Ahhh... memories..of the way...we were. I grew up in a mid-sized city in North Central Pennsylvania. Williamsport,PA home of the Little League World Series. When I was born we lived in East End (where my Dad was born & raised it is very ethnic, italian,irish,polish) but when I was 3 we moved up to Newberry (much more affluent neighborhood) and I LOVED that house on Diamond Street. In fact I still wish somehow, some day that I could buy that house and stay in it part time. I still dream about that house. I don't know why exactly. It was an old Victorian built in the 1800's with a huge attic & basement and a "summer kitchen". For those of you who do not know what a summer kitchen is, it is an adjacent room where huge blocks of ice were loaded from wagons and the perishable foodstuffs were stored there and also the cooking was done there and if there was a fire the rest of the house was not in as much jeapordy. Inside the house was a regular kitchen, pantry, diningroom, livingroom, tv room & sewing room. Upstairs was four bedrooms and one huge bathroom with a big clawfoot tub. The doors locked with big ornate skeleton keys. Oh it was a great house for hide n' seek! My parents sold if when they moved down South. I don't even want to know the price because i'm sure it's less than what I paid for my last car. I had a really happy childhood. Things seem so innocent from back then. I can only hope Madison has at least half as good a childhood as I had. Here is a picture of me & my sister Bonnie playing in the side yard can you guess which one is me?

This is the strongest man i've ever known. My father in law Robert Leroy Tindal who died December 15,2005 leaving behind a very devastated family who loved him very very much.
Rob was diagnosed with stage 3 bone cancer in March of 2002 and it really took it's toll on him.
He lost so much weight and was in constant pain, moreso according to his hospice nurses than we could ever imagine.
And I never heard him complain.
Never.
Not once.
He died at home and he seemed very peaceful for which i'm very grateful.
He was overjoyed when Stacy and I had our baby girl Madison in October 2004, her "Pa" loved her very very much.
He went to bed at 7pm the night before in order to rest up enough to make it to her first birthday party in October 2005 despite being in such a weakened state that he could barely walk.
He loved that little girl so much (his Princess) and I am so very happy that he got to see her and spend as much time as he did with her.
We had lots of pictures and will always help her remember her Pa who was so special in so many ways.
Thanks for the memories Pa, may you rest in peace.
I love you.

Okay I knew this would happen. Now 'ive caught the BLOG fever!
I guess just in case I do get any visitors I will tell you a little bit about myself. I am happily married and the mother of a 15 month old girl named Madison who is my heart.
It took us 10 years to have Maddie so pardon me if I seem to dote on her a bit much in the future.
I am trying hard not to raise a spoiled,self-centered, entitled little monster but it's hard not to indulge her in every way.
She is just so CUTE but already very, um, strong willed.
She will look at me, shake her little finger and say STOP.
I tell her "Don't tell me to stop young lady".
her to me: *shakes finger* "Stop!" at that point I walk away so she won't see me laughing.
I want so much to raise a little girl who is loving, giving, smart, funny, kind, open-minded and self-confident.
I guess that is what every parent wants.
Enough about Madison.
Stacy and I were married in October 1994 .
He is a good husband, he is very funny and sweet and does his best to help out around the house and takes wonderful care of Madison.
Compared to alot of other women I am damn lucky.
I have a man that worships the ground I walk on, still thinks I am sexier than a playboy centerfold after almost 12 years of marriage and loves and dotes on his daughter.
It's funny though we are so different.
I was born in Pennsylvania. A "mouthy" yankee if you will.
He is a slow-talking (though by NO means stupid) southern boy born in the lowcountry of South Carolina (near Charleston).
Maybe we complement each other, bring out each others "different" side.
Anyway it seems to work for us. I look at Madison and wonder which of our traits she will inherit. I hope and pray she inherits my love of reading and her Daddy's crazy sense of humor. We'll see.