Summer's Over, Darn

We did have a lot of fun though.

Jumping in the pool!

Performing water ballet!

Jumping at the Jersey Shore!

Playing in the sand at the Jersey Shore.

Growing beautiful flowers.

Starting to build a greenhouse.

Making flower arrangements.

I wish Summer wasn't over; I had a lot of fun with the family. However, I'm really glad school has started.

43 Year Old Vermont Woman Arrested for Attempted Breaking and Entering into the NYS Vital Records Office...

Police Beat_

Albany County NY_

Heidi L., a 43 year old Vermont woman was arrested Monday for attempted breaking and entering into the New York State Vital Records Office, located at 800 North Pearl Street, Menands, NY.

The woman was allegedly trying to obtain a copy of her own original birth certificate.

Her efforts were thwarted by a passerby, who becoming mildly alarmed, shouted "Damn, woman, what's wrong with you? You'll never bust into that building with just a JC Penney Platinum credit card.!"

To which, according to the eyewitness, the woman started crying and mumbling something about, not having an "original birth certificate" and not knowing who she is!

The witness, fearing this woman might be insane, called the police and reported what was happening. He then handed the woman a paper bag containing a half drunk bottle of Mad Dog 20/20, stating "you look like you could use a drink." then fled the scene before police arrive.

Later, a photo sent anonymously was tagged to the local police departments Facebook page.


Heidi L. was arraigned in Menands Village Court and released after paying a $30 fine, coincidentally the same amount it would cost for her to get a copy of her birth certificate, if it was in fact available to her.

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For those of you that don't know me, I'M KIDDING! For those of you that do know me, you know I've seriously contemplated this course of action!
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Click on the label "adoption" below to read more about my search for my birth family.
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I recently joined the online support group NY Adoptees. If you were born/adopted in NY or know someone who is adopted, please join.

Are You My Mama?

I called the PI, twice. Finally she got back to me via email. She claims that my case is still open and they are still searching for my biological family. The problem they are having is that my information states that I was born in one state, New York, and was adopted in another, Massachusetts.

Neither state is willing to give me even my non-identifying information. Which they both would give, if I had been born and adopted in one of those states. But not both!

I already knew this. I was denied the ability to even register as an adoptee in these states which means any bio family would be denied also. But I've already written about this issue in past posts.

Still frustrated and annoyed.

So tonight I'm going to start searching online for a new PI. Then tomorrow I'm going to call some and see if I can't find any with the ability or experience, to break through these barriers.

The only good thing about the PI I have now, is that I haven't had to pay anything. I have a set fee contracted to pay only when they find someone living in my bio family. Name, address, phone number.

Again, any suggestions?

Who Do You Think I Am?

I've never watched the show Who Do You Think You Are. I am unable to not get upset, even during commercials for those types of TV shows. It's not like they are doing anything extraordinary. The actors know who they are, they know their names and their parents names, things every human being has a right to know.

I just want to know my name.

I try not to be bitter or angry about famous people getting free -and of course themselves being paid-help finding their ancestry. That's just life, and sometimes life isn't fair.

Yes, my search for my biological family is still the one thing that makes me feel sorry for myself. It's the one thing that can cause me to cry spontaneously.

I don't want people to feel sorry for me, I just want help. Because of the unusual details of my adoption, I don't even know how to continue with my search. The usual paths don't seem to apply to me.

But I've decided to try and take a more active part in my search. So for my next blog posts, I'm going to write about at least one thing I've done to search.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.
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Today I called the PI I hired 2 years ago. In the beginning, I would email her every week, then every month, then a year went by, nothing. I emailed her about six months ago and she did say not to give up, that my case was taking longer than usual..

So now it's been over 2 years and I decided to call instead of email. I reached the founder of the PI agency, told her my name and asked if she was still working on my case. She told me that she was not in the office, but would get back to me tonight after 4. Sure.

I'm going to try and not cry.

I'll update as soon as she calls me back.
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If you want to find out more about my adoption search story, click on the label 'Adoption' below.

At Least Someone is Having Fun this Winter

I can't wait for Winter to be over! Hopefully Spring will bring me some much needed energy and enthusiasm to write.

At least Tony has been having a blast, at least a daily, tubing on our land.

From the top...



From the bottom...




Happy Valentine's Day, Lovers!

The 12 Days of Hus's Unemployment

Sung to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas


On the first day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the second day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Two batches no-bakes,
and A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the third day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Three french loaves,
Two batches no-bakes,
and A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the fourth day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches no-bakes,
and A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the fifth day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches no-bakes,
and A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the sixth day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Six clean basement shelves,
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches no-bakes,
and A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the seventh day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Seven shoveled pathways,
Six clean basement shelves,
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches no-bakes,
and A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the eighth day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Eight oatmeal cookies,
Seven shoveled pathways,
Six clean basement shelves,
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches no-bakes,
and A dust free wood stove mantle.

On the ninth day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Nine bowls chicken soup,
Eight oatmeal cookies,
Seven shoveled pathways,
Six clean basement shelves,
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches of no-bakes,
and A dust free wood burning stove mantle.

On the tenth day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Ten loads of laundry,
Nine bowls chicken soup,
Eight oatmeal cookies,
Seven shoveled pathways,
Six clean basement shelves,
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches of no-bakes,
and A dust free wood burning stove mantle.

On the eleventh day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Eleven meatballs cooking,
Ten loads of laundry,
Nine bowls chicken soup,
Eight oatmeal cookies,
Seven shoveled pathways,
Six clean basement shelves,
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches of no-bakes,
and A dust free wood burning stove mantle.

On the twelfth day of unemployment, my husband gave to me...
Twelve pounds protruding (from my belly)
Eleven meatballs cooking,
Ten loads of laundry,
Nine bowls chicken soup,
Eight oatmeal cookies,
Seven shoveled pathways,
Six clean basement shelves,
Five more coo-ookiiiieeeees!
Four calling friends,
Three french loaves,
Two batches of no-bakes,
and A dust free wood burning stove mantle.

Poor Hus.

Thinking of Summer

I've never been an outdoors person. Mostly because for me to actually want to go outside, the weather has to be perfect; Low 80's with low humidity and calm winds. That doesn't happen that often in Vermont...or anywhere!I also have to have something specific to do outside. Mostly I enjoy lounging outside if the weather is nice.

If the kids are home, I have to force myself, to avoid the guilt of being a lazy ass mother, to go outside to play with them. I'm proud of myself that today I did just that. I went outside with Tony in the snow storm, walked around, measured snow inches, made a snow angel and sat inside our tree house a bit. Little time passed and I returned inside and started drinking wine. (Still drinking, so forgive my grammar and spelling errors, please!)

Occasionally I also get these creative ideas which bring me outside. Today I thought I should take pictures of the bright red male cardinals against the sparkly white snow, but when I finally brought the camera outside, the cardinals had departed. I did get this photo of an English Sparrow (actually I took it from inside) perched on our "thingy hanger" on the porch.



And a picture of fluffy Summer sitting on the porch. He was outside less time than me!

Once, when Em was a baby, I decided it would be a wonderful idea to take pictures of her outside surrounded by all of Hus's flowers. It worked out while she was on the porch. Soo pretty! ( I think those larkspur are poisonous, oops)


But then I decided I would put her, still in her bouncy seat, on the hillside in an actual flower bed. Well, of course she started screaming, and then bouncing and then flipping herself over...

I managed to snap this photo before dropping the camera and throwing myself down to catch her before she landed face first in the flowers.

I felt like such a horrible mother that day, thinking, OMG, how could I have been so careless? She could have died! Over a silly picture!

Now I think it was pretty funny.