A Twilight Zone Experience DoDoDoDo DoDoDoo

I had a bizarre experience this morning.  Let me explain.
Chapter One:
This week  Ross and I took advantage of the beautiful mild weather by visiting a few of the local natural parks and lakes which are plentiful here in the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey.
As I was going through the pictures I had taken at the various sites I came across a photo I had taken of Ross.
 I remember as I was taking this picture of Ross a man came walking out of the woods.  It was a surprise because the area is remote and I didn't realize anyone else was around.

And since I had my spy cam(era) I just had to snap a picture of this guy.

Chapter Two:
 Thursday, we went to Bamber Lake.  I took a few pictures of the covered bridge and of course the lake.

I wanted to find out more information about Bamber Lake so I googled it.  As I was looking through the images that came up during the search, I found a photo of a woman standing on that same bridge looking out at the lake.  The photo referenced a blog called All Me All The Time.
Curious to find out more about the person who had also visited Bamber Lake, I began to read Shari's blog.
Originally from Brooklyn, she and her husband Larry moved to the South Jersey area in August of 2011 and were finding the Pine Barrens interesting.
Shari had this photo of her husband Larry on her blog.  I hope that I am not violating some blogging rule by adding Larry's photo to this post.  But...

When I saw his photo I immediately thought I recognized him as the mystery man who came out of the woods.

Could it be?   Could such a coincidence be possible?  

  Mystery man probably isn't Larry, but I intend to send a link to my post to Shari and ask her.

Here is yesterday and today's entry from Anna's Diary:

Sat February 9 1929

Card party at Bambergers restaurant given by Jean's Sor. Brought Elsie and Minnie home.  Met bunch. Dinner Palais Royal Goodwin "On Trial". Home at 12. Found Jewel-Rick Marie-Jim here.  Home at one.

Sun February 10 1929

Dinner at Mother's Slim left for college right after dinner.  Rick brought Jewel diamond to select.  Junior and I went to Naps for supper. Home put Baby to bed. Met Flo and Ann Jackson At Mt. Prospect.

The Best 10 Years of My Life

     As I walked into work my boss met me in the hallway.  She told me that a server was down at our NYC location.  A couple of  my co-workers had been there for two days trying to get the servers back on line and they needed a break.  I had been on vacation and it was my first day back.  The colleagues I would  be relieving were much more experienced than me.  I was feeling quite unprepared for the task.  To top it off, my boss wanted me to go home and pack a bag in case I had to stay for a few days.  Due to the urgency of the situation, the company helicopter would be waiting for me to transport me to the site.
     It was the first time I had ever been in a helicopter. Since it was the Executive's ride, refreshments were available.  I was apprehensive at first. But, I actually enjoyed the ride.  Once we got up into the air, I was surprised at how smooth and  relaxing the ride was.  I took advantage of the peace and quiet because I knew there would be chaos and stress waiting for me once we landed.
     The computer room where I would be working was on the 14th floor.  From the large windows in the room I could see the World Trade Center building ,which was across the street from our building.
     This was just one example of the life of a tech support specialist.  It was not a 9-5 job.  Each member of our group took a turn carrying a blackberry to provide 24/7 coverage.
     I remember more than one holiday being interrupted by the blackberry alerting me of a problem which had to be immediately looked at and fixed ASAP.
     On September 11, 2001 I was at work in the New Jersey location of our company. As we all gathered around the TV, we watched in horror as the plane crashed into World Trade Center.
     I worked for a well known financial company which published a famous newspaper.  Their corporate headquarters were in close proximity of the attack.  In fact it was the building that I had been working in a few years prior.
    The publisher had never missed a day printing the paper.  They managed to get many of the reporters out of the city and over to NJ to our location.
     Our group was told that no one could leave.  We had to stay as long as it took to make sure the reporters had everything they needed in the way of technology to get the newspaper out.
    The only thing I wanted to do was go home and be with my family.  I thought that was much more important to me than getting a newspaper out.  But I was not allowed to leave.
    I had been with the company for 20 years.  During that time there were many late nights and weekends.
    There were many times that the job came before the family.   But that day, 9/11, made me realize that I didn't want the job to be and run my life anymore.
     Sometimes I feel that taking an early retirement may not have been a wise decision.  But when I think about all of my sacrifices for "The Company", without comparable reward, I know that I did make the right choice.
     And I have not missed the job once since I walked out the door nearly 10 years ago.  And you know the old saying, "I'm sure that on my death bed, my last words would not be: "I wish I had spent more time at work."

Here is today's entry from Anna's Diary:
Sat February 9 1929
Card party at Bambergers restaurant given by Jean's Sor. Brought Elsie and Minnie home.  Met bunch. Dinner Palais Royal Goodwin "On Trial". Home at 12. Found Jewel-Rick Marie-Jim here.  Home at one.

Oh My Head Hurts. It Must Be Saturday

 Things are back to normal at least for a little while.  Ross is in the kitchen, making dinner. :)

I am sitting at the computer writing this blog. :)

     Well at least that part of our life is back to normal.  The pinched nerve that Ross was suffering with seems to be getting better.  We even ventured out for a little ride late this afternoon.  That's when Ross picked up the artichoke ravioli we will be having for dinner.  It will be topped by my eggplant sauce.     

     I woke up with a nasty headache this morning.  For the first time in a long time I had to take an Imitrex.  It makes me sleepy and kind of dopey.

    

   I have many unpleasant memories of times that I suffered with horrible pain because of a migraine.

     When the company I worked for had their 100th year anniversary, each employee was sent an engraved invitation to a cocktail party which was going to be held at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.  Our work day ended early, at 3:00.  As I boarded one of the buses that were provided for us, I started to feel the familiar twinge.  And I thought, "Oh, no..."

An hour and half later, we pulled up to this beautiful building.   The museum was closed to the public.  All of the exhibits were available for us to explore as we wished. There were wine stations set up all throughout the museum, but very little food.  By then my headache had turned into a full blown migraine.   

      But I had to stick it out for the four hours before the buses would be available to take us back to the company parking lot.  Then after another 1-1/2 hours on the bus, I would have to drive 20 more minutes to my house.  I don't remember much of anything that night except for the throbbing pain and nausea.

     Then there was the time when my sister and I went to see David Copperfield in Atlantic City.  It was another bus trip which meant that and I was again held hostage until the show was over and the buses came back to pick us up.  All I remember about that trip was the bus ride holding my head as I leaned on my sister's shoulder. 

     There were too many days spent lying in bed with an ice pack on my head, unable to eat because of the nausea.   There were too may times that I had to tell my children that I couldn't help them with their homework or make it to one of their concerts because of a migraine.  I started to want to do less and less for fear that I would wind up with a migraine. 

     Migraines took away a good part of my life. 

    One of the things I figured out, though, was I almost always would get a headache on a Saturday.  I would wake up feeling okay, but after a few hours my head would start hurting.  I used to say, "Oh my head hurts, it must be Saturday."  

     I finally figured out why.  The first thing I would do when I got to work Monday through Friday,  is have a large cup of coffee.  At home, on Saturdays, though, I would not have coffee.  Ta Da! A Caffeine Headache.  So, I gave up caffeine altogether.  Also chocolate.  I don't miss the coffee, but I do miss the chocolate.  That stopped the Saturday headaches, but I would still get frequent migraines. 

     Then about 15 years ago, my doctor prescribed Imitrex.  It changed my life.  Actually it gave my life back to me.

    I still get an occasional headache here or there, but thankfully they are usually not migraines.   

    Are you a sufferer?  

Here is today's entry from Anna's Diary

Fri. February 8 1929

Loretta Simmons for lunch.  Drove Elsie down town to shop. Had a manicure.  Card party at night in Belleville with Jane W., Helen C. her sister and Ceila.