learning and using a guide dog.  The past 7 years I have depended mostly upon my husband to be my seeing- eye husband, family, friends, sometimes my white cane to get around safely.  Yes, I do want to be independent as I taught my students.

     I have ventured out on my own practicing independence, but have gotten lost or had some close calls by trucks, cars, dogs, strangers, or short kids that want to dart in front of me.  I will admit, I have plowed over young ones and, they just bounce right up.  Dogs will scream, strangers say excuse me.  I never know if I am doing the running into, or maybe they are not watching where they are going? I have not been injured by close calls with drivers, but have been hurt by those parked cars and trucks (huge mirrors) that I was not able to see.

      I practiced being independent while shopping with my daughter this last weekend.  She did have to remind me not run into branches, like I did the last time I went shopping at this center.  She was in a store waiting in a long line, and gave me directions on how to get to another store, and told me to watch for cars crossing the streets.  I was debating with myself and her about being able to do this on my own. She even told me, “I need to be independent”.   I found the door to get out of the store we were in; turned left and walked to the store I was looking for, and found their door.  Angie found me in the store and asked if I had any troubles crossing the streets?  I said I did not have to cross any streets.  We argued for awhile, with me insisting I did not cross a street!  When we left the store, she showed me the street full of traffic that I crossed.  I spend time using the little bit of vision looking down following the sidewalk, so I did not see the side street. Sometimes I forget to scan my environment by using that bit of eyesight that I got back after eye surgery a couple of years ago.  Sure I saw the main street since it had stores on each side, I’m not totally blind, just legally blind! 

     We do a lot of traveling and camping.  I like to walk, and most of the places are new to me.  I think that having a guide dog will allow me to be independent.  Sure in the beginning of this blindness, I would much rather stay home where I was safe.  I know now that is not good for a person.  I need to stay busy, and try new things.  My major new thing is learning about guide dogs.  I have read books on this subject.  I took some on line classes about guide dogs from Hadley a school for the blind.  I passed the class, and the professor answered my many questions.  I have talked to guide dog users, and puppy raisers. 

     This guide dog idea started back at a NE camping rally last June.  I met a couple who were puppy raisers for KSDS.  They had their Yellow Lab Marley with them.  They answered my many questions.  A puppy raiser has a puppy for 18 months, and will take the dog everywhere they go.  They are training the dog with a variety of different experiences.  The dog is then returned for additional training by KSDS staff and by the person receiving the dog. 

     We filled out the needed paperwork, and were put on a waiting list that could take two years.  In October we took a tour of KSDS three hours south of Omaha in Washington, Kansas.  We met staff, and attended their fall graduation for guide, service, and facility dogs. 

  Additional thoughts that I have:  I wonder if I will pass the training, will Missy and Riley get along with a new dog, will there be room for three dogs in our RV… 

     I am excited and a bit fearful about my new adventure.  Praying that this is the Lord’s will for my life. 

My Friend Karen

     I think of Karen quite often, but yesterday was the big day.  You are wondering why Sunday, October 14, 2018?  No it was not her birthday.  I can't even remember my grandchildren's birthdays.  Landon had his on Oct. 12 which was last Friday, and he was at our house, so I was reminded all day.  Does not mean I will remember next Oct.  No, it was not the day of her death.  I would have to look that date up also.  It was back in February. 
     The day started off by being a Fall day, trees changing color and leaves falling.  Karen loved the fall colors so much, that she would jump in the car with her husband John and travel to follow the colors of Fall.  This involved many fall trips traveling across states to find the best colors.  She also loved the whole fall thing about campfires and hay rack rides. She would plan yearly church hay rack rides at Santa Woods.  As the number of kids increased at church, she needed more hay rack rides to hold everyone.  A lot of the increase was due to her many grand children attending Millard Community Church.  She would have fall camp outs with her grand children as they hung out around a camp fire making memories.  
     Then yesterday while at church, it started to snow.  Karen loved the snow as much as the fall colors.  She would hear about snow in a nearby state, and then jump in the car with John, and travel to see and play in the snow.  She loved road trips, so the snow would give her a chance to kill two birds with one stone. 
     She also planned snow outings with the grand children such as sledding at Mahoney State Park.  I think she called the weekends "Grandma's Winter Wonderland".  Sometimes the snow would melt, but she and kids still had fun.  I remember one winter, she had scheduled winter snow family pictures.  The snow was not on the ground, so she hung fake snow flakes in the trees for the pictures.     
     I do not like the snow and cold.  That is one reason we travel south in the winter.  I sat at church complaining about the weather, since we were going to go camping with our camping club Sun. afternoon, but we canceled out.  Karen would have went camping in the snow.   I sat at church and thought of Karen and prayed for her husband, children, and grand children.  Karen loved going to church and learning God's Word.  She was able to see her children and grandchildren growing up and studying the Scriptures also.  She also loved the chance to get together with her church friends also.  We have been going to church together and friends for a long time.  My girls and her kids hung out and grew up together.  
     Yesterday, was that day when memories filled my mind.  Also blessings filled my mind, so I wanted to write about memories and blessings on this cold day. Monday, Oct. 15,2018.
     Blessings:  I know I will see Karen again, since we both believed that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and rose again.  John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
    Children and grandchildren are blessings from the Lord.  I have lost count of the grandchildren that Karen had maybe 30 or 40?
    Eye sight:  getting another shot on Thursday morning to save the little bit I still have.  Karen lived for years with only one eye, since one was removed due to cancer.  You could not tell, by the way she drove and got around.  Maybe a little by the way she pulled out of driveways, asking where did that car come from?
    Health is a blessing,  I survived a brain aneurysm/stroke Jan. 2012. I am still around to make memories with my grand children.  I may not remember them later, but hope they will. That is one reason to write things down.  A guy from church that had just started visiting, but knew a lot of folks died yesterday from a stroke.  I think, he had 10 children and a wife. 
Karen had various health problems, from cancer to kidney transplant but never complained.  She had her faith and love for the Lord that got her through her struggles.  She worried more about her husband John's health than hers.  He is still suffering in ill health but hanging on for his family.  She told him that he needs to hold the family together and to toughen up on her death bed.  She also wanted him to share the gospel at her funeral.  He was able to speak at her funeral, making one of her final wishes true.
   I just remembered that there are spiritual health blessings that we get when we read and study the Bible.  That health gives us the strength to cope with physical health problems and death of a loved one.  Helps us in surviving the cares of this world/life.
      

In the News: School shootings My two cents

In the News: School Shooting, My Two Cents

2/21/18

     Social media is full of teachers and parents thoughts of why these events keep happening.  I know my two cents is not worth much, but it gives me something to write about.  As a retired teacher of 30 plus years, I have some experiences to share.  My future holds the odds of a grandchild or two going into education.  They can read this and be thankful that they did not have to experience violence that teachers have had to deal with in the past. 

     The news last night was full of school threats from students to others and schools.  One father talked about how things need to be reported.  Some of the survivors of the FL thought the killer had problems, but they were never reported.  He also talked about how students now days are taught to accept all who are different.  Schools have to educate all because that is the law.  We all know that schools transfer the “problems” on to another district.  Some districts will send the “problems” on to special schools that can help with the emotional or mental illness that they are dealing with.  That does cost the districts $$, so let’s try to educate them in our own schools.  The news also told of the Millard South killing of a principal and wounding of another principal on Jan. 4, 2011. 

     My daughter and I taught at that school.  Some of my students that year attended that school.  My school was just minutes away, so we used that school for swimming and gym activities.  Schools in the district were all in lockdown that day.  Teachers are trained to deal with these things when they happen.  The shooter was at large and may have wanted to hit other schools, but was found later dead in a nearby parking lot.  Another event was a mass shooting at a local mall that my students had just had an outing of shopping and eating lunch.  I had changed our bus pickup time just after lunch.  So we were all safe and back at school when the phone calls from parents came flooding in.

     I loved teaching; sure there were times of stress.  Times I called 911, a school resource police officer, principal, school psychologist, or resource teacher to deal with behaviors that were not acceptable.  Once while at an offsite location, a student was out of control, so I called 911 more for a threat and then hung up.  I learned they call you back.  When I answered, some students were screaming and crying since I had the para send them to the restroom for their safety.  The out of control student had left and was locked out, so we were safe.  I ended up calling our resource officer instead to go out and search for the student.  Yes, I have called 911 for real.  A mom had the nerve to call me back later that afternoon.  She did not like that the call may have went over the scanners, since her ex was an officer.  She was called from work to take her 19 year old home since her child was not coming back to school and they did not want him either.  You ask what he did.  He was mad about something, so he decided to throw a chair at me as I was walking towards him.  He missed me, along with other students, and a huge window, but left a huge dent in the wall by the window. 

     Principals/program directors get called all the time.  That is why they make the big bucks.  Once while subbing in an elementary classroom, I had student that was non compliant.  I called the principal and he removed the other students.  He told me that he would call the dad at work to remove his child from the classroom.  He said the students learn fast to follow the rules, because dads don’t want to have to leave work to discipline their child. School Psychologists are the best help.  Our psychologist had worked with my young adults (18-21) when they were younger. She knew how to talk them down from a meltdown.  She was also a great source of information on dealing with the students and parents.  Resource teachers were also very helpful.  I was one for many years while teaching middle school.  I always say that if a teacher survives teaching middle school, he or she can teach anything.  Classroom teachers call us to remove the noncompliant students and then call parents and give out consequences.  Once while having a middle school student stay after school to make up some school work out side of the principal’s office.  My new car was keyed and the front school window was broken out. 

      While teaching I used the word consequences a lot and gave them out.   We had our students attending fun outings like bowling.  If a student was having a non young adult behavior before or during bowling, then the consequence would be no bowling.  Parents would be called if bus drivers refused to transport out of control students.  Parents did not like to be called.  A parent was very upset at me, when she found her son staying after school to clean up his mess of spit wads.  She said, “That is what janitors are for.”  Don’t get me going on parents who blame teachers for school behaviors.  “My child did not act like this last year.”  As I thought, yes she is going through a divorce this year.  You left her dad for her best friend’s dad. Both girls are in my class because the principal did not take my words of wisdom. 

     I have worked with three districts and a Christian preschool.  So I could go on and on about stories of out of control behaviors.  I do wonder at times, what happened to some off my past violent students.  Are they serving time?  Did they get the mental help they needed?  Are they homeless or leaving in shelters?  While waiting in the parking lot of a homeless shelter. I found myself watching the residents leaving for a smoke break looking for a past student or two.

      My main thought is: why there is school violence.  Remember it is just my two cents.

·       Sin. We all are born with a sin nature.  Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.  I could not say this as a teacher, but I did think that some students were demon possessed.  They would get this look in their eyes, and then become out of control.  That is when I would pray for safety.

·       Mental illness.  Drugs.  Suicide (violence to oneself) I have lost students to suicide.  Lack of help for the mental illness. Drugs that do the opposite that they are meant to do. 

·       Parents or lack of them.  No role models. Wanting to belong to a family/group like a gang displaying negative behaviors, and peer pressure.

·       Not wanting to be corrected/consequences.  Anger.

·       Seeking negative attention verses positive attention.

·       Wanting to get even to those who have bullied or made you so mad to seek revenge.  Those who abused you in the past.

·       Negative thoughts verses positive.  Low self esteem.  Lack of friends, caring teachers, or other positive role models such as grandparents,etc.  Lack of Bible teachings, positive church role models and examples.  These may not cause the violence but may be a influences in being a good human along with other positive influences.

·       Evil world we live in.

     I want to end on the positive.  Thank you all who I have worked with in the past helping our students become mature responsible adults.  Thank the students that I have had that have become mature responsible adults.  Thank the parents who have helped your children along and guided them along this path.  Thank you for supporting education.

Grandmas

Grandma’s Blog

2/10/18

     What is a Grandma?  We all can answer that question with various answers.  My daughter would answer this question with, and has told me that the restaurant is always open at my house.  When the grandkids come to my house, yes they can eat all day and night long.  The fridge is stocked with pickles (the good ones), olives, whipped cream, grapes, ice cream plus other frozen treats can be found in the freezer.  We also have an endless supply of fish crackers.  How on earth can they consume that huge box of fish crackers so fast I ask?  I think that my two dogs and my two grand dogs must help out.  Landon is just learning that things to eat within the dogs reach belong to the dogs.  Weston when he was little would carry around snacks that Riley would jump up and steal, and then cry and scream that his snack was gone. 

     Pat loves having the grandkids come over.  It is not just the hugs and snuggles.  It is the left over snacks.  We don’t have ice cream stocked in our freezer, yet last week I caught him with the biggest bowl of ice cream.  He was finishing off the ice cream that Jocelyn had bought at the store last week when she was visiting.  He took her grocery shopping, since quote “All I had was rabbit food in the fridge.” 

    I once told a young mom at church, I can’t believe these kids expect to have three meals a day when visiting.  She laughed and thought that comment was funny.  I only make Pat one meal a day, a semi big one at lunch.

     OK grandmas are the house restaurants open all the time? If you are reading this and you do not have grandchildren, think back to your own grandmas.  My grandma Em baked and always had homemade goodies to eat.  She made red velvet cake with the good cream cheese frosting for my birthday, and every Sat was baking day. I would walk over to take home food and eat some along the way.  My favorite was apricot kolaches,  my grandma Em was Czech from South Omaha, and lived a few blocks away from us.

     I am guilty of not making the grandkids homemade items that they like. I tried once to make homemade mac and cheese.  They just complained and said it did not taste like moms mac and cheese.  I now serve them the box mac and cheese they so love.  I don’t bake with sugar. The candy I eat is choc. 72%, so it is not very sweet tasting.  Easton once asked for a candy bar.  I said sure honey.  He spent some time trying to wash the taste out of his mouth.  I just had a small piece of dark choc. 72 %, and I only had to take a drink of water to wash the semi bitter taste down.

      I can’t talk about grandmas without talking about shopping.  Last week while Jocelyn and Angie were here, we went shopping for shoes.  Jocelyn only had over sized boots to wear, since her other shoes were left in the car on the way to Grand Island.  Julie her mother, takes after me with her spending habits.  She bought Jocelyn an oversized pair of cute boots to grow into from a thrift store or consignment store. Angie my oldest does not take after me, since she has a closet full of shoes.  Angie needed a pair of workout shoes to wear.  I am laughing right now, just wondering how her workouts are coming along.  I think that is why I can find really nice workout clothes from thrift stores and cheap.  Jocelyn and Angie did find some really cute shoes, and it was buy one get one half off. I told Joc that the shoes were her early B day present. Her B day is in the summer.  I know you grandmas do the same thing.  We do not spend a lot of money on presents for our grandchildren.  I have picked up souvenirs for the kids from thrift stores.  When Jocelyn was born, I picked up a whole bunch of baby clothes from the thrift store that I was volunteering at.  Julie informed me that they were outdated, but they were so cheap.  I quit buying clothes or toys, and just give grandkids money.  Once while on vacation Katelyn asked for a Bible, so she picked out one plus a carrying case.  Easton later asked for his own Bible for his B day.  I am waiting for Wes to improve in his reading ability, so he will ask for one.   

     My grandma Bussell would give me books I never read (because they were not Hardy Boys mysteries) and handkerchiefs I did not use except for maybe Barbie clothing.  Did she not know about tissues/ Kleenex?  She also gave us that hard candy that one bought in the 60’s but did not eat. It just sat in  olive green candy dishes on end tables.  Maybe you munched on a piece while watching the Lawrence Welk Show on a black and white tv.  Grandchildren we did not have color tv back then.  We had to go to the nearby candy stores and buy our own candy cigarettes and junior mints.

     My grandma Em took me on the bus, since she did not drive to shop downtown at Brandeis, huge department store back in the day. I still remember the olive green dress that I wore a lot, and I still have a ruby/diamond ring that she gave me in 8^th grade. I am sure I have other treasures from the past that she gave me.  The grand girls love playing in my makeup.  They learned how not to crunch up the lipstick after using lipstick.  They also love trying on my jewelry.  They would ask for some and I would say, “Wait until I die”.  I stopped saying that and now say their finger needs to get fatter so the rings fit.  They both have jewelry that I have bought for them on our trips.

    That is another thing that we do with the grandchildren.  We take them on trips, making memories that hopefully I will remember.  I did tell my doctor at my yearly checkup that I think I have Alzheimer’s, but he just laughed.  I do blog or write about our trips with the kids, so they can read the writings to me as I sit in the rocker at my nursing home.  That is one reason we took out nursing home insurance years ago. 

    How many of you grandmas take your grandchildren on trips?  I see a lot of your photos on Facebook as you travel.  It is harder to take trips with our 2, 6, 8, 10, 12 year olds.  They are so busy.  Just this past week, church, Super bowl party, homeschooling, Valentine party with co op, swimming lessons, dance lessons, and archery.  I may be missing something.  Julie is so busy running her websites and making things to sell or just selling over stock that she has.  Landon shot a 300 in archery to get a piece of candy this morning.  He is two.  They live over 2 hours away, so we keep track of what they are doing from Facebook pictures. 

     Grandmas keep sharing those grandkid pictures.  We all love seeing them, and hearing your stories when we get together.  Just today I saw a good teacher friend’s granddaughter’s picture that she was tagged in, since she does not post much.  I also saw a cute picture of my brother in law combing his granddaughter’s hair during a visit to Omaha from CA.  Keep on sharing pictures and stories.  I know not all are grandmas, so enjoy your nieces and nephews, dogs and cats, job stories, etc.  Remember your grandmas, living or no longer here on earth.  My friend who died 1/28/18 was a great role model of what a grandma can be.  She was the grandma of 40 plus grandkids, along with one great grandson.  I will be able to watch her grandkids grow up and marry and have their own children, as most attend our church.  My own two girl’s grandma Louise died 1/27/18.  They are left with their memories and stories.  I wonder what stories and memories my own snuggle bugs (as I call them) will remember about me when I pass on and go to sleep with the Lord until He returns for the dead and then living.  I was just going through some paperwork today and was a year off from my date in my mind.  It was April 1974 that I realized I was a sinner saved by the blood of Christ dying on the cross for us.  It was grace by faith that I can spend eternity with my husband, children, and grandchildren.  Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.  Grandparents you can share this gift with your grandchildren plus others.  I know it was the best gift I ever received.  Angie just recently just wrote about receiving this gift of eternal life back when she was about five after watching a scary show on tv.  She also shared that her second best gift was the cemetery site we bought her for Christmas a few years ago. They had a sale going on, so we bought three plots.

    Grandmas what will your grandchildren remember about you as they share stories and memories.  Enjoy them as much as you can.  Maybe even send them a message, or if they are around give them a hug.