I'm back

[Guest guest]

Hi, I have never posted on here before, I'm a newbie. I just finished school at

the local community college the beginning of August. I got a job at a

transcription office in the same town where I went to school. I live in central

Iowa, about 20 miles from Des Moines. This job doesn't pay real well, while I'm

training for 6 weeks I get $8 an hour and then I work at home starting at 5

cents a line. But I figure it's a place to start and get some experience and

then move on to something better.

Anyway, the main reason I am replying to this post is because I saw the Dutch

name. My dad is 100% Dutch, my maiden name is Falkena. My grandpa came to the

US through Ellis Island and settled in Michigan and then moved on to northwest

Iowa. I went to college at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, which is

very Dutch, and I graduated with a girl named Kara Van Koevering and I think she

was from Michigan. Anyway, I'll stop my rambling now. I don't know if being

techie-oriented is a Dutch trait, but my dad is electronically challenged, he

won't go near the computer!

Good talking to you.

Deb

Re: I'm back

>

>

> > Speaking of older folks and the Internet, I recently gave my dad a

> computer. (He's 70 years old and lives with me.) I bought him the

Video

> Professor's CD tutorial for learning Windows XP. He often is bored, and

I

> think this will open up a whole new world for him. He isn't on the

Internet

> yet, but he will be as soon as he is comfortable with Windows. He does

" his

> lessons " every day, and is doing pretty well for a 70-year-old guy.

> >

> > He is a bit dyscoordinated with his hands, but he manages. He asked

me

> if, when he sent an email, the recipient could see how slowly he typed.

I

> put his mind to rest about that.

> >

> > All in all, a new adventure for both dad and daughter.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My dad is definitely not techie-oriented, although he does try. The family

spends a great deal of time trying to bale him out of his computer problems. He

is forever messing that thing up.

Daw C.

Anyway, I'll stop my rambling now. I don't

> know if being techie-oriented is a Dutch trait, but my dad is

> electronically challenged, he won't go near the computer!

> Good talking to you.

> Deb

[Guest guest]

Nope, VanDemark is my married name. My husband's side is Dutch. I know that

his dad grew up in Michigan, but I don't no any more about their history. My

maiden name is Mandell 50% Russian, 25% Romanian, and 25% Polish...100%

Jewish. Funny that I now have a WASP-y name (dh is Methodist)!

Re: I'm back

> >

> >

> > > Speaking of older folks and the Internet, I recently gave my dad a

> > computer. (He's 70 years old and lives with me.) I bought him the

> Video

> > Professor's CD tutorial for learning Windows XP. He often is bored,

and

> I

> > think this will open up a whole new world for him. He isn't on the

> Internet

> > yet, but he will be as soon as he is comfortable with Windows. He

does

> " his

> > lessons " every day, and is doing pretty well for a 70-year-old guy.

> > >

> > > He is a bit dyscoordinated with his hands, but he manages. He asked

> me

> > if, when he sent an email, the recipient could see how slowly he

typed.

> I

> > put his mind to rest about that.

> > >

> > > All in all, a new adventure for both dad and daughter.

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Bless you Margaret. My heart goes out to you and your family and you're in my

prayers.

Robyn

I'm back

> Actually, I've been back for a week, but didn't feel like talking, so just

lurked.

Thanks for thinking of me everyone. We actually had a good time with mom, after

the

funeral and everything was over with. We got her out doing some of the things

that she

hadn't been able to do while dad was doing so poorly. I don't remember what all

I told

you before I left so hurriedly, but dad died in his sleep, around 4:30 in the

morning.

Mom said she heard him breathing louder and then his breathing just stopped.

She called

my brother and sister-in-law, and Dawn. Dawn is a hospice nurse and

happened to be

on call that night anyway, so if mom had called the service she would have

gotten Dawn,

but it was better for Dawn to find out from mom rather than the service.

Hospice came in

immediately and took care of everything very quickly. Mom lives next door to a

monastery.

She decided she should call the nuns and let them know, as she knew

> Anyway we are all glad that he went so peacefully. He had lived through all

of the

things that were planned for the summer. We had had the family reunion, then

his older

sister and her husband had been down to visit, then my brother's birthday and my

mom's

birthday (8/5). Then there just wasn't anything left to look forward to. It

was amazing

that he lived that long as early in June he was worried that he might not make

it to the

reunion. But he did great at the reunion and really pushed to be a part of

everything.

He just finally ran out of steam.

>

> All of your well wishes have really been appreciated. Thanks everyone for the

condolence e-mails, etc. Now that I am home, I am sad and lonely and really

sorry that I

don't have as much family in this area. My son and his wife are here, which is

why I live

here, but they have their own lives and work and we really have to make an

effort to get

together. I am still doing a lot to get out with friends, etc., but working at

home and

living alone is more isolating right now than I had expected. So I may not be

as active

in answering questions for awhile, but I am here. Thanks for the thoughts and

especially

the prayers. Keep up the prayers for mom, I know she is much lonelier now that

we have

all gone home. Margaret