The Bannerman Island Investigation

Well, the investigation was as interesting and exciting as promised! We got to Newburgh around 430pm. We had to wait for the harbormaster (George) so we had a bite to eat at a great New Orlean's type bistro. I had chicken and chorizo gumbo over rice..Mmm-mmm good! We got on the (overloaded) boat around 545pm and headed to the island. Boy, was she beautiful! There are 67 stairs up to the main walk way. Whew..we were all out of breath!

What a great investigation! Ali and I just wanted to pitch a tent and stay for the night! I cannot go in to details about the invest but as soon as the invest is posted on the TSPR website, I'll let you know!

It was a WAY COOL place! And I had a WAY COOL time. Oh, and the boat that was coming back to get us after he dropped off the film crew..well...the propeller broke! For a few moments we thought our wish to stay overnight on the island would come true!! But he made it back to us and we were safely back on land at 10pm.

Anyway...a great fantastic WAY COOL time was had by all!!

For my bestfriend, Darlene

Let me preface this entry by saying that I have been a terrible friend...I totally forgot Dar's 40th birthday. For that, I am truly sorry. I have been so wrapped up in my "hobby", work, family and Church (not necessarily in that order) that I forgot. (Note to self: Stop being so self-centered BIOTCH!)

Let me tell you about Dar...Dar doesn't cry...but I made her cry!! (Gold star on my chart! LOL) Dar busted into tears when I surprised her by going down to her home in FL..she had no idea that I was coming! "Boo" was down there visiting/on vacation and I decided to fly down 5 days before Boo was leaving to come home so that she didn't have to fly alone. Dar had NO IDEA..A few days before I left we were discussing weekend plans over the phone and I metioned that I was going to visit my girlfriend down South..Well, she had NO IDEA how far South I was going! It was a great moment!! She looked at me for a minute, burst into tears and cursed me as she ran from the room! Too funny!

Dar was Cheryl's (my sister) friend long before I became friends with her. One day Chryl told Dar to call me and ask if one of my girls could babysit for her. Sure they can! I knew her, not well..but I knew her.Besides, she lived a mile from my house so it was convenient. Well, I'd go and pick up whichever child was babysitting for her (Ray in the beginning, Boo later on) and sit with a cup of tea and chat. We became fast friends. To make a (VERY) long story short, we became very close and to this day my sister INSISTS that I stole Dar from her. Not the case, but I'm done pleading it.

Dar is NOT like me. She is very cut and dry. She makes a decison and sticks with it. She knows what she wants and she goes after it. She is self-reliant and self-sufficient. She is independant. She is brave. When I'm in her company (which I haven't been in for over a year now) we laugh like crazy! We had a water fight at her house in FL that will go down in history! I LITERALLY peed myself! (Yeah..I know..TOO much information!) Dar tells it like it is...shoots straight from the hip. She will tell you the way she sees it and if possible, offers a solution. She doesn't back down to a fight. She satnds up for what she believes in. She is STRONG.

Since this is about Dar and not me, I won't share the parts of her that are like me. No, this is about my best friend Dar.

She has been a friend thru and thru. She truly cares about my children. She likes my husband. (Ok...maybe TOO much..I'll save this one point for another catty entry! LOL!!) She loves me. I can count on her. When you look up "best-friend" in the dictionary, there is a picture of Dar. (Waaaayyyy over the top but in my dictionary, she's there!!)

Anyway...

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTEST FRIEND, DARLENE! I HOPE THAT THE COMING YEAR IS FILLED WITH JOY, HAPPINESS, MONEY AND A HUNKY MAN!!

Thanks for always being there for me Dar..it's been a long hard row the past several years but you always paddled it with me...

Now go dry your eyes, Dar...Love ya, miss ya...Ciao moomama!

Odds and ends..

First, let me spread the good news by announcing that CHOY from "A Life With A Million Smiles" journal is BACK!! His new journal is "A Life With A Million Smiles:A New Beginning". Please stop by and welcome him back to j-land, won't you? He writes with such enthusiam and gusto...what a great perspective on life this guy has! WELCOME BACK CHOY! Now, how's that for "pimping"?! LOL!

I've been doing really well with my "eating better" (not even eating right, just better!) plan. I've cut out most fat from my diet but I'll have butter-blend on my potato (because alternatives plain suck..sorry)..sorry, this girls loves her some butter! I've avoided sweets, fried foods, chips, snacks etc. I've added more fresh fruit and fruit juices in place of sweets. And I'm telling ya, if you close your eyes really tight, prunes really DO taste like candy! (No, really..they do. I'm a HUGE prune fan, and not for the obvious reasons...I just really like the taste of 'em.) I've also replaces potato chips with Terra Chips, a slightly healthier version of chips. And tasty!! (My personal favorites are the sweet potato chips.) Ok, so I'm trying. I'm quietly lowering my cholesterol by eating handfuls of Cheerios (dry, no milk)for breakfast. Now, of I could just find the time (energy, motivation, etc) to start exercising. I figure that I should start slowly, like walking. I walk at a fairly rapid pace (trust me..only Ray can keep up with me..the rest complain that I need to slow down) so this should be a real good start. Then once I build up some sort of tolerance for exercise and the weather turns colder, I'll head to the gym (that we've been paying for for 2 years and I've only gone 3 times). Anyway, I do look a bit thinner and I fit into a pair of jeans that was giving me a hard time a few weeks ago, so it's all good.

Jackie was in the hospital again this week...a virus she picked up from the other kids. In and out in 4 days. She really needs to start taking better care of herself and her diabetes. It's so frustrating to watch a "grown child" (and that's what she is...a 22 year old child) have such little regard for her health and well-being.

Tonight I have my first cemetary investigation. Should be interesting. It's just that it's quite a way from my house. I'll drive up to Jersey City and then Ali will drive the rest of the way. Long day/night ahead of me. Only 5 more days til the BIG INVESTIGATION!! We don't really know too much about what's going to happen but the 2 stars from "Dead Famous" are supposed to be there with their TV crew and their own paranormal research team. God, I pray that they bring bathroom facilities with them...even a porta potty will be fine. 6 hours on a deserted (and supposedly haunted) island with no bathroom facilities..no way. Especially if the "ghosts" scare the piss out of us! (Sorry..couldn't resist!) I really hope that we don't get "punk'd"...anyone know the whereabouts of Ashton Kutcher?! Just asking..

Well...I'm gonna close for now and get some house stuff done before I leave..Everyone enjoy the rest of their weekend..Peace!

 

Wish these two well, won't you?!

Brian and Kathleen are getting married this Sunday in Vegas. They leave in the morning. If you get a chance, please stop by their journals and wish them the best. They've been thru a lot lately...

My First paranormal investigation!!

Sunday night I did my very first paranormal investigation!! We went to The Virginia Tavern in Jersey City, NJ. When you go to the link, you can clearly see a picture of me (staring at a monitor with my back to the camera) with an orb on my shoulder!! The owner of the bar took the pictures. The experience was fun. People ask me if I'm scared or nervous when I'm doing this. The answer is NO. I'm more excited than nervous or scared.

Next week we're doing a cemetary investigation. That should be really cool! The week after that is the Bannerman Island investigation with the crew of  "Dead Famous", a show that is aired in England. We've been told that we'll be there from 330pm til at least 9pm! I'm actually more excited about the investigation than I am about the TV part of it.

Finally, my son had a major "gig" this past weekend. He is in a band and plays the electric guitar. They totally rocked the house! (And, yes..it was a real house! LOL) Ray, Boo and I caught their performance in the 120 degree basement of someone's really awesome mom who allowed this!

I hope everyone is well ...Peace!

Exciting news!

Well, I did my "textbook training" to become a TSPR member. I get to do my first paranormal investigation this Sunday at a tavern in Jersey City. Then a graveyard investigation the following week. But the EXCITING news is that TSPR is doing an investigation of Bannerman Island in the Hudson River and a British tv crew is filming it to air in England! The island is supposedly haunted by the captain of The Flying Dutchman, which sunk not far away from the island. The island's official name is Pollepel Island. It is said that Native Americans also felt that it was haunted way back when and wouldn't set foot on the island. I was picked to do the investigation, which is such an honor because it will only be my 3rd investigation!! I will keep you posted!

All is well here. Jackie is being Jackie-ish but what else is new?! At least she cleaned her room today..I've only been telling her to do this for a month. Kids have been sick with various stomach/sinus/virus thingys. I'm a bit concerned about The Boy, tho. He pointed out a lump in his left nipple the other day that is about the size of a nickel. He has dr appointment on Monday to check it out. Herman is doing well but has started to snore as of late. So much so (and so loudly, I might add!) that he not only wakes himself up but also wakes me up. This is not good. I'm suggesting that he do a sleep study to see if he has sleep apnea.

My dad is down from Vermont to celebrate his 65th birthday. We're all going to The Portuguese Manor tomorrow night for dinner...13 of us in all. Should be nice. Now, what do you buy for a man who buys whatever he wants for himself?! He is the most difficult person to buy for!! For Christmas one year I called the coffee shop he frequents and arranged to pay for his coffee for a few months. He doesn't drink as he's been in recovery for 20 years so a nice bottle of scotch is OUT...LOL!! Any ideas?

Work is going well..I really do like my job. And I often impress people with my knowledge of heating and air conditioning terms!! There are a few guys at the supply houses we deal with who are kind of snotty to me but for the most part, they are very nice and helpful. I've been averaging about 27 hours a week. Not too bad.

Had colonoscopy last week because I've still got the pain in my upper right abdomen that they cannot figure out what it is. Results were fine, as I had expected. Now he feels that it's IBS, which would suck. He put me on an anti-spasmodic and mild muscle relaxer. Unfortunately, there is NO WAY I'm taking this during the day as I need to have my full wits about me. So I only take it at night. So far, the pain is still there. It's not a sharp or constant pain so I'm just dealing with it for now.

Went to see my endocrinologist last week for my Addison's disease. Seems my cholesterol is high (227) and he wants me to lose 20 pounds. Yuck. I'm 5'10" and 165 pounds so it's not all that bad. I started watching my diet, eliminating unnecessary fats and calories. Let me tell you, the pumpkin cheesecake at Charlie Brown's last night was YELLING my name! I'm not into deprivation, so I'll treat myself sometimes. I swear that all these problems started after my hysterectomy 2 years ago. Up til that point, my cholesterol was great (170's) and my weight was 135 pounds. (Of course I was painfully thin.) I just wanna get back down to 145 pounds, then I'll be happy!

Ok..I've gone on enough..I've been keeping up with most journals and most of the dramas. I'm hoping that with my new hobby underway that I'll post more..and it should be scary stuff! LOL!!

Peace!