december 31, 2007 - So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed - (John 8:36 NIV)

top of the evening, friends....



here it is, the end of 2007, and i pray that 2008 is wonderful for each one of you. with each year, comes new opportunities and adventures. i am so excited to return to work and school! i just know that the coming year will bring great things!



i don't really have any grand plans tonight, other than maybe getting something to eat. my sister has invited me down, but i'm not sure about the weather, so that's kinda on hold.



dianna and her mom came over last night for some homemade green beans, red skinned potatoes, cornbread, and cottage ham (whatever that is!!!). oh, yeah...and custard pie. we had a great time, but i think we all ate too much....lol



the above picture is of me and my dad, ross. we were preparing for a beautiful day of riding. it's obvious that i received my "passion" for motorcycling from him. he had me on a mini-bike at about the time i could walk, so i guess he can't blame me for my favorite hobby! we can't wait to get back on our bikes this summer.



i received an email from retired lt. mike hunter (from the athens post) that i felt compelled to share with you (i hope you don't mind, mike). he is one of the many people who have inspired me more than you know (thank you again, mike!). i'm so honored that he chose me as his "purpose" in riding for 2007. the following is a part of his correspondence:



"On June 15th a friend and I rode our bicycles 70 miles to Zanesville and stopped a troop to talk to him about you. I had just gotten back into bicycling with a little bit of seriousness, as I was trying to get "back" into shape (feeling soft and fat), and I was looking for motivation. The overnight trip got me going, and I kept it up. Well, as your recovery started, I thought about doing some serious riding with a purpose - to reach 3000 miles from the 13th of June for the year. It was your recovery that motivated me, as I saw no signs of self-pity, and a lot of gritty tough work and pain. I worked all summer at it and into the fall. Getting a full-time job put a crimp into my riding time. Winter brought a new challenge - COLD!!! Nevertheless, as my riding season was dedicated to your recovery effort, I decided I could not fall down on the job. I had a crankset meltdown yesterday afternoon and had to hitch a ride to the bike shop (with much dread). However it was an easy fix, and I finished my 42 mile ride at 9PM. I have 2954 miles as of today since your accident. My lights and winter riding gear have gotten a workout. (Even now as it is only 35 degrees, I am procrastinating by writing this e-mail! LOL). I will ride the last 46 miles (since I started counting) this afternoon. You have shown a lot of courage. Your crutches have gotten a workout (don't fall any more). My 27-year-old Panasonic touring bike has too. Solidarity! Keep up the great work. I see a future of motivational speaking for you, and until you start talking, no one will know your story as you will get out of your chair and stroll brisky to the podium to begin - just like most everyone else. Gotta go ride."



retired major fred goldstein - thanks buddy, for the call today. you always are kind to call and check on my progress. i'm so thankful that your knee is progressing and you are feeling better with each day.



major bob brooks - thanks to you too, for your phone call. you and mildred have also been great about calling me to see if i needed anything and to update me on OSP issues. i appreciate that more than you know.


retired lt. colonel gil jones - i'm so glad that your daughter is showing progress! the prayer warriors are at work for you, friend.

elzie fish - if i'm home, some refreshments will be here! be safe, my friend....it doesn't sound like the weather will be cooperating for our annual "new years motorcycle ride."

dan richhart - i DO appreciate your humor and frankly, i'm going through withdrawal...lol

laura pascuzzi - thanks for the phone call today. you always know how to lift my spirits. i'm glad that your shoulder is healing nicely. we've all had to learn to be patient, haven't we???

tina phillips - i know you're ready for retirement....but i'm not - yet! i want to go out on MY terms, not on disability, if possible! thanks so much for your help with the attorney, court cases, etc... it's great to have a "protector" in WV. who would have guessed we'd have been here a couple of years ago?

quote for the day:

"Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there"

Bob Proctor

well, until we talk again, in 2008, continue to expect to be blessed!

lisa - 1095

thursday, december 27, 2007 - God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)

top of the morning, friends....




i hope that you all had a great Christmas and will have a very happy new year!

i spent Christmas eve at my sisters, where "controlled chaos" ruled....lol

the many kids make it so much fun! they had a great time and it was so enjoyable to watch them open their gifts. i came home later on Christmas day and have yet to put my stuff away! and i might add....i got way too much stuff for Christmas! my family and friends were way too generous! as of now....i'm planning a quiet new years eve at home.

i continue to get better with each passing day, thanks to all your prayers. i'm hoping that by january, i can actually get back down on the floor to resume my exercise program. it's a little difficult to do it via wheelchair. since my last surgery, i've been unable to get onto and off of the floor by myself, as the healing of my good leg has been slow. i did, however, walk 1.6 miles with my crutches yesterday, but boy...did it wear me out!



well, providing that my doctor releases me after my appointment in late january, i'm planning to return to work in early february and will return to my master's program in march. carl roark, dianna white and i only have four classes to complete for our MBA's...so we're very excited to get those goals completed.



i got a great surprise on Christmas eve - julie smith from our fleet section came to visit and brought along a lovely gift basket from her and my other friends at fleet. i was honored that she spent her lunch hour visiting with me! we had a chance to catch up and chat a bit. while she was here, my retired bud, elzie fish showed up as well. he always brings some "spice" to the conversation. lol we all had a great time!

quote for the day:

"the strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home"

confucius

elzie fish - dianna says, "no" to the dancing in front of santa....no matter how good your costume might be!

terri west - thanks for the gluten free website! actually, we've been trying to new recipes that aren't half bad! the homemade stuff is certainly better than the store bought stuff!

dan richhart - i can't wait to hear your new material. it gives me something to look forward to!

to my "favorite all-time secretary-" i have been blessed with GREAT secretaries....so....which one are you????

ginny higginbotham - it was great hearing from you both by phone and on the blog! i hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season! don't spoil the grandkids too much! i don't know if i ever told you or not, but i really cherish our friendship and i appreciate how you always kept my fat outta the fire!

colonel butch and s/lt. brenda collins - thanks so much for the update on cory! what a wonderful Christmas present for him and his family! we'll continue to keep them in our prayers.

retired lt. rick imhoff - thanks for the offer! you've been a great friend over the years, so it's no surprise that you offer to help! if i can do anything for you....let me know as well.
you continue to be in my thoughts too.


retired lt. colonel gil jones - we are all praying that your daughter recovers from her recent illness. the "prayer warriors" are at work! we will continue to keep her and your family in our thoughts.

until we talk again....continue to expect God's best!

lisa - 1095

december 21, 2007 - “O favored one [endued with grace]! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28 AMP)

top of the evening, friends....

well, here it is less than a week before Christmas, and i haven't sent a single card out! forgive me. with all that's been going on, i have been very remiss. thank you all for the Christmas cards and continued thoughts and prayers, particularly during this holiday season. They mean more than you know.

i visited my plastic surgeon on tuesday. he was extremely pleased with the progress on my hand and even cleared me for strength exercises. until now, we simply worked on range of motion. he looked at my leg and once again described how unoptimistic he was when we started this journey and how pleased he is now that i have kept my leg and will soon (hopefully) be walking again. that really encouraged me!

i had therapy twice this week and my physical therapist is also pleased with my progress. she says that most of my hand function is normal - which was also very encouraging.

on thursday, i traveled to jackson, ohio to check on two of my elderly friends: ernestine abrams and joyce channel. ernestine was one of my neighbors when i lived down south. she is now in a nursing home in jackson. she is 90 years old and can certainly use your prayers. joyce is a member of my old church family. i got to visit her at home and catch up on everything. she recently had back surgery and could too, use some prayers for healing.

jane hawthorn - it was wonderful talking with you. gosh, it's been 25 years since we've seen each other or talked! i hope you have an opportunity to visit so we can catch up as well. may God bless you and your family!

kim campbell - i am so sorry to hear about the passing of your mom. my thoughts and prayers are with you during this time. as you know, my own mom passed 2 years ago and there's not a day that goes by that i don't think of her. you spent a lot of quality time with your mom over the last year. you can cherish those memories forever. please call if i can do anything.

ernie & jane howard - thank you so much for the lovely centerpiece! you guys are too much! i hope you and your family have a great holiday. please say "hi" to dexter and francie for me too. who knows....maybe i'll see you in middletown soon.

my OFLS staff - thank you guys and gals for the "trader joes" card. you have no idea how much that will come in handy with my eating problem! i appreciate each and every one of you and thank you for the jobs you do all year long. i'm so blessed to work with such quality people!

nora fish - i traveled through your neighborhood the other day in a quest to walk my dogs. i didn't know which house you lived in, or i'd have stopped. you have been so faithful to pray for my recovery. even though we've never met, i feel a special bond with you. thanks so much for your cards and prayers. please send my regards to cheryl and jed.

elzie - dianna said she really didn't care about your "feel good factor"...she just wants cold, hard cash....lol furthermore...."fred astaire????" we don't freakin' think so!

kelley & glenna williams - i hope you continue to get nourished in my absence!

dan richhart - merry Christmas to you as well, my friend! i really miss your "joke of the day."

nurse julie - thanks for the blog entry. i hope you knee continues to heal. please keep me posted.

colonel butch & brenda collins - thank you so much for the book! i appreciate you thinking of me and the rest of the senior staff during this holiday season. i will read and cherish it! while i haven't yet read the book, i have heard of tony dungy and his inspirational faith. what's the latest on officer cory winfield? we've all had him in our thoughts and prayers.

quote for the day:

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires...courage."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

until we talk again.....expect to be blessed,

lisa - 1095

december 15, 2007 - though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil; for You are with me (psalm 23:4)

top of the afternoon, friends....

it's saturday morning and boy, is the snow coming down! i think i'm in for the day...i sure don't want to risk falling again.

oh, yeah....my friend laura pascuzzi wanted to know when i was going to post a picture of a "real bike" and a "real woman" on the blog...lol so.....here's laura with her harley davidson road glide motorcycle. frankly, the color hurts my eyes...but to each her own! lol she was behind me on her bike the day mary and i were hit.

it's been a very busy week. i went to see a dietician and to therapy on wednesday. thursday, mary and i met with an attorney about our case and then we stopped at the casino in wheeling on our way back. of course, mary and trish ate ice cream while i lost money!!! on friday, i had "breakfast at the barrel" at 6:30am, therapy in the afternoon, and a holiday dinner in the evening.

i'm feeling better with each passing day. i still have alot of pain in my good leg, but it's much better than it was. as impatient as i was, i've learned more patience than i could have ever imagined. i've had to....otherwise i would have lost my mind. this time to reflect, however, has helped me realize what's really important in life and to develop some additional life goals. so....it's all good. as i've said before, many, many, many more blessings than "bad stuff" have occurred out of this ordeal.

amazingly enough, the blog site has over 20,000 hits now. i'm forever amazed that so many people care enough to check on our progress. we love and thank you all for watching out for us.

quote for the day:

"he who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree"

Author Unknown

a good friend of mine, former trooper debbie (bragg) chapman sent this link to me and i wanted to share it with you. it really explains God's love in such a fundamental way. enjoy:

http://www.ksbj.org/eblogs/morningShow/?p=113

to the ladies and gentlemen from the "excellence" dinner - mary, trish and i want to thank you all for a wonderful evening. thank you for the invitation and a great time of fellowship. you folks truly do a wonderful job each year with this event. reverend ellsworth and colonel collins both did eloquent jobs speaking!

mary taylor - welcome home, stepmom! i pray that your rehab continues at home. we all know how important "home" is when you're away from it for so long!

the welling family - i'm so sorry about the passing of jimmy. my family and i will continue to pray for you during this terrible time.

mary pfeifer - i got from a very reliable source that today is your birthday!!! wow....45 looks good on you!

wendy forbes - thank you so much for the beautiful bracelet! the inscription touched me more than you'll ever know. trish is very appreciative of the lovely ornament as well. you're such a good and faithful friend!

jan (from aviation) - thank you so much for the very heartfelt letter! your words brought tears to my eyes. you, friend, are the one who inspires me! thank you again for taking time to write such as thoughtful letter!

laura & jules - thank you for the beautiful planter! i pray that laura's surgery went well and that she makes a complete and speedy recovery! have a very merry Christmas!

breakfast at the barrel folks - guys and gals, i had a great time friday! thanks for meeting me and sharing a meal. that time of sharing and fellowship means more than you'll ever know.
colonel & becky costas, major born, captain dicken, s/lt. roark, lt. white, wendy forbes, major booker, captain teaford and his wife becky, and son cody all showed up!

steve & sandy belyus - your crash reconstruction book was very helpful for the attorney. thanks again for all you two have done for mary and me after our crash. your kindness will never be forgotten.

dan richhart & the kelley williams family - i'm trying my best to come back quickly. i've heard you folks are starving without my endless supply of pretzels, licorice, and candy. kathy mccarthy told me that everyone's looking anorexic....is that true?

jon (neighbor) - thanks for checking on me. please tell michelle that i'm fine and will recover in time. God has a plan for me....i just need to listen and be sensitive to what He says. no matter what happens....everything will be A-OK!

elzie - dianna wants to know if you'll just give her the dollars rather than have her dance for them. please let her know. we'll all be anxiously awaiting your response.

until we talk again.....continue to be blessed!

lisa - 1095

december 11, 2007 - therefore, do not worry about tomorrow (matthew 6:34)

top of the evening, friends....

i hope you didn't have to do much outside during this past rainy weekend! thank goodness the rain wasn't snow, or we'd all still be digging out.

praise God i got the hospital bed removed from my living room last week! right after the hospital supply guy left, the carpet cleaners came and cleaned my carpets! my house is almost back to normal, as i can now sleep in my own bed. most of you know what a "neat freak" i am, so these events were huge victories for me.

the last 3 weeks have been pretty rough. i'm just now starting to get around without immense pain. unfortunately, i slipped and fell on a sidewalk this afternoon, as i was trying to get some exercise on my crutches. thankfully, i'm only a bit sore, i think. i banged up my already injured hand, elbow, and foot, but i don't think there's any significant damage. this was all in an effort to walk my poor dogs. they've suffered along with me. i used to walk them at least 2 miles a day, and we'd either go to "wagtail trail" or hargus lake to hike on the weekends. they so enjoy the opportunity to get out and run.

i go see a dietician this week regarding my celiac's disease and have therapy. i also go consult with an attorney regarding my case this week.

once again, i was subjected to another one of "dirty di's" dance shows on saturday night. frankly, i just don't know how much more of these exhibits i can stand! she created some dance moves to the song, "the way i were." i don't think i've ever laughed so much!

another couple of praise reports:

my sister's and laura's abnormal mammograms came back fine. they were both so relieved. they also wanted me to thank you all for your wonderful prayers.

my stepmom, mary is doing much better and was transferred to rehab. she may come home friday. she was only the second person to be put in the new middletown regional hospital and they included her in a newspaper article this week. i'm thankful she should be released soon, as my dad is really running himself ragged.

quote for the day:

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

Erin Majors

thanks to my friends at alum creek for the wonderful cookies they left in my door! you guys are too much!

thanks to captain dicken for the endless updates to keep me abreast of OSP happenings.

also thanks to nora fish....while i've never met you, you've been so faithful to keep me in your thoughts and prayers. please thank my old church family for me for sharing my story with you. i appreciate the cards you've sent me.

thanks to everyone who included me on your Christmas card list this year. while i've been gone from the patrol on disability for 5 months, you folks have continued to remember me. there's nothing like my friends and patrol family!

hopefully, i'll have more to write after my visit with the attorney. until then, be blessed.....!

lisa - 1095

december 5, 2007 - it is through Him that we've received grace (romans 1:5)

top of the afternoon, friends....

what a beautiful first snow! i have to admit, it's much prettier when you don't have to go and handle accidents in it.....lol i always worried about getting hit while working the road in bad weather....i never imagined i would be hit by an impaired driver, while off duty, on vacation, at 2:30pm in the afternoon! how ironic is that? anyways, it was breathtaking when i woke up this morning.

my left leg isn't giving me much trouble, other than it doesn't want to bend beyond 49 degrees. my good leg, however, is still extremely sore. i was told by my bone dr. that the reason it's so sore is that the surgical team inadvertently poked a hole in my right femur as they harvested bone and marrow. he said that because they were so aggressive, it occurred, but they needed to get as much as they could to repair my left leg. unfortunately, i can't exercise as much as i did prior to the surgery yet, as i can't get down on the floor to work out. what exercise i do has to be either from the bed or wheelchair. to compound the issue, i pulled a muscle in my lower back a day or two ago. it makes getting around a bit challenging, but it will be okay. otherwise, i feel great....i'm eating good....and putting on a little of my weight. another victory!

retired major fred goldstein called me this morning. he's been so faithful about checking on me! he now works for public safety.

major peyton watts also called from the academy. i spoke with both him and captain andy stritmatter. they updated me on the upcoming graduating class. boy, time flies!

mike & connie hunter - thanks for the blood! you just never know when you'll need it! i appreciate your thoughts and prayers as well.

elzie fish (my retired bud) - i think the budweiser just may have affected your mind! i'll admit the restaurant i chose in tennessee was less than desirable, but if you'll remember correctly, no one, other than me, would "step up to the plate" to choose a place to eat. just because they served "tofurky" and bean sprouts didn't make it all bad, now did it???? besides, the soy burger you ordered looked edible. furthermore....the goldfish in the fountain were alive and well when i left. that's my story and i'm sticking to it! one more thing....christy clark and i are the best thing that's happened to capital city motorcycle club in years! it's about time you got some good looking women on board!

quote for the day:

"If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator."

W. Beran Wolfe

prayer requests:

terry salyers (my sister) - her mammogram came back abnormal and she goes in for more diagnostics on monday. she's very nervous about this, as our mom's sister has battled breast cancer. terry is not only my sister, by my very best friend!

laura pascuzzi (my motorcycle friend from iowa) -her mammogram also came back abnormal and she goes in for more diagnostics tomorrow. laura's mom died from breast cancer, so you can imagine how concerned she is. laura was behind me on her motorcycle when i was hit in july. for years, we've taken a big, yearly motorcycle trip together. i suspect we've seen 1/3 of the country via motorcycle together.

trish scarberry (ironton post) - her mom passed away unexpectedly. she was one of my many great secretaries in district 9.

mary taylor (my stepmom) - as i stated earlier, she had a knee replacement a while back, then recently fell and broke her hip. the dr's were concerned that she had had a stroke and possibly broke her ankle. praise God, she didn't have a stroke nor did she break her ankle. they believe she may have a significant b12 deficiency, which could have caused some of her symptoms. she is preparing to enter rehab.

woody triplett (trish's grandfather) - he is suffering from melanoma in his lungs and is going through chemo now.

vicki moreland (my friend from middletown) - her knees are deteriorating and she needs knee surgery. she is concerned that she can't be off work for that long, as she's a single mom raising 2 teenage kids. she is such a good person who is experiencing some pretty tough times right now.

more later.....continue to be blessed!

lisa - 1095