The End

After some thought I've decided to end Yada Yada Yada.  Journaling has become more of a chore and less of a joy lately so I figure now is as good a time as any to hang it up.

I will continue to keep :

http://journals.aol.com/kaydeejay5449/ALittleLeftofCenter/

Where I do photo challenges and entries on less personal things.

Thanks to all who stop by and leave such warm, friendly comments.  You have made such a wonderful impact on my life over the past few years.  I will continue to stop by your journals to keep up on your adventures.  I would miss you too much if I didn't.

Hugs and Love,

Kathy

If you haven't had your share of cute today:

If you are looking for something really cute to put you in a great frame of mind, go to:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video?viewkey=9e7c4b40cf5a13cea6ca

and enjoy this little girl reciting the 23rd Psalm.  ADORABLE.

Things I haven't written about....................

I haven't been in a writing mood lately.  A lot has been going on - good stuff, too - but when I sit down to write about it, I just can't muster the energy to type it all out.  After going back and reading some of my earlier entries, I decided that there are a few things that have happened recently that I want to journal so I don't forget them.  I also want them included in the printed edition at the end of the year so I HAVE to include them.

The most fun thing that happened recently was Dennis and I took Megan, Nathan and Andrew to the Circus.  What a FUN morning.  I picked the kids up on Friday afternoon so they could spend the night and we could get an early start on Saturday morning.  The show started at 11:30 on Aug. 4 but if we got their early, the kids could go down on the floor and see, close up, some of the acts, the clowns, and get a feel for the excitement of the event.  We thought, too, that they would let us take the kids to see the animals before the show, too, but for some reason that section was not open that early.  They did get to see the elephants being bathed and blown dry with leaf blowers which they thought was so funny.

  We found our way down to the floor.  Andrew wanted Papa to carry him.  It was way too much for him.  All the noise and confusion was pretty scary for the little guy.  Megan was enchanted with the costumes and all the activity.  Nathan liked it but did not want any of the clowns to come near him.  I told him I could totally understand how he felt about that.  When I was his age, they scared me, too.

Luckily, we found a great spot at the far  end of the arena and settled in right by the rope so the kids had front 'row' standing space.  They got to see a tumbling act from Asia, a clown trampoline act that was really funny, a cute dog act from Argentina, two guys on stilts, and finally an elephant who painted a picture.

When the elephant came in thru the curtain, little Andrew was standing right at the rope. It was so cute to see his head move as he sized her up from side to side and then from her feet to the top of her head.  After he finished giving her a good look/see, he turned around with big eyes and said, "Big Elephant!" 

Dennis and I couldn't help but laugh.  We could just see in his expression that he had never seen anything so big in his whole life.  The announcer said she weighed around 8000 pounds so you can imagine how big she was.  To a little 2 1/2 year old boy, she must have seemed as big as a mountain. 

Before we knew it, he was walking back to us pinching his nose, "Stinky elephant." 

He was right about that, too!  The other two followed him with their noses pinched, too.  "Let's get out of here!"  Nathan suggested firmly.

We agreed and took them to their seats.  It was great timing because as we got off the elevator and found our seats, the announcer was telling everyone to go to their seats.  We missed the big rush.

The kids enjoyed the show so much.  Megan and Nathan sat on the edge of their seats the whole time.  Andrew sat in his seat next to me.  Everytime I looked over at him, his eyes were glued to whatever act was going on.  I was really proud of him for being able to pay attention for that long.  He did get a little restless during the last 40 minutes but he was getting tired.  Believe it or not, with all the noise and activities going on, he fell asleep the last 15 minutes.  I don't know how but he was OUT. 

Megan's favorite act was the tigers.  They were beautiful and I can see why she liked them so much.  Nathan liked the high wire act and there was a guy who did tricks on a bicycle that he really liked, too.  Andrew loved the elephants.  That seemed to make the biggest impact on him.  His dad told me that the next day he went to Sunday school and the first thing he told his teacher was, "I went to circus yesterday!"  He was really happy to share that with her.

This past weekend, I went to Avila Beach to meet my sister for a few days.  We stayed at her friend's condo which was quiet and relaxing.  We spent the time working on the program for the weekend retreat we are going to be leading.  WOW, we got a lot done and much was revealed to us about things we need to do in our own lives to prepare for the event.

The truth is:  You can't give something you don't have.  So, in order to teach the class, both of us have to put the things we are teaching to work in our own lives.  Fair enough?  Exactly!  We have come a long way in following the plan we are sharing but we have a way to go before we will be at the place where we feel we need to be to get up in front of the women who will be attending and present the material.  Whew...that was quite a sentence.

The theme for the conference is Keys to an Open Heart.  The Keys we have chosen to speak on are: Choice * Attitude * Acceptance.   Biggies, huh?  To get to these one must take a look at what defines them as a person.  For me, I found that there are many things that define me ~ that tell me who I am.  These things that I allow to define me and to put me in a box that is labeled "KATHY" are not really my authentic self.  They are expectations, fears, insecurities, wanting to please, feeling invisible, being unworthy, being the nice girl, not being able to say no, being the good mother, being the good wife, being last, being the victim, being unable to dream, being disappointed, never asking for anything for myself........... on and on.  Those things have defined me for too long.  So now, I have to turn away from those labels and allow God to define me.  The God who created me, the God who loves me without conditions, in all my sin, with all my flaws.  The God who sees me as His blessed child, His beloved.  I must drop the negative labels and take on only what He sees in me. I must learn to rest in His love when I'm feeling alone and I'm hurting.  Humans and life will always disappoint and let us down but His love never will. 

I read the following quote this weekend and it says it all:

"Living out of the false self creates a compulsive desire to present a perfect image to the public so that everybody will admire us and nobody will know us."  Brennan Manning

I am confessing and pledging to be more real. 

 

To the Printer

  Warm Hugs!

I'm printing a copy of this journal.  I will have each year spiral bound so I can keep everything together in order.   I don't think I'll print every entry, just the ones that have things I want to be sure to remember.

I spent the morning reading the first few months of entries and realized how much had happened since I started writing.  I want to have a printed copy so I can refer back when I need to recall a specific date.

I wonder how many others print their journals.  Maybe I'm the only one who hasn't done it yet.

Insurance companies want Mastectomy surgery an outpatient proceedure

It seems like this is become a Health Watch Journal.  I have come across some important information and feel that I want to share it with as many people as possible and my journal is one way to do that.  I got the following email tonight and want to pass it on to as many women as possible.  Please snag this information and post it in your journal or email to your friends and family.  After reading this, I hope you go directly to the web site and send your message.  Your voice is heard.

From a nurse:

I'll never forget the look in my patients' eyes when I had to tell them
they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.

So there I sat with my patient giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank you' they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

Mastectomy Bill in Congress

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important .. please take the time and do it really quick!

Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all women.

Please send this to everyone in your address book.
If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others you know who will do the same.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which
will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women a reforced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.

PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php

This Must Be Woman's Health Day

I  received another great, informative email today about Women's Heart Attacks.  Posting it for educational purposes.  Snag and pass it on if you want.  Good information!

 

Women's heart attack info]
For the woman in your life. This is not a joke.

I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the best description I've ever read.

Women and heart attacks (Myocardial Infarction, or "MI")

Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack...you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's
experience with a heart attack.

"I had a completely unexpected heart attack at about 10: 30 pm with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect
might've brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking,"A-A-h, this is the life, all
cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up." A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a  golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it
is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a
glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation---the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of
anything since about 5:00 p.m.

"After that had seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE
(hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasming), gaining speed as they continuedracing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one
presses  rhythmically when adminis tering CPR). This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws.

"AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening--we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an
MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack !" I lowered the foot rest, dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the
floor instead. I thought to myself "If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else.......but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I
need help, and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in moment."

"I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics... (i.e., 911) I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me,
and if so, to unbolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in.

"I then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we
arrived and saw that the Cardiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like "Have you taken any  medications?") but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he
was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off a gain, not waking up until  the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram
balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side by side stents to hold open my right coronary artery.

"I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the Paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the
fire station and St.Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stents.

"Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand."

1. Be aware that something very different is happening in yo <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />ur body not the usual men's symptoms, but inexplicable things happening (until
my sternum and jaws got into the act ). It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI (Myocardial Infarction)
because they didn't know they were having one, and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation,
and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up....which doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms
might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It
is better to have a "false alarm" visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!

2. Note that I said "Call the Paramedics". Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!

Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER--you're a hazard to others on the road, and so is your panicked husband who will be speeding and
looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road.
Do NOT call your doctor--he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants
(or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP and a
Defibrillator. Your Dr. will be notified later.

3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol
elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI  (Myocardial Infarction)
(unless it's unbelievably high,and/or accompanied by high blood pressure.) MIs' are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones
into your system to sludge things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

**Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends
you care about.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Breast Cancer Stamp

I got an Email from my cousin the other day about the Breast Cancer stamp.  I've copied and pasted it below.  With so many of our journal land friends dealing with Breast Cancer and my own friends and family also dealing with this disease, I wanted to pass the information along to as many people as possible.  I emailed it my friends and family and now I'm posting it here.  Please snag it for your journals and/or email so as many people as possible know about this and we can continue to raise money for The Cure!

 

Have you ever bought a Breast Cancer Research Stamp? I bet youhave - 773 million of them have been sold since the stamp was introduced in 1998. The net proceeds go to federal breast cancer research, and it's raised over $55.5 million for critical research work. It's the top-selling commemorative stamp in U.S.
history!

Right now, two bills in Congress could reauthorize the stamp -
or make it permanent! - but only if they pass. If the stamp
isn't reauthorized or made permanent by December 31, 2007, it
will be lost - along with its millions of dollars for breast
cancer research.

Please join me in sending a message to Congress today!

http://komenpolicy.org/campaign/breastcancerstamp?rk=-perQA91uKBqW

By going to the web site above and filling out a simple form, you can contact your Congress representative about this important issue.  If you know how his/her address send a letter or email today and ask that this stamp be reissued from now on.  Sometimes a personal note carries more weight than a form letter.

Take time.  It's important.

This and That

  Little Thumper (My favorite character from Bambi)

Height history:

My maternal grandfather:    6' 5"

My mom's brother               6' 5"

My husband:                        6' 4"

My son:                                6' 2"

My husband's mom:            5' 7"

My mom:                             5' 6"

Me:                                      5' 4.5"

Cari:                                    5' 5"

Shannon:                             5' 6.5"

My cousin Laura:                5' 10"

Her son, Christopher          7' 5"  !!!!

The reason for this:  Megan's pediatrician says she is on target to grow to be between 5' 9" - 5' 11".  She's in the 88th percentile for height right now.  My gosh!  I can't imagine my little Meggie towering over me.

On our camping trip, we were talking about it.  She's delighted by the prospect.  I told her it would be a good thing because she could reach things high up in my cupboards when she visited.

Nathan wanted to know how tall he was going to be.  I told him he would most likely be at least 6' 2", like his dad. 

"You guys will refer to me as Little Gramma Kathy."  I teased.

Megan laughed but dear, sensitive Nate hugged me.  "I don't want you get littler, grandma."

Ohhhh, that boy!  He just melts my heart.  I assured him I wasn't going to get shorter.  He was going to get taller and I would just look shorter because he would tower over me.  He still isn't sure he likes that very much.

I'm filling out my list of things to do this coming week.  Nothing very exciting really just the regular stuff.  Car wash and bank tomorrow along with a stop at Costco.  Kasey's trip to the groomer on Wednesday.  A day or two in the sewing room working on the waistcoat for my sister-in-law.  While my sister was here early last week, she helped me figure out how to piece a side panel in and now that I have that problems solved, I think I can proceed to get it finished with no more stall outs.

I'm meeting a dear friend for lunch on Tuesday.  She and I have known each other since we were kids but really didn't become friends until we worked together in the early '70's.  I'm looking forward to my time with her.  She's a sweetheart.  Her oldest daughter is expecting her first baby and Linda's first grandchild.  Can't wait to hear all about that!

Plans for the Italy trip are finalized now.  We have all of our hotel, B&B, and apartment reservations made.  We have tickets to see The Last Supper in Milan.  It's on my Top Five Things to See list so I am thrilled about that.  We are going to be on the run for the first 2 1/2 weeks shuttling between Milan, Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome, Positano, Capri, and back to Rome.  Once Cari leaves the group to come back to the States, we are slowing things down.  We have an apartment in Florence for most of the last part of the trip.  We will be doing some day trips from there.  Pisa is just one of the things we are going to see.  Perhaps Lake Como, too.  We haven't decided yet.  We want to see how Mom is doing and what her energy level is before we pack much more into our time there.

Carol and I want to get into the Italian culture and get a feel for what life is like there.  That's why we got an apartment and settled into Florence for so long.  We want to shop for groceries and get to know local people.  We want to take the public transportation outside of the tourist areas and find little family owned restaurants and shops so we can get a better feel for things.  You can't really get that if you stay in the center of the tourist areas.  We, of course, will be very careful and we will make sure to choose safe areas.  We're not looking for THAT kind of adventure.  The excitement is building.  I got my passport ~ it arrived last week.  YIPPEE...  We have confirmation of a private tour of the Vatican on Oct. 16th which is also Mom's 80th birthday.  What a way to spend your birthday, huh?!?

I'm continuing to feel better.  Things are settling down and I'm dealing with everything much better.  That happy, joyful feeling I had for so long is coming back and I know it won't be long before it will be the way I feel most of the time again.  The tension is leaving and my body aches are resolving, too.  It's nice. 

That's it for now. 

Camping Trip

Our camping trip last weekend was F U N.  The weather was hot and dry but a nice breeze kept it from being too uncomfortable.  We left on Thursday around 11:30 in the morning.  There was a lot of traffic getting out of town but we still managed to get to Bishop around 4:30 and had a nice early dinner.  After our meal, we stopped at a gas station for fuel and to pick up ice for our cooler and a few bundles of fire wood.  It was a 30 minute drive up the grade to the lake.

As we entered the camp ground, it was easy to spot Bryan's trailer.  It'd 30' long and takes up a lot of room.  We had to drive around the loop and come back because all the drive thru-ways are one way streets.  As we turned up the street where they were parked, Nathan and Megan were at the end of their site waving at us.  That brought smiles to our faces.

 

         

Trailer                          Inside Kitchen               Inside rear

    

  Two pictures above are our camp site.

We still had a few hours of daylight which was nice.  We unpacked out things and had some fun with the kids outside before dark.  When the sun finally went down, we built a nice fire and relaxed with them for an hour or so before it was time for them to go to bed. 

The next day was sunny and very warm.  We decided that since it was so warm the fish would not be biting so we drove up to Mammoth Lakes which is about a 20 minute drive north.  We had a nice lunch and then went to the main lodge.  Dennis, Bryan, Megan, Nathan and Andrew went up in the gondola while Shannon and I stayed back with baby, Matthew. 

After about an hour at the top, they came down and the kids got to do the Zip Line.  What fun for them.  See the pictures below:

   Megan & Nathan in Zip Line gear               

     

They had to climb up the ladder to this platform.

                                                                                                           

Megan Zipping             Nathan Zipping

They didn't have trouble climbing the ladder because they had a line clipped to their belts and as they climbed up, they knew if they fell, the rope would catch them.  When they got on top of the platform, they were clipped to a line with a rope that was only about 4 or 5 feet long so they could not walk anywhere near the edge.  The person in charge took one at a time up the taller platform that they would launch from and they were tethered up there, too.  Each time they changed positions, they were clipped to a safety line so there was no chance they could fall and get hurt.  I was very impressed with the safety measures they have in place to protect the children.

Megan went first.  It takes at least three or four minutes for the equipment to be fastened, checked and re checked.  Once everything is OK, they face the instructor and she counted to three.  At three, they pushed off backwards and zipped back down the line about 300 yards.  There was another person waiting for them at the other end.  They unclipped them and then gave them the rope to run back to the platform so the next kid could use it for their turn. 

Nathan wanted to go down a shorter line that was about 20 feet lower but his dad had told the lady in charge not to let him get out of doing the big one.  She told him the smaller one wasn't working right then so he'd have to do the big one.  He said, "Well, OK."  She talked him through the whole thing as he was trying to talk her into letting him 'off the hook'.  She just kept gently moving him forward in the process and before you knew it, he was zipping down that line.  When it was over, he was so excited and proud of himself.  He wanted to go again!  Not bad for 5 1/2 years old.

Next summer, they are going to have a huge zip line for adults that comes down the big mountain.  Dennis and I can't wait to go on that!

The next morning, Dennis and Bryan took the 3 kids fishing.  They caught two good sized trout.  Andrew was into throwing rocks and digging in the sand by the lake but when an older gentleman fishing nearby caught a trout, Andrew went running into the water after it announcing, "My fish!  My fish!"  Bryan had to go in after him while the fisherman netted his catch.  The guy thought it was so funny but Andrew's dad didn't see much humor in it.  LOL

  The kids with their trout. 

  Cooking it on the grill the next day for lunch.

We saw several deer near our camp site and lots of chipmunks.  They are so cute!  We tossed a few peanuts out for them and the kids really enjoyed watching them open the shells and pulling the peanut out. 

They kids were great.  We were awake early every morning but we loved that!  Hope we can go again sometime soon.

The History of Convict Lake

Before I write my entry about our weekend, I wanted to post the history of how the lake got it's name.  It's pretty interesting especially if you enjoy the U.S. cowboy history.  LOL

The year was 1871. The Civil War had ended only six years before. The country was still suffering the effects of this divisive time in it's history. The Eastern Sierra was a wild and lawless place. It was populated by miners, outlaws, rustlers, gangs comprised of former Confederate and Union soldiers and wild bands of Indians. Of course, a few honest ranchers and citizens were in the area as well!  It  was a quite  Sunday on  September 17, until  29 desperate prisoners over-powered the guards of the Nevada State Penitentiary in Carson City, NV ., stole weapons and horses, and made their escape.  These  convicts  were  some  of  West's worst the characters; murderers, rapists, train and stage robbers, and horse thieves. Once the prisoners had broken out, they split up. One group of 13 headed south. Along the way they robbed several locals and stole more weapons, horses and provisions. Six of this band separated and continued south to escape the posse they were sure was following them. Their leader was a convicted 22 year old murderer named Jones. He had lived and worked in Mono and Inyo Counties for some time and was familiar with the territory. One of the other convicts was named Roberts, an 18 year old convicted stage robber. He had grown up in Long Valley, near Crowley Lake. Because Jones and Roberts knew the area, their plan was to cross over the Sierra Mountains to the western slope where they would be safe from pursuit. Hell bent for leather, they headed towards the Mammoth area, always fearful that a posse was on their tail.

Unknown to them the original posse chasing them got tired and gave up within 2 days.They were only being trailed by a resident they had robbed along the way who was set on getting his stolen horses and guns back. Of course the convicts didn't know they were almost in the clear! Sometime during the day of September 19th, a rider was catching up to the convicts. They feared it was the posse and planned an ambush. Instead of the law, they ambushed an innocent 18 year Pony Express rider named Billy Poor. It was his first time delivering the mail. Once they had him, they couldn't let him go because he would tell others about them. They couldn't hold him hostage because he would slow them down. Jones,with Morton standing by, cold bloodily shot and killed young Billy Poor just north of Bridgeport. Capturing and killing Billy Poor was a huge mistake because now the Convicts had murdered a local Mono County citizen. They had violated the community and the citizens were bent on revenge! Not realizing what they had brought down on themselves, they continued their flight south towards Benton Crossing, a settlement just east of here at the foot of the White Mountains, with plans to turn westward toward what was know as Monte Diablo Creek and Lake; then across the Sierra Nevada to safety. By Friday morning, September 22 a new posse of 10 men, lead by Sheriff Robert Morrison, and guided by an Indian deputy named Mono Jim, was hot on their trail. By Friday evening the posse caught up with the convicts camped by, what was then called, Monte Diablo Creek. They decided to spend the night at a nearby ranch and to confront the convicts in the morning.

The convicts had little to eat for some days, and awoke very early that fateful Saturday morning. Jones, the ring leader, and 2 others went toward Monte Diablo Lake, what is now Convict Lake, to look for food. All they could find were Rose Hip berries, which, if you either take a horseback ride with us or a hike, you will see them, still growing all along the North Shore of the lake.

While Jones and the two others were lookingfor food, the posse went up Monte Diablo Creek towards the eastern end of the deep cut where Convict Lake now lies. The Convicts were waiting in hiding on the south side of the creek. In the first exchange of gunfire, the convict named Roberts was shot in the both his shoulder and foot and crawled off into the undergrowth.

The other two convicts, named Morton and Black kept firing, which drove the posse, except Sheriff Morrison, back into the woods. All of a sudden, Morrison had a clear shot at Black, he pulled the trigger, the pistol cap exploded, but the gun didn't fire.  Black turned and shot Morrison in the side.  Then he walked up to Morrison and shot him in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Morton and Black then took some pistols and horses left behind by the fleeing posse and headed up the canyon to get away.

Soon they came upon the Indian Deputy Guide named Mono Jim. He mistook them for the posse and called out to them. It was a fatal mistake! They chased him down and Morton shot him through the eye, killing him straight away. Morton, Black and Roberts hooked up and fled south towards Bishop. It was never known how Jones and the other two Convicts escaped the shootout. Jones, the leader who, by killing Billy Poor, brought the local posse's hornet's nest onto them, disappeared and was never heard from again.    

 

The other two with him were eventually captured on the east side of the White Mountains, the range you can see from Convict across the Caldaria to the East, and returned to prison in Carson City. A new posse formed to track down and take revenge on Morton, Black and Roberts for killing Sheriff Morrison and Deputy Mono Jim. It was September 27th when they finally captured Morton and Brown just north of Bishop. Roberts was nowhere to be found. Black was wounded during the capture, but survived. Morton and Brown claimed Roberts had killed Morrison, which caused the posse to resume their search for Roberts. Two days later they caught up with Roberts. When heconfronted Morton, it was obvious to the posse that Morton and Black had killed Morrison and Mono Jim and that Jones, with Morton, had killed Billy Poor. On October 1st the prisoners were loaded on a wagon and started for the trip back to the jail in Carson City. All of a sudden the wagon was surrounded by a large group of vigilantes. Without any resistance, the guards turned over the prisoners to the vigilantes. They took the convicts to a nearby cabin and held a trial. After only a short deliberation, the votes were taken. The "jury" agreed that Morton and Brown should be hung at once and that Roberts, the boy stage robber, would be sent back to jail. By November 15th, 18 of the original 29 convicts had been captured, Morton and Brown were hung, and Jones and 9 others were still at large.  The  escape  had  caused a great deal of controversy and dispute throughout southern Nevada, both Inyo and Mono Counties in eastern California. Even today we can see the results from this historical event. Monte Diablo Creek and Lake were re-named to Convict Creek and Lake. The 12,000 foot plus mountain overlooking Convict Lake was re-named Mount Morrison in honor of the slain Sheriff. The smaller mountain in front of Morrison was named Mono Jim after the slain Deputy guide. There are also several other less well know, and somewhat disputed, outcomes from this momentous adventure. And as students of history know, sometimes actual events are confused with wishful thinking; hence the birth of Urban Legends.

 

The young boy, Billy Poor who was murdered in cold blood by Jones was greatly missed by his family and neighbors. In his honor, it is claimed, a sandwich was invented: The Poor Boy.

If you have the opportunity, enjoy summer lunch at the Convict Lake Restaurant to experience this fabulous sandwich in honor of one of Mono Counties' heroes. (Some locals even insist that the Hero Sandwich was also named after Billy; go figure!)


The song, "I Shot The Sheriff, I didn't Shoot the Deputy?" supposedly has its roots in the Convict Lake shootout! When the vigilantes took Morton and Brown to hang, they said anything and everything they could to save their rotten hides.

They kept pleading and whining that they were innocent. It is told that many years later when Bob Marley heard this story, it became his inspiration for this ageless song.

So you see, the name Convict Lake has some very deep roots in facts, and maybe even in a little fiction!

In cooperation with Inyo National Forest                

Pictures of Convict Lake Taken from Convict Lake Resort Web Site

Map of California and Convict Lake Area

 

Looking Down at lake

 Boat Marina

        

Boat Launch Ramp

 

 

Convict Lake Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing The Good News

You may remember some time ago, I asked for prayers for my cousin's son's girlfriend, Jill who had Ewing's Sarcoma in her spine.  I want to thank those of you who did remember Jill in your prayers and I want to share the following email from Jill and rejoice with her in her good news:

 

Dear Supporters,
 
It's hard to find the right words to use when it comes to thanking you all for your love and prayers towards me during these past few months.  So many people remark to me how strong and brave they believe I am, and while this is very uplifting, I attribute my strong will to those people who've never failed me during these times; you.  My only wishes for life are to be healthy enough to help those who cannot help themselves and to one day raise a family, and because of your prayers, and the prayers of others, my wishes are slowly but surely becoming a reality.  Thank you so much for all of your support and love, it is more appreciated than you could ever know!
 
All my appreciation,
 
Jill Hays.
 
P.S. This past month, I recieved CT Scan results, Bone Marrow Biopsy results, and Bone Scan results.  My CT scan was completely normal with the exception of one lesion in my lung (the doctors don't know if it's even cancerous, only time will tell), my Bone Marrow Biopsy showed no trace of cancer, an improvement from a previous number of 95% cancer, and my Bone Scan results were completely normal! Your prayers are working!  Please continue, and thank you so much!

What great news from Jill!!  We are so thrilled.  I thought you might like to see pictures that were taken a few weeks ago.  Since Jill and Steven (my cousin's son) weren't able to attend their high school prom, my cousin and a group of friends threw a prom for the kids.  The following are a few pictures from that special night:

  Steven and Jill (aren't they adorable???!!!)

  Jill and Steven

 The Prom Queen and her date.  What a fun night!

We are all so please to see Jill looking so well and we will continue our prayers that she continues to improve and heals completely.

Hey, I'm a Rockin' Girl!

I want to thank my friend over at Love for WildAutumn Rose for bestowing the Rockin' Girl Blogger award on me and my journal.  I'm so touched!

I've been reading her journal for a long time and I'm always so inspired, touched, and tickled by what she posts.  She finds and shares some real gems.

If you haven't experienced her wit and charm, stop by at:

http://journals.aol.com/wildautumn1/love-for-wildautumnrose/

Now, I am honored to pass on the Rockin' Girl Blogger award to five female bloggers who have touched me and whose journals I want to share with you:

1.  Jeannette at Jeannette's Jottings.  Jeannette is the sweetest lady.  In her journal is shares about her life in England with her wonderful husband, her daughter and her family which includes two adorable little boys, her pets and her brave fight against breast cancer.  She is remarkable!  http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/;jsessionid=B5304E56D8A33E41D431B4B9C31CA3FD

2.  Next is Jan from Serendipity.  She's another British lass who has a great sense of humor and enjoys sharing her life and adventures in her journal. http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeadie05/Serendipity/

3.  Next is Sandra from Sandra's Scribbles.  Her love of gardening and her adorable grandson make her journal a lot of fun to read. She also has some of the cutest graphics I've seen.  It's been so much fun to watch her 'little man' grow from baby to a little boy.   http://journals.aol.com/labdancer51/SandrasScribbles/

 4.  The first American journaler on my list is Linda from Washington State.  She and her adorable cat, Gabi keep track of the weather in the region, write about interesting local news and she goes on great vacations that she writes about and shows pictures of!  http://journals.aol.com/lsfp1960/LindasWorld/

5.  Last but not least is Rose at Everything is going to be all right. She and her family lead a fun and hectic life.  She has very cute grandsons that she writes about often.  She's raising teenagers so there are some good stories there, too.  LOL  Her life is all American!  http://journals.aol.com/rgossett4195/Everythingisgoingtobeallright

I want to add one more.  You know me, I'm a rebel and I'll never be any good........oh, those are lyrics from an old song...  Anyway, what the heck, huh?

I want to add Jae to the list.  Her journal is The Gag Order.  She writes directly from her heart.  She has a great sense of humor and I love how she just tells it like it is!  http://journals.aol.com/yakima127/the-gag-order/

There are a few other journals that have made a huge impact on me.  I think those women know who you are!!  I love you all so much.  You have been given the Rockin' Girl Award recently, which you royally deserve...  I wanted to spread the joy around to some who may not have  been crowned yet.  So y'all have been crowned Rockin' Girl Bloggers.  Now go out and write up a storm!!

I love you all. 

 

Here's the Deal

I haven't written much lately.  I've been withdrawn and quiet and feeling like I have my own personal black cloud hanging over my head.  Since my dad's death and the chance that my son and his family may move away, I've been dealing with a double dose of loss.  Intellectually I can deal with it all but my heart is having a hard time catching up with my head.

My 40th class reunion is coming up in early August. Besides being in SHOCK that I'm old enough to have graduated 40 years ago, getting reminders in the mail and checking the web site has has been fun but it has also brought back a lot of the crappy memories, too.  High school was so difficult for me.  I was a great student, always on the honor roll, but socially I was a misfit to say the least.  I was depressed and had a social anxiety disorder that kept me pretty locked up inside myself.  It wasn't unusual for  me to sit next to someone the entire school year and never even speak to them.  Miss Friendly ~ I was NOT.  LOL  I think I had a total of six friends and luckily for me they were wonderful girls who really stood by me and nurtured me.  I thank God for them to this day.  Thinking about how I felt back then has contributed to this funky feeling I'm sure.

Feelings of sadness, loss, loneliness and powerlessness have made me depressed.  Depression is nothing new to me.  I have had clinical depression (lack of seratonin (sp) in my brain) since I was around 10 or 11 years old.  Unfortunately, I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my 40's.  I went on Zoloft and then on Lexapro and my depression has  been managed with medication since.  I saw my doctor on Monday. We talked about how I was feeling and he increased my medication a little to see if it helps bring me out of this funk and levels me out again.

When I got up this morning, I swear I feel better already.  I don't think the increase in medication can be working that fast.  Maybe it's psychological ~ I'm doing something to feel better, so I do.  I don't care what it is, I'm just really glad I have a spring in my step and a smile on my face again.

I like living my life depression free and feeling 'normal'.  When that old black cloud starts hanging around above my head all of my insecurities and self-doubt comes back to haunt me.  It's so oppressive.  So while I wait for the meds to really kick in, I'm going to do my best to put one foot in front of the other and make the best of my day.

Hmmmm,  I just thought of an analogy:  When the depression lifts it's like taking off a heavy coat and feeling the cool air around you.  It's like freedom.  

Any hoot, that's where I am in this journey today.

Den and I are going camping with Bryan, Shannon and the kids.  They left today and we are leaving tomorrow.  We are going up in the Sierra Mountains where it supposed to be in the upper 60's during the day with scattered thunder storms and around 42 degrees at night.  We're taking our warm clothes and jackets.  We hope to do some fishing and lots of relaxing.  I know we won't be sleeping in.  We are sharing a trailer with them and the kids get up at 6:00 in the morning.  I told Dennis we will probably have 3 little bodies in bed with us every morning.  Lots of giggles and tickles.  Sounds fun to me.  We'll be back Sunday.

 

Let's Try That Again

Our Fourth of July celebration was great.  We spent it with family friends in a cooler, coastal community that allows fireworks.  Everyone brought their own meat to grill and then a dish to share with the group so there was enough food to feed an army.  The couple who hosted the party have two daughters, 5 and 3, so they rented one of those bounce houses (picture below).  The kids had SO much fun in that thing.  It was worth every dime they spent on it.  I don't think I saw it empty except when all the kids were eating dinner.

Speaking of the kids, there were 12 kids under the age of 8 playing from about 2:00 in the afternoon until after 10:00 at night when the fireworks ended and I tell you, I didn't hear even a tiny bit of unhappiness the entire day.  Those kids got along so well it was a joy to be around them.  The only tears that were shed came when two of the little boys knocked  heads in the bounce house.  They were properly hugged and given something cold to drink before dashing back for more. 

I'm posting pictures of the day...  I was going to post earlier and managed to get one picture in my entry, which by the way is of my son, Bryan and granddaughter, Megan.  I ran out of time and thought I had deleted that entry but, whoops, I didn't.  I imagine it looks sort of lost and alone with no explanation about the picture and no story to go along with it.

 My daughter, Cari and son, Bryan

 Nathan in the bounce house.

 Andrew ready to slide.

 Cari and Megan

 The kids on the jungle gym.  Megan is sliding down and Andrew is climbing up.

 Andrea and Bud - Our hosts for the day.

 A good shot of the bounce house.

 Mr. Smily Pants - Matthew at 3 1/2 months. 

 Another cute one of Matthew talking to me.

 All the little girls with a make up kit.

 Nathan giving grandma his best smile.

 Andrew going up the gym.  Look at those shorts!  Just cracked me up.

 Mission accomplished, now he's coming down.

 At night, waiting for the fireworks.  We had our chairs set up at the end of the driveway.

 Bryan and his friend, Mike would set the fireworks on the ladder and light them.  It made for a better view of the sparkle.

 More of the crowd. 

  One of the displays.  Wooooooo 

Well, that's pretty much a photo essay of our day.  We had a wonderful time with friends and family.  The perfect way to celebrate the Fourth of July!