Saturday in Lancaster County/ Remembering 9/11

Today will be 79 degrees and beautiful out!!! I have to run errands today. I will be quite busy.

I had a steroid injection yesterday and it is wreaking havoc with my blood sugar. Between headache, pain at injection site and having issues with my blood sugar I had a rotten night. I will be getting the doc on the phone this morning.

I am going to have to take a nap at some point today. It is going to be a busy night. We are going to the York County Fair and the kids are going to a concert. All Star Weekend and Selena Gomez are in concert at the Fair. They should have a great time at the concert.

I will crash into bed tonight that is for sure!!!!

Have a great day everyone!!!!!!

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Today is the 7th Anniversary of 9/11. I am honoring the same young man I honored back in 2006.

Please take a moment today and remember all of the lives who were lost that day.


Christian Louis "Chris" DeSimone
World Trade Center
Taking On Responsibility When Christian L. De Simone's father died of a heart attack 18 months ago, he was there for his mother, Christel. He left his position as linebacker for the Rams football team at the University of Rhode Island so he could have more time to commute to and from his home in Ringwood, N.J. After graduation, Mr. DeSimone, 23, moved back home and found a job as a forensic accountant at Marsh & McLennan on the 100th floor at 1 World Trade Center."He didn't have to take on the responsibility of the house, but he wanted to do it," Mrs. DeSimone said. "He was always like that. Just the other day, a 20-year-old neighbor came to the door to tell me that my son was his hero because he carried himself so wonderfully and he was so smart."Mr. DeSimone was to have turned 24 on Oct. 18. Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on October 8, 2001.Christian DeSimone was no stranger to disaster areas. He assessed damage at disaster sites around the world, most recently after a deadly oil refinery fire in England.The 23-year-old resident of Ringwood, N.J., was a forensic accountant for a firm headquartered on the 100th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower. His mother fears her son's familiarity with grim situations, coupled with a lifelong desire to help people, may have ultimately contributed to his death."I'm sure that, even if he had a chance to escape, he died trying to help people," Christel DeSimone said of her son, a onetime linebacker at the University of Rhode Island. "He was so big and strong and fearless, and he had such a sense of responsibility."Which is why it was uncharacteristic that DeSimone woke up 45 minutes late and forgot his lunch on Sept. 11. It was also a reason to hold out hope--for a while, his mother thought the delay may have kept him from getting to his office before the hijacked planes hit."I talked to him for the last time on his cell phone on his way to work," his mother said."I tried to convince him to come back to get the lunch, but he liked being in the office early." Christian had followed his late father into forensic accounting and had been studying to take the certified public accountant's exam when the trade center was attacked, his mother said.For several days afterward, his mother and 20-year-old sister, Martina, scoured Web sites and news reports for any word of his whereabouts. A group of 15 friends--including DeSimone's girlfriend, Jennifer--searched New York hospitals.On Sept. 15, representatives from DeSimone's company, Marsh USA/Caps Group, informed his family that no one working above the 95th floor had been found."That's when I gave up hope," his mother said.She said the family has plans for a memorial service but has not yet decided when to hold it."I'm not ready to bring myself to deal with it," she said. "People talk about closure, but I don't like that word. For me, this will never be closed." Profile courtesy of THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE.DeSIMONE - Christian "Chris" Louis, 23, of Ringwood, after working for Marsh McLennan for only one year, was lost to the World Trade Center Attack on September 11th, 2001. Chris grew up in Ringwood and attended Ringwood Christian School. Upon graduation from elementary school, Chris went on to Lakeland Regional High School where he excelled in academics and athletics. Having an attractive standing, Chris attended the University of Rhode Island where he studied accounting and German while also being a member of the University's football team. After excelling in post-secondary school and being named to the Dean's List, Chris quickly received a job to work for Marsh McLennan as an accountant on the 100th floor of Tower One. The premature loss of such a wonderful individual so loved and respected by all is society's loss. Words cannot express the potential of ths young man who had very high aspirations. All who knew him found him to be very friendly, loving, and determined. He will be deeply missed. Chris is the beloved son of Christel DeSimone (nee Bleiber) and the late Louis DeSimone, beloved brother of Martina DeSimone and dear friend of Jennifer Palmer. Chris is survived by his grandparents, Bertl and Helmut Bleiber, his uncle and aunt, Wolfgang and Heike Bleiber (Germany). He is also sadly missed by Louis and Hella DeSimone, John and Queenie Mesisca, Leo and Louise DeSimone, Mary Lenk, and Lucy Kavazanzjian as well as many other relatives and friends in Germany, Austria and the United States. A Memorial Service will be held to celebrate Chris's young life on Saturday, January 12, 2002 at noon at the St. Catherine of Bologna Church, 112 Erskine Road, Ringwood, NJ, (973) 962-7032 where Chris was a member. In lieu of flowers, a special scholarship fund in remembrance of Chris has been established to benefit a deserving student at Chris' alma mater, the University of Rhode Island. Donations may be made to the Christian Louis DeSimone Foundation, UBS Paine Webber, 133 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack, NJ 07601-6383. Paid notice published in THE NORTH JERSEY RECORD on January 9, 2002.Christian L. DeSimone, 23, a math sleuth For two weeks in June, Christian Louis DeSimone traveled to Manchester, England, to do financial detective work. A "forensic accountant" for New York-based Marsh & McLennan, Mr. DeSimone investigated an explosion at an oil refinery, tallying up losses in preparation for an insurance claim. At other times, his work assigned him to travel elsewhere -- to Las Vegas, New Orleans, the West Coast -- to investigate the cost, in the financial sense, of other disasters. "He loved numbers, you have to like numbers," said his mother, Christel DeSimone, of Ringwood in Passaic County, describing her son's passion for his work. Along with the numbers came the excitement of travel, and the satisfaction of dissecting catastrophes. It was in such a tragedy, many times multiplied, that Mr. DeSimone died. Employed since January 2000 by Marsh & McLennan, Mr. DeSimone was working on the 100th floor of the North Tower when the first jetliner struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. He was 23. Mr. DeSimone, who was known as Chris, picked up his love for accounting from his father, Louis, who died two years ago, family and friends said. In his spare time, he enjoyed watching football, rooting for the Green Bay Packers and fixing up things around the house, said Jennifer Palmer of Wanaque, a friend since they were both freshmen at Lakeland Regional High School in Wanaque.A second-generation German-American, Mr. DeSimone graduated in 2000 from the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, where he majored in German and accounting, and played football. A student internship led to a position with Marsh & McLennan after graduation. He worked briefly with a financial firm in Parsippany but relocated to the World Trade Center when that company was acquired by Marsh & McLennan. On workdays, he usually awoke at 5:15 a.m., reading the newspaper and catching breakfast before leaving the house he shared with his mother at 6. He would drive to the NJ Transit station in Ramsey and take the train to Hoboken before catching the PATH train or ferry to Manhattan. But on Sept. 11, both overslept, and he didn't leave until minutes before 7, forgetting his lunch in the rush. His mother called his cellphone, asking whether she should take his lunch to the station. The conversation lasted five minutes, and he said she need not trouble herself. "It was the last time I spoke with him," DeSimone said. "We said goodbye, and that was it. "They leave in the morning and they never return, that is the hardest thing to understand." The tragedy has brought out the best in her neighbors, DeSimone added. "The people here have been absolutely incredible for us," she said. In addition to his mother, Mr. DeSimone is survived by his younger sister, Martina of Ringwood; his grandparents, Helmut and Bertl Bleiber, and other relatives. A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday in the St. Catherine of Bologna Church, 112 Erskine Road, Ringwood. His body has not been recovered. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to a scholarship fund for students at the University of Rhode Island, at the Christian Louis DeSimone Foundation, UBS Paine Webber, 133 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack, N.J. 07601-6383. Profile by George Berkin published in THE STAR-LEDGER.
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THE GUEST BOOK IS STILL AVAILABLE ONLINE- I CHECKED THE LINK.

News and Updates....and an Anniversary???

Hey gang....

It has been soooo long since I have blogged. I am on Faceboo.....so I didn't realize how much I missed it.

I have moved yet again. I now live in Lancaster County Pennsylvania and I am loving everything out here so far.

It is just me, hubby and the daughter out here for now. My son may come to live with us next month. He will be 19 and my daughter will officially be a teenager when she hits 13. They are no so little any more. Time sure does fly.

Let's see......some other updates in my life. I have been out of work since April 28th. Not by choice, either. I was injured on the job. Since this is a public blog I will NOT be posting any specific information about the injury or anything in regards to it. I hope to be able to some day.

School starts a little earlier here. She starts school right before the end of the month. She is getting excited about it. One of the things that she will love this year is that she doesn't have to wear uniforms. YAY!!!! But that means that she will want all the cool stuff to wear. BOO!!! LOL!!! It will be ok, I guess.

Well......that was a mini update. I will do more soon. It is getting late and will head to bed.

Good night Blogger!!!!

No Blogging for 3 Months.....

Where have I been??? Well....here and there and everywhere *but* the Blogger community.

I am alive and well for the most part. I am cut off from most of the family. Less drama in my life = less stress for me. Sad in some ways. Good in others. This all happened shortly after we downsized from the big house to the smaller apartment.

The downsize / move was supposed to exclude one member of my family, but it didn't. That is a long story I will have to share some day.

I will be moving again this coming summer. Not out of Pennsylvania but further northwest. I hope to get out of PA once my daughter is over 18.

The cold winter months are so blah. Granted....it is beautiful watching the snow fall and lay on everything. But, traveling in it is a whole different story!!! YUCK!!!

Well......I am going to have to end it here. I am at work.

More to come later......

Daughter of a Predator

I read a post over at Kelly's blog- http://kelly-reminiscenceoftheyesteryears.blogspot.com/
She posted about a neighborhood being changed because a pedophile was now in the neighborhood.

I am the daughter of a man who did terrible things. He did them against his adopted daughters. He did nothing to me. He has been in prison since 1997.

He was OK'd for parole August 2008. If he could get a Home Plan approved he would be able to get out. He is in terrible health. He has been on the medical ward of the prison for over a year. He is diabetic, has a deteriorating hip and is in a wheelchair. He is an old man now.

He inflicted things on my sisters- added to what was already inflicted upon them in their biological home as well as the foster homes they were in. Totally fucked up their lives. Took their innocence away and skewered their minds. They don't trust easily. My one sister will never find love. She finds only men who use her. My other sister took a long time to find love.

I have always thought that men....the pedophiles who fuck up children should be castrated and thrown into prison to rot for life.

That scenario was abruptly changed when the predator, the man I loved, trusted and looked up to turned out to be my father.

My mother tossed him to the curb and stuck by both of my sisters. I was put on a fence- but yet expected to defend my sisters wholeheartedly. My brother was a lost soul on the whole thing. He didn't know what to do. There was no handbook as to what we were supposed to do. I talked to my sisters. I wouldn't get anything specific from them. I talked to my father and didn't get clear answers from him- except that he admitted to doing wrong. He wouldn't specify what he exactly did- he just vehemently denied doing EVERYTHING they said he did. My thought was- you did wrong with the very first thing you did- there fore guilty for everything all the same.

I was asked to testify by the prosecution. I did. I was cut out of my father's side of the family for the statements that I made and testimony that I gave. I could not lie.

He was found guilty in a court of law. The prosecution would cut no deals to lesson his sentence. He was sentenced 10-20 years.

He is a shell of the man he once was. I had such a hard time with forgiveness for a long time. I have forgiven him, but have not forgotten all he did that shattered our family.

He may never be able to get out of that prison because of the restrictions the parole board has. He may die where he is.

I totally understand the feelings of those who oppose a sexual predator / pedophile from living in their community. But I am also on the other side.

I want him to get a second chance. I want him to get back into society. I don't want him to die in that prison.

I don't know what that says about me. I can understand both sides of the situation- and yet it is different because the man is my father.

Does that make me a terrible person?

I sure hope not.

Happenings in my life

Life has been busy for me.

My son is now 18. Free from the controls of his parents. Making his mistakes and hopefully he will learn from them. He is so much like me it is truly scary. I just hope he grabs hold of opportunities that are presented to him and runs with them. I only wish him success in his life.

My daughter is now 12. In between child and teen. Tough year for her. So many hormonal changes and her desire to fit in. Although she never has had a problem with popularity among her peers. Thank goodness!!! My childhood on the other hand was nothing I would ever want to repeat.

Life for her has had an added change to it. The home she knew for 11 + years of life is no longer. Based on decisions her father and I have made.... we no longer have our home. The neighborhood we lived in was declining. We couldn't sell our home. Our financial mess wasn't something we could climb out of. We downsized into an apartment for now.

Our path has changed a bit. Hopefully things will improve in our future.

Today will be busy day with Philadelphia Eagles playing the Giants, the Vikings playing the Packers and then the World Series tonight.

Go Eagles and Phillies!!!!! Oh.....and go Vikings!!!!!

More to come later.........

Free Press

Strangled and stifled by the government?

That is what has been proposed by our government. Shut America up and force feed the American people what THEY want us to hear.

Every day you can get up, fire up your lap top or turn on your computer and go anywhere you choose to on the internet. You can express your opinions on blogs or journals online. This is your right. Your expression of FREE SPEECH.

The President wants government control over what we hear, what we see and what we say. The President wants to fundamentally transform America. How? Control the free internet. Get rid of the free market.

Don't think that is true? Go to glennbeck.com or go to savetheinternet.com or freepress.net.

Glenn Beck take everything, breaks it down and demonstrates through use of videos and snippets of what those in positions of power near and dear to the White House have said. It is truly eye opening and scary to think that the government is moving into change that is not good for our country.

Savetheinternet.com has information about how that needs to happen. The FCC is working on developing new rules to safeguard thefree open nature of the internet. It is being talked about as "net neutrality". End users will have unfettered acces to all "lawful online content and applications." Government controlled access to the internet. Does that make you feel like it is open access to the internet? Would you have free choice?

Freepress.net. The opening statement at the top of the page states: reform media. transform democracy. There is an article on this site that talks about the future of online speech depending on net neutrality. The White House is calling for free and open internet.They even went so far as to endorse a bill called the Internet Freedom Preservation Act. European Union adopted a policy that rejects the principles in the White House's bill. For example: Some foreign countries identify banned websited and arrest internet users that go on them. This is Internet Censorship.

Go to freepress.net for some eye opening articles and blogs the explains the importance of net neutrality. Will you find yourself agreeing with it? Do you want policing of the internet by the government- deciding what "lawful" sites you can go to? Do you want the government to restrict internet access? OR do you want your freedom to access what you want when you want to?

Our Founding Fathers had strong beliefs and made statements regarding freedoms.

"Without Freedom of Thought there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as Public Liberty, without Freedom of Speech."
Benjamin Franklin, writing as Silence Dogood, No. 8, July 9, 1722

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."
George Washington

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever. "
John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, July 17, 1775

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." - Alexander Hamilton

That is just a few of them.

Let me know what you think.

Hey Y'all............

I'm back!!!!!!

Long post over due. Coming soon!!!!