Friday, July 21st, 2017

Hi, Everyone,
Thanks for stopping by my website!
It has been crazy for the last three months dealing with so many things!
Trying to get the garden in with all the rain, and then couldn't even work in it because of all the rain. Then hubby's Dad had some medical issues and he was in the hospital for tests, but the hospital couldn't complete all of them, so they sent him back home. (He will be 94 the end of August and has been living by himself right down the road from us but we check on him all the time.) Then he started having some other health issues, and then it got really crazy. Had him in the hospital for six days for a UTI (urinary tract infection), and also a stomach infection (which they discovered two weeks prior when he did have some of the test done.) Then he insisted it was time to go to a nursing home. Arranged all of that, and now he is not a happy camper with the place so we are trying to find an alternative route to take with his care.
 
I finally picked some green and yellow beans four days ago, and just today got them snapped and blanched and put in freezer bags. Then I discovered tomato worms on my huge tomato plants (huge because of all the rain and even went in the garden when it was muddy with my wader boots on and hubby handed me metal stakes to put down through the wire baskets around the plants as they were leaning over), and got those fixed. Then more rain and then hot, hot hot---92 degrees and so humid!
We couldn't get my little tiller to work as the rubber thing that you push to prime it has a slit in it), so hubby had to shoot gasoline into the carburetor to get it started, but it wouldn't stay going as air was going in through the little rubber thing), so I had to use his big tiller and that about killed my back!! Then I had to pull weeks and hoe the green beans, pull weeds around all the onions, and the pepper plants and put the cucumber branches into the woven wire fencing I have for them to vine on.

Today I tied baler twine around the tomato branches to keep them from breaking off and going to the ground. Sheesh! Many tomatoes on the plants, just hope they ripen!

I haven't' had a chance between all of this going on and also the company from out-of-state, plus the CCAPL stuff going on just not enough time in the day!

Oh, my van died out at the shelter one Sunday. July 2nd. I called my friend who I had just met there and she had left, and she came back and got me and took me home. Hubby and I went back and the jumper cables didn't work, so it wasn't the battery. We left it overnight. Had to have a tow truck take it to the garage down the road to get it fixed on Monday. Didn't get it back until July 5th, (after the holiday) and hubby left his car after we picked up mine (bad starter-$308.00), because his air conditioning compressor was toast. Waited a few days for it to get fixed, then he was on his way back from seeing his Dad at the hospital and his engine blew---bummer! Just put over $500.00 in the new air conditioner compressor! Just thankful he made it to the car repair shop in Malvern before it totally died.  So he has not had a vehicle to drive except for using his Dad's car when necessary for short trips back and forth to Dad's place, so we have been traveling together in my van to go different places. Back and forth to the hospital for six days was most of it, then back and forth to the nursing home.

Yesterday I had to go west side of Canton, and see a person who is dying of lung cancer and meet his cat. After I got back, hubby and I went to a dealership garage up in Malvern and hubby got a jeep. Nice wheels! So he is good to go now and in time for when he goes back to school to teach.  Only two more years and he can retire.  I'm hoping to find him a part-time job as he will get so bored and I will be....well, let's just say, he needs something to do after he retires!

So just a few things to share with you on my blog. Sure seems different when I don't have any domestic cases to share with you, but trust me on this, they are out there!

So be safe, learn all you can and don't be a victim of domestic violence and abuse! Tell other too and possibly save a life, even your own!

Until next time,
Becky :)

Easter Sunday April 16, 2017

Hi, Everyone,
Happy Easter to all!

Thanks for stopping by my website! I sure hope you can get some valuable information to help you with being a survivor of domestic violence and abuse. Share with others so than can be survivors too!

It has been a very busy month! The CCAPL's mechanical plans have been approved by the State as of a couple weeks ago and now we wait for contractors to submit their bids for the Electrical work to be done inside. They have a deadline of April 24th. to submit their bids. Once we choose an Electrician, then he will work with the cement guy to put in the underground electrical that has to be done first before the cement can be poured.

There is a rabbit making its way into our shelter via a hole he/she is digging underneath the boards surrounding the bottom of the building. I have discovered this with the trail cam in the kennel area. He/she seems very content to just take naps now and then. Hubby and I have been inside looking for a nest or baby rabbits but haven't found any yet. About 6 volunteers went out a few weeks ago and put dirt all around the bottom of the building to close it up, but this little rabbit has decided he wants in-so he just digs another hole to get inside. I even put rocks where he dug the holes to get in but he/she just moves the rocks! Funny!

The flowers around our place are blooming and are so beautiful. I've been picking Daffodils, a few Hyacinths, and putting them in a vase on the kitchen window sill. Love the smell of them! Now my Tulips are blooming along the walkway out front too.
The Blueberry bush is blooming and the leaves are starting to come out on the various trees around the yard.

Hubby was off this past week and we did many projects needed to be done, even down at his Dad's place down the road. It has been a very busy week. He helped me scrub the siding on the house out front yesterday removing the green stuff that accumulates as it doesn't get any sun on the north side of the house. Looks better now!

Hubby's Dad will be coming up today as usual and I will be cooking a grand Easter dinner!

I praise God from whom all blessing flow! May you all have a blessed Easter!

Until next time, be safe and don't be a victim of domestic violence and abuse- get help-it is out there for you!

Take care,
Becky :)

Saturday, March 4th, 2017

Hi, Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by my website. I hope you can learn some valuable information to help yourself or someone going through domestic violence and abuse to save a life-even our own!

I have been so busy, it has been unbelievable! Yes, I retired from the Victim Assistance office in December of 2016, but I have been working every day on CCAPL stuff! That is okay. We are looking forward to more construction beginning in the spring at our no-kill animal shelter! Finally after 6 months of numerous phone calls, changes made, and so on, the electrical and geothermal plans have been sent to the State of Ohio for approval and for permits. Now we wait some more for the "Reviewer" at State to let us know when they will be approved.

We haven't had much snow but the cold and wind has been brutal! Yes, we had some days of very warm temperatures, which started some of my fruit trees budding, and some Daffodils are making their way upward, and some of my little Crocus have bloomed, but hopefully the colder weather that hit this week will stop them from going any further until it really warms up! Typical Ohio weather!

The cats and dogs are doing fine. Buddy and Lucy have been going down close to the woods every afternoon to try and dig up moles, voles, or anything they can find! Buddy even chased a rabbit for a good while last week and hubby was really excited about it! He even tracked it around to hubby!

I was sick for about two weeks with some kind of virus going around. Many people are sick and the cough is still hanging on! People I have talked to have had it too and the cough persists for weeks! Ugh!

Next week I'm going to start working on cupboards and getting rid of stuff! Just seems to accumulate over the years and the "stuff" needs to go! I've also been re-cycling too and that has sure saved on what goes to the dump! There are re-cycling bins just up the road in New Harrisburg and it is on the way to the shelter site, so I just drop it off on my way.

I guess I'm getting some kind of award down in Columbus for my years as a WISH Facilitator and helping women with domestic violence and abuse. Wow! That is cool. My ex-boss-supervisor and her husband are taking me down there to get the award May 16th.

Stay safe and thanks again for stopping by. Tell others about my website too so they can get valuable information to help them. Tell them to seek a Victim Assistance office in their area too for help! Many need it!

Take care, and until next time,
My best regards to you!
Becky :)

January 1st, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Thanks for stopping by my website. I do hope you can get some valuable information from my website to help yourself or someone you know who is going through domestic violence and abuse.

Well, the company is still here visiting from Nebraska. I've fixed so many meals I lost count! Anyway, today they return and we will visit some more, play some cards (Euchre) and eat more food I will prepare for us. (We will have leftover Pork roast & Sauerkraut from last night, and I'll make more mashed potatoes and a veggie of sorts.)

Tigger-cat woke me up at 1:30 a.m. racing through the house. Not sure what that was about but she was looking out the window so I got up, looked out too but didn't see a thing. Sheesh. Crazy cat. So I got up and went to the family room. Turned on the T.V. for a little bit, then shut it off and dozed on the couch. Woke up at 3:45 a.m. and just got up and made coffee. So I'm up for the day now. Hubby got up at 4 a.m.

I just got an email from my nephew over in China. He has lived other there for many years. He is really into Bio Fuel and the environment. So smart and so handsome! I'm so proud of him!

I have all the Christmas decorations put away except for the lights out on the fence outside. I'll probably take them down soon, depending on the weather if it warms up a little or maybe not until spring! Who knows? Or, maybe hubby will do it. He's good about doing those things for me!

Now that I have officially retired as of December 19th, I will be busier than ever! I've already started researching for more grants to help the CCAPL with funding for all the interior work that needs done inside the unfinished animal shelter. Cement work, electrical, rest of the plumbing, Geothermal system, interior walls for the rooms, and so much more. But we are getting there one step at a time.  Now we wait until spring to hopefully get some electric (rough-in) to have some heat blowers for when the cement guy starts pouring. There seems to be a lot of condensation coming from the plastic covering the insulation in the ceiling above. And if we don't get some heat in there to dry it up, he can't pour the cement as the dripping from the ceiling will damage the cement! Oh, it will work out eventually we are sure of that. It just will take some planning and strategy to get it all in place!

Well, I am going to miss my boss/supervisor/pal big time! She has been such a friend over the years. But, we will keep in touch and will "do lunch" occasionally to keep up with each other's lives.

So now, onward and upward as they say. I'm looking forward to a year of more challenges!

You take care and be safe, and remember this: Be a survivor! You deserve it a good life for yourself and your children!

My best to you!
Becky :)

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Hi, Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by my website. I do hope you are able to get the valuable information I have here on domestic violence and abuse, and much more to help you or someone you know going through it.

My thumb healed up fine, and I'm good to go-back to normal!

I've had several survivors in my WISH group this past month or so and they are doing better than when they began. I'm so proud of them for their efforts to educate themselves, to feel better about themselves, set new goals, and make better choices and decisions for themselves and their children.

I am retiring from my job as of Monday, December 19th, 2016 as the WISH Facilitator. I have done this for 11 & 1/2 years and it is time. I will surely miss my boss, my co-workers and the great people in the courthouse I have made friends with over the many years. I'm sure I will pop in to visit with them in the time ahead. My hope is the new gal who is going to do the WISH program, has the compassion and understanding that is needed to talk with the victims/survivors as they attend the program.

I did specify when training her to not be judgmental in her actions or voice of the women who attend, but have the compassion and understanding of where they are in their desperate attempt to escape the violence and abuse and make a better life for themselves and their children.

Christmas is fast approaching and many things to do before the company arrives next week from Iowa and Nebraska! They will be staying down at father-in-laws down the road from us, but will be here many times for visits! I will have many meals to prepare and am planning my menus now! Lots of cooking and hopefully a lot of fun with their visit!

The CCAPL is now waiting until spring to do any more construction on the shelter as the winter weather has set in. In the meantime, some of the present and new directors will be going to Cuyahoga Falls this coming Tuesday to look at the changes made by the new engineers we had to hire with the lighting plans and electrical plans. So, that said, once all the plans are correct, we will be taking them down in January to Reynoldsburg (near Columbus), to have all the plans approved by the State and get permits to get started in the spring! Hopefully by then, the plumbers will get their unfinished work done and the cement can be poured!

So in closing, I will continue to do my blog as time allows, as I will be pursing many grants to help with construction costs, and this will take much of my time besides all the home stuff, etc. etc.!

So, again, thanks for stopping by!
Be safe and learn all you can about domestic violence and abuse. You may save your own life or the life of someone you know and care about!

Best regards,
Becky Conrad :)

Sunday November 6, 2016

Hi, Everyone,
Gosh it has been such a busy time for me these past months since I posted last. I do appreciated you stopping by and visiting my website. I do hope you can get some valuable information here to help you or someone you know that is going through domestic violence and abuse.

Back in early October, hubby and I were down in the woods with the huge log splitter, tractor and the trailer and were splitting the very large and heavy sections of tree trunk from a huge Red Oak tree that had went down a couple years ago. We spent one whole day almost just cutting the tree trunk in sections. (22 of them!) We were both wrestling with a huge log trying to maneuver it over to the log splitter. We almost made it, placing it in front of the splitter when it slipped out of hubby's hands and banged against the front of the log splitter and my thumb got smashed between them. Big ouch! Right away it started to hurt and when I looked down at my left hand with a glove on it, I noticed the blood dripping out of the thumb area. So I took the glove off and that is when the blood really started flowing! I told hubby to get a Kleenex out of my little waist pack I had taken with me and wrapped the Kleenex around my thumb. Hubby said, "That is going to need stitches!" So I called my father-in-law (had my cell phone with me down there), and told him to come and get me as I was going to have to go to the local Stat Care and get stitches. We got up to the house and he arrived. Hubby went back down to the woods to finish up. Hubby's Dad took me into the Stat Care and the Dr. said, "Yep, that will need stiches, probably about 4 of them." So he numbed it (wow was that painful), and then put 4 stitches in the side of my thumb. He said I was lucky it wasn't worse. He said it actually blew out the side of my thumb when it was smashed. Then he said he had to x-ray it to see if it was broken too. Well, the bone at the top of the thumb was broken. So, I had to wear a splint on it for about 3 weeks, but after a week, that was pitched. The splint just kept poking my hand and making it sore. So after 10 days, I went back and had the stiches removed. It is healing fine, just a little tender.

We have dug the potatoes, and just got about everything there was to get out of the garden. Last Saturday, we got the Sweet Potatoes out too. Hubby tried to pull the potato digger behind the tractor but the ground was too wet so we had to dig them all up by hand. Got quite a few nice ones but many small ones. The dogs love them too!

I'm still having gals come into the WISH program. This is good. Some of them are coping with their issues and are feeling better about themselves and trying to move on and get a better life for themselves. It is so hard at times and I feel so badly for them, but I do get to see more smiles and hear laughter from them when they didn't do much of that before.

I had the neighbor gal come over last week and help me work on cutting back bushes, deadheading flower beds, and so much more. Then she helped me cut things back around the pond and I was scooping muck out of the pond with a net and putting it in a wheelbarrow and she was hauling it over to the edge of the field next door. I had to add water to help the fish with the murky water created when I was scooping out the muck. I try to do one section at a time so the fish can go to the opposite side where I'm scooping out the muck with the net. It sure has made the water clearer, and will help the fish this winter when they go deeper in the pond and have more room below and the frogs to hibernate in the muck that is left. I just love nature!

All the seasonal summer birds have gone that come every year in the spring, but there are plenty left to enjoy their antics and beautiful voices of song!

Since August I've been working on putting together our annual huge benefit dinner and silent auction (along with numerous volunteers too!) for the CCAPL. It was held Oct. 22, and we had a great turnout!

We are waiting for the plumbers to finish their work inside the shelter before the cement can be poured and the contractor told me yesterday he wants to start with the cement installation on Nov. 15th. Great! Then we have to have some electrical grounding done in conjunction with and before the cement can be poured in the one area and the geothermal guy has to put in his conduit too before the cement is poured in the area he needs for the conduit. Many things to coordinate! Then, hopefully, we can start putting up walls inside for all the rooms in the shelter. So much to do before we can open! Plus raise more money to get it finished!

Today will be busy too. Hubby will go down and mow at his Dad's place down the road and I'm going to go with him to get rid of weeds that seem to grow so much even though it has been colder. But, the weather has been great for this time of year and that is a blessing to get things done!

Gotta go for now, so until next time, be safe, and learn all you can about domestic violence and abuse and be a survivor!

Best regards,
Becky :)

 

Wednesday, August 31st, 2016

Hi, Everyone,
Thanks for stopping by my website.
It has been one busy crazy summer, and it is winding down. The leaves are starting to fall. It has been so dry with very little rain. The garden has produced numerous yellow and green beans, a few zucchini, and some tomatoes. My cucumbers were doing so well, vining and climbing the little fence and then, whoosh- they are fading fast. not sure what happened there as I did water them all the time, but maybe it is the time they are at their end. Haven't even seen any bugs on them.

It has been busy at WISH for me. Several women coming in and just so heart-wrenching what they are going through. I'm hoping they can escape from their violent and abusive relationships and get a better life, including of course the little children involved. What a shame it is so. Hopefully all the information and talks we have had will help them find a better way for themselves and get the better life they so deserve.

Hubby started back to teaching last week. I've been busy with CCAPL stuff and every day is something to take care of and deal with. But, it will be worth it in the end when we finally get our no-kill animal shelter built and running. Need a lot more money to keep going to get it finished, and we will just work hard to do so.

I went to a domestic violence shelter last week and talked to two girls there. Sad cases, but as of now they are safe in the shelter. Sure hope they stay that way.

I'm gearing up for the huge benefit dinner and silent auction in late Oct. Much to do to get sponsors, silent auction items, and sell dinner tickets! So hard to believe September is almost here! Whew-this summer flew by!

I'm trying to get my flower beds in order and started trimming back flowers and dead-heading the ones that have died off.

Lucy and Buddy are doing fine. They play every day and enjoy things from the garden. Especially the tomatoes, green/yellow beans, cucumbers (I share), and pieces of corn. They are so funny.

The 90 plus degrees almost every day for over 2 months, has been almost unbearable. Very hot and dry!  Had to add water to the pond several times. Now I need to get down in there and trim back plants, plus put sand under some of the walkway tiles to make it more level. Sometimes when I step on the walkway, I have to watch the sloping of the tiles don't throw me into the pond!

Gotta go for now. Thanks for stopping by and be safe, and learn all you can about domestic violence and abuse to save a life, even your own!

Becky :)