Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

News - My Life My Muse

A rough day all around

July 8th 2009 03:39
This has been quite a day. Hell, it's been quite a month, but today was a real crap fest.

My grandmother was finally moved into assisted living this week, and while it is for the best, she isn't handling it well. Which is understandable. I wouldn't take too kindly to having others decide where I should live, when I should eat, etc. But, my Grandmother's anxiety has taken quite a toll on me emotionally, and I guess I just needed to vent.

I spoke with her on the phone today, and she just laid into me about how I should be there with her. Unfortunately, it's not that simple for me to just drop everything to travel the 300 miles to the city where she lives. I just spent over 2 weeks with her not that long ago, and a week before that to attend my grandfather's funeral. I kind of have to stay put for a while to get back into the swing of things here. I wish I could be there, but right now I just can't.

I also had to take my brother to the emergency room today because he injured his neck while lifting weights. So, now I have to nurse him a bit. My husband is gone to work as usual...and I'm just really feeling alone tonight. A friend came over a while ago to visit, but she had to leave.

I need a hug


Sometimes I feel like I take on everyone else's problems, and I just don't take care of myself. I am constantly worried about my family and friends, and every once in a while I would just like a moment to be selfish. I realize that I write blogs about the fun things that I do and the crazy times that I have, but really... lately I'm just sort of feeling down. I feel like I always have advice to give when people are going through hard times, but I don't take my own advice. Which is my fault, I know.

It's just hard to be alone right now with all of this crap swirling through my brain. I'm just sad tonight. I need a hug or something. Maybe something stronger I just wish I could shut my brain off for a while. Bllaaahhh.

Oh well. Sorry if this was depressing.
94
Vote
Comments (12)Comments (12) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


Tornado Warnings: Welcome to Summer on the Plains w/Update!

June 27th 2009 07:11
Ahhh, summer on the high plains. What could be more beautiful? The sun is shining, the snow is gone, people are enjoying the fair temps by partaking in their favorite outdoor activities. I would even go so far as to say that those of us who are forced to endure months of blizzards and sub zero temps have a better appreciation for summertime than those who experience mild temps year round. Is that fair? I think so.

I love summer. I like to enjoy nature and hear the birds. There is something so exciting and moving when those Canadian Geese return in the spring. My heart skips a beat when I see the first of them make their way back. And it always catches me off guard. I'll be outside, and hear a faint honking in the distance. Could it be? I look up at the sky, and there in the distance, is that unmistakable V formation, heralding the coming of new life and new beginnings. There's a reason they always come home. Because there's nothing like these northern summers.

However...... we midwesterners have some pretty thick skins. We deal with arctic climate from about late October until late March or early April. Heck, we had snow this year at the beginning of this month! Then summer comes, and BAM! Tornado. Shit.



This evening I was at a movie theater, enjoying the Pixar movie "UP" for the second time. If you haven't seen it, add it to your most urgent To Do list. As I sat there enjoying the first 20 minutes of the film, the movie stopped and the lights came on. "Ladies and Gentelmen...may I have your attention. The city is under a Tornado Warning, and 6 of them have already been confirmed around the outskirts of town. A funnel cloud has been reported hovering just over 32nd avenue, so we must ask that you all calmly move to the interior hallways of the theater, to lessen the threat to your safety." Commence crying children and panicking parents.

As for me, I was pissed that the movie was interrupted. I guess we get cynical up here. Tornado warning...blah blah. So, there we stood in the hallway surrounded by screaming kids. After about a half an hour of that, I said, "Screw this" and we left. Out into the pouring rain and lightning. I stood outside just admiring the awe inspiring beauty of it all, until a gust of wind literally knocked me off of my feet and I ended up splashing into a puddle of muddy water. Then, I was over it. To hell with nature! Haha!

In one evening, we had three different alerts from the National Weather Service. First, a Tornado Warning. Then a Severe Thunder Storm Warning. Currently scrolling across the T.V. screen is the Flash Flood warning. Wonderful.



And this is pretty much how it goes all summer long. One bit of severe weather after the other. Then, back to the blizzards. But we love it. It makes us tough. You know you're from the midwest if you've ever climbed on top of a roof to get a better view of a funnel cloud that is barreling toward your general vicinity. You know you're from the midwest if you've ever spent three days straight filling sandbags. You know you're from the midwest if you've ever stood outside in a blizzard that makes it impossible to see your hand in front of your face, and still contemplated whether or not to drive your car. You know you're from the beautiful upper midwest if you've ever had to scrape the ice from your windshield, you've gone outside with wet hair and it literally freezes solid, and you still say in all honesty, "It's really not that cold."

Not to mention is was 95 degrees F outside earlier in the day. For you International folks, that's 35 C. H-O-T!

Update: The sirens are going off again! It's friggin' 3am! Sheeeeeesh! Btw, if anyone wants to see some of the other quirky majesty that this area contains, I'll direct you to something I wrote on another blog. Try not to be too jealous!

Midwest Oddities
46
Vote
Comments (5)Comments (5) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


In Memory of My Grandfather: 1/17/1922-5/16/2009

May 16th 2009 10:01
It is difficult to know exactly how to best describe the man that my Grandfather was. Because, he was like no other man I've ever encountered.

He was a man who spent every moment of his life in service of others. He was a school teacher in a one room school house. He served his Country in World War II. He entered Seminary, and became a Reverend to nurture people's souls and spirits. He was a husband who loved his wife and provided for her until the day he died. He was a father of three who loved unconditionally. He was a Grandfather.

The Reverend on his Ordination Day


My Grandfather. The man who baptized me. The man who would take me out into his garden where the plants towered over my head and we would eat peas, right from the pod. He loved his garden and he loved flowers. He used to have these Tiger Lilies that bloomed along the side of the house that were as tall as giants. To this day, my favorite flower is the Tiger Lily, because they remind me of those wonderful summers at the parsonage where he lived in service of his congregation nearby.

My Grandpa was a man who loved. He loved history. He was a scholar. He could tell you anything about everything. He loved the outdoors and camping and fishing. He loved birds. I bought him an Audubon Society clock that made a different bird call with every hour. When the batteries wore down, the birds stopped chirping, and he'd tell people that they wouldn't start again until I came over to fix it. He never let anyone else reset that clock until I came around, even though I lived over 300 miles away. I'd get there and reset the time and put in new batteries, and he'd tell people that I made the birds sing.

The Reverend preparing a sermon


He loved to sing. He sang all the time. He loved polka and Irish folk music and gospel music and Johnny Cash. When he wasn't singing, he was whistling and slapping his knee to the beat. Sometimes he would even do a little jig. He was always happy. I never once saw him in a bad mood. Not once. He loved to play cards and Scrabble. He was so smart. He'd have that Scrabble dictionary at the ready, and he played to win.

He loved his Country. He was an eternal optimist. He loved people. He wanted to know everyone's history. He didn't pass judgment on anyone no matter what they did or said. He took care of people. Even after he'd retired from the ministry, he still would drive miles and miles to some church in the middle of no where to preach if the pastor was unable to make it. For years, he would go to the hospital and visit people who were unable to attend services themselves.



My Grandmother lost most of her vision and hearing, and he attended to her night and day as long as he was able. He had sweet little pet names for her, and when she would get nervous or anxious, he'd tease her until she laughed. He delivered my wedding vows. I wish I'd been able to give him a Great Grandchild to baptize.

I'll spend the rest of my life trying to be half the person that he was. He died peacefully a few hours ago, knowing he was going to Heaven. I often fall short of what he knew I could be, but he always loved me. And now I know he is no longer suffering. He's still with me. He always will be.

He was a beautiful light in this world of bitterness and pain. And I don't know if the birds are going to sing again. At least not for a while.

158
Vote
Comments (16)Comments (16) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


Red River Flood: Right Outside My Door

March 28th 2009 00:20
Many of you may know that I live on the Minnesota/North Dakota border. What you may not know is that the border between the two states in my neck o’ the woods is the Red River, which is about 2 blocks from my front door, and is getting closer by the hour.

The Red River Valley in North Dakota and Minnesota is no stranger to flooding. In 1997, a devastating flood nearly wiped out Grand Forks, ND and surrounding communities. Since then, a giant Dutch style dike and flood wall system was built to hold back the water.

Presently, those walls are about to be put to the test. The river levels in Grand Forks are currently inching toward 48 ft. They are expected to reach upwards of 53 feet before the waters begin to recede. This places us smack dab in the middle of a tremendously precarious situation. Will the walls hold back the water? They’ve never been properly tested. Will the levees and dikes breach? There have already been a few compromised earthen dikes in neighboring Fargo, ND. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Red River Flood
Above: Demers Bridge, mere feet from my home. Picture taken March 24th. The Water Beneath this bridge is normally low enough for a barge to pass below. The building where I live can be seen in the distance just behind the trees.


The Red River is one of the few rivers that flows North. The waters that have already caused damage and destruction in Fargo are still on the rise and on their way North to Grand Forks. Fargo is already evacuating many residents and patients at the local hospital, Merit Care. Shelters have been set up, and people are working around the clock filling sandbags and shoring up any weak spots along the Red.

Red River Flood 2009
Above: This photo also taken on March 24th shows a memorial to the 1997 flood. The pillar shows how high the waters reached during that flood. It sits atop a scenic walkway that is normally on top of a hill overlooking the river. By this date the water had already overcome the lookout.


Schools have been cancelled at least through next week, and high school and college students are being bussed to various locations in need of help. My brother was volunteering with the sandbagging operation from 11:00 pm yesterday afternoon until 3:00 am this morning.

Red River Flood 2009
Above: This is the very same pillar less than 24 hours later.


As for me, I am waiting anxiously for reports as they stream in. There are 3 bridges that allow access in and out of the city where I live (East Grand Forks). Two of the bridges are already closed due to water levels. The last one may be closed any time. If this happens, I’ll either be stranded in town for an unknown period of time, or relocated to a shelter at our community center. My husband will certainly be relocated, as he works on the other side of the river, and will be denied access if the final bridge closes.

Red River Flood 2009
Above: This is the floodgate just outside my front door as they were putting the finishing touches on it, March 25th.


To make matters worse, we just experienced a blizzard, which dumped even more snow onto the region. I was actually stranded outside of town after the storm hit, and arrived home to find that matters had taken a turn for the worst with flooding.

Red River Flood 2009
Above: To give you a better idea how close I am to the river, this is my parking lot. That is the flood wall. The brick part of the wall is permanent, the metal gates were added this week.


Red River Flood 2009
Above: Blizzard complicates flood preparations. If temps rise, it will mean even more water pouring into the Red River.


Take a Look at some of the National coverage below:

Below: The Today Show



Below: The Rachel Maddow Show



some photos courtesy of Grand Forks Herald


38
Vote
Comments (3)Comments (3) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


Holy Smokes! Undersea Volcano Erupts off the Coast of Tonga

March 20th 2009 19:25
A large underwater volcano has been erupting for days off the coast of Tonga. Scientist have traveled to the site to monitor the activity, and say that the blast should not cause any threat to nearby islands.



Tonga, a 170-island archipelago about halfway between Australia and Tahiti, is part of the Pacific "ring of fire" — an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching from Chile in South America through Alaska and down through Vanuatu to Tonga.

Undersea Volcano Erupts


Undersea Volcano Erupts


According to the AP:

Spectacular columns are spewing out of the sea about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the southwest coast off the main island of Tongatapu — an area where up to 36 undersea volcanoes are clustered, geologists said.

Trade winds continued to blow gas and steam away from the island Thursday.

Tonga's police deputy commander Taniela Faletau said coastal villages close to the roiling ocean site were not yet at risk and that no warnings had been issued.

Police were waiting for a government team of officials and scientists to survey the area and report on their observations before taking any action.

Coastal residents said the steam and ash column first appeared on Monday morning, after a series of sharp earthquakes were felt in the capital, Nuku'alofa.
44
Vote
Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


Using Your Kids to Protest Octomom: Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right

March 15th 2009 21:02
Up until this point, I've avoided reporting on the so-called "Octomom". I find the whole thing rather disgusting. At the end of the day, I am mostly sad for the kids, and hope that people don't punish them for the choices that their mother has made. Don't get me wrong. When I read that she was seen purchasing $1,000 worth of MAC cosmetics while asking strangers to donate to her family, I was mad. I don't approve of how she's handled herself.

Nadya Suleman Octomom

[ Click here to read more ]
75
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (6)Comments (6) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


Artist Andrew Wyeth Dies at 91

January 16th 2009 17:06
Normally, my taste in art leans toward the darker side. People are often surprised by the giant framed painting hanging on my living room wall, because it is at first glance a gentle piece of Americana that does not seem to fit with my taste.

The painting is "Christina's World" by American artist Andrew Wyeth, and few works have moved me as much as this


[ Click here to read more ]
106
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (6)Comments (6) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


Breaking News: U.S. Airways Jet Crashes Into Hudson River

January 15th 2009 21:21
According to MSNBC.COM:

NEW YORK - A US Airways passenger jet taking off from La Guardia airport in New York en route to Charlotte, N.C., crashed into frigid Hudson River on Thursday


[ Click here to read more ]
38
Vote
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   


US Army Corps of Engineers Caught Interfering with Hurricane Katrina Activists Online

December 19th 2008 05:59
It has recently been revealed that a blogger who owns the website Levees.org has been attacked by personnel from the US Army Corps of Engineers posing as average commenters on her web site.

Sandy Rosenthal is the founder of Levees.org, a site dedicated to raising questions about the Government's handling of the New Orleans flood that occurred after Hurricane Katrina. They are demanding a new and thorough investigation into all aspects of the catastrophe; from the structural integrity of the levees to the evacuation and aftermath


[ Click here to read more ]
44
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (2)Comments (2) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Natalina - Category: News
   




[ My Life My Muse Home ] [ Create A New Post ]

Natalina's Blogs

10630 Vote(s)
393 Comment(s)
127 Post(s)
Moderated by Natalina
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]