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  THE GARDEN APARTMENT Part one: SPRING/SUMMER 1989 Don't quite remember how we found the place. Must have been April 1989 or so. "Yes, it's furnished," they said, "but…it doesn't have a shower." But this wasn't much of a concern to us. Money was tight and time was short. My mother was flying in on June 24th, and K****'s mom was the next week. Our wedding was going to be on July 7th. We needed something, and fast. We had little money. I was a 19-year-old Specialist 4 and she was a 20-year-old Private First Class. The Army would give us a housing allowance but not until we were officially married. Can't put up mom in my room in the barracks. We already had a car, a Mercedes 350 SEL that was almost as old as I was. This was a big old boat of a car. Every other car around was a Benz or a BMW, even among the Americans, which sounded like a big deal but wasn't. The apartment was in the Gross Au Heime section of Hanau. It was still West Germany...

  A Classic.  I asked God to take away my habit. God said, No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, No. His spirit is whole, and his body is only temporary I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned. I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you. I asked God to spare me pain. God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me. I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No. You must grow on your own! , but I will prune you to make you fruitful. I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things. Then I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me. God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the debut of the film Clerks at the Sundance Film festival. At the Smodcastle Cinema in Atlantic Highlands, NJ watching all 3 films all night long with Kevin Smith, Brian O'Halloran, and Lord only knows who else. Sold out show 

   This is the intro and 'blurb' from my novel, a work in process.  Please let me know if you want to see more! The Venturesome Vega Blurb & Intro https://www.patreon.com/posts/venturesome-vega-96864048?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

On Monday evening my department manager messaged my assistant department manager and myself that I was to begin a training program regarding our new Warehouse move at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. This was very unexpected and I am not even sure I welcome this? This is in addition to the overnight winter storm we were experiencing. Not only would I have to work until 11:45 p.m. I would have to be at the new job site by 9:00 a.m. after digging my car out of the snow and ice!   I am also concerned that this may generate some animosity amongst my fellow team members: most of which are senior to me, there are several that have child care issues (have you ever heard of a daycare center open until midnight? ), and there are a few that have higher career ambitions than I do.   Just as I am beginning to fine-tune my new daily routine for 2024, my whole schedule has been upended. All of my VA related medical appointments and other things happen only between 8:30 and 4:30 Monday through ...

Okay, I know my New Year's resolution was to post to this blog at least three times a week, and I have not done so thus far. I hope to bring the average up over the next few weeks, Lord willing!   I've had a strange week at work, as we prepare for our big move I am spending a portion of each day at our new place, then about 5:30 p.m. I go to our old place, this I am told is the routine until we are all fully moved into the new building, which has been scheduled for January 22nd.. Saturday we all had mandatory overtime, again, but everybody was remote because the plan was to pack up all of the office furniture for the move.  Saturday morning I had to go to church for a meeting, and on the way home I swung by the office. They had already moved and dismantled about 3/4 of the office when I got there about noon. Now let's see when they are going to physically move the furniture? They don't even have a designated space for our office in the new building yet, which is a littl...

I am so very thankful for so many blessings. I appreciate the fact that the worst of the winter storm passed North of us Saturday night / Sunday morning. On my way to church the roads were wet and slick, but snow and ice free. I still didn't get to Church as early as I should have. It is my plan now to leave home by 8:30 Sunday mornings, even earlier if the weather isn't great, even when I have to work Saturday's until Midnight as I did again this week (and am expecting to all this month).   There is growing animosity at work. After a month of being harped on about how important the inventory was, even to threatening some people's jobs.     Yesterday the pastor preached on Jeremiah 35 verses 18 and 19, title and synopsis was 'good practice brings good results'. Which is very fitting for the first sermon on 2024. If we keep doing the right thing bucause it is the right thing to do ( it glorifies God, and demonstrates our postion as hearers and do-ers of His ordin...

  I did it, I posted my first story on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CCfromNJ This story is based on the adventure I had on my 25th birthday when I had gotten tickets for the FIFA World Cup (Football/soccer) and NY Mets Fireworks Night. I wish I could find Heather today. I wonder how she remembers that day? The story is free, and you don't have to sign up or subscribe ( but not so secretly wish you would). I would like to publish one free thing and one thing behind the paywall each month. I have a great deal of work already typed up, all I have to do is make it presentable. I thank God got letting me share in this way which is a dream I have had for a very long time.

Had a surprise that I did not have to go into work after church on Sunday, and had all of Monday off for the New Year's Day holiday (wich was doubtful)!  Rang in the New Year while on a zoom meeting with my church family, it was a great blessing to be in prayer as the calendar turned.   I did check my work Teams and the department manager posted that remote duty was cancelled again this week (after being cancelled last week due to the inventory). So I missed out on my rotation last week in the bi-weekly cycle, but while at work on a surprise mandatory overtime Saturday my colleague asked me swap my day next week for today , 1/2. Frustrating 😞.   I have really no reason to complain because I did get an extra remote day in December, when I had some sort of respiratory bug, which saved my 'perfect attendance' bonus for the 4th quarter, which marks the whole year of 2023 with 'perfect attendance' ($500 per quarter, about $340 after taxes (bonuses at taxed at a higher r...