New Beginnings

Similarities between Gyppo Logging and "life in general" are many, and my 36 plus year life as a Gyppo Logger's wife has offered many lessons. Some of these lessons I learned quickly, some of them took me a while. Some of these lessons I'm still learning.  "Gyppo Logger" by definition is an independent logger who works efficiently and inexpensively while being productive.  In my experience, Gyppo Loggers are most often either self or family taught, and most importantly, love their work.   I believe life is similar to Gyppo Logging in this way.  Productivity in our lives cannot be underestimated.  Productivity brings happiness.  If we have a full life our production is bountiful.  We may produce in our daily work, in our hobbies,and hopefully in our families.   We learn much of how we produce in our lives through our own life lessons, and much from our families.  The combination can be powerful, and it never stops.  Family to most Gyppo's is the most important blessing in ones life.  Combine the love of family with a love of your work, throw in a healthy dose of humor,  cover with a love of God, and you've got a pretty good foundation.  A Beginning.
The "new beginning" to this blog is literal, it's been a year since I started it and since I posted.  It also refers to the beginning of  another lesson in the making.   It appears  the beginning of another stage in the life of my family is at hand.  My Mom has Alzheimers Disease.  You might think this is an ending.  It is not.  A beginning is at hand for "The Stone Kids" as we have often called ourselves.  There are 5 of us from this Mother.  Each of us having played an important role in the lives of the others.  Each of us taking on new roles in this process our Mom is going through.   
We are a strong group.   One of the first lessons we learned was "Take on one Stone, you take on them all".   Trust me when I say, we've had to prove it.  Even with the youngest now being 46 years old, these 5 are unbreakable.  As the eldest (Sharon, 55) says, we have our own language.  She is correct.  We have our own way of talking to, teaching, teasing each other, a sense of humor many do not understand.  Our own children, who grew up with, suffered though, enjoyed much and benefited from this group of siblings, often do not understand us. My Gyppo  husband who has been in the family for 36 years, since Chris the youngest was 10, does not quite get our communication at times.  Our half brother and sister do permeate our little clique and sometimes, it feels as though we are 7.

From this Mother though, bound by circumstances known only to us,  tied together by memories that are only ours, we are five.
Perhaps this writing will help me, perhaps it will help my siblings, perhaps it will help you.  I cannot promise regularity,  perfect grammar, or a sense of humor all will appreciate. I will attempt honesty and understanding,  as my siblings and  I strive to learn and fully appreciate the lesson at hand.

The Hands That Rocked Our Cradles

(Thank You Sharon and Dennice for the Photo)