Kathy's Birthday Celebration

These are the photo's from Kathy's Birthday Celebration. When photo's are added in edit format, it always puts them on top. So read below about all the folks who went with Tom to Palmetto's to honor Kathy's birthday and to help him celebrate in spite of his sorrow.
Here is Tom, Kristen and Nick. Such handsome people.
Diane and Nancy that night. I'm also in the photo, right behind the camera! Just picture it! As soon as Tom gets his photo's developed, I'll add one with me in the photo also. I hope it does not show all the drink glasses that we consumed that night... we did celebrate happyhour!

Photo of Ed and Tom. They had a place set up for us that accommodated the wheelchairs wonderfully!

Kat, Judy and Linda. Read below about these wonderful women.

Hi everyone !!!!
As I said about the baseball game in August...... "AWESOME, TOTALLY AWESOME" !!!!!!!!!!!!
Make that, "AWESOME, TOTALLY AWESOME II" !!!!!!!!!!
We went to Palomino's Restaurant on Thursday, October 4TH. It would've been Kathy's 51ST Birthday. Everything went sooooooo well all that day. To give you an idea of that day for me, and what I did that day,I was awake at 4am so I could go to a mass for my Dear Sweet Kathy.
The mass was not until 8am, but I got there early enough to be there in time. Anyway, I was able to nap a little while before meeting my friend Nick and going Downtown to meet everyone.

Everybody had an excellent time. I did not get anyone telling me other wise. I would like to Thank everyone who was able to attend the dinner. I was so happy that there was a a cross section of the different people I had invited. The part I enjoyed the most was the fact that it all worked out so well. I know that Kristin had a wonderful time. As did Kat, Judi, and Ed, who were there in part to celebrate the 30TH Anniversary of The Center for Independent Living Option's Inc. If I failed to do so that night, I would like to congratulate them on that Milestone, and to Thank them for all the many years of service and friendship.

I want to say Thanks to Kristin for being there. She is very special to me. I don't know what I'd do without her. I also want to Thank my Family members, Nancy, Marilyn, and Diane, for being there for me. And I'd like to tell Nick Thank You as well. I think it was so nice of everyone who came that night to rearrange their schedule's to be down there. Our friend Linda was there as well. She and Kathy turned into life long friends through out the short time I lived at Holister House, where Linda still lives. I know she misses Kathy almost as much as I do. I'm sorry that some others, who were coming that night and couldn't make it, missed out on such a wonderful celebration.

You ALL meant the world to Kathy, and STILL mean the world to me. The staff at Palomino's, were as always, SUPERB !!!!!!! Marlena was our waitress. She is such a sweetie. Her serving us really made the night even more special to me. As we were leaving, she told everyone else that she hoped to see them again. She then looked at me and said to me, "Well, I know YOU'LL be back!" One of the funniest things anyone said to me that night, is what Kristin said to me. She said, "Gee..... For a German guy, you sure eat a lot of Italian food."

As I've been telling folks, I have many Angels around me, I count everyone I invited to celebrate that night among the massive list of Angels I have, both in Heaven, and here on Earth. I can't think of anything else to say about that night. Marilyn will be adding the pictures from that night as soon as she can. Love and Peace to everyone.

Tom

Uodate on Tom

Hi all,
I just wanted to update whats been going on with me.
Well I went to the eye doctor, and got the eye exam.
Nancy asked me what the doctor said, I said, "He said you're blind and need glasses.", what else would he say.
The type of eye glasses I'm getting are bi-focals.
I don't know how they're going to work out, but I guess I'll get used to them. ( God, when did I get sooooo OLD !!!! )
I will be getting a different wheelchair to barrow. They were going to exchange chairs yesterday, but the controls were on the right side, I'm a lefty, but the guy couldn't get control off of the right side. Oh well !!!
This one is a different kind than the first two. It cracks me up.
I don't know yet when I am getting the new one, but I sure can't wait until I get it though.
I'm doing the art class, and going to meetings at ILO.
One of the things that LADD is helping me with is cooking on a stove, and NOT just in a microwive oven. Well, my Mother and Sister-in-Law brought over some cookware.
Anyway, in the box was a bottle of wine, it made me laugh.
Catch yall later
Tom

Kristin

Kristin is the young lady who is assisting me.
She, and the people she works for are a Godsend to me.
Since my wife's passing just three months ago, it seems like life is been limbo.
With that said, having Kristin in my life has helped in so many ways.
She has given me direction in my life.
I am doing a lot more things than I would have imagend.
I Thank God for sending her into my life everyday.
I am glad she will be around the next several months espicially on October 4th, and through the upcoming holiday's.
October 4th would have been my late wife Kathy's Birthday.
I can't say enough good things about Kristin.
I hope I can put both a picture of Kathy and also one of Kristin on this Blog.
I'll keep you updated.
Tom

Carrie's Birthday !!!!!!!

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to write this down while it is fresh in my mind.
Today, August 10th, is my neice Carrie's fifteenth Birthday.
As with a lot of things, it was the first on we had without Kathy there.
I was doing O.K., until she was opening her gifts and cards.
I didn't let on to anyone, but I was really missing Kathy at that time.
My Mother-in-Law had gotten a card for Carrie some time ago, and had put both of our names on it for us. Kathy had asked her to.
She had wrapped up a doll that played music, that Kathy must have bought somewhere. I have NO idea where she had got it.
Anyway, I didn't know about the doll until Joan told me when I got to her place. I'm not mad or anything, I just wish I knew ahead of time.
Well, at least things worked out tonight. We had a good time, and good food.
I am proud of Carrie, as I am of ALL my family members on both sides.
I have very smart and talanted people all around me.
Carrie plays in the Orchestra at Oak Hills High School.
I can see her doing great things in her life, as I see great things for her two brothers, and all the other nephews and neices, and great nephews and neices.
As I was telling Nanc today, ALL of the ones in our family who have children can be very proud of themselves by the way they've raised their children.
The one thing that I see that everybody has done is taught their children respect.
You don't see that in families that much these days.
Well, I'll end for now.
I'll post something agian soon.
Love to all,
Tom

Ball Game 8/7/2007

"AWSOME, TOTALLY AWSOME" !!!!!!!!!!!
For those whom may not get that reference, Jeff Spacolli said that in the movie, 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High'.
It is also the ONLY way I can discribe last night.
It was just pure magic.
Amy, if you get to read this, YOU ROCK !!!!!!!!!
It was a great night.
I am so glad that everybody had a really fun night.
I can't wait to see the pictures taken last night.
I hope the one with Michael wareing that Bronson Arroyo hat makes it onto this blog.
The funny thing is, Michael's own hair, and the hair hanging off the back of the hat are identical. I don't know if he will ware it again however, when Sue first saw him in it, she thought he was a girl.
Well, when he heard that, he took it right off.
I told him to relax, he didn't look like a girl. I think he was O.K. with it then. ( I hope)
I wish I could have stayed until the end of the game, but I had to be on a bus by 7:30 am the next day.
I'm also glad that everyone finally got to meet Nick. He is such a wonderful young man.
He can be a real card too.
Sometimes he'll do things like be on the phone, and be in the building standing in front of my door. He can be a nut.
He said he enjoyed meeting everyone.
I'm also glad that the Reds WON !!!
They've won two games in a row, both with shutouts. GO REDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank You all again for going to the game with me.
If anyone wants to go to some other ball game, or something, just contact me and let me know.
I'll leave another blog soon.
Tom