James J. Straine, 36 years old.
From: Oceanport, N.J.
James died in a attack by Terrorists on the World Trade Center.
Called Jimmy by friends, the Husband of Trisha,
the father of Finn, and Charlie.

James Straine was a son, brother, husband and father most loved.
He had returned to his job on the 104th Floor of One World Trade Center in Manhattan.
Sept 10th for half days, he had been blessed with a new son, 5 days before.
The last call Trisha received from Jim came about 8am on Sept.11, 2001.
Jimmy had called to see how she was doing; it was to be 2 yr old
Finns first day of nursery school. Charlie was 6 days old.
Jimmy was worried bout his wife.

Trisha was missing her lover and soul mate.
There was no way to know that would be the final call.

James is said to have been a kind person, with never a cross word.
He was much loved by friends and family.
He was to have been a groomsman in a wedding on the 15 of Sept, 2001
James was an avid reader, hardly seen without a book.
He loved to Golf, and fish
James was a fixed- income investment salesman, at the Cantor Fitzgerald
center in the World Trade Center.
In August 2001, the Straine family moved to Oceanport, N.J., so that James Straine, and his family, could be near the ocean and the Shrewsbury River.
Everywhere you go in Oceanport you can see water, and it was just perfect for his great passion, fishing.
So weeks before James was murdered by Terrorists, he had realized a
Life long dream, To Live on the Ocean.
He at least had the opportunity to take young Finn fishing once.
Trisha, His love, their Children,
Family, friends,
Beach, water, golf, reading, life

There is a golf tournament held each summer now to help Remember Jimmy Straine.
An annual gathering of friends takes place,
Finn and Charlie hear stories; learn about their daddy second hand from people who loved Jimmy and love them also.
The tournament it is also the way that the James J. Straine, Jr. Memorial Scholarship at Jimmy’s alma mater, Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren, New Jersey is funded.
Jimmy is at home with the Lord.
His family is here and can use our prayers of support and comfort.
From our hearts to yours, we will never forget.
God Bless America.

(repost from 9/11/2006)

First Officer Thomas McGuinness, who had just celebrated his 42 birthday was co-pilot on American Airlines Flight 11.

Tom McGuinness grew up in Burlington, MA, graduated from Boston University
Where he was a competitive swimmer, he was a 12-year veteran with American Airlines.

Tom was in the Navy as a Top Gun fighter pilot flying F14’s
He was a Viet Nam Vet. He served his country with honor.
He married his high school sweet heart Cheryl, and was raising two wonderful kids

In 1999 Thomas McGuinness moved his family, wife Cheryl, daughter Jennifer
and son Tommy, from California to Greenland, NH in order to take advantage of better job opportunities with American Airlines.

Thomas McGuinness was a man of faith, a Christian whose beliefs enhanced his relationships with his family and his colleagues and friends.
His legacy was one of enduring faith, and love of his family and friends.

At 7:59 a.m.Sept.11, 2001 American Airlines Flight 11 departed Boston for Los Angeles, carrying 81 passengers, two pilots, and nine flight attendants. American 11 was hijacked and diverted to New York.
American 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City at 08:46:40.

Scott Powell, confirmed killed in the pentagon.

Scott grew up in Washington, D.C., he graduated from Washington’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

He was employed by BTG Inc. He was a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, which led to a job at the Pentagon, where he worked as a civilian contractor.

Scott was not married to the military, but to life.

Scott had a identical twin brother, Art as well as an older brother Shaun.
Brothers who were his dearest friends.

At one time Scott and Art formed a group they called it the “Mable’s Twinzz” formed a music production company, “Dem Twinzz productions.”

Ironically, both had developed a passion for Arabic song, which they played while on a tour together in Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The duo would never perform together again. Over the ensuing days and weeks after the Pentagon catastrophe, friends and family, so long accustomed to being around the two brothers, would call Art, because they missed the sound of Scott’s voice.

He composed songs, most of them rhythm and blues, and played more than a half-dozen instruments from piano to drums.

“He loved music. It really was his life,” said his other brother, Shaun. “Then he developed an interest in computers and that paid his bills.”

Scott was a great musician. He could play anything; drum pads, acoustic piano, keyboards, bass, acoustic guitar.
He could program, sequence, mix, and coach singers on vocals.

He was also very open with people, challenging them to rethink how they behaved with others around him. He was in love with music and the Steelers.

Scotts mother Catherine had her hands full as the boys grew up; she said her twin sons began playing the drums at the age of 2. Scott later was trained classically on the string bass, she said.

The twins took jobs at the same firm, BTG Inc.

“Every time you saw one of them, the other wouldn’t be far behind,” she said. “That’s what I’ll miss the most. When I see Art, I’ll always be looking for Scott.”

In one tribute, I saw a letter from Scotts daughter Sydney, who wrote:

“dear daddy up in heaven i love u and i miss u lots i kno your watchin me all ways ill write u again soon
your daughter Sydney”

We will never forget your daddy Sydney.

(repost 9/11/06)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While we celebrate Valentines day..
I just though we could
also celebrate Freedom! Enjoy.. from ThemasterOfTheUniverse and Pet and da Brats!
Happy Valentines Day to all!!!!!!!!!!
God Bless America, and each one of you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lyrics Follow:

Just a workin’ man without a job
It got shipped off to China via Washington, D.C.
And I know I’m nothin’ special, there are plenty more like me
Just the same
I thought I knew the rules of the game

I stood up for this country that I love
I came back from the desert to a wife and kids to feed
I’m not sayin’ Uncle Sam should give me what I need
My offer stands
I’ll pull my weight you give me half a chance

I went up to a congressman and said to him “you know
Our government is letting people down”
He said he’d need a lot of help to buck the status-quo
I said there was a bunch of us around

I’m a Born Again American, conceived in Liberty
My Bible and the Bill of Rights, my creed’s equality
I’m a Born Again American, my country ‘tis of me
And everyone who shares the dream from sea to shining sea

My brother’s welding chassis at the plant
He’s earning what our granddad did in 1948
While CEOs count bonuses behind the castle gates
How can they see
When all they care about’s the do re mi

It’s getting where there’s nowhere left to turn
Not since the crash of twenty-nine have things been so unfair
So many of our citizens are living in despair
The time has come
To reaffirm that hope’s not just for some

The promise of America’s surrendering to greed
The rule is just look out for number one
But brace yourself ‘cause some of us have sown a different seed
A harvest of the spirit has begun

I’m a Born Again American conceived in liberty
My Bible is my Bill Of Rights
My creed’s equality
A Born Again American, my country ‘tis of me
And everyone who shares the dream from sea to shining sea

It’s clear my country’s soul is on the line
She’s hungering for something that she lost along the way
The principle the framers called upon us to obey
That in this land
The people’s will must have the upper hand

I felt the calling once before and took a sacred vow
And faithful to that vow I have remained
I hear the calling once again, my country needs me now
And to her cause I have been re-ordained

I’m a Born Again American conceived in liberty
My Bible and the Bill Of Rights, all people living free
A Born Again American, my country ‘tis of me
And everyone who shares the dream
From sea to shining sea
And everyone who shares the dream
From sea to shining sea
A M E R I C A

Sometimes miracles happen and we don’t know it.

I saw my primary care physician two weeks ago on Tuesday; he
Was shocked when I walked into his office,
I had been in the wheelchair for months before this.
He came around to the front and said, thank you Lord,
And gave me a hug and a big smile.

He had been reading my Labs from the previous Monday and he said he just
could not freakin believe them they were so good!
He said based on this last Mondays results being as good, he would
Recommend holding off on the surgery for 30 days, and then have a repeat
MRI to see if the abscesses in my spine had shrunk.
He would call on Tuesday or Thursday, (he is off on Wednesday) so of
course he called Thursday afternoon, the only time I left the house when I had
run to the post office to mail a package. He didn’t return my call.

So I walked in to my infectious disease doctor’s office, (hugs standing
are much better than when sitting in a wheelchair!) Hugs from the
girls and a grin from Dr.M.
He said I talked with Dr S. (that’s my primary care doctor)
yesterday, then I talked to Dr.L, he’s my ortho surgeon, then I
talked to Dr. H, he’s the vascular surgeon, that’s the guts
and veins doctor.
And I said so what’s the deal? My stomach hurt, I was so nervous!

He asked me who drove me, and I said I did…It’s the first time I’d
ever driven myself to his office, usually my caregiver drove.

He smiled, nodded and dropped a pen on the floor and said pick it up and bring it to me, so I stood up, (without using a walker for support) and walked over, bent
down and picked it up. I walked over and handed it to him.
If he had said “sit, stay” I’d had to thunk him one…

He said based on your labs and what I am seeing is
directly the intervention of a higher power. Because we as Doctors can
only do so much.

Then he paused and looked directly at me then said ”I have scheduled a MRI on December 6th, at 10am if the abscesses have shrunk, we will do a second MRI in 90 days, if they haven’t reduced then surgery will be rescheduled.

I will continue on the IV meds at home 6 hours a day, every
day, God willing. My friends will continue to ask God for healing.

So Thank you to those of you who are offering prayers, purrs, scritches,
Reiki, please continue!! Pet of course is hoping that the healing Miracle happens and the infection goes away…………..

A special thank you to Bonnie and Chey, and to Robyn and the Hotties!!!!!!!!
The Bengal Brats are sending Happy Caturday scritches, hugs, and big thank you’s to everyone at the Cat Blogosphere!!