Topic: In The Year 2009, What Was Something That Was The Most Memorable (Good or Bad)?

[bill440cars]

    As this year is quickly coming to a close, what do you think has been MOST memorable for YOU?

    Of course, the MOST memorable thing that I'll NEVER forget, was the loss of my Wife Brenda on the Morning of July the 1st. Closest thing to that was beating the S & S team on the 30th of Jan and keeping them from getting Guardianship of my Dad. BUT, everything in MY life, was tied with my Wife and it has been (and will forever be) something to try and move on without HER by my side. The support from you all here, has been absolutely INCREDIBLE! And I'm really Blessed to have such support from so many folks who I have never met personally (except that I HAVE actually met John (jtb) AND Larry (okie).

                                           Thank You to ALL, Bill  

[bucky katt]

seems like 2009 was a pretty bad year for alot of people. no one realy bad thing happened for me, just a buttload of smaller bad stuff that has made the last year one to forget, hopefully.

[bill440cars]

seems like 2009 was a pretty bad year for alot of people. no one realy bad thing happened for me, just a buttload of smaller bad stuff that has made the last year one to forget, hopefully.

I hear ya Jeff and HOPEFULLY this New Year Coming In, will be MUCH BETTER for ALL!

                                          Happy New Year Man, Bill

[Gordon]

First thing that comes to mind for me is the moment my wife and I discovered the we couldn't sell our house and move to Texas to be near my whole family because we're under water on our mortgage. 

It wasn't such a horrible realization, but it was a very claustrophobic and sinking feeling at first knowing that we had no choice but to stay put for the foreseeable future, and that by unknowingly buying our first house just a couple of years before the market collapse we had put ourselves in a very bad financial situation. 

The best things about this year were finding out my wife is pregnant with our second child, and Christmas day with our two year old son.  Nothing will ever beat seeing the excitement on his face when he realized what was going on and watching him do his happy-toy-dance whenever the excitement overwhelmed him!    

[bill440cars]

First thing that comes to mind for me is the moment my wife and I discovered the we couldn't sell our house and move to Texas to be near my whole family because we're under water on our mortgage. 

It wasn't such a horrible realization, but it was a very claustrophobic and sinking feeling at first knowing that we had no choice but to stay put for the foreseeable future, and that by unknowingly buying our first house just a couple of years before the market collapse we had put ourselves in a very bad financial situation. 

The best things about this year were finding out my wife is pregnant with our second child, and Christmas day with our two year old son.  Nothing will ever beat seeing the excitement on his face when he realized what was going on and watching him do his happy-toy-dance whenever the excitement overwhelmed him!    

          Yeah, I can well imagine your feelings on the house deal. The economy really messed up things alright. Who could know?

          That is So AWESOME about the coming of a 2nd child. Kids can really make the occasion, can't they? I'm REALLY Happy for you all. Thanks for sharing.   

[78 k550]

Mine was the loss of my younger sister Christine.

May she rest in peace.
Jim my brother in law moved to Fl the day after the kids got out of school and we missed Christmas with them.
He gave us back her ashes and wedding presents to them.
I think he doesn't want to have anything to do with us anymore. Grandma didn't even get a phone call on Christmas

Paul

[vanillagorilla]

2009 was a hard year for everyone for sure. January 20th I lost my job at the Harley shop here in town(after moving from Phx,AZ to work here 6mo prior). That was one of the scariest times I can remember. But I turned to my old fallback job(lube shop), and am now the asst manager of my store(and making more than @ the HD shop).  The day I got my 78 750K was a turning point for me. It had been 4 years since I sold my R6 and not having a motorcycle was killing me!! So that has been a big improvement for me. And I got to agree with Gordon, Christmas was awesome! My Hannah is 4, and when you see this picture, mid sprint, running to her new dollhouse... Well, you know she is happy!!! Got to love it!



I sincerely hope 2010 is the year we ALL should have had this year!!! I know this next year will bring big things for me, and I hope it does the same for everyone here! Good luck guys, keep your heads up and that throttle twisted as far as it'll go!!!

[bill440cars]

Mine was the loss of my younger sister Christine.

May she rest in peace.
Jim my brother in law moved to Fl the day after the kids got out of school and we missed Christmas with them.
He gave us back her ashes and wedding presents to them.
I think he doesn't want to have anything to do with us anymore. Grandma didn't even get a phone call on Christmas

Paul

          That IS tough Paul. Hopefully, at least for the kids and your family's sake, he will wake up and work out you all getting together with the kids. PM coming.

[bill440cars]

2009 was a hard year for everyone for sure. January 20th I lost my job at the Harley shop here in town(after moving from Phx,AZ to work here 6mo prior). That was one of the scariest times I can remember. But I turned to my old fallback job(lube shop), and am now the asst manager of my store(and making more than @ the HD shop).  The day I got my 78 750K was a turning point for me. It had been 4 years since I sold my R6 and not having a motorcycle was killing me!! So that has been a big improvement for me. And I got to agree with Gordon, Christmas was awesome! My Hannah is 4, and when you see this picture, mid sprint, running to her new dollhouse... Well, you know she is happy!!! Got to love it!



I sincerely hope 2010 is the year we ALL should have had this year!!! I know this next year will bring big things for me, and I hope it does the same for everyone here! Good luck guys, keep your heads up and that throttle twisted as far as it'll go!!!

           Outstanding, Glad things are working out for you all. And, gotta admit, kids DO make things brighter for us like that! No doubt that she REALLY was excited!

[tramp]

son and son in law both got jobs again

[bill440cars]

son and son in law both got jobs again

           That's Good news alright!   Thanks for posting!

[bill440cars]

   Like Cb750dude said, Hope everybody has a better Year in 2010!


    Forgot to say that, on the Good Side, In Jan, when we (my Dad and I) had to go to court over the guardianship of my Dad, with the S & S Team, we came out of that Victorious! My Dad didn't have to put up with THEM any longer and they can't do it again. THAT was a Fantastic way to Start the Year off. I thought things could only get better from there on out. And things weren't too bad for us , until Brenda started going downhill and then came July 1st. Good side of THAT is Brenda is no longer having problems and is in a much better place. Of course I miss her like Very Much.

    Hope EVERYONE HAS A VERY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR, IN 2010!    

[smokeygold]

Bill,
sorry for my ignorance...what is the s&s team and how would they have say over your dad? I am very glad you fought some beuraucracy to have your dad where he should rightfully be...with you!

[smokeygold]

also ...sorry for the loss of your lovely wife!

[BobbyR]

The Bad. 2009 I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. First time in my life I realized I was not indestructible.

The Good. 2010 I will be clear of Prostate Cancer. I will still remember I am not indestructible.

[BobbyR]

also ...sorry for the loss of your lovely wife!

+2 I had another friend lose his wife this year Bill. I am seeing up close and personal the toll it is taking on him and I am sure you.

[bill440cars]

Bill,
sorry for my ignorance...what is the s&s team and how would they have say over your dad? I am very glad you fought some beuraucracy to have your dad where he should rightfully be...with you!

   No problem, the "S & S Team are my (used to be) brother and his 5th wife. They tried to poison my Dad against me ( Dad had named me as executor of his will), then proceeded to have me removed from everything and basically losing everything except my Last Name. They convinced my Dad that I was stealing from him. As a little time went on, my Dad came to realize that the opposite was true and we (my Dad and I) proceeded to turn things around. In the process, they filed for a hearing to get guardianship of him and control of his assets. My Dad and I (with my Wife's assistance) fought them and we have won the hearing. The case was "Dismissed With Prejudice", so they can't do it again. My Wife, Brenda helped us so much and now, She is gone.

 

also ...sorry for the loss of your lovely wife!

            Thank you, she was the love of MY life and has already been TRULY missed.

           There is a thread with more details about "My Dad's Situation" and one about My Wife's Passing. The support from here has been TREMENDOUS and SO appreciated.


          http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=25434.0

          http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=54186.0

[bill440cars]

The Bad. 2009 I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. First time in my life I realized I was not indestructible.

The Good. 2010 I will be clear of Prostate Cancer. I will still remember I am not indestructible.

           Bobby, glad that it was caught when it was and that you will be all right. We need YOU here Brother!


         

also ...sorry for the loss of your lovely wife!

+2 I had another friend lose his wife this year Bill. I am seeing up close and personal the toll it is taking on him and I am sure you.

     Thank you Bobby, a person doesn't really know how it will affect someone, until it happens to them or, in your case, you can SEE the effect it has. It IS a really something else to experience. Don't think you EVER get over it either (not completely). It's like it's always lurking and will zap you ever now and then, mostly when you least expect it.

                                     Thanks again, Bill

[coldright]

This year was particularly crazy, not only for me personally, but for the world in general... 

The hardest part of this year was loosing a friend of mine in my unit at work.  He was 44, mildly developmentally disabled, took care of his mom (who has diabetes and is a recent amputee), and lived nearby in an apartment.  He went to the local clinic and was turned away when they told him he probably had the flu.  He was taken by ambulance to my hospital where he was on life support and continuous dialysis in critical condition for a week in my unit.  Turns out he had a ruptured appendix and suffered complete system failure.  Heart breaking, especially seeing his battered body moments after he passed.

There are countless moments of joy in my life, regardless of all of the incredibly hard stuff.  I think that it is all about how you perceive the world... no one else or any thing outside of you has the power to influence your life in the way that you do.  The world is still a beautiful place, even if it is incredibly difficult place to be at times. 

Happy New Year, everyone.  I hope that this next year is better for us all.