Who is Donna f.,you ask? She is a riddle wrapped in an enigma swathed in a....Ah, Hell, I'm none of those things. I'm pretty transparent to be honest.
I am fifty-one years young, the "baby" of six children, to a pair of hillbilly parents.All are at least seven years older than I, and by the time I was twelve, all had married and moved away.
My last name originally had a "g" on the end, but it was lost somewhere along the line from Ireland to Kentucky, and never replaced. There is a county in Texas which bears my last name.
I lost my Mom when I was a mere 20 years old. In the past few years I have lost my Dad, and one brother and one sister. Losing my sister was the hardest thing I have ever went through, and it scares me silly to think, being the youngest, I will have to go through it a few more times before I succumb myself.
I am technically a widow, having lost my husband of 23 years in January,2001 to a heart attack. He was an abusive jerk, so I did not grieve overly hard for his passing. In fact, I went a little hog-wild with the partying for several months following his death, but that is a story for another day.
For the record, whenever someone berates you on a daily basis for over twenty years, telling you that you are worthless, ugly, fat, and undesirable to all of mankind...Get a second opinion. I found out pretty quick that he was wrong as wrong can be. Well, he was pretty on the money about the "fat" thing, but otherwise, he was dead wrong.
I am the Mother to two kids, who are 30 and 24. Some days they are the best kids a Mother could give birth to, some days I could strangle them with my eyes closed. I have one adorable two year old grandson, and two step- granddaughters who are precious as can be.
I reside in a small town in North Central Ohio with the love of my life, Bill's Spirit, who saved my life and taught me what real love is all about. I treasure his existence in my life every time I look into his gorgeous hazel eyes.
I am a great cook, who can whip just about anything from next to nothing. That comes from helping out Mommy since I was a wee one, and being married to a social phobic whom you couldn't beg into a restaurant. Thus, if I saw a dish "Olive Garden" or someplace advertised, I would learn to make it myself. You should try my Chicken Marsala or Seafood Enchiladas sometime. Really!
I bake all my own bread and rolls, and rarely use anything which contains anything "artificial". I readily admit to being compulsed to have a chili dog a few times a year, and finding the "Perfect" dog is a life-quest of mine. Hey, you have your goals, I have mine.
I'm told I could be a comedian, but i don't have the gumption to work up an act. "Domestic Goddess" is already taken any ways.
Oh yeah, I am also a nurse with 30 years experience in Geriatrics. I speak and lobby for "Compassionate Care of the Elderly", to provide additional training for Nursing Assistants in the area of Sensitivity Training, and using humor to diffuse volatile situations.
Oh yeah, I dabble in writing from time to time.
That's me in a nutshell, emphasis on "NUT".
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Comments: 76
and a tasty 'nut' you are....your writings enliven my day whenever I get a chance to read them~
Thank you, Linda, You are far too kind.
OMG! I'm in love Donna....... Already happily married but in love just the same. I have a BIG heart. LOL Oh yeah, what time is supper? You sound like a real sport Donna with a great sense of humour.
Roger,
Come on down, sugar, but lets not tell Bill about the "love thing", shall we?
You two are very lucky. It sounds like the two of you are true soul mates. A rare commodity these days.
You have it right. Soul mates is even an understatement. I love that man with all my heart and soul. I think, after my marriage, God said "Here, you deserve a break" and sent me my Bill.
Awww ... that's sweet. :)
*waves*
10 !!!
*waves back*
*blows kisses*
Woo hoo...Now I can say I been blown(kisses) by PJS!!!!!!!
ha ha
Finding the perfect chili dog... Sounds like a reasonable goal. My goals tend to revolve around an ongoing quest for yummy food... including pints of Ben & Jerry's. It has calcium; therefore, I'm counting it as a health food. Anyone having objections to that definition can take it up with me when my blood sugar is on the low side.
Sounds like health food to me...Actually, a pint of "Willie Nelson's Peach Cobbler" sounds pretty good about now.
I usually go more for the ones that have chocolate. That's my weakness... and the thing that has my dogs pouting. Mommy is mean and won't share her not-dog-friendly ice cream with the pups.
For some reason, Heather, I tend to gravitate toward "fruity" in the summer, and chocolate (Phish Food...YAY!!!) in the winter months.
I love learning things about the people I am connected to. Of course my brain is like a sieve and I may never remember more than one or two things about you but the one that sticks out is your care and compassion for the elderly. It is truly wonderful that there are caring people like you in the world.
Linda,
See, now you went and made me blush!
YOU'RE ALSO MY AWESOMEST GILFFRIEND!!!!!~~~~~
I WOOOF YOU EVEN MORE NOW~
I LOOOOOVE LOOVE SO YOU'RE HONESTY~
*I felt the same way when my abusive meanie passed onto another plane*
kissles
Yeah, I think, in certain ways, we are very alike Purr...Reading your books has made me realize how much we echo the same sentiments about our respective pasts.
You're my BESTEST GILFRIEND, Yourself.
"I think, in certain ways, we are very alike Purr"
YEAH~WE'RE BOTH SEXY NANA'S ;)
You got that right, sister!!!
AND WE CAN BOTH TIE CHERRY STEMS WITH OUR TONGUES!!!!~
*i'm still working on the origami* ;)
Yep, its great for getting free drinks at the bar....too bad I don't drink anymore..lol
Thank you for posting to gutterGirls~featured
I'm very happy to "meet" you and am delighted to read this. More people should write an article similar to this one as it will help in getting to know all who are here and understanding where they "come from." I would absolutely love your recipes for Chicken Marsala and Seafood Enchilatas!
One of these days, I will write them down and post them, but for now, they are just in my head.
Happy to meet you too...where is your "about me" post?
lol Right underneath the four or five I have waiting on me to either finish or write. I have a page open to work on each of them, I have the information to back what I'm going to say, but I need the dern time to put them together!!!!
Wow! I really enjoyed reading that! You are one of the most upbeat, jolly, fun people on Gather (along with your good friend, the ferret lady. heheh)
Thanks Debra, you're pretty durn cool yourself!
I forgot to come back. I've been busy being a stinker. but I didn't forget about you. honest. sorta
Sure, thats what they all say....lol
Damn, woman, that smile is going to blind someone one of these days. Did you switch toothpaste or something?
Well, some people were complaining that my smile was blinding BEFORE Spartan fixed me up and gave them all something to complain about.
I suggest my good friends wear sunglasses when gazing upon my brilliance.
As for the others, heh... they were already blind and never knew it.
Debra is so bright, I gotta wear shades when I'm around her. The brilliance!
Donna I take you as a "special nut" a rare and special nut. not too many people have gone through what you have gone through and still see life to its fullest.
thanks for sharing some of you with me.
glad to get to know you better!
kimberly,
Thanks for the lovely sentiments.
Thanks for writing this, it's cool to read more about the people I'm connected to.
Thanks Ellen, where's yours?
If I write one, can I say it was inspired by you? :-)
I would be honored.
What fun to read. :) And I agree, I think we would get along great.
Thanks, Lune.
How lucky for you both that you found each other. Sometimes you have to wait a while for the good things.
Yeah, like 43 years..lol
hey, we might be related, donna! My family came via way of Ireland also, but got caught up in crazy king George's army and had to hide on a ship going to America. Ended up in Ky. also...wow! And to find you have Bill's spirit right there with you? that is awesome, for I read him a few times long before I signed up at gather. My brother
Dan b. used to follow him,lol. Sorry about the family members. I am dead center of 12 sibs and 1 half sib so we will see how THAT works out............... :)
penni,
You know what they say about folks from Ky., we're all related in one way or another...lol. And yep, I consider myself extremely blessed to have my Bill.
You have had a pretty full life! I love that you work with Nursing Assistants to help them care for the elderly with more compassion. I used to be a CNA and saw more than a handful of CNAs that were mean, spiteful and should never have been given the position they were in.
Excellent post!
Bryan,
You say that as if it is over? Not by a long shot. I plan on being an aggrivation to my children for decades to come.
I used to teach the Nurse Aide training class, but i gave it up several years ago. Now, I do public speaking when I can to encourage Nursing Homes to increase the time they allot to training. Two weeks is not nearly adequate.
I agree. In their need to fill positions they throw people to the wolves that have very little idea what to expect other than taking temps and checking pulse and respiration. the local college here has started doing a semester long training that half is spent in class and the other half is spent hands on. From what I hear its pretty good.
When I taught, we had two weeks, tops. I tried to instill in them that those two weeks were just the tip of the iceberg, and that their learniong would REALLY begin when they got on the unit. After the classes, We would put them with a "trainer aide" for another two weeks, but give them their own "section' after the first week, wit their trainer in the next section to help them when they needed it. During class, we had a mere three days on the unit, but I would send them up for various tasks throughout the course. I would play a game with them, and send them to the unit, and have them talk with various residents, and report back when they found what I told them to look for..."Talk to a resident who was born overseas"...A resident who has no children....A resident who can't use a part of their body...etc...etc...
We also played "sensitivity games...Like buying Mountain Dew for the group, and encouraging them to drink as many as they can...then wait for them to have to use the bathroom...and make them wait...Like a patient would have to do after ringing the call light...or blindfolding someone and feeding them a puree diet without telling them what they're eating.....I have a million of 'em..lol
That's really cool training, Donna! I'm impressed!
Very interesting life. That's so cool about you finding Bill. I believe my husband and I are soul mates, but he's turned into a curmudgeon and he's getting on my last nerve. LOL!
Oh, ice cream. Sigh. I luuuuurve ice cream. I try not to buy it because I eat it. All of it. In maybe two sittings.
You sound like a lot of fun. I'm looking foward to your ice cream party.
I think its funny, because, after almost eight years together, BIll rarely gets on my nerves. He has his moments, mind you, but they are few and far between.
I'll keep you posted about the ice cream party, but I'm not getting the community involvement I was hoping for...so it is still up in the air..I do know it will be in August, though...Edy's informed me that the ice cream would be delivered the week of the 15th.
I'm suspicious that my hubby is having some kind of issue. He talks a mile a minute sometimes, constantly interrupts, won't let me finish a sentence. It's annoying and hurtful and he seems oblivious to the effect of his behavior.
Well, if you don't get community involvement, then just have a big party for your friends and don't worry about it.
My mom still makes her own bread and is a "Martha Stewart" in the kitchen like you seem to be! In fact, I think I am the only one in my generation that still makes cherry pie from scratch and has learned our traditional Norwegian recipes that we make at Christmastime (and any other time we need an excuse!) all thanks to my mom persisting on passing down these talents! Once I get my kids out of the preschool years (I have 3 preschoolers right now) I will be looking forward to more "me" time in the kitchen and may possibly even revive my bread making skills as well!
Heidi,
I wouldn't be a "Martha", even if I wanted to, which I don't. It has to be really painful walking around with a stick up your butt all the time.YEah, while all my siblings are really wonderful cooks, I am the only one who can cook "Mommy's" fried chicken...don't tell them, but the secret is in the pan...a heavy cast iron skillet that was hers.
God bless ya for juggling three wee ones at once. Mine were 7 years apart, and still a handful.
I have some family recipes, too, but my brother (there were just the two of us) cooks more than I do. I think I'm just generally burned out. Raising 4 kids will do that to a person.
Well, Donna, my mom is much nicer than "Martha" that is for sure! I just mean that she makes it all look so easy! Her house is always clean, her food is delicious, she cans her own pickles, bakes her own bread, etc... And she did all of that while we still lived at home too. I guess this generation of young moms didn't get much of that passed down because all of my friends are incredulous if I even mention canning pickles or peaches or baking bread or pies... Homemakers like my Mom seem to be a dying breed!
Heidi, I hope you know I meant no disrespect to your Mom..I jsut am not a fan of Martha's. It certainly is a dying breed, but I feel blessed that both my kids are really good cooks, especially my daughter.
It's nice to meet you. I agree on the second opinions! I wish I lived next door...I'd come over and bum that homebaked bread! I bet your house smells delicious! I'm sending you a friend invite.
Amanda,
i wouldnt' go that far...we have kitties, ya know? But anytime you want to stop by, come on over.
Oh, so you're the Donna I saw the other day in a "magical" picture! I had no idea.
Yep, Aniko, that would be me...as long as you mean Bills' picture in the woods.
Hi Donna,
I love this post and you're even more interesting than I knew you were ;) Home made bread? I used to make all of ours too and you know, there's nothing like the smell of bread baking. Good stuff. It got so the two of us couldn't eat it all, so I've at least for now, stopped. Shoot, until you started talking about it anyways -- now I can taste it!
Good for you on the nursing. People need to be trained well and know what they're getting into; also if they're suited to the work, 'before' they get to their patients.
Marilyn
"..also if they're suited to the work, 'before' they get to their patients."
You have no idea how friustrated I became sometimes. My classes were generally with 10-12 students. 12 being the max allowed by law in a NATP class. At one time, I was part of a program to help get welfare recipients and immigrants back into the workforce. Some of those folks, men and women, had no intention of learning a thing, but had to "work" to keep their benefits. As for the immigrants, some were wonderful with the patients, but couldn't speak English well, so their testing and homework responses were not accurate. In one class alone, I had an Italian, a Czech, and an African, none of which spoke one word of English...they would tape my lectures, and have thier loved ones at home translate. ...And if I never teach another SOmali, I will be happy.
Donna you rock.. you have lived, and I love reading your posts...
Thanks Kimmie.
Sorry to hear your husband was abusive. However, since you danced and sang, I believe you should enter 'America's Got Talent' or 'American Idol' or both!!!
Wm,
Where did you get the idea I dance and sing? I didn't mentiona anything here about that. Yes, I do both, but not in any manner which would even imply "professional"..The last time I sang in public was when I was in a band in high school...Lo those many moons ago. Now, family reunions are my limit for warbling..
I think he meant the partying in 2001. ;-)
I didn't think of that.
So THAT's who Donna F. is!!
Yep, that would be me...the "Reader's Digest" version anyway.
Yup, That's my honey.
...and she saved my life too.
Here's to many more years together, Sweetie.
smoooooooooooooooooooooches
Yep, I'm just waiting for those rocking chairs on the wraparound porch..