"Sitting on the Front Porch"

[Miss Mary]

raine - I have to keep pinching myself to realize you're back 'home' with us again. There are many old friends from our chat/board days at TWC that have almost disappeared but I'd have to say you're at the very top of that list. Many have asked about you! You were just sorely missed. And like you, I couldn't just log on and type a few sentences, hello all, I missed you all, gotta run, bye. That would not do. You've taken the time to read past topics and comment to many here, about what is going on in their lives right now. See why you were at the top of that list....he he

Gonna need a tissue at this rate.....LOL

We're having beatiful Fall-like wx in the Ohio Valley - finally. It's been chilly two mornings in a row. I have not felt cold yet, it is such a relief after day upon day of 90+ temps, but add in high humidity levels and smog. The OV air was soupy many days this past summer. Our poor dog went from one spot on the tile floor to another, trying to get cool. I'd fill her water bowl 4 times a day! Now she's back to cuddling on the couch with us. We joke she's our wx forecaster, she'll head to our first floor 1/2 bath (no windows) at the first sound of thunder, miles away (or a loud movie with storms, LOL) and when she gets up on a couch, curled up into a ball, you know Winter isn't far away. Bring it on. Like you raine, I cannot wait. It had better snow this winter - I want serious snow.

Well, that's all I got.....expecting out of town company later today, so I have lots of cleaning to do. This town is going nuts over the Bengal's record this year, 3-0. Yes you read that right, not 0-3 (as it has been for years). Bengalmania!

Mary

[Skywatch_NC]

Mary,

I'm so very excited and happy, too, for the Who Deh Who Deh Who Deh Think Gonna Beat 'Em Bengals!! *clap clap clap clap!*

So far the Carolina Panthers are 1-2...lost their home opener to New Orleans by a field goal 23-20, then beat the New England champs 27-17 at home and lost at Miami by a field goal also, 27-24! Oh well, still way early in the season! Panthers have a Monday night game next week vs. Green Bay...look OUT, Pojo Shannon!

Shannon, I pray and hope your legs and feet heal up and start feeling MUCH better, Wxbuddy! ((((HUGS))))

Have a great Saturday, S2Kbuddies!

Eric

[Miss Mary]

Eric,

Funny, front page "Who Dey" article in the Sunday Enquirer today....enjoy it!!!

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... /510020350

Seems our chant may have had origins with the NO chant? I told that to Jim and his friend who's going to today's game, in from out of town (they're tailgating right now as I type), and they both said - naw, we started that chant, right here in Cincinnati!!!! Chests all puffed out, that Bengal pride thing....

My Bengal's flag is hanging......not really a football fan but I'll be happy if this winning streak can continue. Do you know how long this town has waited for a successful Bengal's season? Years, decades!

Mary

[Skywatch_NC]

Mary,

Thank you very much for sharing that interesting link about how the Who Dey got started!

Bengals now 4-0 after a 16-10 win over the Texans!!

Eric

[Miss Mary]

Eric - Yesterday I passed so many drivers, all either wearing orange and black or proudly displaying their window Bengal car flags. Laura would say - that car/driver is all Bengally!

Fair wx fans......LOL

Meanwhile, I swear my husband should be given front row seats for just one game, for remaining loyal and true to 'his' beloved Bengal's, season after season. Each August he'd tell people - this will be the Bengal's year. People would ask how far will they go, (very skeptical)? To the Superbowl Jim would say! I'd just smile b/c well, this is how I felt about the Big Red Machine Reds! Way back when......this town is so excited they are 4 and 0. I almost hope there isn't a lot of attention on the Bengal's, for fear extra media attention would jinx them. Even if they get into the SB again, this town will go absolutely nuts!

Mary

[therock1811]

Meanwhile, I swear my husband should be given front row seats for just one game, for remaining loyal and true to 'his' beloved Bengal's, season after season. Each August he'd tell people - this will be the Bengal's year. People would ask how far will they go, (very skeptical)? To the Superbowl Jim would say! I'd just smile b/c well, this is how I felt about the Big Red Machine Reds! Way back when......this town is so excited they are 4 and 0. I almost hope there isn't a lot of attention on the Bengal's, for fear extra media attention would jinx them. Even if they get into the SB again, this town will go absolutely nuts!

Mary

This is the first year since the '88 Super Bowl team that Cincinnati is 4-0! And if we beat Jacksonville this week...we may not need to wait until February for the city to go nuts...it will go bonkers after the game!

[Miss Mary]

Meanwhile, I swear my husband should be given front row seats for just one game, for remaining loyal and true to 'his' beloved Bengal's, season after season. Each August he'd tell people - this will be the Bengal's year. People would ask how far will they go, (very skeptical)? To the Superbowl Jim would say! I'd just smile b/c well, this is how I felt about the Big Red Machine Reds! Way back when......this town is so excited they are 4 and 0. I almost hope there isn't a lot of attention on the Bengal's, for fear extra media attention would jinx them. Even if they get into the SB again, this town will go absolutely nuts!

Mary

This is the first year since the '88 Super Bowl team that Cincinnati is 4-0! And if we beat Jacksonville this week...we may not need to wait until February for the city to go nuts...it will go bonkers after the game!

You may be right Jeremy! I need a new Bengal's flag. My family says ours is lame.....boring, it just says PBS at the top with the Bengal word the bottom. I think there's a pic of a Bengal in the middle...it was on sale I keep telling them. I wonder if I can get buy a decent one! They're probably scarce.

Mary

[Stellar Storm]

Bengals now 4-0 after a 16-10 win over the Texans!!

Yeah...went to church yesterday and we had a funny guest speaker from Dallas, TX (Lowry was his name)...his talk was "Being up in a down world" and he got to talking about how nice it was living in a big city like Dallas. He quipped, "And we even use to have a professional football team" to the laughter of the audience. But the audience really roared when he added, "Don't laugh too hard, you use to, too!"

[Skywatch_NC]

Was the Lowry fella the guy who has traveled around with the Gaithers on those Heritage Celebration tours? There's also an either present or past pro football player named Orlando Lowry...he had played I remember with the Indy Colts (BTW...also 4-0 and another fav team of mine since I was born in IN and my parents are both native Hoosiers).

Eric

[Stellar Storm]

Asked my husband and his name is "Dr. Charles Lowery." He is a Christian comedic speaker. He's very funny and his messages are very good. We attend a large church "Fellowship of the Woodlands" and that's where he spoke yesterday.

[therock1811]

Meanwhile, I swear my husband should be given front row seats for just one game, for remaining loyal and true to 'his' beloved Bengal's, season after season. Each August he'd tell people - this will be the Bengal's year. People would ask how far will they go, (very skeptical)? To the Superbowl Jim would say! I'd just smile b/c well, this is how I felt about the Big Red Machine Reds! Way back when......this town is so excited they are 4 and 0. I almost hope there isn't a lot of attention on the Bengal's, for fear extra media attention would jinx them. Even if they get into the SB again, this town will go absolutely nuts!

Mary

This is the first year since the '88 Super Bowl team that Cincinnati is 4-0! And if we beat Jacksonville this week...we may not need to wait until February for the city to go nuts...it will go bonkers after the game!

You may be right Jeremy! I need a new Bengal's flag. My family says ours is lame.....boring, it just says PBS at the top with the Bengal word the bottom. I think there's a pic of a Bengal in the middle...it was on sale I keep telling them. I wonder if I can get buy a decent one! They're probably scarce.

Mary

They'd just about have to be! Just like getting tickets...I heard the season is virtually sold out.

[Skywatch_NC]

Carolina Panthers now 2-2 after defeating Green Bay 32-29 last night!! Packers gave it a good try though!

Hope you all have a Terrific Tuesday, S2Kbuds!

Eric

[Miss Mary]

Well, my oldest daughter Nina, a college Freshman now is volunteering in Mississippi, helping build housing for those that lost their homes when Katrina hit. Yes she opted to do this instead of coming home for a 4 day Fall Break from classes. Instead of sleeping in, lounging on the couch watching TV, she's helping out. I'm so proud of her. She's volunteering with one of her many clubs, the College Democrats and they'll be staying in Alabama, sleeping overnight in a church. She's really looking forward to this.

While it would have been very nice to see my daughter again, how can I be upset with her decision? I can't! Very proud of her......I can see her over Thanksgiving.

Just thought I'd share that........

Linda, it would be so nice if you ran into her down there but I know areas impacted by Katrina are numerous. Chances of this happening are pretty slim but I did tell her where you live in case she's in Pasgagoula.

Mary

[Pburgh]

Ah Mary, you did such a great job!! What a wonderful, caring and giving daughter. You should be so proud of her. ((Hugs))

Hey Raine, next time you're in the Burgh for an overnighter, give me a call and I'll take you to dinner or cook you dinner. My Mom and I often look over old pictures. Those Grannies of our sure knew how to make great memories.

I'll brew a pot of Earl Grey and leave some KK's on the table. Please leave the chocolate covered one for David.
Have a great day
Karan

[therock1811]

Well, my oldest daughter Nina, a college Freshman now is volunteering in Mississippi, helping build housing for those that lost their homes when Katrina hit. Yes she opted to do this instead of coming home for a 4 day Fall Break from classes. Instead of sleeping in, lounging on the couch watching TV, she's helping out. I'm so proud of her. She's volunteering with one of her many clubs, the College Democrats and they'll be staying in Alabama, sleeping overnight in a church. She's really looking forward to this.

While it would have been very nice to see my daughter again, how can I be upset with her decision? I can't! Very proud of her......I can see her over Thanksgiving.

Just thought I'd share that........

Linda, it would be so nice if you ran into her down there but I know areas impacted by Katrina are numerous. Chances of this happening are pretty slim but I did tell her where you live in case she's in Pasgagoula.

Mary

I bet it broke your heart at first though. Still, you should be proud...you raised her well.

[Miss Mary]

Aw thanks Jeremy, no I knew she was going to volunteer, for weeks now. She went camping last week with the Rugby team (yep, my artsy, ballet and violin playing daughter, joined on a fluke to meet more people, especially guys) and this week she's sleeping in a sleeping bag again! It's a good thing we brought it down parent weekend.

I miss her but she'll be home before we know it.

I love to xmas shop in a small Kentucky towned called LaGrange. Very quaint, historic buildings have been turned into many shops. A train runs right thru the town, on Main Street, pretty neat to see and hear when it rolls thru. Anyway this town is 1/3 the way down to Bowling Green. I've joked I'll just swing by and visit Nina when I go La Grange shopping.....she usually smiles or jokes back. If Western were much closer to LaGrange, I know I'd pop in, with permission of course and take her out to lunch.

Enjoy your Fall Break too Jeremy!

Mary

[therock1811]

Still got a week or so after this week before mine, but I will.

[pojo]

I really haven't been watching the Green Bay games... I caught the tail end of the Tampa/Green Bay game... and then again the tail end of the Carolina game... remember I'm 8 hours ahead of Green Bay time.

Things have drastically quieted down... I really don't feel productive anymore... I spend my day surfing the web, reading Harry Potter and listening to music... yea, a productive day. Too make matters worse, I'm really not in my career field... I'm used to manual labor, not sitting behind a computer pushing papers.

[Miss Mary]

My daughter Nina is indeed volunteering in Lindaloo's hometown and where she still resides, Pasgagoula, MS. I just read an article online, via her school newspaper. I emailed her right before she left, giving her your name Linda. Not that you'd run into her but ya never know.

I'm sure I'll hear all about her trip this coming Sunday....here's the article in case anyone is interested in reading it:

Western Kentucky University

College Heights Herald

http://www.wkuherald.com/media/paper603 ... 0/04/News/

Katrina relief: Relief volunteers to help during fall break

By Katie Brandenburg
Published: Tuesday, October 4, 2005


College students often head for the coast during vacation time. But a group of Western students and faculty going to the Gulf Coast this fall break will be working during their vacation.

About 30 people are going to Mississippi this week to help with relief efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Participants will stay at Green Hill Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala. and travel 45 minutes each day to Pascagoula, Miss., an area hit hard by Hurricane Katrina.

The goal of the trip is to give students an opportunity to help relief efforts, said Amanda Phillips, the student leadership coordinator and organizer of the trip.

"To be able to want to do this is commendable," she said.

The group will leave around noon on Wednesday and return on Sunday. The cost of the trip is $25, and volunteers will have to pay for some of their own food.

Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 29, causing massive amounts of flooding and damage to the region, mostly in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Western volunteers will work in Pascagoula on homes that were damaged or destroyed in the storm. They also will stock and hand out supplies in storage warehouses. Volunteers of America, a nonprofit organization that helped plan the trip, asked group members to bring a hammer, work gloves and closed-toe shoes.

The work schedule will be extensive, Phillips said.

Allison Noffsinger, a sophomore from Starksville, Miss., is going to Mississippi with the group. She said she and some of her friends talked about going down to the Gulf area to help relief efforts even before they heard about the Western-organized trip.

"All I wanted to do was go down there," Noffsinger said. "It's like going home for me."

Paula Davids, a staff member in the athletic marketing department and at the Hilltopper Athletic Complex, will be returning to the Gulf area for the second time in recent months. Davids traveled to Pass Christian, Miss., during Labor Day weekend to help some of her husband's family and their neighbors.

Davids' sister-in-law's home, along with 80 percent of the town, was destroyed, she said. Davids said the only thing that remained of the home was the front steps.

"It's not nightmares exactly, but I still think back on the things I saw," she said. "When you're actually there looking at this stuff, it's hard to believe."

Plans for the trip began during the first week of September. Students and faculty were invited to participate through an e-mail circulated by President Gary Ransdell on Sept. 8.

Phillips contacted the student activities office of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., for help with the trip. The University of Southern Mississippi advised her to contact Volunteers of America.

[Lindaloo]

This is great Mary. We need help in so many ways down here. I am sure she will report to you what it is like. Nothing you saw on TV comes remotely close to what we experienced down here. The devastation is something you have to see to even understand. I now know how many things and places I took for granted. Like the post office, for instance. I have to beg to get my mail sent out. So now, I mail my stuff from Mobile, Al. I only receive mail every two days now. And my favorite dollar store no longer exists, so I have to rely on Walmart now which is packed all the time. We have to wait to "hear" which drugstore is open so we can get medicine. I have yet to know where my doctor is and when he is coming back. My bank is closed and they only allow for you to make deposits and withdrawals on the days they are open. There are still people living in tents and along the beach people have brought in double wide trailers to live in. Pascagoula is gone, just gone.

I do not even know my friends when they wave at me because they have changed cars. I can't just go visit with people now because they are too far away and not just "around the corner" My parents do not even want to put up a Christmas tree this year.

My town is never going to be the same. It is going to take years and years for it to ever come close to what it was. Unless you experience it, you have no idea what all this means.