A huge change in our lives is taking place TODAY!

    

The day my ChiefHubby has worked for is here. It feels kind of surreal to this homemaker wife; I am no longer going to be the only one home all day after 36 of our married years. But then, there were a lot of things that happened during that era; I also worked as much as I could in the first 5 years. After Brian was born, it was another 3 years until Brett came along, and I was home permanently. And I still had Brett with me until he went into Kindergarten. During all of his 31years with Subaru Automotive of Indiana, David managed to not only work 40 plus mandatory overtime hours along with a one hour drive each way; he finished school (Seminary), spent 26 of those years as a Volunteer Firefighter- half of which was as Chief or Assistant Chief- and for the past 20 years (at least) served in church as an Elder or Deacon, and raised a family. He's not only provided for our own Sons to get them a good start in life by supporting them at school and being an example of CHRIST, he always managed to find the time to help anyone who asked. And he worked and planned to make sure our family saw and did as much together as we could.

      There is no marriage or family on this Earth that is perfect- that's just a fact- and we have had our share of rough patches, and slick patches; times of fun and times when we had to find the fun in something in order to get through it. We started with nothing. Only 2 HS diplomas, him with 1 year at Purdue, and a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba. We flipped burgers and filled tacos until better jobs came along. We went through layoffs, ripoffs, and all other things that happen to young couples just starting out who think they know everything they need to know to make it on their own. We made our first home in an old house partitioned off into two apartments where we rented the downstairs for a total of $200 a month- everything included- from a wonderful old couple who told us to remember to help someone else when we were older, as they had us, by including the utilities. That $200 was half of what we made together in one month. We got by, and were able to purchase our home in 1987, and Brian was born in May 1989.

   During those years was the time when Subaru joined together with Isuzu to build a joint-venture auto plant in Lafayette, Indiana. Both David and I put applications in- along with half of Indiana's workforce. I was called in to run through the first group testing, but my hearing got me knocked out as unemployable. Then David got his call, and the factory had already begun production by then. Over the summer of 1989, he was called in for more testing and interviews, finally getting hired in October of that fall. Changes have been ongoing from the start- Subaru Isuzu Automotive became Subaru of Indiana when Isuzu pulled out of the factory and Toyota put in a line to produce the Camry. Those years were huge booms in employment, and blessedly, our own boys were able to be part of that growth for their own futures and families. SIA continues to grow even after Subaru fulfilled the Toyota contract. Indiana should be thankful- and proud- to have had this huge opportunity all these years! We have had our share of ribbing and

comments over the years; "David is working for a JAPANESE company" or "We don't care for FOREIGN companies in the USA", or any other number of comments made long before 'global' became an accepted way of thinking. The fact is: there is NO CAR that is totally "American Made"; I've worked in those parts and they switch, trade, barter, buy and sell 'foreign' parts and stick a sticker on it that says "Made in America". But, SIA has taken care of our family with healthcare- totally
paying entire family premiums, paid wages that a worker could MORE than keep his/her head above the water with, gave real rest in shut down time and earned paid vacations, and lastly- what brings our family to this very day today: paid early matching contributions to 401K in which my ChiefHubby is now able to retire almost as early as my Dad (at age 52) did- and just after his 58th birthday. 

It may sound like all of this was just based on our "own hard earned life", but it's very far from that. What we have has come straight down from The LORD! His blessings have been bridges for us throughout our entire marriage;  even before we made the choice to follow Him. I am grateful beyond words. And my ChiefHubby has dreamed of devoting his retirement to working for JESUS- in being able to pay his own way while serving in GOD's Family- no matter where we are! Our plans are The LORD's plans- we'll be working just as we always have. And we are certainly going to enjoy it!!!

We have shared dreams of this time since we first met at age 19 and 16: being 

                                         RETIRED GRANDPARENTS....

Looking forward to the next part of the adventure:

HAPPY RETIREMENT

TO MY CHIEFHUBBY;

DAVID LARIMORE!

The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge #17; Stencilmania!...2020, The COVID19 Year

-  UPDATE: Yes, I missed the deadline. But I really needed to make this, so it stays as is. It's not the win that counts; it's the SHARE.    

    August has not been very kind to many I know. It's the way it is in our County- 1,087 COVID19 new cases (although the count is said to be over 1,300 as of today), and quite a load of them have been from church. (It's not 'our' church; it's GOD's church.) Sadly, most of my Besties have already had it, and we were right in the middle of that. At least 3 from church were either hospitalized or needed ER care, while a 4th has died from a heart attack while positive with COVID19.

    This virus sucks. And it doesn't 'end' after it visits, either. While I did not get the virus (we quarantined for the 2 weeks), it definitely has a load of fall-out it leaves in its wake...anger, upset, resentment, bitterness, sadness, time with others lost, lost jobs, lost money, lost opportunities. And simply that feeling that this is all just plain old 'getting OLD'. 

    I believe in the power of prayer, and am keeping on that even more so. I also believe that GOD is still in control- no matter what. But when you live in daily pain and already deal with several huge physical disadvantages; the mere thought of the pain this virus brings can make one seriously fall to their knees and beg for it to pass them by. I grew up with having a lot of chest pains, face flushing, etc, after having had Rheumatic Fever at age 11. I went profoundly deaf at age 16, and had a heart attack at age 39., which ultimately led to early cancer detection that very next year. And then RA onset from trauma of complications from major surgery from that early cancer. And more tests (with tough diagnoses to deal with) in my life than you'd believe when you watch me go boarding, riding, or sailing. The 'fun' is still going; I have THREE 'regular' Doctors I see all the time. To read all the former words, you'd picture me in a wheelchair and not able to get up or even move on my own. It's made worse when others look at you and think "she LOOKS so 'normal'", and it was not uncommon for me- in my late 20s on up) to be standing in line with only Senior Citizens over the age of 60, and have more than one of them  say to me "Dearie, this is the line for MEDICARE PATIENTS. Are you lost?" (LOL!!) to which I reply-for possibly the 10th time- "No Ma'am, I'm in the right line. You see, I am handicapped and I was forced to take Medicare even though my Husband has generous (one of the best in the USA) Insurance coverage for our entire family. I'm just here for the require immune shots for those who have no immune defense,". And then, sweetly but as always, the *gasp!*s and "Ohhhh, you poor thing!" They do mean well, but you'd think I come from Mars. Especially after all I went through in July with the ChiefHubby in the Hospital. Being deaf isn't the worst thing I put up with, but a person who depends on lip-reading isn't going to have much information when it comes out of mask covered faces. (We did find clear masks, though!!) I think the roughest thing about all this is not being deaf. It's the loneliness. A deaf person is already alone. All the time, but most especially in a group or in crowds. The noise that more people together brings doesn't get easier for a deaf person; it gets harder by more confusion of what's going on. And it's much more demanding of energy. Most people don't understand how TIRED you can get from always being 'at attention' when anyone else is talking. I try to catch every bit of it but it's like being "on" with a switch that doesn't turn "off" to allow your body to relax- until everyone else is away from you. Being alone is the most relaxing, but it's also lonely. Oh, yeah; I can text, sure. So, do YOU want to be like a teenager and text every bit you have to say? It's kind of hard to explain things and -as you can see here- it takes up a LOT of SPACE to say just a few things. Not to mention on fingers that only go so fast anymore, now that the RA makes them take longer to unstiffen- especially in the mornings. Not so easy, is it? And THEN...there's the 'old switcharoo': I'm handicapped when it comes to doing anything alone- flying anywhere is out, so is just about anything else done alone. I understand that people worry about me. But the switch happens when I MUST DO something alone- while ChiefHubby was in the hospital and only one person is allowed inside (but noone could communicate with me), when ChiefHubby flew to Haiti for missions for an entire week (I carry an arsenal of now counting 21 Rx meds each day and it was a dangerous place to go to at the time) and I was alone for that week at home, You get the picture. I dream of flying out to LA's coastline for a 5 day trip (a day surfing at the beach, a Dodgers game, hiking Mount Lee and the Hollywoodland area trails, Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Parade- Walk of Stars, etc. And the ultimate; stopping in Carson for a visit to Fire Station 127 and see Squad 51 and Engine 51 & the rest at the LACoFD Fire Museum).  But COVID19 has changed all those plans right now- even if I could do the plan. And COVID19 doesn't care if you're deaf  or already sick with some other disease (heart problems, RA, liver disease, Fibromyalgia, constant fatigue, COPD/Asthma...nope; in fact, COVID19 hunts out those who have things like that going on. Age doesn't seem to matter as much as they thought. And neither does how much healthier you seem to be than most others.  And the fun part? It's nothing new under the sun; diseases like this have been around for ages, and they've killed tons of people. You're born, you live, then you die. EVERYONE does these three things. And, oh yeah- life is not fair. (IKR?!) So while others get the virus, get through it, and are now ok...I still stay in my "bubble". There was The Boy in the Plastic Bubble in the 1970s. Now, I get to be the Older and Less Improved, Deaf Bubble Girl of 2020. The fame...who knew!

     Having said all of the above, you'll understand a bit more of my make for this once-again- too-late Stencilmania! at TFJB Challenge Blog. And why I put it off and off and off, until the past 2 days I worked like a madwoman at a frenzied pace. But it helped with getting this all out of my system. Hey, GOD made Artists, too, ya know. Without any more ado, and any more words...

Part of my inspiration was this copy of Articles of Statehood for Indiana.

I'd picked up this copy while we were at a wedding (for ChiefHubby's 2nd Cousin)

which was held in State House. It was a beautiful wedding

and the Groom serves in the US Military- Air Force.

Since Aunt Nancy was also at this wedding, it was on my mind to use this copy

to represent Indiana on the bottom part of my folio.

To make the folio out of old hanging file folders (of which the ChiefHubby

has an overabundance), you can click HERE for a simple YouTube tutorial.

I followed the same instructions but altered my measurements somewhat.

It's actually fairly easy to make your own folio this way, and

the hanging folders have a toughness that holds very well for Tim Holtz's heavier IdeaOlogy!

Yes, I am a member of Facebook's Tim Holtz Addicts , and yes; I have MORE.

Should I be proud? lol

STENCIL FEATURE (Folio 2)

One ugly little bastard, isn't it. TRUTH.

And yet, I made one myself.

In a CRAFT STUDIO- not a LAB.

Look for it on the top outside of my 'bubble' in the completed photos.

STENCILING FEATURE (Folio 1 before fully done).

RESULTS...

FOLIO 1 (My own)

The photos show how 2020 was NOT a 'bad year'- that's why those TH IdeaOlogy Flashcards

I chose are create/noted, summer/ocean, when/blessed. Those front words tell the situation

while the backs tell the feelings or favorite parts I had.

And that TH Paper Doll set on one tag (on the right side) tell what I still look

forward to- despite the COVID scare I ended up in the middle of (at no one else's fault but

our own of wanting to have 8 of our Besties over while still being mindful of the rules).

I was able to craft, sail my boat, visit the ocean, have all my Kids and Grands together,

see one Neice get married, heal from last year's surgeries and get the body back in better

weight/muscle shape, and spend a LOT of time with the ChiefHubby that was

originally scheduled to be almost all overtime for his work year.

Best of all: the ChiefHubby is ALIVE AND WELL!! And he just happened to have this trouble with blood clots in a year where he had TIME (with total pay) OFF which never happens!

COVID19 was both a curse AND a blessing for us here in this house.

It made the choice of retirement easier for him as well. He'll end

his career at the very top of the heap (79th out of 3,000 with the most years- 

31 since the factory is 31 years old) and his plans have been BLESSED.

The very-soon-to-happen event? Finally getting up to stay with the younger Kids

and being able to have an entire MONTH with getting to know Baby Jamie!

I see our older 2 Grandbabies 2x a week and really ENJOY the heck out of those

short, wonderful hours! But my heart always aches at the start and at the end- I wish we

had ALL of them together. But I sure would NOT change how far away our kids all are from us,

because they are making their own way and we are so stinking, freaking PROUD of that!!

We look VERY forward to the time when the kids are all old enough to take trips with

Memaw and Papaw- and come stay with us in Florida for a week-long break in the winters!!!

Yes- all at once or separately- this granny is gonna soak it up and SPOIL the crap out of them!!

Plenty of extra journaling space.

Maybe to write out the pros and cons of being deaf??

(Yes, there ARE pros. It's easier to ignore things... and people...and.... lol)!!

COVID19 isn't the only problem we have in our country right now...

Notice how I put the USA torn apart, and yes, it's in the DNC & GOP colors.

But noone seems to notice anymore that those colors are also the same that are supposed

to bind us together as a nation (under GOD) indivisible- our US FLAG.

The world is colored for Days of Elijah; "...the fields are white as the world!"

I love how Tim's Distress Embossing Powder sticks but you can scratch off what you want, too.

The purpose was to show the sad division of the black/white...ALL people bleed RED.

And there's The Professor. Let's hope he was the one who was playing around in the lab

and came up with this COVID19...which is right above the 'bubble' that shows "me"

struggling to keep going and going. I don't need a mask when I am at my 'bubble' home, so I didn't put one on her. Notice how I leaned her a bit to look like she's plodding along

as if she might give out any second. (Well, duh; she's TIRED of saying it over and over.)

I used TH Tissue Tape to put the TH Heartbeat die cut together as if it's 'holding the beat together'.

The little library wording cut on "time" is pretty interesting:

1. A particular period or part of duration,

2. An OPPORTUNITY. (Yep- that's what it says!)

3. Duration of one's life.

4. Age; period.

5. Repetition.

6. State of things at a particular period.

7. The present life.

8. Measure of sounds; tone.

1. To ADJUST TO THE OCCASSION. (Uh-huh- Biiig adjustment.)

2. To regulate as to time.

3. To ascertain the time or rate of.

STENCIL FEATURE 1 (Folio 1)

STENCIL FEATURE 2 (Folio 1)

FOLIO 2 (For Aunt Nancy)

An Eileen Hull Pocket Notebook die cut book for Folio 2- to be used for journaling.

These Tim Holtz Vellum Scenes fit the purpose here perfectly;

Aunt Nancy moved to Cincinnati, Ohio for her working career, and retired to a home

along the Wabash River in Indiana.

Over the years, we made many visits to Aunt Nancy and stayed in her home, joining 

her for Reds games at Riverfront Stadium! Nope- never vs DODGERS tickets. *sigh*

We do share a great rivalry still- Aunt Nancy is firm on her Cincy Reds to this day,

and they always seem to be one of the toughest teams for LA when October comes. *grrr!*

Tim Holtz Paper Dolls stand in for a very young Aunt Nancy Alice and (older Sister) Aunt Ruth Ann.

Tim Holtz's Paper Dolls stand in for 

Aunt Nancy and Aunt Ruth Ann perhaps High School and post High School.

Deer Creek Crickets of Deer Creek, Indiana.

I really HAD to add this Tim Holtz Paperie (Found Relatives) photo to Aunt Nancy's folio 

since it looks a shockingly near-real-life-close to a photo of the siblings when they

were younger! In the real-life photo, (it was either the ChiefHubby's Dad or his 

Uncle Terry) the youngest (at that time) had blonde hair just like this!

STENCIL FEATURE 1 (Folio 2)

STENCIL FEATURE 2 (Folio 2)

I lied. There were more words. *grinning*

Thanks once again for checking in and don't forget to take a peek at

The Funkie Junkie Challenge Blog

for the next Challenge.

You can join in anytime and have a chance to win a $25 GC from

our SPONSOR; The Funkie Junkie Boutique

(I also really wanted to enter this into the Mini Album Makers Challenge

but that is TBA since the August Challenge has not yet posted.)

Till next time;

Be SAFE, wear the MASK, wash the HANDS,

keep SMILING (in ur heart, as well as on ur face),

and...

HAPPY BLOGGING!!!