What happened to you today that let you know Maine is "Home" (Portland: living in, health) - (ME) - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

sjlcu · 12-07-2007, 08:49 PM

Thank you all for your kinds thoughts and prayers....I really didn't mean to hijack the thread. It's just threre is such kindness and warmness on this board and the genuine people. If you come through like this on an internet forum I can only imagine what it must be like in person. I'm through the worst of it now. The moment of death 9:40 pm CST 12/07/03 18 days after being diagnosed with leukemia and 19 days before Christmas. It's always there, the pain and sadness but I don't often allow myself the wallowing. Tonight, I'm wallowing. I'm also exposing myself to you all and truthfully, well truthfully I'm munching on warm pizza and sloshing back some cold beer and scanning real estate sites and reading a book and avoiding answering the phone and wishing and wishing and wishing all manner of wishes and although life isn't what I expected I can think of no better place to share it than here tonight. Thanks so much for the cyber hugs which will have to tide me over till I get a real one from a real by God flesh and blood Maine addressee. Thank you.

Stacie

Elcarim · 12-07-2007, 09:03 PM

Wonderful, Star! And MeinMe, I only have 3 Christmas cards so far this season. They are all three from friends in Maine!

Remember that card exchange thread StarWalker started? Some of us did respond! It's been exciting to see the personal greetings from the north!!

starwalker · 12-08-2007, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Wonderful, Star! And MeinMe, I only have 3 Christmas cards so far this season. They are all three from friends in Maine!

Remember that card exchange thread StarWalker started? Some of us did respond! It's been exciting to see the personal greetings from the north!!

I have gotten two, also... but have not been to the PO box to get the mail this week. That is on my list for today along with taking cartons to the egg man and hoping his flock has been productive, washing more windows, laundry (should be a good drying day... the sun is out and the humidity down here at the beach), painting hex signs to complete orders (now that the shipment of embroidery hoop stretcher/frames arrived) and getting one of the little propane tanks filled. It sputtered its last this morning as I was reading the news.

Also I need to connect with someone from Freecycle who is meeting me in a parking lot here in town to hand off some mistletoe, and I need to get out to another town where a lady is letting me prune her ivy, as I want to do a wreath of Holly (the bushes by the door DO need pruning!) and Ivy this year.

Busy day..

corgis · 12-08-2007, 08:15 AM

What is happening to me today that lets me know Maine is home - mine's a little different. Today, here in WV is a band celebration called Tuba Christmas. It's a group of 60 - 80 baritone and tuba players who come together for one day to play Christmas Carols in the local mall. My son, hubby, brother in law all play in it. It's always nice to put on your favorite Christmas sweater and go find a seat to revel in a bunch of tuba's playing carols.

But, in Maine The Tuba Christmas concert is played on the steps of L. L. Bean in Freeport and they play outside in matching hats and scarves. I can't wait for two more years to go watch hubby play his baritone in Freeport and really revel in an outside winter celebration of carols played on low brass instruments.

Elcarim · 12-08-2007, 08:25 PM

What happened today.......we went to take family photos. The photographer pulled out the snowy background to do a sled shot of the kids, and the kids yell, "MAINE!!"

Even the babies are already there!

And can I share my "proud mommy" pics???

Maine Writer · 12-08-2007, 08:41 PM

Ohhhhhhh! The pictures are lovely! You have such pretty hair. I'd love to see the kids the first time they play in the snow.

moughie · 12-08-2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjlcu

Thank you all for your kinds thoughts and prayers....I really didn't mean to hijack the thread. It's just threre is such kindness and warmness on this board and the genuine people. If you come through like this on an internet forum I can only imagine what it must be like in person. I'm through the worst of it now. The moment of death 9:40 pm CST 12/07/03 18 days after being diagnosed with leukemia and 19 days before Christmas. It's always there, the pain and sadness but I don't often allow myself the wallowing. Tonight, I'm wallowing. I'm also exposing myself to you all and truthfully, well truthfully I'm munching on warm pizza and sloshing back some cold beer and scanning real estate sites and reading a book and avoiding answering the phone and wishing and wishing and wishing all manner of wishes and although life isn't what I expected I can think of no better place to share it than here tonight. Thanks so much for the cyber hugs which will have to tide me over till I get a real one from a real by God flesh and blood Maine addressee. Thank you.

Stacie

I am so sorry for your loss and sorrow. Hopefully the memories of wonderful times will endure along with the hope for a bright and joyful future.

dramamama6685 · 12-09-2007, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

'Today'?

Maine is great, but I got off on a bad footing today.

We had this cute little buck that KAF gave us, he has been full of life and energy all fall.

He was a runt, born in late spring and just never managed to catch up in size. He had skin problems and was not prospering at KAF's.

I would bring him in each day so that he could eat some grain separately without the herd knocking him away. They ram and beat each other up whenever one of the goats is not aggressive.

With some daily grain he had energy and was playful, he ran in the forest and ate lots of grass and bark, his belly became so big everyday that if anything he had issues jumping and playing as his belly was often too full. In our entire herd his voice has been the loudest. KAF expected that we would slaughter him and have a BBQ. But once his skin cleared up and he began putting on weight, I just kept putting it off.

I have not fed him separately for at least a month now. He has been able to stand up for himself and get his mouthful of grain while the herd is feeding together each day.

Yesterday I saw the other goats had knocked him down in a snow bank and he had a hard time standing up again. He had no cough, his nose was not runny, he was loud calling to me and seemed to just need help standing back up once his feet had sunk into the deep snow. I was planning on bringing him inside this morning and feeding him grain separately.

When I let the herd out this morning, he was missing. I found him, laying in the goat's shed, he died last night.

You have me crying for him.. it's so sad when someone we've nurtured so.. passes.

dramamama6685 · 12-09-2007, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Stacie, I'm so sorry that on this day you have such a sad remembrance. And no, you need make no apologies.

You can rest assured, however, that if you are in Maine for the next passing of this day, you will be enveloped by the peace that comes in being held close by special friends. We'll hold a very special YaYa session in your honor! Firelight, wine, chocolate, tears....the whole 9 yards! We're here for you, girl.

What she said.. I'm saying a pray for you so that you will be able to find peace and maybe even joy in remembering the good things about him.

futurecruiser · 12-09-2007, 10:20 AM

It was actually last week...not today but....it was a crystal clear day and I flew back "home" into Portland, ME. It was so absolutely beautiful looking over casco bay, the lighthouses, the coast, the water, the mountains to the north. I actually got choked up. I knew I was "home". We've only owned our house there 5 weeks!