My Sara Without a Job

Maybe you remember I sent out photos of Sara graduating from the City of Chicago Park District Life Guard School.



We live in the very NW corner of the City of Chicago. 7200 N.

150 feet from Park Ridge to the West and 2 city blocks from Park Ridge to the north.

So today my granddaughter got her assignment from The Park District.

Its only about 10 mile drive thru the city.

To the wonderfull Garfield Park 300 N. Central Park ave..

For those not familiar with Chicago, it is in the Murder Capital of the World.
I worked as a Detective in that area and made a ton of overtime with all the murders, shootings, rapes...etc.

If that area of the city was a country, it would rank like 15th in Murders.

Its such a nice spot to send a blonde 16 yr old girl.

She will fit in with all the other blonde girls who are victims of horrible crimes.

Of course she will not go, fearing for her safety. Shit! I carried 2 guns and 2 extra clips when I worked that area. Its not too far from where I was shot....a long time ago.

Chicago,,,,the city that works.....if you have clout...

Can't We All Get Along.

Can't we all get along.

I know I get about 150 emails a day.

Some are personal.

Some are humorous

Some are meant to be Political Humor.

Some are meant to be stupid polictical humor.

Some are meast to be all about SEX.

Sometimes, it is difficult to check each email out for truthfulness.

And as you would ask JOE C. and he would tell you....WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

But I consider emails as just conversations with a variety of people.

Some make silly or fun statements.

WE DON'T ALWAYS ASK THEM TO PROVE THE FACTS TO US.....
some would get angry.

Some would think you might be challenging their honesty...in other words CALLING THEM LIARS...

Thats never nice or good. Or something to suggest to a Serial Killer....

Maybe you could check email truth out and send the truth to the EMAILER....and open
their eyes with kind, educational words.

And Joe, your response was at least twice as long as Craigs.....a little wordy.

Oh...look at this email.....so VEErrry Long....maybe too long.....but I have so much
more to say....I know, I'll send another email.....and in the next email
I WILL REVEAL THE TRUTH.....

Oops, can't do it now.....South Park is on.

Its Raining Its Pouring

Its been about 30 days and nights of rain.

We've almost completed the Ark.

Hope to have room for all of us.

Wait, it stopped,,,,the rain.

No sun but just dreary clouds.

Good, i can put that project on hold and take a nap

3rd Try St. Ferds Dinner

It started with an idea of Mary Ann DeSimone.

Would you like to get together on June 3 at Andrews restaurant in Park Ridge. Maybe we could let a few other St. Ferdinands alumni know and we can have a nice dinner.

Eight of us showed up.

The women looked great. The men of course were handsome...well, some of us.

Mary Ann Maday DeSimone, Mary Ellen Fitzgibbons, Bill Prybell, Jim Elliott, Ross Gentile, Marianne Driscoll Venetucci, AnneMarie Pisano Swiderski and Kathy McAnally Peterson.

We arrived at 6pm and left at 10 pm. so I guess that says we had a nice time.

Easter Sunday

Spring Fever

Hi everyone,
Its Sat.May 7th

I just thought I would say hi and update you on the nothings in my life.

Every year at this time I love to walk or drive thru Park Ridge during the early
evening hours.

On every corner there are mobs of kids.....like teen age kids. Every year.

They keep moving around and if you look on their faces....you see a tension.

The tension reminded me of going to a party where there is a grab bag style gift
waiting for you. You run around touching and lifting and never being satisfied on
a gift. For the next gift might be the prize you really want and need for happiness.

The boys and girls have this look on their faces. Will this group lead me to the prize of a companion of the opposite sex that I will be happy with.

Of course, time runs out before the choice is made. And they settle. Sometime they don't get any prize as the bell has rung (actually the police walk around and break up the groups).

Its a special sight for us seniors as we don't have that problem. For those who are by themselves, there is no pressure to find the one to make them happy. Its a benefit of surviving to our ripe old age. For some its different

-----------------

Panera.

When I returned to Chicago I went to Panera as soon as I could. The chill of the morning--Its Park Ridge and chilly--ends at the door and friendly faces immediately warmed up this old cold spirit.

Hey, look whose back......you left too soon..its still cold here.....whats wrong with you and you look good but we heard you had some health problems.

Yes, I did come back too soon and brought this warm weather.....60 degrees.
and I'm ok....I survived and its not how you feel.....its how you look and with this tan I look marvelous.

Anyway, while waiting in the coffee line, a 73 old man stopped me and said Hi, glad to see you are back.

He shocked me. For 4 years I've approached this man as he sat always by himself in a small booth or table.

Not talking to anyone.

At first I would say Hi and he sort of moved his head in recognition.

After a year or two this improved to a slight hand wave....and finally last year to a Hi and wave.

So for him to actually stop and talk to me surprised me.

Then he said....come on over and talk for a few minutes.

WELL,,,I wanted to join the front window boys but said sure and joined him at his table.

He started with my name is Rowland and my wife had cancer the last few years and
I took care of her.

Every morning I would come in here to get a break from caring for her.....and guess what?

I'm getting married. To one of our best friends.....
he died about the time of my wife and now his wife and me are getting married next month.

Congratulations. Now I understand.

I also felt better that all those years did had a purpose, I just knew I should say hi to him. Maybe, just maybe, that's why my heart keeps going. That's why the defib worked.

Maybe its those Hi's to strangers that has kept me alive.

You're not strangers but Hi, how are you......

C'ya
Jim......

Powdered Donuts

We recently had a Coffee Social weds morning. Some wonderful bakers made coffee cakes for the gathering.

They were apple covered cakes. I looked at them and don't really think they looked appetizing. But when I tasted them, WOW, did they taste great.

But being Jim Elliott, I like stuff that looks simple good. My favorites of course are the white Powdered donuts. They just look so good.

I asked Ruth where the powdered donuts were. She said next time but I knew she would forget.

So I went to Publix and looked for my white donuts.


I found the bread aisle and found many brands of powdered donuts and they all looked good. Then saw Hostess and knew they were the one's.

Well, took them home and I couldn't wait. Opened the package and threw one into my mouth. I kinda tasted something. A little powder and I sort of chewed/squeezed whatever was under the powder.

The one donut just didn't do anything for me. I am a knucklehead about sticking it out to the end. I was not going to give up after one donut or 4 and finally 6 donuts.

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

These donuts looked so good on the outside and had nothing inside.

This morning I finished off the entire package. Still nothing but air.

Suddenly, I had a picture in my mind of people who acted/looked great on the outside but had nothing on the inside....all nothing.

Like the donuts, I have kept going back to some of these people, not believing that anyone could look nice but be empty inside.

Recently, I've been dealing with one such character for years. For peace with my wife, I kept turning my cheek and looking for the good in him....never happened after several years.

Finally, one day when he started his bs, I just got up and joined others. Surprise, life tasted so much better.

Maybe thats what I'm going to do from now on. At age 66 I've learned don't waste my time with empty donuts or empty people.

I'm so fortunate that I've met so few powdered donuts and so many wonderful apple coffee cakes.

But then, thats the story of my life.