From Where I Sit...

Just Some Neat Stuff

2010-11-19T18:26:00.000-08:00

Where Have I Been?

2010-11-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

It's been almost a year since I last posted. I've simply been too lazy to think about anything significant enough to post. So I've recently decided that it doesn't have to be significant.

The Republicans just want a significant increase in House seats and will be in the majority again come January. Although they picked up seats in the Senate, the Democrats still have the majority. Hopefully, this will allow nothing to get done because it seems to me that the more the Government does, the worse things get.

Let it snow

2009-12-20T08:24:00.000-08:00

We got hit with a major snow storm yesterday. Looks like we got close to two feet of snow.

Mary Derry

2009-11-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

I just found out this afternoon that one of my cousins had died in a car accident. Mary was much younger than me and, unfortunately, I did not know her very well. Most of my memories of her are from my childhood. And, even then, I really don't remember a lot about her other than both she and her sister looked a lot like their father. However, I had the fortune of meeting her again some 10 or 12 years ago at another cousin's wedding. I found her to be an absolutely lovely young woman. She was beautiful, intelligent, and, in all ways, quite an impressive woman. I am feeling extremely sad that her life should be taken at such a young age. I really wish I had gotten to know her and her family better. I'm embarassed to say that I don't even know if she has any children. I know that her mother, my aunt, must be feeling like her soul has been ripped from her chest. Unfortunately, I have experienced this pain. Joan, there is nothing I can say or do that will take the hurt away. I am so very sorry for your loss.

Goodbye Shadow

2009-11-27T16:09:00.001-08:00

We had to put Shadow down today. His quality of life has been sliding downhill for quite some time now. It was a very difficult decision to make, but we know it was the right thing to do. We will miss him very much. He came to us somewhere around Jennifer's 15th birthday. He has survived not only our kids but our grandkids as well. What a wonderful dog. We love you Shadow.

US Marine Corps

2009-11-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

Happy 234th birthday Marine Corps

We are all Soldiers today

2009-11-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

The events at Ft Hood today are horrific and shocking. My heart goes out to all of those who are personally affected by this shooting. Apparently the shooter was Army Major Malik Nadal Hasan.

More info can be found here.

The Shootout in Hell

2009-06-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from the Shootout. I had a lot of fun and it wasn't nearly as hot as it could have been. My golf game was okay. I had a couple of good rounds and one mediocre round. (I may be giving myself more credit than I should calling the last round mediocre.)

I stopped by to see Mike on the trip. He looked pretty much the same as the last time I saw him...skin and bones, but he didn't seem to be showing any abnormal effects from the chemotherapy.

I made a couple of stops at the gravesite and put some flowers on it each time. It has been over four years now and I still miss them all so very much. I prefer the solitude of visiting them by myself. I guess because I'm really such a private person.

The grandkids come for a visit

2009-06-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday night and the four grandkids have been here since early Friday morning. I think Jude's about ready to send them back home. It's taking a bit of an effort to get used to having so many people in the house, especially little ones. And, on top of that, the weather has been very hot and humid for the past week or two. It has been quite nice today, but that doesn't seem to be sinking in. It's actually cooler outside than it is inside, but the air conditioner is still running. I can't wait to see this month's bill.

We'll get through this and hopefully will have some fun with the kids. I think the best bet at this point is to get them out of the house doing something. There was a plan to go to the amusement park, but that seems to be falling apart.

Here's a picture of the little angels.

Jennifer's Website

2009-06-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Jennifer has a website that shows some of her photography. She has some very nice pictures posted there. I'd recommend that she remove some of the ones with the "less than photogenic" people, like me. Her site is - http://www.jennwolfe.smugmug.com/.

Check it out.

Abigail Wolfe

2009-05-28T17:43:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of our beautiful grandaughter. Well, all of our grandaughters are beautiful, Abigail is just our latest beautiful grandaughter. And, yes, she is the most beautiful baby out there. No arguments.

June Trip to Southern California

2009-05-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

I'll be heading to California on June 6th. First, I'm going to Camarillo to visit Willie, Rarit, and Richard. Then I'll be going to Victorville to visit Mike and finally I'll be driving over to Palm Desert for some golf. On June 10th I'll be heading back to Camarillo to visit Willie, Rarit, and Richard. I'm hoping to see Mary Jane and Bob while I'm there. Then it's up to San Francisco to fly back with all the grandkids.

Itinerary for trip to California:

Jun 6 / 6:02: Dep IAD for LAX

Jun 6: Camarillo - visit gravesite
Jun 6: Drive to Victorville / Comfort Suites
Jun 7: Drive to Palm Desert / Stay at Don's
Jun 10: Drive to Camarillo / Comfort Inn
Jun 11: / 6:09 Dep LAX for SFO
Jun 11: / 10:26 Dep SFO for IAD
Jun 12: / 8:35 Arr IAD

Still Not Quite There

2009-05-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Well, this past weekend was a real roller coaster. 78 on Saturday, 79 on Sunday, and then 73 on Monday from the back tees. Monday was good. I was striking the ball well and even my putting was improved. Probably need a couple of days of practice this week to prepare for this coming weekend tournament.

My Game Might be Improving

2009-05-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

I am seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully it isn't a train coming at me. I shot a 74 at Heron Ridge on Saturday. I hit the ball pretty well off the tee and hit some good iron shots. If I could have made any putts, I would have been under par. Let's hope this is the sign of my game turning around.

Abigail Einen Wolfe

2009-05-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

Our newest grand-daughter was born this morning...somewhere between 11:00 - 11:30. Her name is Abigail. I got to hold her for a few minutes and she is absolutely adorable. She seemed to be in a particularly good mood for a newbie. Pictures will be coming soon.

Anita Miller

2009-05-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is a simply amazing story. What a truly remarkable and wonderful woman. I'm sure there is a place in heaven for her.

My Game Sucks

2009-04-29T04:51:00.001-07:00

Perhaps it is from just getting old, perhaps is has to do with trying to get my swing back from my shoulder problems, or perhaps it is just one of those things but, whatever it is, my golf game sucks at the moment.

Finger Snapping

2009-04-29T04:48:00.000-07:00

I find it extremely rude when people snap their fingers at me. It is not something that adults should do to one another. It is demeaning. Please don't do it.

Where have I been?

2009-04-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I posted anything. Much has happened in the last year or so. Jennifer and Josh moved in with us in December. Jude has been traveling back and forth between here and Florida attending to her mom and dad's health issues. Jessica just moved back in with us a couple of weeks ago. Jennifer is having a baby in May. So, we're going to have a house full again real soon. My shoulders have been bothering me the last year. I've now had chortizone shots in each of them and am undergoing physical therapy. I'm hoping this will bring back my golf game.

Two-year Anniversary

2007-04-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the 2-year anniversary of the loss of my son, Willie, my daughter-in-law, Rarit, and my grandson, Richard. I miss them all so very much. Thankfully, Nicole is still with us and keeps her dad, mom, and brother in our thoughts. Nicole is the cute one on the left. The cute one on the right is her cousin, Rachel. They are both so adorable.

Fired Up Again

2007-04-18T04:43:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post this again since it seems to apply more today then it did when I first posted it. In my opinion, too many people think like Mr. Vincent.

Fired Up

I rarely get so fired up that I respond in writing to some of the "idiots" of this world. However, today I got fired up. I received an email suggesting that everyone wear red on Fridays to show support for the troops. I get things like this all the time and, for the most part, ignore them. However, one of the other people who this email was sent to felt the need to reply. I will post this fellow's reply and then my response to him below.First, the reply that set me off -

To All:

"Support our troops" - a deceitful SLOGAN - created by the same very organized MONSTERS who are waging the immoral war in Iraq. And they bolster their slogan with well crafted cliches, designed to raise emotion such that they can short-circuit thought: - slient majority- love for God and country- the boisterous "liberal"- solidarity, dignity, and respect- "red-blooded" Americans!- a home coming football game [who are they appealing to here? This is not a game people! what is going on is death and destruction, and maiming, and suffering!]Those that began this war used skillfull contrivances to generate support, and they continue in attempts to have us say that we want them to do it! What is going on is HORRIFIC!!! Please don't help their effort to continue war.

Sincerely,
John Vincent

And, now here's my response -

John,

You could not be more wrong. There is nothing deceitful about wanting to support the American troops who are serving our country. There is nothing immoral about wanting to eliminate an organization who has vowed to destroy us and our way of life. You may not believe that the former Iraqi leadership had this in mind, but you are wrong. You may not believe that they had been supporting terrorist organizations against our country, but you are wrong. You may not believe that they ever had caches or biological and chemical weapons which could have, and would have, been used against us, but you are wrong.

Can I assume that the "monsters" you refer to are the animals who capture innocent civilians and video tape their beheading? Can I assume that the "monsters" you refer to are the people who drive a van up to a group of men looking for work and then detonate a bomb, causing untold amounts of death, destruction, maiming, and suffering. Yes, they are monsters and it is those very people who our troops are trying to keep from coming here to carryout those monsterous acts. Yet, you believe that those running our country are monsters. You believe our country's leadership is the source of evil in this world.

You disgust me. Not because you believe this war is immoral and unjust, but because you, and so many others like you, continue to reap the benefits that this great country has to offer while at the same time blaming us for all the evil in this world. It is the likes of you that emboldens the terrorists to continue their attacks on us. Through you they see weakness and through weakness they see success.

You are right about one thing. War is horrific. However, flying two commerical airliners into the World Trade Center is horrific. Flying a commercial airliner into the Pentagon is horrific. Driving a bomb-laden truck into a barracks full of U.S. Marines is horrific. Defending our country againstsuch actions is not horrific. It is what we must do. And to show support for those who will defend our country is what I will proudly do.

We was robbed

2006-11-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

The Republicans really took it on the chin yesterday. Lost both houses of congress. Along with some weak links, some very good people got tossed on their cans as well. It's probably just as well, since the Republicans were governing much like the democrats anyway...spending out the waazu and doing very little to curb the illegal immigration problem.

I see no obvious leader for the Republican party. We need someone who can articulate a conservative agenda, someone who isn't afraid to stand up to the leftists in the democrat party and the MSM, and someone who had the communications skills to defend his agenda. Dubya certainly hasn't been that person. His speach to the Nation shortly after 9/11 was the only time he seemed to be able to pull things together. Although I'm sure he's a smart guy, he really does come across as somewhat dimwitted. John McCain is not the guy. He's way to "moderate" for any conservative leaning person. He is a bit more articulate than Dubya, but I believe he's prone to coming unglued when really pressed. A little of that is good, but I think he's a bit much. Not sure about Mitt Rommey. He might be good, but his Mormon background will certainly be used against him.

I believe the party needs to move to the right. That seems to be what works well.

I'm Back

2006-11-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, although there's been a lot going on. I've changed jobs twice this year...not sure how long this one will last either. I don't really have a lot to do at the moment.

As you can see, I bought a new truck. We gave the Grand Prix to Jonathan, so I had to get a truck.

The Daily Grind

2006-06-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

I'm somewhat conflicted with the new job. On the one-hand, it can be fun and involve things that I've done in the past. On the otherhand, Steve Chill can be very difficult to work with. I suspect he's overworked and thus misses some of the importance of some issues. Perhaps I should try to pursue something less stressful. Maybe I should spend more time with the blog. I'll think about it.

Almost a year

2006-04-15T03:58:00.000-07:00

It has almost been 1 year since Willie, Rarit, and Richard died. Jonathan and I viewed the DVD of the funeral service yesterday. It was like it had just happened. I am sure the pain will never go away. I still think about them everyday, especially when I'm in the car.

I wish I had planned things better. I really wanted to go visit the grave site on the 17th. I need to plan a trip there soon. Perhaps I'll make a detour through Camarillo on my next trip to CA.

I miss them so much.

Back online

2006-03-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

I'm back. It's been quite awhile since my last post. I'm now settled in Virginia.

Another Sad Day

2005-10-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

I went to Camarillo this past weekend to visit the cemetary. They had finally got the grave marker in place, so I wanted to see how it looked. Although it looked nice, I discovered that they had Rarit's birth date wrong. Jude called them and they agreed that they would correct the mistake. That will probably take a couple of months.

It was very difficult for me to visit the grave site. I miss them all so much and feel so absolutely lost and empty with them gone. This is the worst feeling that anyone could possibly have. I love them so much. They were such wonderful people.

Just another day in the park

2005-10-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

You talk about feast or famine. I go along for months without hearing anything serious from anyone, then all of a sudden the phone is ringing off the hook, so to speak. I've heard from 4 different folks in the last couple of weeks regarding potential opportunities. It seems like as soon as the Xetron thing dried up, then several other things popped up. The most promising looks to be a position with EDO Corporation supporting the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. I'm not sure how they ever became aware of me, but somehow they did and we've been talking. While visiting them, I met with an old friend and he indicates that he might have something for me. Then today I get a call from a guy regarding a position with Sierra Nevada Corp. I'm not sure if this position is here or in Sparks, NV. And finally, I get an email from another recruiter checking to see if I'm still in the market. This guy and the guy representing SNC apparently know each other.

So, we'll see what happens. I've been through this a few times, enough to realize that nothing is final until the fat lady signs an offer letter.

Fired Up

2005-09-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

I rarely get so fired up that I respond in writing to some of the "idiots" of this world. However, today I got fired up. I received an email suggesting that everyone wear red on Fridays to show support for the troops. I get things like this all the time and, for the most part, ignore them. However, one of the other people who this email was sent to felt the need to reply. I will post this fellow's reply and then my response to him below.

First, the reply that set me off -

To All:
"Support our troops" - a deceitful SLOGAN - created by the same very organized MONSTERS who are waging the immoral war in Iraq. And they bolster their slogan with well crafted cliches, designed to raise emotion such that they can short-circuit thought:
- slient majority
- love for God and country
- the boisterous "liberal"
- solidarity, dignity, and respect
- "red-blooded" Americans!
- a home coming football game
[who are they appealing to here? This is not a game people! what is going on is death and destruction, and maiming, and suffering!]

Those that began this war used skillfull contrivances to generate support, and they continue in attempts to have us say that we want them to do it! What is going on is HORRIFIC!!! Please don't help their effort to continue war.

Sincerely,
John Vincent

And, now here's my response -

John,

You could not be more wrong. There is nothing deceitful about wanting to support the American troops who are serving our country. There is nothing immoral about wanting to eliminate an organization who has vowed to destroy us and our way of life. You may not believe that the former Iraqi leadership had this in mind, but you are wrong. You may not believe that they had been supporting terrorist organizations against our country, but you are wrong. You may not believe that they ever had caches or biological and chemical weapons which could have, and would have, been used against us, but you are wrong.
Can I assume that the "monsters" you refer to are the animals who capture innocent civilians and video tape their beheading? Can I assume that the "monsters" you refer to are the people who drive a van up to a group of men looking for work and then detonate a bomb, causing untold amounts of death, destruction, maiming, and suffering. Yes, they are monsters and it is those very people who our troops are trying to keep from coming here to carryout those monsterous acts. Yet, you believe that those running our country are monsters. You believe our country's leadership is the source of evil in this world.
You disgust me. Not because you believe this war is immoral and unjust, but because you, and so many others like you, continue to reap the benefits that this great country has to offer while at the same time blaming us for all the evil in this world. It is the likes of you that emboldens the terrorists to continue their attacks on us. Through you they see weakness and through weakness they see success.
You are right about one thing. War is horrific. However, flying two commerical airliners into the World Trade Center is horrific. Flying a commercial airliner into the Pentagon is horrific. Driving a bomb-laden truck into a barracks full of U.S. Marines is horrific. Defending our country against
such actions is not horrific. It is what we must do. And to show support for those who will defend our country is what I will proudly do.

September 9th

2005-09-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Today is Richard's birthday. I believe he would have been 8. I should know for sure. Although he is gone, I see his smiling face around our house everyday in Nicole's smile. They are so much alike. I miss you, Richard.

Failed Response

2005-09-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal has published an excellent article on the failure of the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana to fulfill their duties regarding Hurricane Katrina. I doubt that you will see the Democratic leadership nor the MSM point out these failures.

The Welfare State

2005-09-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

This article from the Intellectual Activist states, in much better terms, the point I was making in my previous posting. I think he's hit the nail on the head.

New Orleans

2005-09-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Depending on what you read and what you believe, things could be a real mess in New Orleans. The city is full of poor, ignorant people who don't know what to do. They are standing around, wandering around, waiting for the "government" to tell them what to do. And, they're mad because there isn't someone from the government standing on every street corner providing them with guidance and direction. How is it that we've gotten to a point in this country where people cannot think on their own and cannot muster the wherewithall to take care of themselves? My understanding is that on the other side of the broken levee (around Metarie) the land is dry and thus there is probably clean drinking water, showers, etc. It must be like you would imagine life after a nuclear attack. No order. Complete chaos and lawlessness.

Vacation?

2005-08-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

I returned from a week out of state last Tuesday. Although a good portion of the time was supposed to be a vacation, it seemed anything but. I wanted to have the entire time to do whatever, but people wanted to set schedules, etc. I did enjoy a nice round of golf at Wetherington CC. I tied my career low round with a 67...not bad for a course I've never seen. I was very disappointed in the hotels that we stayed at. Although they were supposed to be 3 - 3.5 stars, I didn't care for them. I was especially disappointed in the Cleveland Airport Marriott. I was hoping to see a lot more houses in the Cincinnati area, but only got to spend a few hours on Sunday looking. I didn't have a good idea of where the open houses were, so it turned out to be a lot of wasted time. Next time, I've got to go by myself and schedule a lot more golf.

Losing It

2005-08-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Things are really starting to get to me. Perhaps it's because we have a house full of people and there are so many competing demands. Perhaps it's the stress of dealing with the loss of Willie, Rarit, and Richard. Perhaps it's the uncertainty of Recom's future. But, whatever the reason, I'm finding it more and more difficult to deal with the constant and continuous problems that come up. I'm simply getting tired of hearing nothing but complaining, whether it's Sean computer-playing or Jennifer's rearranging the house, or Jessica's dental problems. I am going to have to the computer away from Sean forever. I just called Sean and let him know. Of course, he's not happy. But, I don't care. It's become the source of too much frustration to allow him to continue to live on it.

I need some serious time away from the house, family, and work.

I miss you, Willie

2005-08-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

I am really feeling bad today. It just came on me all of a sudden. I was reading about a man who went to Camp Lejeune to welcome his son's battalion home. He son was in that battalion but had been killed in Iraq. The article talked of the Marines coming up to this man one at a time and expressing their thoughts about his son. It reminded me so much of Willie's funeral. I haven't cried like this for a couple of months.

I miss you, Willie.

Is the State Culpable

2005-08-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

About a month after the traffic accident, I went to the scene to better understand how the accident might have occurred. The accident report from the Highway Patrol didn't give me the understanding that I needed.

Sean and I drove the route that Rarit would have been driving. We were entering the Northbound I-5 ramp at about 5:15 which would have been two hours earlier than when Rarit would have entered. The sun was directly above the sun visor and directly on line with the direction I was heading into the on-ramp. I saw no sign indicating that the on-ramp was about to make a sharp right-hand turn. I saw no speed limit sign.

It was very easy to see what might have happened. Rarit entered the northbound on-ramp from west-bound Magic Mountain Parkway. She was probably traveling at 40-50 mph when she entered the on-ramp. The ramp was really just a slight right-hand veer from Magic Mountain Parkway. About 100 yards (or less) into the on-ramp, the road turns sharply (80-90 degrees) to the right. Rarit would not have seen this if she were struggling with the sun in her eyes. And, since she had not driven this route before would not have known that the road would be turning. When she realized that the road was turning she obviously turned hard to the right in order to avoid going over a slight bern and directly onto I-5. When she made the hard right-hand turn, she turned too far and now faced a concrete barrier that she then had to make a hard left-hand turn to avoid. This then put her back in the same direction as before which was almost perpendicular to the freeway. However, at this point she was right on the left hand side of the freeway. And unfortunately, there was no time for her to stop before entering into the traffice lanes.

It seems to me that the design and layout of this on-ramp was the primary cause of the accident. Yes, if Rarit had been driving slower she might have been able to stop short of the freeway. However, I didn't see anything at this on-ramp that would have made her think that she needed to be traveling less than 30 mph. There was no warning that the on-ramp had a sharp turn on it.

I wonder who I should talk to, to see if there is anything I can do to prevent this from happening again. I wonder if it has happened in the past.

This is me

2005-07-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken a couple years ago after I won the club championship with the Roseville Golf Club. Do I look like a stick???

I Will Not Give My Blessing

2005-07-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

For the past three months I have been struggling with whether or not I should continue to give the Mormon church my support. With a son currently on a mission and another son getting ready to come of age, it is a problem that I need to come to grips with.

When Willie, Rarit, and Richard passed away, Jonathan did not leave his mission to come home to their funeral. His first response to me when I asked him if he was coming home, was that "they don't like us to leave our mission". Although I can certainly understand the need to stay focused on the task at hand, it would seem to me that under circumstances such as these, the church would not only "allow" a missionary to come home, but would encourage it. Or, indeed, should demand that they go home and be with their family. The deaths of three close family members is not an insignificant matter. The fact that the church would leave it to the individual missionary to decide, with an implicit (or perhaps explicit) message that he should not interrupt his mission, is simply beyond belief to me. The message that this sends is that one's family is less important than the business of proselytizing. If this is indeed the opinion of the Mormon church, then I shall have nothing to do with it anymore.

I am not going to hold it against Jonathan for not returning home for the funerals. I wish that he had made a different decision and I believe, in time, he will wish that he had chosen to attend the funerals, as well. However, as a young missionary who is fully enveloped in the spirit of his calling, he needs to rely on the sage advice of his church leaders. In this case, they failed him.

At the moment, I don't recall if I will be asked for my concurrence for Sean going on his mission. I simply don't remember if that was something that I was asked to agree to with Willie or Jonathan. I believe that I was asked for my concurrence, at least for Willie. However, I will not give them my blessing for Sean. I don't see how I can support an organization who would not insist on a child returning home to attend the funeral of his brother and his brother's family.

Dukes of Hazzard

2005-07-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

Cooter may not think much of the Dukes of Hazzard movie, but this will certainly get some people to go see it.

Settling Accounts

2005-07-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

I paid three of Willie and Rarit's bills today. Two to USAA and one to Cox Cable. Fortunately, they didn't have many outstanding debts. However, the biggest one is with Chase Visa. I've called them three times and was told today that they have notes of my previous calls and that I should simply wait until I hear from their legal department. Willie's estate will not have enough money to fully pay this debt, so I'm sure that I will have to negotiate something with them.

Nicole continues to do well. She talks about her mom, dad, and brother on ocassion. It's obvious that she misses them and that she has very good, positive memories of them.

The Worst Day of My Life - April 18, 2005

2005-07-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

I wrote these thoughts on Monday, April 18, 2005. Today is Monday July 18, 2005. These still represent my feelings.

We have just experienced the worst possible day in any parent's life. At 5:30 this morning we were informed that our son, Willie, his wife, Rarit, and their son, Richard had died in a car accident yesterday evening. Their daughter, Nicole was airlifted to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles and, although injured, appears to be doing okay. They were on vacation and were on their way to visit our daughter, Heather and her family. Heather and her husband, Gene, spent the day with Nicole at the hospital. And, after they go home to clean up and check on their kids, will be back to spend the night with her, as well. Of course, Nicole does not have any idea what has happened. That will have to come later.

I guess life has just been too good to us. We have a raised a beautiful family with wonderful, loving, caring, kids. They, in turn, have also had loving, caring, and sweet children. We have tried to shelter our children from many of the evils that exist in this world. They have also been sheltered from the grief and heartache of losing a close, loved-one. That is, up until now.

Three of our kids, including Willie, took two years out of their lives to serve their Lord on a church mission. In addition to that, Willie has dedicated his adult life to serving our country in the Marines. I can't believe that this is what He had in mind for payback. As you may know, I am not a particularly religious person. There will be those who will try to spin this tragedy into a positive light for the cause of religion. Not me. To me, this is further proof that such a being does not exist. Because, if such a loving and benevolent being existed, then He could not possibly take away the parents and brother of a sweet, innocent 5-year old child. Only a monster would do that. And, please, do not try to convince me otherwise. I simply will not believe it. Nor, do I choose to try to believe it. I am content with my discontent.

Willie and Heather were close in age and have children who are also close in age. Willie and Rarit had two children, Richard (7) and Nicole (5). Heather has three children, Rebecca (8), Rachel (5), and Micah (2). The live only a couple of hours apart and enjoyed visiting with each other. In fact, just three weeks ago Judy, Sean, Jessica, and I just spent a couple of days at Heather's and a couple of days at Willie's. We went to southern California to visit them during spring break, which was the end of March. And, the day after we left, Heather and her children drove down to Camp Pendleton to visit Willie, Rarit and the kids. They all loved to be with one another. The kids truly enjoyed playing together.

Willie and Rarit were going to leave the kids with Heather for a couple of days while they took a vacation to Catalina. That was their reason for the trip to Heather’s. Everyone was terribly excited, especially the kids. Richard and Nicole were always two of the happiest children I've ever seen. Richard seemed to sleep with a smile on his face but, you’d have to give Nicole a couple of hours to wake up before the sun shined brightly on her face. They were always particularly happy to see Grandma, Grandpa, and their aunts and uncles. They are adorable children who would bring a smile to anyone's face. I’ve never seen any children so happy, full of life, and full of energy…perhaps a bit too much energy for Grandma and Grandpa. Obviously, their mother and father gave them a lot of love and spent a lot of time with them.How can all of this being taken away in an instant? How can a family who has given so much of themselves to their church and country be taken away like they were? How can a little child who could not help but be happy and who always brought a smile to my face be taken away at such a young age? It isn’t fair. Of course it isn't fair. And, I will never get over it. Hopefully, I will be able to continue with my existence; go to work; provide for the rest of my family. It will be very, very difficult. But, hopefully I can do it. But how can I wake up each morning knowing that I will never again see the smile and hear the laughter of little Richard? How can I wake up each day knowing that I will never again hear my first son, Willie, say 'I love you, Dad'? And, how can I wake up knowing that I will never again see the pride and loving eyes of my daughter, Rarit, as she watches her children get excited about seeing Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Jennifer, Uncle Jonathan, Uncle Sean, and Aunt Jessica? Please help me, because I don’t know how I can wake up knowing that this has been taken from us.

Wearing Me Down

2005-07-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

I may have reached the point where I can no longer continue to accept the vile and accusations that spew forth. I spend considerable time studying, researching, and analyzing matters to no avail. Because one does not take the time and effort to understand, they attribute intentions and attitudes that don't exist. And, I simply no longer have the patience to explain over and over again. Perhaps I should have the patience, but I'm afraid it has gone and I don't know where to find it. You cannot force comprehension. Yet I continue to fall into the trap of trying. I continue to believe that I can recapture days gone by when there was civility and understanding. They just don't exist any longer. There is no hope. I shall have to take my leave.

Iraq - Al Qaeda Connection

2005-07-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Don't, for one moment, believe that there was not a significant and active connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda. http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/cRosett/?id=110006953

The connection will become more apparent as time goes by. Of course, those who don't believe will simply ignore the evidence or dimiss it as right wing rhetoric.

July 13th

2005-07-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today's going to be a hot, hot day in the Sacramento area. I've heard it could get as high as 107 today. That's hot.

It's been nearly 3 months since the car accident. Nicole seems to be adjusting to her new family quite nicely. She is such a sweet and lovely child, just like her brother was. It is not getting any easier. I still think about Willie, Rarit, and Richard a lot. It still does not seem real. We received a letter from one of Willie's friends last week. He was very torn up about the news and wrote a letter for us to give to Nicole. In the letter, he talks about what a great guy Willie was. We have received several very nice letters from friends of Willie and Rarit. It is very obvious that they made a terrific impression on a lot of people. I am so proud of both of them. I miss them so much.

2005-07-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

Here I am. The uploading of images works from my home PC but not from my PC at work. Go figure.

Our Prayers are with you

2005-07-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

To all Londoners... our thoughts and prayers are with you. We must stop this evil and we must never forget that it is they who are responsible for this, not us.

Military Death Gratuity and SGLI

2005-07-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

Recent changes to the Death Gratuity benefit and SGLI have increased the amounts given to the families of active duty servicemen killed in combat. These same increases do not apply to those killed in non-combat-related areas. I think this is unfortunate. It creates a "class" system that it not appropriate.

This article does a good job of putting this into perspective.

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Philpott_070605,00.html

2005-07-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

Nicole

Posting Pictures

2005-07-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm not smart enough to figure out how to post images on my blog. The instructions seem pretty simple and I believe I have followed them correctly. But, I'm not seeing a picture. However, I will continue to try.

Hello World

2005-07-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

Well, hello out there. This is my first attempt at blogging. I'm not sure whether I'll want to keep up with it, but I thought I had to give it a shot. What the heck...it seems like everyone is doing it.

I have no idea whether I will have a theme to my blogs. I'm interesting in a few areas including politics, business, and sports. I guess we'll just have to wait and see where this leads. In the mean time, we'll just kick back and see what random thoughts occur.

Perhaps a little information about me might help point things in a certain way. I'm a husband, father of 6, a retired Marine Corps officer, vice president of an IT services company, and a weekend golfer. Actually, I play golf more than just on the weekends. I ocassionally will take a day off from work to play golf. Or is that the other way around. At any rate, I do both.