Back home . . .

Back home. Thank God. The stay at OLOL was not too bad, but there is no place like home. I am still dealing with the pain on and off all day, which usually worse, almost unbearable at night. Same ole’ song and dance. (Maybe I should start a Blues Band, so I could start "singin' the blues"). We will know more in a few days after the tests have been read and forwarded to my Oncologist.

The garden plants appear to have 'jumped up' a few inches. The bugs are trying their best to get their share, but we are going to see if we can’t put a stop to that behavior. The picture attached is of the earliest planted corn in the front and the succeeding planting towards the back. If you plant is all at once, you get overloaded. So, stagger the plantings every so many weeks so you can have fresh corn over a longer time. The same goes for other vegis, too.

Very Rare Request . . .
I have, and will continue to ask, for prayer for many people through my blog. I know I have been on the receiving end of many of you praying for us. We have also received financial help, food, encouragement and even practical help like rides for our kids and also help around the house like planting trees (thanks again, Randy, Bill and Keith). So, here is something I have never done before on this blog, and don’t know exactly how to do it other than to just lay it out there and ask. I am asking for any of you (hopefully all of you), who feel led, to consider helping this couple that I am going to be speaking of in the next few paragraphs. Please read on. . . .

Many of you may remember Robin’s cousin, Barbara Gerard and her husband Don Gerard. She is Bob’s (my father-in-law) niece. A quick history is that she has had multiple surgeries (and complications from those surgeries) which eventually led to a small bowel transplant years ago. It was either die or have a transplant, which was a very rare and risky type of surgery. She has been on death’s doorstep many, many times and by the grace of God has always seemed to come back strong. Presently, they are both out of state (Nebraska) trying to get her bowel transplant, infections, etc. under control. They have been gone for several months this time. Over the years they have been gone for so many Holidays – I think she has missed at least half of all of the Christmas celebrations due to health problems since this all started.

Of course, every time there is a problem, her husband cannot work. When home, he tries to work as he can, depending on Barbara’s condition at that time. His employer is Simpson Service Center, which is on Florida Blvd. towards the City/Downtown. They have been so good to Don and have allowed him to work when he can without losing his position. This has been going on for almost a decade and has understandably taken its toll on them financially.

I could write pages of how great these two people are– so here is just a little bit. I have known them since I met my wife Robin and they have been nothing but a blessing to us and our kids every time we have gotten together. (They can cook a killer Gumbo!)
Don used to work for Maison Blanche Car Care Center before it closed down years ago. He started out “turning wrenches”, as he puts it, and worked his way up to manager. I can remember how stressful of a time it was on him and the other employees when the company (Maison Blanche) closed down. Many of them lost much of their retirement as a result of the company playing “financial magic” with their 401 k’s, etc. They did them (the employees) wrong and I do not know how they (the company) got away with it. But he got another good job at Simpsons. He helped me tremendously when I was in the lawn/landscape business from 1991 to 1998 through encouragement and advice – he was kind of like a ‘trusted big brother’, who I knew would shoot straight with me. One thing I have always thought about Don is how good of a listener he is. Not too many people I know are like him in that respect. He is a great dad, husband, brother and son. I would say to any one, if you don’t like Don Gerard, you got a problem. And that is the truth.

Barbara and Don have two children, both are now grown and married. Barbara worked for years in order to save up enough money to start her own photography studio. She and Don eventually got this dream off the ground and built a studio on their property. Their backyard had all kinds of wagon wheels, fountains and other things that she used as back drops to create the right shot. She took all of our family/kid pictures throughout the years. Barbara is a very loving mom and wife and cousin. She came from a family of (I think) 13 kids – I stand to be corrected - but they had enough for a football team including the coaches and a water boy. Barbara and Don have always been close to Bob and Gladys. One thing can be said of this couple, the word “lazy” is not in their vocabulary. Barbara and Don have both been a shining example of the good ole’ American work ethic.

Here is where the rubber meets the road. Some close family got together and opened an account in Don’s name at “Capital One”. As for donations, all you have to do is go in or drive through any Capital One branch and let them know you would like to donate into Don Gerard’s account. This goes directly to he and his wife – no middle man or organization is involved. Wouldn’t it be awesome to load up their account and blow their minds with the amount? (Look out Jessie Jackson, I got my rhyme goin’ on now). Seriously, I hope and pray that each of you would consider giving towards this deserving couple. When I think of all of the able bodied people who are ‘sitting on it” and receiving government money, while this couple struggles to keep their head above water, it really chaps me.

So, again, please consider giving. Any amount large or small - $5 or $50 or $500 - would be greatly appreciated by me and I know by them. The scriptures are also very clear about giving, “Give and it shall be given, pressed down and shaken together shall men give unto you” (Jesus). You cannot outgive God! If you have any questions at all, please call me or e-mail.


I am going to try getting back in the bed again. I had to get up and get into a hot shower around 2 a.m. to help try and knock out the back / kidney pain. It worked for the most part. The pills “just ain’t cuttin’ it” for some reason. I know they help, but not completely. So, I figured I would blog a while.
Talk to ya’ll so more later on . . . God Bless. George.

P.S. If those of you who live out of town/state would like to donate, please let me know and we can work out getting it to them.