Pacific Coast Rest-Stop

[JesusPuppy]

*hugs pup*

Aw, shucks.

And Shann... I am thinking, and may be wrong as usual, it was her banana post before that. I was going to comment when I first read it but figured, as I was in a poor mood at the time, I would reply later, and then forgot.

That and I have a deathly fear of bananas. It all stems from early childhood, when I was told over and over again....




You are what you eat.

[Shann]

You're right no one commented on her banana post. I'm very sorry that I didn't see that one, but we've all had posts ignored before and I don't think it was ignored as much as posted during a time when others were busy and distracted. It doesn't mean that we don't love someone because we don't comment on their post. I'm dorky I'm being a grumpy curmudgeon but her chopped meat post really hurt my feelings. I know there are more important things going on than my feelings and I probably shouldn't have reacted so. I'm sorry, but sometimes life is not fair, too hard and horrible things are happening everywhere. I try so hard to keep this thread alive because the people here are closer to me than anyone else but my family, but people keep leaving and don't come back and it hurts.

I know some have wanted to shut it down because it's too much of a clique, but you guys are my special whacky friends so I fight while trying to post and monitor all the other threads and sometimes I wonder why I bother.

And Pup you're never wrong. Hugs!

[JesusPuppy]

Okay, new subject.

Had me another fun day with the kiddos, even their dad was at the park today. He played his guitar and sang, and his daughters drug me into the ground. I told the older sister that I needed a break and my sweet darling Slug tells me, "But we only have a week left to play."

And yes I have been keeping notes on all this funny stuff for a future book idea. May never see a page of it written but I am thinking on it.

[Shann]

I think that's awesome Pup! She sounds quite cute--reminds me of my Wrigley character. Oh I may have found an illustrator for another one of my books. I'd love to release another one.

[Allison]

Just wanted to pop in and say I think about a lot of you a lot. I'm just horrible at responding on the forums, and tend to skim a bit because I'm lazy like that. But I do think about you and enjoy this part of the forums so much! I apologize if is seems like I only come here when I have a "need" of some sort or when I'm mentioned. I definitely think about you more than I post, and usually I sit here nodding my head in agreement because everyone else has said what I might say, and I don't want to just post "Ditto!" repeatedly.

[Shann]

How are things going in Ferguson? I'm sure it must be scary to be close to such a hot spot. I saw the video of the cops shooting the kid and was shocked. Of course I realize I don't know everything, but I see why people are upset.

[Allison]

How are things going in Ferguson? I'm sure it must be scary to be close to such a hot spot. I saw the video of the cops shooting the kid and was shocked. Of course I realize I don't know everything, but I see why people are upset.

Things have calmed down considerably. And the video you have seen must have either been just released, or some other shooting. There is no video that I know of, thus all the confusion, because no one really knows what happened, and witnesses (in addition to the police and the friend of the victim) are giving different accounts.

Don't get me wrong, there is definitely still tension, and I don't think that's going away any time soon, due to the history of race/racial issues in the St. Louis area. *sigh* but unless something else happened last night or happens tonight, it's been much quieter.


Pup, I love your stories about playing with those little girls.

Shann, I love how you make it a point to at least try to respond to every post on here, even when you don't feel well.

Becky, I know I probably haven't responded to your posts, but I still like you and think you're pretty great.

Rachel, congrats on the "highest rankings" from "right and left" and any others I've missed (Same to any of the other porch dwellers who still enter the challenge.

Anyone else I've forgotten, I think you are pretty great also!

[Shann]

I'm glad things calmed down. I wonder what video I saw, hmm interesting. I did notice you forgot one major thing... We are Rest Stoppers not porch dwellers. I thought I was the only one who did things like that!

I read my Purple Sky story in 2 local churches. It went really well and Jamie merged part of it in his sermon. It was awesome to have many people come up to me afterwards. I saw several people wipe tears away too,

[violin4jesus]

I'm here, too. Sometimes I just browse and don't respond unless someone asks me a question, and other times I have time enough to post. Life for me is often too busy even to check my Facebook notifications, let alone scrolling through forums.

That said,

I GOT A NEW JOB!!!

And we're moving again. We've got to, though, because the commute alone would be over an hour. It's a clinic job. Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. I'm almost crying with relief, because I am so tired from night shift. I will still be dealing with mommas, thankfully, because it's a prenatal clinic. And if I want to do the doula thing later because I miss labor, I will still have all my certifications and everything. I signed up with HR, got my physical, and turned in my two weeks notice, so it's absolutely official. Best of all, I'm not losing any pay. I'll be paid roughly the same rate I've been receiving - including the differential for night shift - and will be possibly making more, because it will be more like 40 hours/week instead of 36.

All around, we are very happy. I am so ready to be home every night, to sleep normal, and to have weekends off. I will have more time to focus on my writing, and probably restart my Master's program. I will have more consistency in my life to exercise and cook meals at home, so I'll hopefully finish off the last 25 lbs I'm trying to lose. And maybe I can finally join an orchestra and use my instrument more than once or twice a month for church.

Only 5 more night shifts left. Last night I stayed almost 1.5 hours overtime because we lost 1.5 hours of charting time because the computer system people were doing maintenance, and then as soon as the system came online, I had to take my patient for a C-section, which is even more charting. That baby wasn't going to fit, though. As much as I recognize why women don't want to have C-sections, I'm grateful we have that option. It could have been disastrous if she'd tried to wait, and then push. I'm all about natural labor until it becomes a problem. Then I am glad we have options.

Hope all of you had a good weekend. I'll pop in again when I have time. (((hugs to all)))

[Shann]

Yeah Leah! Happy Dance! That's awesome!

I remember my worst delivery. The baby got stuck. We had to do C-section in labor room and doc couldn't get head out of vaginal canal. It was horrible. Finally, they got the baby out and he turned out to be okay, but it was super scary. Even the very experienced doctor started to cry. She was doing everything she could. I won't go into all the gory details.

Glad things worked out for you.

[deejay]

Speaking of babies, I put on the prayer thread that a couple in my church had their baby boy Silas 6 weeks early and was in the hospital.

SILAS IS HOME NOW!!!!

Well, he came home last Friday, actually. And they brought him to church yesterday. He's a little cutie with plenty of hair on his head.

He has an enteric feeder because he has a heart issue, so if he eats normally he gets tired out. Keep him in prayer for healing of the heart issue so he can eat normally.

[Rebecky]

Thank you. I know it's hard sometimes when you're being bombarded with stuff from every angle and it's even harder to think of others. I suppose I give all I have to my grandparents and then I'm selfish because I can't think about anyone else's needs.

Shann, I love you. You are my friend and you always will be. I know it's a hard time for you and I will try my hardest to keep you in my prayers. Honestly I haven't been in prayer much lately but I know that needs to change and I will make sure I pray for you. I respect you and what you have to say. You speak a lot of truths in what you say and sometimes love means speaking truth even if it hurts and I respect you and love you even more for that.

Pup... you aren't a banana, you're a nut! But I love you just the same.

Alison, Thank you. You made me smile and I like you too and you are also pretty great!

Dear Lord, Please be with all my friends in this place. You know their needs better than I and I just pray you surround them in your never-ending Love and Grace. Thank you for them, they are true blessings to me. -Amen

[Shann]

Ahh Becky, you made me cry. Thank you so much. It's been a really hard couple of weeks and I feel like I don't fit in anywhere. I do love you a bunch and would never intentionally hurt your feelings. I was quite blunt to three people that day and all three of you were so gracious and loving. It means so much to me. Hugs.

I did chuckle at your flea market joke. I remember really thinking that when I was a kid. My parents were into antiques and dragged me to auctions and flea markets. I remember feeling a tad disappointed. I thought it would be like a flea circus or have dogs there, but it was just junk... Er I mean valuable antiques. Oh I wish I had more of that junk now. Don't know what Dad did with it all. At lest I got a few things.

[Allison]

Shann, do you have a link to the video you saw? There was another police involved shooting about a week after the first that WAS video, but that guy had knives. And if you saw one with the police pointing a gun at people and others asking if he was going to shoot, that officer was quickly escorted off the premises by another officer and never actually fired any shots. If it's none of those two, then I just revealed FAR more than I intended to, and I have no idea what you saw.

Becky, I think we all feel that way at times, and we all have times when we aren't praying like we "should." (I put that in quotes because God has no quota we have to meet. ) and hey, look. You and Shann have inspired me to respond more individually.

DeeJay, I'm so happy Silas is home!

LEAH!!!! YAY! I am SO happy for you! Days! Weekends!! Look! You've made me go exclamation point happy!!!! On a slightly related note, if I ever get pregnant, I think the doctors will take one look at me and say "Uh... yeah, I think we're going to put you on bed rest about week 12, and do a c-section..."

Pup, I agree with Becky with one caveat. You're so nutty you've gone bananas.

[Shann]

I'm not sure if I can find it. The guy was talking about chicken and there was a convenience store. At first I think people were taping him cuz he was acting kind of nuts. It was almost funny if I didn't know what was going to happen. I don't think he had any weapon. The cops pulled up and yelled at him to get on his knees (or maybe face down). He kept his one hand in his coat pocket and when he didn't get down, they shot him lik 6 times or more.