NOVEMBER 1999
11/2 - Catherine writes: "Hello everybody! Sorry I haven't written lately. It has been a busy couple of months for me with military school and moving. Well to catch you up on the news. I did get promoted to Sergeant and I have moved to Fort Hood, TX. It's a nice place, very very big. My new unit is really good, they go to the field alot and in January we will be going to the deserts of California for 35 day to do a exercise. Fun Fun. My new address is [posted on family address page]. I will write more when I am more settled in here. Love, Catherine" 
APRIL 1999
4/23 - Hello everyone! Right now I am in my dad's shop writing to you from Belgium. In the past seven days we have been to France, England and Belgium. Today we went and saw Van Gogh's house and are going to spend the day relaxing. In France we went to a bunch of palaces and to Notre Dame cathedral. In England we saw the changing of the guard even though we couldn't see much of it because we almost got there late. The Tower of London was cool with the crown jewels, and we also got to see the inside of the Westminster Abbey which was gorgeous. We walked across the Tower Bridge which was very windy. The weather has been all right while we have been here. Tomorrow we head to Germany and Austria then come back and then we go to the Netherlands. Talk to you all later. Catherine [For more, go to the Travel page on this site!]
4/4 - Ruthadele and Donald thank all for the Easter bouquet and they got out together for the first time for an Easter breakfast! Her spirits are pretty good, though she is anxious about Thursday's appointment. |
| MARCH 1999
3/31 - Catherine writes: "Hello everyone! I have some small news Ha Ha Ha.
I'm hopefully getting married May 6, 2000. I'll be getting married in El Campo Tx. I'm taking an SAT test Monday for my Officer's candidate packet. I'll be on leave to visit my family April 15-May 4 so I'll probably be behing on my email for a little bit. The date for my wedding may get changed again, it has been revised three times. HA HA HA Well I gotta go study for my SAT. Love you all, Kate" 3/22 - Two days after Dad's birthday and an afternoon visit from two of the Graf daughters, Ruthadele had another vertebroplasty, her fourth broken disc and her 2nd operation. A couple of hours later, she was assisted to the car by Dad, Laura and Jennifer, who stayed the whole week. Recovery is a little more painful than last time. Next stop is a doctor visit on Wednesday, April 7 for rib pains.
3/13 - Laura is visiting Cape Coral this weekend for the dual purpose of Dad's birthday on the 18th, and to help with the painting. She is taking a skilled artisan with her, named Dennis. We look forward to hearing more about how this weekend went : )
3/11 - Ruthadele thought she had injured her back again ... this time painting ... but it turned out to be pleurisy. She is getting that treated, and hopefully taking it easier, reports Laura
3/7 - Donnaruth sent us a link to a webpage that discusses some problems that occur to people with birthmarks near their eye. It also reported on eruptions that can occur, too, similar to the one she had several weeks ago. She is asking her doctor for a referral to a specialist to see what treatments she should get to avoid future problems. Keep us posted, Donna!
3/1 - Danny received a black tie invitation to a friend's bar mitzvah! So, off we went to buy his first suit ... a 46R ... and size 13 shoes, plus shirt and tie. The store manager advised that a 13-year-old does not need a tuxedo. Danny looks fabulous in the suit. It's a charcoal black, with a subtle pinstripe of dark gray every inch. Cream shirt and blue/gray tie. This is exciting! Nancy
FEBRUARY 1999
2/28 - Catherine writes: "Well, I'm fixing to go to the field again. We were supposed to leave today but the unit we were going with forgot to make the coordinations with the higher eschelon. There's a live fire going on out there and we can't go because we might get shot if we do. Supposedly we'll leave tomorrow .... I'll be back the 19th. I love you all, Catherine"
JANUARY 1999
1/16 - Ruthadele and Don report that their regular Friday night movie was Stepmom this week ... it was a tearjerker and very good. Tomorrow night, they're going to on a special trip to Ft Myers to see The Thin Red Line; despite less than stellar reviews, they expect to like it because it is about Guadal Canal, which hits very close to home. Maybe there will be something about Gen. "Chesty" Puller! Very special -- see interview of ruthadele at www.medicinenet.com. Go to that site, click Diseases & Treatments, find Osteoporosis, then find Vertebroplasty - A Patient Perspective. You'll find the interview and, a little below that, there is supposedly ruthadele's first writing to that site about her procedure! It looks great, and there is more publicity to come from this from The Breeze. Check it out ... way to goooooo.
1/7 - Ruthadele writes:
New Keyboard - has two sets of F keys. I can program one set to do most anything I want, great??????? Pooped yesterday, it was the 12th day of Christmas - Epiphany - took the decorations down, washed clothes, found a genealogy line I didn't know about, made a flyer re: Jenn's wedding, will send to you as soon as I finish it. Working with Microsoft Greetings, stumbling around. Downloaded a program, it is in Zip, have to figure out how to get into it, all things will come in time. Love ... Mom |
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DECEMBER 1998
12/28 - Catherine writes:
Well I'm back from Christmas. I do have one exciting little tidbit.
I got engaged! We've known we were getting married for sometime, but he wanted to make it official. My ring is really pretty. I got to pick it out. We aren't getting married for a while. We both want to finish school, and the timing to be right. Mom and Dad have to meet him too. He wanted to make it official though. Nothing much else is going on. Work is dull because of the holidays and nothing going on. January will be busy though, there's a bunch of visitors coming including Sergeant Major of the Army and I go back to my unit in the middle of the month. So this rest period is well received. I'm going back to Texas on Wednesday and coming back Sunday, so if I don't get another chance to write you all Happy New Year and God Bless you all! Love Catherine
12/25 - Christmas announcement! Jennifer & David move up the date to January 23 for their wedding. You see (if I understand correctly), it's that time of year to apply for next semester at college, plus Jen has to move up to a 4-year college, and her marriage now facilitates their plans. They're also looking for a house between David's work and Jen's college in Pensacola. Things are heating up... what an exciting time!
12/21 - Dad is in bed, terrible cold, stuffed nose, chest, will take him to Dr. at 9 a.m. - R (how is everyone else? going into the holidays sick? let us know!!!! N.)
12/14 - Steve & Mal write, "We haven't traveled much because the vehicle I drive is a Government Van lent me till I get my car. It arrived at the dealer Friday but I have to do the License Plate paper work and wait till I get them. There is no temporary plate in Belgium. The job is great and I do not have to wear a beeper. We got our house hold stuff and finally Saturday the last box was open. I am not saying that the stuff is put away." -N.
12/11 - Update on Jennifer: she reports that she checked into law schools and it looks like she'll be going to UWF (if I got that right) and will start out as a Paralegal while she continues her studies. She is already amassing plans for lawsuits that she plans to file -- LOOK OUT!!! N.
12/8 - Donna had a quick-appearing growth removed from her face today. She reports the doctor says he got it all, and that you can't even see where it had been. Way to go, Donna! N.
12/6 - Jennifer is jlpmoose1 on AOL Instant Messenger ...
jlpmoose1: My semester is almost over, I can't wait
NDLIV: greatt! how many credits total will you have?
jlpmoose1: I think I will have 50
NDLIV: : ))
jlpmoose1: I have one semester left at OW
NDLIV: then you will go to ..... ?
jlpmoose1: either U of West Florida or Troy State
NDLIV: good, can you do that from home?
jlpmoose1: UWF is in P'cola with a branch in FWB and Troy is in FWB
NDLIV: great on the schools! have law programs?
jlpmoose1: No - I will have to transfer to Florida State U in Tallahassee, U of Florida in Gainesville, or if they have a law school, U of Central Florida in Orlando -JP
12/3 - Catherine (seems she's now called Kate, isn't that beautiful?) reports that she is working for the Protocol Office at Fort Polk. In January, she goes before the Promotion Board and is now studying her heart out. She went to Texas to visit her boyfriend of 3 years, Michael, over the long Thanksgiving holiday and had a really nice time. Details, Kate, details, LOL!!! N.
NOVEMBER 1998
11/25 - Mom and Dad are expecting Laura and Donna in (with entourages), starting tonight. Mom "made two batches of spiced pecans yesterday" and the menu is "turkey and stuffing, candied sweets, mashed potatoes, turnips, creamed spinach, jellied cranberry sauce, lumpy cranberry sauce, mayo salad, apple pie, pumpkin pie and wine." Woowoo, can't do better than that! Regarding how she is feeling today, she gets tired and out of breath, and her lower back bothers her. She admits that it is hard for her to slow down. Let's have some personal eye-witness accounts from you guys down there! (Reports are that Mom and Dad are doing fine!) N.
11/15 -Donna is Spot7922 on AOL Instant Messenger: Spot7922 - i am going to a hockey game tonight!! (11/16 - they won) ... lots of fun at the game - then dinner in pensacola
NDLIV - good for you! who with?
Spot7922 - Karen - she is from LI and was a big hocky fan up there so she is teaching me the game... last year the Ice Pilots went all the way to the championships!!!
NDLIV - who are Ice Pilots? Pensa NHL team?
Spot7922 - P'cola team - not quite NHL - dont know what they call their smaller leagues ... i will let you know who won when i get home tonight!!! (Her team won!) N.
11/13 - Dad and Mom went out for dinner. It was harder on Mom than she expected. -N
11/11 - Steve and Mal advised Nancy of his new email address. Posted it 11/12 on Family Addresses page (see link at left). -N
11/10 - Mom had vertebroplasty as outpatient. Took all day, most of it waiting. Laura and Dad were with her. She was tucked in bed at home by 8:00 pm. No pain pills. N.
11/4 - Mom had MRI and bone scan. Took a whole day. Appt for vertebroplasty set for next Tues. -N
OCTOBER 1998
10/25 - Went to Dr. yesterday, such pain. New procedure, go Wednesday for bone scan and MRI (back to back) at Cape Coral Hospital. Then go for procedure at Lee Memorial, waiting for appointment. Hope it works!!! - R
10/20 - Wrenched my back, heard it snap, just like in January Will not spend another 12 weeks in bed Think it will take longer to heal, but it will. Have appointment with Dr. Ed on Thursday next Have dental appointment on Tuesday Am taking pain pills and resting No stretching or lifting. - R
10/18 - Dad tripped over one of those parking things Fell, hand really bled, took him to the hospital They took Xrays, cleaned his hand, took Xrays of his chest, he was complaining of pain 3 hours in the hospital Wednesday afternoon He went to Dr. Ed today, Ed was delighted at how I had rebandaged his hand, quite professional. Told Dad that nothing was broken, in his chest, just a bad twist, hurts more than break. We are both taking pills and resting. - R |
