text:
Giants coach Tom Coughlin wasn't thrilled about defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul's weight gain in 2011, but he might have a more positive reaction to running back David Wilson's plan to add weight to his frame.
Wilson says he has put on a few pounds of muscle since the end of the season and hopes to play at a slightly heavier weight than he did in 2012. Wilson's doing that because he wants to be a more effective pass blocker, a desire doubtlessly spurred by the Giants making it clear last season that Wilson's playing time was limited because he hadn't shown he was a "complete running back."
Wilson eventually got more time after injuries gave the Giants little choice but to turn to their 2011 first-round pick, but Wilson doesn't want to leave things up to chance this time around.
"Because at the end of the day, Eli is our quarterback in there," Wilson said, via Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger. "And when the game is in a tough situation, the ball is going to be in his hands to make decisions. And when he makes those decisions, he's got to be able to stand in the pocket."
The Giants have said that Wilson, Andre Brown, Ryan Torain and Da'Rel Scott will compete for playing time in the backfield. If his pass protection work is up to snuff, Wilson's ability to turn every touch into six points should put him in position to grab the top spot on the depth chart.


text:
The key figure behind failed hospital operator Pacific Health Corp. is a German business tycoon with a Business degree from Harvard University who appears on Forbes Magazine's list of the world's richest people. But Dr. Bernard Broermann has mostly flown under the radar in Southern California – until now.
The California company that Broermann founded owns four hospitals it can no longer afford to keep open. The looming closure of Newport Specialty Hospital in Tustin is disrupting the care of 32 long-term pediatric patients housed in the facility, most of whom have major disabilities due to injuries, illness or congenital conditions. Many are hooked up to feeding and breathing tubes.
Broermann, who is worth $2.1 billion according to Forbes' most recent tally, is slightly better known in Germany. He is the sole owner of the Asklepios Group, one of the country's top three private hospital operators, which posted $3.4 billion in annual revenue last year. He also owns a luxury spa and hotel in the mountains near Frankfurt, Germany's financial capital.
On its website, Asklepios – named for the Greek god of medicine – boasts that "at the centre of company activities is the constant development of our competencies, a high frequency of innovations, investments and solid financing potential."
The same cannot be said of Pacific Health, which Broermann created in 1984 and later left in the hands of local management that drove it into the ground – and into the grip of federal prosecutors.
After learning of the kids' plight in Tustin, Broermann stepped forward to give his version of events. In an email he sent the Register on Tuesday, Broermann said "of course I will do everything I can to make sure that the pediatric unit at Tustin is maintained." He modified his statement in a second email Wednesday, in which he stated, "I will do everything I can – that is, everything my attorneys allow me without establishing personal liability – to maintain the pediatric services at Tustin, because … it has to stay open."
The news that Newport Specialty will close, along with reports that critical supplies are lacking and caregivers are not being paid, has left state and county regulators scrambling to find facilities that can absorb the children in the hospital.
While vowing to help, Broermann seems eager to avoid responsibility for the problems of the California hospital group he started. He said that he is no longer the owner of Pacific Health, because in 1992 he handed over 100 percent of the shares in its parent company, Health Investment Corp., to a nonprofit foundation in Germany. He declined to name the foundation, saying that "to have their name in the media helps nobody and can only hurt."
There is a nonprofit organization in Konigstein, Germany, called the Dr. Broermann Foundation, which lists him as chairman. The Register was unable to ascertain whether it is the foundation that owns Pacific Health. Broermann said the name of the owner is "of course registered in the books of the corporation," adding that Pacific Health's counsel, Sharyn Alcaraz, could confirm that. Alcaraz did not return calls seeking comment.
Because Pacific Health is privately held, it is not required to identify its owners.
Though he handed the shares over to the nonprofit in 1992, Broermann continued to play an active role in Pacific Health for many years afterward, based on his own account. In his Tuesday email, he said that after a large acquisition in Hamburg in 2005, "I no longer had the time to look after PHC." He named James Young as president and CEO of Pacific Health, with whom he "thought it was in good hands."
It was on Young's watch that Pacific Health engaged in a scheme to recruit homeless people to three of its hospitals – including Anaheim General and Newport Specialty, known at the time as Tustin Hospital and Medical Center – to undergo unnecessary medical procedures for bogus diagnoses, all of which were billed to Medicare and Medi-Cal.
Last year, the company admitted to the fraudulent operation and agreed to a $16.5 million settlement with federal prosecutors. Young was never charged in connection with it. A doctor with admitting privileges at the Tustin hospital was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison and Los Angeles Doctors Hospital Inc., a Pacific Health subsidiary, pleaded guilty to paying kickbacks to the recruiters. Pacific Health admitted responsibility, according to court documents.
Broermann says he only became aware of the situation in 2008, after federal officials began investigating it. "I felt ashamed of what had happened and tried to help bring PHC back to order, primarily by bringing in a new management team and by helping to settle the case," he says.
Broermann concedes the scheme "should have never happened," but adds that "former management claims no criminal action was ever taken."
An Asklepios spokesman, Rudi Schmidt, said that neither Broermann nor the nonprofit that owns the Pacific Health shares "ever took any money out of the company." Despite his professed arms-length relationship with Pacific Health, Broermann said the foundation that owns it has "appointed me and another attorney to represent their interest, and we try to find the best solution for patients, employees and the communities the hospital served."
Register staff writer Ronald Campbell contributed to this report.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2440 or email@example.com
Education Links

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Let us Light up the NightDelete Topic
drugs.. rock and roll. bad ass.. vegas hoes.. late night. booty calls.. shiny disco balls!!Delete
Let us Light up the NightDelete
Let us Light up the NightDelete
Gooi nat, or don't gooi at all.*Nic*Delete
"our love withers here and dies
the story had to end in blood"
"You will not feel pain near the end, my dear
Your memory shall remain with me
As I weep upon your grave
My love...
My love..."
I need to find something witty for this so people like me...Delete
Attention to health is life greatest hindrance. - Plato (427-347 B.C.E.) Plato was a bore. - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) Nietzsche was stupid and abnormal. - Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) I'm not going to get into the ring with Tolstoy. - Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) Hemingway was a jerk. - Harold RobbinsDelete
Let us Light up the NightDelete
Let us Light up the NightDelete
i like pieDelete
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey
Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!Delete


text:
Lord of the Rings Anduril Flame of the West Prop Replica
The Sword That Was Broken
- Aragorn's sword prop replica
- Stainless steel dull blade with etched runes
- Choose sword or scabbard (or both!)
Andúril was first forged as Narsil by Dwarven smiths deep in the mountains. The magical sword was carried by Elendil, where it sliced the ring of power from Sauron's hand. Alas, in that same battle it was broken. Years later the sword came to Aragorn, and was then re-cast by Elven smiths as Andúril: Flame of the West.
This storied weapon is re-forged again for you as a high-quality replica. Runes are etched deep into the false-edged, stainless-steel blade, designed to look like the sword carried in the Lord of the Rings films. The sword comes with a wooden display plaque and a certificate of authenticity.
Product Specifications
- Replica of Andúril, Aragorn's Sword from the Lord of the Rings books & movies
- Choose sword or scabbard
- For passionate Tolkien collectors
- Sword comes with dull blade (will take an edge) & runes etched into each side
- Scabbard features genuine leather wrap and straps, solid metal collar with 24K gold-plated finish, and a metal plate inscribed with sword's name in Quenya
- Materials: Sword - tempered, 420 J2 stainless steel, pommel with antique silver plated finish and 24-karat gold-plated fittings, leather-wrapped grip; scabbard - leather with 24K gold-plated solid metal
- Dimensions: Sword - 52 7/8" overall, 40 5/8" blade; scabbard - 44 5/8" overall
PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: These products are not intended for any unlawful purpose as defined by applicable local, county, state, and federal laws. By agreeing herein, purchaser acknowledges that he/she is 18 years of age or older. Purchaser also acknowledges that he/she is permitted to purchase this product pursuant to his local, county, state, and federal laws.


text:
|Celiac friendly
Variety of snacks, pasta, breads and other various GF items. Most are well labeled as GF, making it easy to find items, but I found several items not marked that were certified GF.
They have a fairly good selection, with breads, hamburger buns, cookies, cereals. The GF rolled oats are a very good price. Their chocolate chip cookies are really good.
Do most of my grocery shopping here. LOVE the g-free chocolate cake!
|Celiac friendly
735 West II Route 22, Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Anything labeled gluten free must test under 20ppm. Walnuts, almonds and pecans are safe for celiacs-no shared equipment used to process. If you ask, they will call to verify how an item is processed having an answer in 5-10 minutes.
1489 New Britain Ave., West Hartford, CT 06110
I only go there for store brand bagels and sandwich bread. I'll stock up and freeze what i buy so i can make less trips there. Unfriendly staff, parking is a nightmare and no fresh prepared GF food. It's great if you're eating organic, not GF.
|Celiac friendly
13911 Peyton Dr., Chino Hills, CA 91709
They have several GF options that are Celiac friendly as well. Their price points for the products are way more reasonable than several other places as well.
|Not celiac friendly
1775 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339
Gluten free labeled food...made on shared equipment. Got so sick.
|Celiac friendly
425 S. Oyster Bay Rd., Plainview, NY 11803
The Trader Joe's brand of GF bread is amazing. They have so many snacks and GF food items. Must go!
|Celiac friendly
85 Railroad Ave., Danville, CA 94526
So many gluten free products and they are all good! They make great gf bread, bagels, pizzas, baking mixes, pancakes, cookies, mini cupcakes ! Even great gf egg noodles and brown rice noodles.
|Celiac friendly
19500 Highway 99, Suite-100, Lynnwood, WA 98036
they have lots of good gluten free options but their gluten free cookies are the best thing i've ever had. they taste normal and i can't stop eating them !!!
358 Broadway, Unit B, (Shops @ Saugus, Rte. 1), Saugus, MA 01906
I was so excited to get gluten free food from here. I had fresh bagels and bread that were delicious. However I started noticing I had a really bad stomach ache and nausea. I tried to brush it off because I don't want to always assume it's from gluten. After further research it turns out not all of their equipment is safe and there's high probability of cross contamination. Spent a week sick :/.
|Celiac friendly
12268-H Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852
Some GF food options at better prices
18270 Contour Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20877
They are no longer at this location
14100 Lee Highway, Centreville, VA 20120
Trader Joe's has brought in a lot of gf options, now including bagels and hamburger buns.
|Not celiac friendly
2398 East Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Their gluten-free bread is almost better than their wheat bread I used to eat. Their website has a list of everything that's GF. Labeling saying so can be tricky to find. Edit: Been getting a reaction from the tortilla chips the last 2 times I had them, so steer clear if you're sensitive. Took away a star. Second Edit: It's disappointing to say, but I've since had a several reactions to a few of their processed foods, not just the chips. Lowered to 1 star.
|Celiac friendly
933 Old York Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046
Lots of great gluten free options for everyone.
|Celiac friendly
122 Ogden Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515
Great selection of GF foods that kids will like too. Have a list of GF items. Many products are not labeled GF but they are.
363 Carmen Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010
Many gf baked goods. I love the slices loaf of bread in the green bag. Noticed they put out new varieties of Gf bagels the other day. Their chocolate chip cookies are the best. Also my favs Gf pancake mix (pumpkin for holidays), stuffing mix, flour, noodles, chips, breads, bagels, some frozen items like breaded chicken but be careful to look for the Gf approval I've found that even if there is no wheat listed I still don't feel well.
1510 Pleasant Valley Rd, Manchester, CT 06042
Opened in September- like other stores offers fresh produce, GF pasta, desserts, bread, bagels, pancake (frozen and mix) etc.
|Celiac friendly
20490 Haggerty Road, Northville, MI 48167
This is by far my favorite grocery store. They have a hand out that lists all gluten free options, and then most applicable items are also labeled GF too. And the staff is so helpful and friendly!
|Not celiac friendly
5185 Peachtree Parkway, Bld. 1200, Norcross, GA 30092
I'll give them 1 star because you can't give zero. Corporate ignored 3 email requests for info, only after I blasted them in social media did they respond in writing with corporate garble. The basis of their business is pre-packaged veggies and fruits, and it's not unusual to coat them with gluten because of glutens preservative qualities. They would not answer the question even after being asked three times in writing " are your pre-packaged items coated in gluten"? Stay away at all costs, they have very little that is gluten free anyway.
|Not celiac friendly
113 Mill Plain Rd., Danbury, CT 06811
Don't be fooled by this place Very expensive and very few gluten free options
|Celiac friendly
186 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, NJ 07932
Great GF products!!! Try their GF breads, baking mixes and frozen chicken nuggets and Mac & cheese.
|Celiac friendly
300 S Capitol Blvd, Boise, ID 83702
Heaven for anyone with celiac, gluten intolerance, or just choosing to avoid gluten! Bit pricey though tbh
305 SE Chkalov Drive #B1, Vancouver, WA 98683
I love trader joes! I put off going for awhile because I found it overwhelming at first (usually crowded) but then I took the time to walk through and found a lot of really great gluten free and dairy free items. The gf flatbread is great and the best part is most things are decently priced. I'm addicted now!
|Celiac friendly
112 West Galer St., Seattle, WA 98119
So much cleaner and better managed than Safeway, however, their GF options are limited and nothing is labeled. Safeway is poorly managed and maintained, and not an enjoyable shopping experience in the least, however, if you're new to the area or just dropping in and looking for a simpler shopping trip accompanied by clearly marked "Gluten Free" labels, Safeway is a smarter choice. Because most everything is Trader Joe's brand, very few items come up on my GF app, "The Gluten Free Scanner" (full version). Sure, you can read labels, but as a severe Celiac I need to know the conditions under which food has been handled or processed to ensure that I don't get sick. I tend to follow the "Certified Gluten Free" labels for anything processed, but as far as I've seen, you won't find anything in TJ's. So far, so good, though! I can eat [most of] the meats here without contamination and tend to eat a more whole food diet, anyhow, with no issues. (I say "most of" because I've only tried chicken, stew meat, and shredded meat from TJ's, but as a former Floridian who was constantly contaminated by Publix's meat department, it's so nice to not get sick from the food you cook at home...) I hope this can help your shopping experience! Best Wishes, Sara
|Celiac friendly
1800 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27514
My son was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease, and Trader Joe's has been a life saver! There are so many gluten-free products available, and they are easy to find with just a little effort. There is a great list of GF products on the website, and if you aren't quite sure whether something is GF or not, the staff will call and check. The GF bread is delightful - truly the only bread I've found so far that isn't horrible. Just wish there was a store closer to Durham!
|Celiac friendly
899 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02115
Great selection, helpful and friendly staff
2100 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95407
I shop here all of the time.Read the labels for allergens, but a great selection for individual meals. This is one of my favs.
1172 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07470
Found only a loaf of bread. Not even one breakfast cereal. When I asked an employee, I got a shrug and "gluten-free is mixed in"
|Celiac friendly
3418 Long Beach Rd., Oceanside, NY 11572
The GF cupcakes are delicious!!! You can't even tell they are GF!
|Celiac friendly
15025 E. Whittier Blvd., Whittier, CA 90603
They have a list up front of gluten free foods they carry. There are many options.
350 Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA 02035
Very helpful staff! Gluten cookies and cupcakes are delicious!
1172 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07470
Tons of GF options!!!
451 Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Not too many gf vegan options. I got sick from eating sprouted brown rice. I would only eat items that state gluten free here.
|Celiac friendly
39507 10th Street West, Palmdale, CA 93551
Friendliest grocery staff in town! Many budget friendly GF options. Will provide you with a list of all GF options in the entire store if you ask. Always go out of their way to provide a GF treat for kids with allergies at the sample station. **Would like to see more paleo friendly options.
503 Hilltop Plaza, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
Not really gluten free
|Celiac friendly
2400 Preston Rd #200, Plano, TX 75093
3654 Bel Aire Plaza, Napa, CA 94558
My favorite gluten free bagels are Trader Joe's brand! I've never had a problem with their gluten free food, however I'm not a diagnosed Celiac so I can't guarantee anything
|Celiac friendly
350 Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA 02035
I love that they have a list of all their gluten free items! Can be obtained at customer service desk.
1758 S. 320th Street, Federal Way, WA 98003
The GF bagels and cupcakes are very good. Lots of other items I have not tried yet.
1427 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 02476
I never find things clearly marked here. To be honest. when I first got diagnosed,I was told to shop here. I find more at Market Bssket then here.
3225 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Burned in the October 8th fire and closed until perhaps June '18
3418 Long Beach Rd., Oceanside, NY 11572
I spent some time in the store reading ingredient labels and found only a minute amount of gluten free products as compared to organic products. Also checked the beer section, nada. They used to carry gf beer but no more! If your conscience says "eat organic" than fine but if you have an autoimmune disease like Celiac, just get produce or move on. I would of given one star concerning gf products but the help were great.
|Celiac friendly
1101 25th Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
Many GF options, fresh produce, and reasonably priced.
975 Northwest Gilman Boulevard, Issaquah, WA 98027
I love Trader Joe's as I'm sure most of us do but I do wish they labeled more things gluten free. If you want a complete list of all the gf items as at the front desk area and they'll give you one.
560 Boston Post Road, Orange, CT 06477
Well, I was just there and they have some gluten free stuff but very little vegan stuff. The list is limited but if you ask for a list before you shop it's much more helpful. They had one blue cornflakes available but don't stock VANS. They do have a Trader Joe's brand frozen pancakes, waffles, cauliflower crust for pizza and some other things. I had to search hard without the list though which ruined my morning.
10305 Pacific St., Omaha, NE 68114
Trader Joe's used to be my main grocery store before diagnosis. But I'm disappointed at their lack of gluten free options (including things that probably don't really need gluten ingredients for any reason other than cheapness). I loved their pastas and frozen meals and condiments but those are all very limited for me now/off limits. Their chicken sausages are good, and it's a good place to go for frozen veggies and cheeses.
|Celiac friendly
2975-A Cochran St., Simi Valley, CA 93065
Wasn't crazy about all the tree huggers but now I have to eat gf. much more choices in a budget friendly atmosphere. highly recommend for gf/ celiac.
|Celiac friendly
1101 N. Wilmot Rd. Suite #147, Tucson, AZ 85712
Best GF chocolate cookies around! And lots of other stuff
|Not celiac friendly
612 N. Saint Asaph Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Not great. I guess everyone knows now that they de-listed most of the things that had been labeled GF or no gluten ingredients, probably because of CC complaints as below. Sadly, they didn't take the opportunity to improve the products, just shrank the list down.
|Celiac friendly
1101 N. Wilmot Rd. Suite #147, Tucson, AZ 85712
Lots of options, and the staff here is great!
|Celiac friendly
2398 East Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
They carry the best gf bread products. I love their hamburger buns and their bagels!
8 am - 9 pm
8 am - 9 pm
8 am - 9 pm
8 am - 9 pm
8 am - 9 pm
8 am - 9 pm
8 am - 9 pm
Be the first to add a photo!


text:
Watch and down load film The Cry of the Owl On the internet Streaming in High-definition format. We are generally up-date using the new boxoffice movies that a whole family will enjoy. The Cry of the Owl is (Drama) category release on: 2009-02-07 from M, M, S, S.
Storyline The Cry of the Owl :
The Cry of the Owl is billed since the best stars and actris stars ever put together in just one film, the director handles the emotions of the included in careful craftsmanship and level of sensitivity. The focus is strong, without having distracting sub plots as the characters lives happen.
Filmmaker has his own style and fashion of producing this movie. These may basically be found just after viewing several motion pictures through the director. The scene for this film is make so significant.
The younger actors - and also the older ones - handle the jobs using an relieve and sophistication the story requirements.
This movie is certain to provoke feelings in a single motion or another.
Which has a initially-class director, excellent composing, plus an all-legend cast, The Cry of the Owl can be a film that lifestyles nearly its thrill.
The synergy of that parts definitely makes the movie better all together, and that's why It is a certain ought to-see film.
Posters of Film
The Cry of the Owl details :
The Cry of the Owl Film Clips :
Don't miss out on to download and install The Cry of the Owl motion picture right now....


text:
The gusting winds and raging flames may be his final fate
But with God's help, I can remain my fireman's faithful mate
BLOG POST: Nikki Araguz's Marriage Voided by Judge
BLOG POST: Wanna Date Nikki Araguz? AND Be on a Reality Show?
BLOG POST: Nikki Araguz: Lawyer Representing Her Husband's Ex-Wife Faces State Bar Investigation
BLOG POST: Nikki Araguz Gives Statement, Doesn't Answer Questions
BLOG POST: Nikki Araguz: She Says E-Mails Prove Husband Knew She Was Born A Man
BLOG POST: Nikki Araguz: Lawsuit Says Widow Of Heroic Wharton Firefighter Was Born A Man
— The Fireman's Wife's Prayer
Captain Thomas Araguz was about 150 feet into the building when he became separated from the other two men on his team, trapped as the structure burned around him.
The falling, flaming beams of the Maxim Egg Farm processing center drove a wedge between Thomas and the men, a dividing line between who would die and who would make it out with minor burns. The others would be able to claw their way through the wall of smoke, far enough away for rescue teams to drag them to safety, but Thomas was too far in. Either blinded by the smoke or pinned in by blazing debris, he could not find his way out.
The fire, which would later be ruled accidental, caused by resistance heating in a light fixture, had been reported to the Wharton Police Department around 9:40 p.m. When Wharton County firefighters arrived at the site ten minutes later and saw what they were up against, they called for assistance. Multiple structures were ablaze, including a 25,000-square-foot, 250-foot-long building where eggs were put into cartons.
Each time the Rapid Intervention Teams charged the building, the intensifying heat and smoke drove them back. Temperatures inside could have been anywhere from 1,600 to 2,100 degrees. The fire simply would not give. With no hydrants near the sprawling egg farm in rural Boling, tankers had to haul water from as far as 11 miles away.
Outside the inferno, Thomas's uncle, firefighter Arthur Araguz, knew he had to make a phone call he'd give anything not to. It was about 10:30 when he called his brother, Thomas's dad. Big Tom was at home, about 20 miles away from where his only son would lose his life.
When Big Tom answered, all Arthur could say was: We're missing one person.
"Don't tell me who it is," Big Tom said. But of course he knew.
He called his ex-wife Mona, Thomas's mom, and his daughter, Raquel. Big Tom and Mona rushed to his mother's house, where they could follow the fire on a police scanner. They huddled around the black box all night, listening as calls went out for help from other departments. All told, 31 departments — 150 firefighters — had to take down the fire that took down their boy.
At first light, Big Tom and Mona sped to Maxim, where crews were still fighting the flames after nearly nine hours. It would be another hour before searchers would find Thomas. His helmet, adorned with Thomas's customary shamrock stickers, was in one place; his body, another.
When his comrades had lost sight of Thomas, he would have had about 15 minutes of oxygen left. If by some miracle the flames hadn't immediately consumed him, he had a long time to think about what he was leaving behind. Two beautiful boys. A sister who was about to be married.
And a wife, who at that moment was in her car on her way to California. Nikki Araguz wouldn't find out about Thomas until another fireman's wife called her a little after five in the morning, around the time she hit Las Cruces. No one from Thomas's family had called her, and the reasons why would be laid out in a lawsuit filed by Thomas's ex-wife, Heather Delgado, and served to Nikki the day after she buried her husband.
Incredibly, for a man who lived check to check, Thomas's death benefits totaled $600,000, to be split between his wife and a trust for his sons. His ex-wife's lawsuit, which was quickly followed by an identical suit filed by his mom, laid it out for the world to see: Nikki Paige Araguz, wife, stepmother, magazine publisher, former Wharton mayoral candidate, was born a man.
According to the lawsuit, whatever face Nikki presented to the community, whatever a surgeon and scalpel rendered below, Nikki was really Justin Graham Purdue, a two-bit con in disguise. She was a he who lured a God-fearing heterosexual into a marriage that should never have been recognized by the state of Texas. The suits claimed that Thomas didn't find out the truth until April 2010.
Both suits rely on a 1999 case, Littleton v. Prange, in which a state appeals court ruled that Christie Lee Littleton, a transgender woman, was legally a male and therefore her marriage to Jonathan Mark Littleton ten years earlier was invalid under Texas law.
However, Nikki's attorneys argue that a 2009 Texas statute that became law after the couple was married renders Littleton moot. That legislation expanded a marriage license applicant's proof of identity to include "a court order relating to the applicant's name or sex change."
In the days after they filed their suits, Thomas's ex-wife and immediate family would tell the media how the revelation drove Thomas into despair; how the couple separated; how he would have wanted all the money to go to his boys.
As of early August, there is no way to tell how long the litigation will last. Both sides say that, as long as they have to fight in court over what they believe Thomas would have wanted, neither will be able to properly mourn.
Whatever the plaintiffs' true intentions, once they filed the lawsuits, they ensured that Thomas's sacrifice would be forever linked to questions about his romantic life, about secrets he may have kept from his family, about whether he was a stooge or a man who, because he was tested, truly understood what it meant to love someone without condition.
As different as their lives were, Nikki's and Thomas's backgrounds were both tremendously influenced by the same thing: trucks.
Nikki pinpoints the exact moment in 2007 she won over Thomas's four- and six-year-old sons to her expert manipulation of Optimus Prime, the 18-wheeled king of the Transformers which, in a sort of cosmic joke, was the first movie the four of them saw together.
The boys had been struggling to convert Optimus back into his tractor-trailer form when Nikki, who grew up playing with Barbies, successfully completed the task. It surprised her as much as it did them.
The boys' dad used to drive a truck, as did his dad. Big Tom often took Thomas on his route, and if he had to stop and get out of the cab to check on something, he'd look back up and find Thomas in the driver's seat, his little hands on the giant wheel, pretending to drive.
Nikki's grandfather was a truck driver, and her mother was made a widow on June 20, 1976, when Christin Wayne Purdue's car was struck by a semi in Bryan, Texas.
A specialist in the Army, Purdue had been stationed with his wife, Sheri, and infant son Gary in Fort Ord, Monterey County, California. On June 4, 1975, the day his second boy, Justin Graham, was born in Carmel, Purdue was ordered to a base in Germany.
Sheri and her two young sons moved into her parents' house in Bryan while Purdue was away. He returned in December 1975 and had only one month to be with his second son before he was killed.
That morning, before the accident, when the day was still like any other, Sheri noticed something unusual in her year-old son's mouth. It looked like Justin had two tongues. Sheri summoned her stepmom, and the two women stood there, exploring Justin's mouth for clues.
"Enlarged saliva glands," the pediatrician told Sheri.
Satisfied it wasn't anything more serious, Sheri moved on. In 1978 she married Chuck Bockelman, and the couple had a baby girl, Vanessa. All should have been well, but Sheri once again became concerned about a part of Justin's anatomy.
She believed that, by age two, his penis had not developed in proportion to his age. In fact, she believed, it had not grown at all. Once again, she shared her worries with a pediatrician.
"Some have it, some don't," the doctor told her. But Sheri didn't buy it.
She told the Houston Press that she had a real reason to be concerned: The women in her family have passed down a "rare reproductive problem." Her mother, Sheri says, had uterus didelphys — two sets of female reproductive organs and one kidney. Sheri's mother passed along similar abnormalities to two of her six daughters, according to Sheri.
But Justin's situation was not merely anatomical — even at two, his whole demeanor seemed to tilt toward the female. By age four, he showed an interest in dolls, and instead of playing outside, he preferred to help Sheri clean and decorate the house. Soon, he was begging for a Barbie.
"We always played Barbies," says Nikki's sister Vanessa. "We always did girl things. She hung out with my girlfriends. We talked about boys. It was never like I had a brother, it was always like I had a sister."
The pediatrician suggested Sheri buy Justin an action figure to steer him toward traditional boy behavior. Sheri hit the toy store and came home with The Six Million Dollar Man, hoping Steve Austin's bionic arm would whip Justin into proper boy shape.
"I brought that Six Million Dollar Man home and that child's face fell," Sheri recalls. Justin went back to hogging his sister's Barbies, and Steve Austin was relegated to the dustbin.
Sheri described Justin's elementary school experience in her personal writing in 2003: "We increasingly worried about Justin's social and emotional well-being. The other boys in our neighborhood were ruthless, teasing and calling him a 'sissy.' Teachers expressed concern that he socialized only with girls, avoiding boy activities and friends. In 2nd grade, an elementary school counselor began an attempt to 'conform' Justin's effeminate manner through behavior modification. For example, she instructed him to sit on his hands instead of using them to gesture while talking — a common female trait. She directed him to walk more like a boy — discouraging the sway of his hips and spring in his step."
In middle school, classmates bestowed many new names upon Justin. Fag. Gay. Queer. (It may not have helped that Sheri encouraged Justin to model — as a boy — for a Foley's spring fashion show.) Justin's older brother Gary would often have to roll up his sleeves and teach the boys some manners.
"I got into some fights over her, because...I was defending my little brother," Gary says. "...I didn't even have any concept of homosexuality or transsexuality or anything like that, you know — all I knew was somebody was calling my little brother a faggot."
Things got better for Justin when Sheri enrolled him in the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, a fine arts magnet school.
"She was in an environment where everybody was different and unique," Sheri says.
Justin would secretly slip on his sister's or mother's dresses when no one was around; his parents wouldn't see him in a dress until his 18th birthday. Soon after, he told them he wanted to change his name. He was thinking of "Nicolette," which Sheri brushed off as over-the-top. Justin played around with it and decided on "Nikki," with "Paige" for a middle name.
Sheri said it was hard for her to do away with a name that she had picked out with Christin Wayne Purdue 18 years earlier, but she understood. Justin didn't feel like Justin. He felt like Nikki.
There was just one little problem: Nikki was out of control.
Justin may have been calling himself Nikki in 1994, but as far as the Harris County District Attorney's Office was concerned, it was Justin Graham Purdue who was drunk and behind the wheel.
He was granted probation, but for the next two years couldn't keep himself out of trouble. Justin racked up multiple misdemeanor convictions for theft and driving with a suspended license.
But perhaps his greatest affront to society was appearing on The Jerry Springer Show. Four times. At least two of the appearances consisted of her surprising unwitting guys she had made out with.
Quite simply, Nikki was hot. It's not like there was an Adam's apple to overlook, or a deep voice, or even a tinge of five o'clock shadow. Nikki was petite — a size two — with delicate features, and she preferred tight clothes that accentuated an amazingly feminine form. She also liked to drink. A lot. And that walk, that overproduced Marilyn sashay that women tended to pick up on, but which apparently mesmerized guys.
Apparently bent on ruling the sub-prime-time white trash TV universe, Nikki also graced the sets of Maury and Sally Jesse Raphael.
Nikki says now that she regrets those appearances, and she chalks them up to youthful indiscretions. She says she feels particularly bad for hurting any of the guys she duped.
"I was frickin' young and dumb and easily persuaded by...producers who were offering an 18- and 19-year-old child trips with all expenses paid and cash in the end," she says.
In 1996, it became official: A Harris County District Court judge granted a name change, and Justin legally became Nikki. On the application, Justin had written, "I, Justin Purdue, am a woman with male anatomy, working toward a sex change. I have been living and working as a woman for over one year and seek to make my new name legal and permanent."
Two years after the name change, while working at Journeys Shoes in Willowbrook Mall, Nikki met the man who would become her first husband.
By that time, Nikki says today, she was used to guys hitting on her in the store. But they were in their late teens and early twenties — dumb and disposable. Emilio was 18 years older than her, and, she says, too shy to even make the first move.
The first time he came in, he wandered around the store for an hour while Nikki tried selling him everything in sight, but he left without spending a cent. She says he returned the next day with photos of his four-year-old daughter; she talked him into buying a pair of socks.
"I sold him on the lifetime guarantee," she jokes.
Emilio paid for the socks and started walking out of the store, but then he turned around and just looked at her. She figured he wanted to ask her out but just didn't know how to make the first move. So she did. She gave him her number.
The 42-year-old divorcé had a decent job with the phone company, a home and a daughter. He also had six parrots and a macaw. Nikki looked at Emilio, saw a white picket-fence, tropical bird-filled existence, and loved it. But she may have only been seeing what she wanted to see. They were already together when, eight months before they married, in February 1999, Emilio was convicted of theft and sentenced to 29 days in jail. (The couple were married by Emilio's brother-in-law; they moved from Houston to Wharton, Emilio's hometown, after the wedding.)
Nikki was charged with felony theft of property in 2000 and received three years' deferred adjudication, which she successfully completed. She declined to give any details on the offense, saying only that it was unfortunate and irrelevant.
"It became very unhealthy for both of us," Nikki says. "We had dependency issues that neither one of us could deal with together."
Money was so tight that, two weeks before Christmas 2001, the credit union repossessed the couple's PT Cruiser. A few months later, the couple knew they had no choice but to file for bankruptcy. Nikki had no way of knowing that that decision triggered a meeting that would come back to haunt her eight years later.
The couple hired Emilio's high school friend, attorney Frank E. Mann III, to guide them through the Chapter 7 process. At the time, Mann was nearing the end of a five-and-a-half-year probation with the State Bar of Texas for, among other things, improper office supervision: One of his paralegals copied and pasted a client's signature on one form to another form without notifying that client. Mann was barred from practicing law for the first 36 months of his probation.
Mann had also been disciplined by the State Bar in 1990, for "misrepresentations of fact concerning the dates of his hospitalization for alcohol and substance abuse in an affidavit offered in support of a motion to retain." (Mann's bio on his firm's Web site states, "I am known as an honest, straight-talking lawyer.")
A Wharton native with a friendly country drawl, Mann came from a proud family. His grandfather was heavily involved in Wharton politics, and his father was a veterinarian whose prowess in the microscopic examination of bull semen was a boon to the area's Brahman breeders, especially following the advent of the electroejaculator.
Frank Mann Jr. also served four terms each on the Wharton City Council and the Wharton Planning Commission, presided over the local Lions Club and the Jaycees and was deacon of his church.
And now Frank Mann III sat down with his clients, a 45-year-old man with a lot of parrots, and his 27-year-old pre-op transsexual wife, and listened as they opened up their finances and their lives.
Thomas Araguz married his high school sweetheart, Heather Delgado, in 2003.
The young couple soon had two boys who, by all accounts, were the center of Thomas's world.
Friend and fellow firefighter Jason Wester described it this way: "His love for his family and two boys was amazing. It would not be a surprise to see him come out of a fire, pull his phone out of his bunker gear and call to see what his boys were doing. His love for them was like nothing I have ever seen before...I hope one day, I can be half the father he was."
He was an altar boy, a Boy Scout and a magnet. His mother Mona recalls how she'd see Thomas go outside to play in the yard by himself, but when she'd look through the window not five minutes later, it seemed like every kid in the neighborhood was in the yard.
He played trumpet in his high school band and got so good that Big Tom, an ex-Marine, would often tell Thomas he would be honored if his boy played "Taps" at his funeral. Thomas would always change the subject.
An honest, selfless boy, it was only natural that he'd want to be part of the Wharton County Volunteer Fire Department. Although he wouldn't enroll in Wharton County Junior College's fire academy until 2008, he began volunteering at the firehouse when he was 18.
Firefighter Vivian Garza, who started around the same time, considered Thomas a friend. She recalls in an e-mail that she, Thomas and another firefighter "were almost always at the scenes together and backed each other up. We were all [partners]. I remember him picking me up one time when one of the hurricanes hit. My car washed away with me in it. I managed to get out, into chest high water. He came by, and we trudged through the water together to the fire station. I remember, here we were trying to get to the station, it was raining like the devil, we were in waist high water trying not to get washed away or worse, snake bit, my new car was on its way to the river, and he could still make me laugh. He was just that way."
Unfortunately, Thomas's happy disposition was ruptured in 2007 when he and Heather Delgado decided to separate after nearly 12 years together. Thomas's family says the couple just grew apart; his ex-wife did not respond to interview requests.
Thomas moved into a garage apartment and looked forward to the days when he'd have the boys. He liked taking them to parks, especially to the west end of Riverfront Park, where a gigantic brontosaurus sculpture overlooks barbecue pits and picnic tables.
It's there, by the dinosaur, that Nikki says she and Thomas first met. They spoke only briefly. It wasn't until a short time later, when they locked eyes at Grace Community Fellowship, that the relationship began in earnest. Nikki says Thomas asked her to breakfast after the service; the two wound up at Larry's Mexican Restaurant, talking and laughing for nearly three hours.
"It was like we had known each other instantly, forever," she says.
Like Thomas, Nikki was separated from her spouse. She and Emilio weren't exactly able to bounce back from the bankruptcy. At that point, Nikki says, the couple was about as stable and healthy as Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface.
By 2006, Emilio had racked up charges for theft and drug possession. In 2005, Nikki spent time in jail for a second DWI and for issuing bad checks. Then, in June 2007, the same month she met Thomas, Nikki was detained at a Wharton Walmart after she tried passing two counterfeit $100 bills within 24 hours.
When Wharton police arrived at Walmart, they asked to search Nikki's purse and car, but they didn't find any more counterfeit bills. But after receiving Nikki's permission to search the motel room where she was staying, officers found crack and powder cocaine, as well as a syringe and a baggie crusted with what appeared to be cocaine residue.
According to the arresting officer's report, "I asked [Nikki] where she got the money and was the cocaine hers. [Nikki] started to cry and explained she was an addict and the crack was hers. She cried some more and said she stole the money from a man in Houston...she said she had sex with him and stole his wallet with the money and a small portion of powder cocaine."
Nikki was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and given two years' deferred adjudication; she successfully complied with the terms of her probation, so the charge was subsequently dropped.
After Larry's, the two spent virtually the next 72 hours on the phone. She met his boys. She cooked for them — almond-crusted pork chops were a favorite — and she tried Thomas's inimitable barbecued brisket.
Nikki says that, after two weeks of dating, she told Thomas about her past. His response, according to Nikki, was that he didn't care. He loved her.
They rented a house on two acres and threw up a tent so they could camp with the boys. They spent many nights gathered around a campfire, roasting marshmallows. Before long, Thomas and Nikki were looking at wedding rings. Thomas bought one and left the unopened gift box in the living room for a month.
"I never knew when to expect him to propose to me, and he liked it that way," she says. "We were so into surprising each other."
She says she encouraged Thomas to quit his truck-driving job and pursue his goal of working in public safety. Before long, he enrolled in the police, and then fire, academies. Shortly before his death, Thomas was sworn in as a reserve sheriff's deputy.
"He had so much more potential," Nikki says of his truck driving. "He had this fear that was instilled in him, by his parents, that he couldn't do it, and he didn't have the support of anyone else, either mentally, emotionally, or financially, besides me, to allow him to do that."
When he at last proposed, a week after quitting his truck-driving job, it was aboard a private yacht, three hours into a Gulf cruise. She remembers dolphins swimming all around them.
According to Nikki, Thomas hadn't been too close to his family by the time of their August 2008 wedding. In fact, she says, he hadn't spoken to his mother for years, and it had been nine months since he'd last spoken to his sister. He chose, Nikki says, not to tell them about her past.
And her family emphatically denies that Thomas was ever in the dark about Nikki's past. Both Nikki and her mother say that, whenever Nikki planned on having a relationship with anyone, she always told them. And even if the circumstances were different and she was the kind of person who wouldn't tell, her brother Gary says that he would have.
"One thing I have never been cool with was Nikki hiding any of her past from anybody that she intends on having a relationship with," he says.
Gary says that Thomas knew about Nikki by the time he met him.
"We talked about it," he says. "...I can't say that we had, you know, 'Hey, how do you feel about my sister once being a guy?' We didn't have that conversation...but it was, you know, he in no uncertain terms made it pretty clear he knew exactly what was going on."
Nikki's sister Vanessa has trouble keeping it together when she thinks about what Thomas's family says about him not knowing.
"Thomas knew everything," she says. "...We're [a] very open, honest family. And you know, we're appalled. I mean, we are honestly appalled. I am heartbroken myself. He was a great family member of ours. You know, he was my brother-in-law...He's been a part of our family for almost four years, and so it's very heartbreaking to hear all this."
She adds: "We had barbecues with his family, we had family gatherings. Easter holidays...we all spent holidays together. My father had a quadruple bypass in February, and [Thomas] drove my father to the hospital...We have all had personal conversations with Thomas about this situation...and he was okay with everything. He specifically told me that he loved her, no matter what...My children and [Nikki's] stepchildren were close friends, and they were not even allowed to communicate at the funeral because his family is so hateful. How could you do that to children?"
For Thomas to believe that his wife's past wasn't any of his family's business is one thing, but it's possible he overtly lied to his family in the beginning, and, by doing so, contributed to the wreckage left behind in the wake of his death.
When Nikki went to Colorado for two weeks in October 2008, Thomas's family believed she was having a hysterectomy.
Big Tom says his son told him, "Nikki's going to Colorado...and that she has cancer in the uterus...I didn't question it no more."
Thomas also told his family that Nikki had "cancer of the blood," Mona says. She says something like that would have really played on Thomas's innate desire to help people in need.
"He loves to go in there and rescue people," she says. "And he thought that he could fix her."
But Nikki explains it this way: "He was not very close to his family at the time, okay, but we had just gotten married, so for me to go away for two weeks was a big deal. And we had to explain it...without telling people we didn't want to know. He made that decision, not me. My husband made that decision to lie to them. I disagreed with it; however, I went along with it, because you know what, I respect my husband and what his wishes were. And so if he wasn't comfortable telling them at that point in time, fine."
According to Thomas's family, the cancer explanation prevented sexual intimacy for the first leg of Nikki's and Thomas's relationship. It was a perfect cover story that kept Thomas at bay until Nikki could pull off the ultimate deception. (Nikki bristles at this suggestion, saying, "I had the surgery two months after we were married. Do you think from 2007 to October of 2008 that my husband did not see me naked, did not know my body?")
Of course, Nikki did not go to Colorado for a hysterectomy. She went to Dr. Marci Bowers's sexual reassignment clinic in Trinidad, the so-called "Sex Change Capital of the World," nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains three and a half hours south of Denver. Nikki calls the procedure she had a "vaginal reconstructive surgery."
In August 2010, Nikki's attorney filed with the court what appears to be an October 2008 e-mail exchange between Nikki and Thomas, indicating that Thomas was fully aware of the situation. However, Mona's attorney questioned the e-mail's veracity, pointing out that nowhere in the exchange does it explicitly state the nature of her surgery. (The closest it comes to describing what kind of procedure Nikki had was when she wrote, "This is wild that little thing is gone....I think I am supposed to see it for the first [time] tomorrow.")
The Press also obtained another e-mail, not admitted into evidence, containing Nikki's Colorado itinerary. The e-mail address email@example.com is included among the recipients. Purportedly sent by Nikki, the e-mail ends with, "It has been a long time coming, and I am overwhelmed with joy and excitement."
However, Nikki and Sheri have been inconsistent when it comes to what they vaguely refer to as a "birth defect." Early after the lawsuits to void Nikki's and Thomas's marriage were filed, Sheri told reporters that Nikki was diagnosed with "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome." But she told the Press weeks later that those reports were erroneous and that Nikki was never diagnosed with AIS. And Nikki's friend and publicist, Nicole Haagenson, told the Houston Chronicle that Nikki didn't have AIS, that it was actually "gender dysphoria." It's unclear whether Haagenson knew that gender dysphoria is defined as a psychological, rather than a physical, condition.
Then, in August, Nikki said in two interviews for local Fox News that she had been diagnosed with "Partial Androgen Interceptor Syndrome," which doesn't exist. When asked about the details of that particular syndrome, Sheri told the Press that Nikki must have meant to say "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome." When the Press reminded Sheri that she had already vehemently denied that her daughter had AIS, Sheri said that it's possible Nikki could have been diagnosed with AIS without Sheri's knowledge.
Nikki also said she meant to say "insensitivity" instead of "interceptor," but neither Sheri nor Nikki had an explanation for why, in two different interviews on two different days, Nikki couldn't remember the name of her incredibly rare, life-defining medical trait.
Nikki also told Fox News that, because she was actually born female, she never identified as transgender. And despite the fact that many in the Houston transgender community are offering Nikki financial and emotional support, and despite the fact that prominent transgender attorney Phyllis Randolph Frye believes the suit against Nikki threatens every transgender person's civil rights and has taken on Nikki's case pro bono, Nikki told Fox that she should not be "lumped in" with the transgender community.
Along with the surgery, Thomas seemed to be a stabilizing influence on Nikki — at least in the beginning.
Thomas had none of Emilio's problems. He didn't have two nickels to rub together, but he was straitlaced, devoted to his boys and had a passion for public service. It rubbed off on Nikki. She quit her job selling ads at OutSmart magazine in Houston and launched her own publication, Wharton County Living.
But according to Thomas's family, it didn't take long for the cracks to show, and for Nikki to become a malevolent presence.
Thomas's sister Raquel says, "She would always tell us that she would be a better mother to the boys than Heather would, and she would refer to Heather as the stepmom."
Big Tom says he had to go to their house three times to help Thomas calm down a drunk and out of control Nikki. The last time he went, he says, "the boys were in the next room listening, and they were getting scared."
His family says the couple fell into the pattern of fight, break up, make up, repeat. At one point, they say, Thomas discovered Nikki in a motel, getting high with Emilio. Thomas moved in with Mona. Mona confronted Nikki, who appeared contrite, and talked about going to counseling and getting help from the church.
The couple reunited, but soon Thomas's ex-wife was alleging that Nikki was a bad influence on the boys, and she told Thomas to keep Nikki away from them. Thomas paid no mind.
Inexplicably, in the midst of this, Nikki decided to run in Wharton's mayoral election.
"I loved Wharton," she says. "...I had a vested interest in making Wharton a better, more economically stable and well-represented community."
She says she didn't think it would cause anyone to dig into her past.
But her stepfather Chuck says he and Sheri were blunt: "Her mother and I both said, 'Are you out of your ever-loving mind?...This is going to open up a can of worms that's going to be a big problem.' And Nikki refused to ever back down from anything because someone might dare or threaten this would come out, or whatever."
That would be put to the test once Thomas's ex-wife found a lawyer to file a motion for modification of custody. That attorney was Frank E. Mann III, who came equipped with knowledge of Nikki from eight years earlier.
Around this time, Heather Delgado learned that Nikki Paige Araguz was the former Justin Graham Purdue. At first, she played it close to the vest.
On April 12, 2010, the ex-wife swore in an affidavit that, "My husband's wife, Nikki Araguz, is interfering with my legal rights to our children. She makes appointments with medical professionals and school officials without my consent. She will not allow me to speak...to the father of my children. She will not allow the children to talk to me on the telephone. She drinks alcohol when driving a vehicle with my children in the car, and she has a history of using illegal drugs....I am concerned for the safety of my children."
It's at this point, three months before Thomas's death, that the Rashomon effect kicks in. At this point, depending on whose historical account you believe, Thomas is the ultimate victim, or he's a man who decides it's time to finally face his family with the truth, or he's a sworn peace officer who perjures himself.
According to Thomas's family, Heather Delgado told Thomas that, even though it wasn't in her affidavit, she knew about Nikki's past. But Mona says Thomas didn't know what to believe, that he suspected his ex-wife may have been just making up extraordinary stories as part of the custody dispute.
Yet according to Nikki, as soon as the ex-wife brought up the subject, Nikki and Thomas sat down with Mona, Big Tom and Raquel and revealed everything.
"And they were in full support of Thomas and I," she says. "...It did not make a bit of difference to them at the time. They considered me his wife and...fully female."
As Mona tells it, that conversation never happened. As late as April 28, 2010, when Thomas and Nikki sat down for a deposition with Frank Mann, Thomas still doubted his ex-wife. Mona says Thomas knew what he was getting himself into with the deposition, that his ex-wife warned him it would come up — it was a last resort to get Thomas to finally open his eyes.
"Heather was trying to tell him about the stuff that she just found out about Nikki," Mona says. "...But of course [Nikki] turned him around. So Heather felt lost...[she was thinking] 'My God, what is it going to take to get Thomas to see the truth? What's it going to take?'"
Apparently, Heather Delgado believed it would take Frank Mann getting Thomas on the record.
So on April 28, the following exchange took place:
Mann: Do you know that your wife was formerly a male?
Thomas: No.
Mann: You have no knowledge of that?
Thomas: No.
Mann: Has she ever had any type of gender surgery?
Thomas: No.
When it was Nikki's turn, the attorney asked about her first marriage, her criminal record, her mayoral campaign and her health. Nikki didn't hide her contempt. (She told the Press that, were Thomas alive and aware of Frank Mann's representing Heather Delgado in a motion to nullify the marriage, "My husband would literally punch his fucking lights out.")
Mann also asked questions that were based on a conversation Heather Delgado had with Nikki's former stepdaughter:
Mann: Would you be surprised that she said that you blew marijuana smoke in her face when she was five years old?
Nikki: I would be shocked.
Mann: Would you be surprised if she said that you introduced her to smoking marijuana when she was a teenager?
Nikki: I would be shocked.
Mann: Okay. Would you be surprised if she said that you gave her a pill that made her hallucinate?
Nikki: I would be shocked.
Shortly after the deposition, Frank Mann e-mailed some old Wharton buddies about what he was able to coax out of their mayoral candidate.
"Occasionally you get a case that makes the papers or Jerry Springer," the attorney wrote. "...I think the citizens of Wharton, Texas should know this information...Nikki Purdue Araguz is the stepmother in a case of mine, and she gave testimony that she is a transgender. She is a he. Her birth certificate states that she is male."
He then went on to divulge aspects of Nikki's medical history; he also stated that "she has multiple felony convictions in Harris County," when Nikki in fact has never been convicted of a felony. (Nikki later filed a complaint with the State Bar, and, as of this writing, Frank Mann is facing investigation for possible ethics violations. Again raising the specter of nonexistent felony convictions, Frank Mann told the Press that he sent the e-mail because, "I think that people needed to know information about her background of felony convictions for theft...the people in Wharton, Texas, did not know anything about her background.")
Nikki's stepfather Chuck says that Thomas agreed that by simply admitting in the deposition that he knew about Nikki's past, he'd completely disarm Heather Delgado. After all, Thomas never for a moment had any misgivings. But, Chuck says, Nikki foolishly believed it would be in the kids' best interest to lie; that, somehow, if Thomas said he knew about Nikki, he might lose all access to his boys.
"He agreed with me," Chuck says, "but Nikki was afraid, because of years of prejudice, years of people assuming the worst, or that she's some kind of freak, or some kind of child molester, or some kind of deviant...because of this condition that she's got. So she was afraid, and they made a bad choice, obviously."
Although what Thomas knew won't have an effect on whether or not the marriage will be determined to be legal — and ultimately, how the money is distributed — it matters to both sides.
Thomas's family says the deposition crushed him. He finally realized that his ex-wife was telling the truth. His parents moved him out of the rental house immediately, and he moved in with Mona and his stepfather.
"He apologized to me," Mona says. "He says, 'Mom, I'm so sorry that I brought this into our family. I'm so sorry.' And I said, 'Son, we all make mistakes...but I'm here for you. I'm always going to be here for you son, always.'"
If Thomas was as devastated as his family describes, it's all the more remarkable that he and Nikki signed a one-year lease on another rental home on June 1, a month after the supposed bombshell.
"I wish I could get in my son's head and know what he was thinking at that moment," Mona says. As best as she can surmise, "He was trying to provide a home for himself and for the boys, and unfortunately...he just fell right back with Nikki."
Nikki's brother Gary says he visited his family in June, and he last saw Thomas June 25, nine days before his death. It was also the day, he says, that he met Mona.
"She was hugging on Nikki and acting like, you know, everything was just hunky-dory," he says.
Unfortunately, Thomas and Nikki had another patented fight a few days later. Thomas left the house and crashed with Raquel. Whether it was because he had just found out his wife used to be named Justin, or it was the strain of an especially bitter custody dispute, everyone agrees that Thomas was in a bad place the last few days of his life.
"This whole thing has just been an absolute nightmare, you know," Gary says, "and I'm sure it was hard on him, you know, to have all this shit dragged out...Wharton is a small community, relatively...Everybody knows everybody's business down there."
His family says Thomas's mantra those last few days was, "I've hit rock bottom." Big Tom says Thomas even asked him for help in preparing a will after the July 4 holiday.
"He told me, 'If something happens to me, you, Mama and Raquel [have] to make sure the boys get it. No one else," Big Tom says.
"He was embarrassed, he was ashamed," Raquel says. "He's like, '...I'm about to be 30. I shouldn't be staying here with my little sister.'" She just told him, "How many times have you helped me out? And I'm here to help you. We'll get through this — we all will."
Raquel says that, after their last argument, Nikki printed out divorce documents she found online. Both Nikki and Thomas signed them, she says. That was the first and last time she ever saw the papers.
"And the very next day," Raquel says, "she was going around town saying, 'He left me, he left me, I'm not paying for this divorce...I hate him, I'm sick of him, I'm tired of him.'"
But Nikki says she and Thomas made amends just before he died and she left for California to finish one last piece of business.
California law allows a person to amend the sex listed on their birth certificate. Nikki says Thomas was well aware of Nikki's decision to make what she considers not a change but a correction. She was always female. The doctor just got it wrong.
A few hours after Nikki got the call that Thomas had gone missing, firefighters discovered his body. When she made it back to Wharton, Thomas's fellow firefighters told her that she would not want to see the body.
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
A better memory, though, would be of Saturday, July 3, the day Thomas died. Before he was called to the fire that night, he and the boys went with Raquel and her fiancé to Space Center Houston. The last photographs ever taken of Thomas were of him and the boys at Mission Kidtrol, with images of a space shuttle blasting off in the background.
Raquel says that Thomas was blown away by one seemingly simple aspect of the photos, considering all they'd been through in the previous months.
"Look," he kept saying. "We're all smiling."


text:
Project for erwinubaldo87 -- 2
Budżet $50 USD
Hi erwinubaldo87, I noticed your profile and would like to offer you my project. I am looking for a freelancer that I can contract on a long term basis for some high volume simple designs to be furnished in vector format (.ai, eps, .svg, etc.) Currently I am looking to start with about 1000 real simple designs that I will furnish complete designs but just need them to be redone and furnished in vector format. These are all designs that are already existing so there is no custom design needed just recreating my existing designs. My plan is to do 100-200 redesigns a week after this intial 1000 that I would like to spend no more than $10 USD on. Just let me know if you are interested and I can even supply several of the designs that will display exactly what I need recreated.


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
Proclaiming that no child of ability should be denied access to college because of cost, Gov. Steve Beshear today named a 25-member task force to tackle the tough issues of affordability and access to Kentucky higher education.
"It's my belief that no person in this state with the drive and ability to succeed should be denied access to a college education because he or she can't afford it," Gov. Beshear said. "Yet because of cost, the door of opportunity is closed or beyond reach for too many of our children."
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Spencer Magnet, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:


text:
Artisan's COO Joe Amabile explains what it takes to make a premium quality sink on a recent episode of Designing Spaces. Here's the clip:
Clichè? Perhaps. At Cabinet-S-Top, we think it's a great place to start. We recommend Artisan to our remodeling clientele. The breadth of their product line allows us to respond to the client's inspirations. And we love the 16 gauge 304 commercial grade stainless steel of their sink line – it's the higher quality our clients expect.
When our new clients, the Rosenberrys, asked about quality products at an affordable price, our designer easily guided them through the many choices, including several Artisan products on display. They chose a large, single bowl, stainless steel sink and a gooseneck faucet with an integrated pullout spray. The design is both attractive and functional and will truly add the elegance we wanted for their remodeled kitchen. We are confident the Rosenberrys will be happy with the exceptional performance and reliability this Artisan selection has to offer.
The Rosenberrys' new kitchen is shown here, with the Artisan Premium AR3118-D9 sink and AF410 Satin Nickel faucet, adding a classy balance to the island setting. Cabinet-S-Top is located at 1977 Medina Road, Medina, OH 44256, 800.886.3630, www.cabinet-s-top.com. [ click images for larger view ]


text:
By John Schuhmann, NBA.com
VIDEO: Nets use balanced offense and feisty defense to drop Raptors in Game 6
NEW YORK — It's been said that there's no momentum in the playoffs, that every game has its own identity. In fact, Raptors coach Dwane Casey preached that very mantra earlier in this series.
But what other way would you explain the Brooklyn Nets' first-half offense in Game 6? After scoring 69 points in the second half of Game 5 on Wednesday – erasing a 26-point deficit along the way – the Nets blitzed the Raptors for 60 points in the first 24 minutes on Friday.
Over four quarters, they scored at a rate of 140 points per 100 possessions, which is quite ridiculous. And after building a 26-point lead of their own in the third period, they never let the Raptors get within single digits, forcing a Game 7 in Toronto on Sunday with a 97-83 victory.
Casey had no choice but to agree that the Nets started this game like they finished the last one, but held his stance in regard to what might happen in Game 7.
"I still say every game is different," Casey said. "Sunday's game will be different. It'll be something else we talk about."
Casey had better hope so, because over the last 60 minutes of basketball, his team has been outscored 141-105 and the Nets have found a lineup, a point guard, a pace, and a defensive mentality that works for them.
After Alan Anderson played a role in Brooklyn's comeback on Wednesday, he got the start in place of Shaun Livingston on Friday. The change gave the Nets more spacing offensively and allowed their primary ball-handlers more opportunities to attack the paint.
"It was more of a feeling among the coaching staff," Nets coach Jason Kidd said, "the way that [Anderson] played for us in that fourth quarter up in Toronto, to see if he could carry that over. And he definitely picked up where he was in Toronto."
So did Deron Williams. The Nets' point guard has been maligned in the press (and outside Barclays Center) in this series, but also played a role in that comeback on Wednesday, picking up his aggressiveness and scoring eight points in the fourth quarter.
Williams pushed the pace late in Game 5, because he had no other choice with his team in such a hole. In Game 6, he looked to run early and often, attacking the Toronto defense before it could get set.
"When we can get some stops and get the ball out in transition," Williams said, "I definitely think it suits my style of play. But I think it helps our offense when they can't set up their defense. We move the ball really well."
"They played faster," Casey added. "They got us on our heels early."
And they got into the paint. The Nets got 24 (their high for the series) of their 36 field goals in the paint, with Joe Johnson continuing to beat the Raptors up in the post and the Nets' bigs benefiting from the guards' penetration.
But as Williams noted, it started with stops. The Nets played their best defense of the series, holding the Raptors to just 83 points on 92 possessions.
While Brooklyn got into its offense early, Toronto got into its offense late. The Nets shut down their early actions and forced them to improvise with little time left on the shot clock. They continued to pressure Toronto's guards out high on pick-and-rolls, but also did a better job of meeting the roll man before he could get to the basket.
Most of the Raptors' first quarter offense was DeMar DeRozan hitting some very tough shots, a trend that just couldn't be sustained. Kyle Lowry never got going, shooting just 4-for-16 after a brilliant performance in Game 5.
"They did a good job," Casey said, "of trapping him, blitzing him, and getting him out of his rhythm."
"Desperate basketball," Kevin Garnett called it. "We had our backs to the wall at home, but there was no way in hell they were going to come here and get a win today."
Now comes Game 7, with the Nets hoping things continue to go the same way and the Raptors hoping Casey is right.


text:
The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees adopted a resolution of intent June 18 to issue $45 million in bonds to fund priority projects outlined in the updated 2013 JJC Master Plan.
Within this financial plan, $45 million would be earmarked to fund the construction of a multipurpose facility on the Main Campus and build an expansion to the Romeoville Campus, both priority projects in the master plan update. These alternate revenue bonds would be supported by students through capital assessment fees and be based on a per credit hour rate. The college's current bond rating from Standard and Poor's (S&P) is AA.
"A major goal of the Board of Trustees is to have JJC be the first choice of high school seniors when they choose a college," said Board Chairman Andy Mihelich. "To realize this goal JJC needs to address all aspects of a student's development. Our plans for the multipurpose center and expansion of our Romeoville Campus will greatly help us be a better, more comprehensive community college whose focus is student learning."
The board has considered multiple financing plans over the last six months and in April, trustees approved a master plan update, completed by Legat Architects. The 2013 Master Plan Update reconsiders 2008 master plan projects not yet implemented, examines new projects, and recommends priorities that respond to various challenges facing the college in the future.
Expansion of the Romeoville Campus—constructed in 1993—is a top priority for the college, with its enrollment topping out at 4,000 students and continuing to grow. The master plan calls for additional space for academic programs and student development services to respond to this growth.
The multipurpose facility was included in the college's 2008 master plan but not implemented. This building, planned for construction on the south side of the college's Main Campus on Houbolt Road, is envisioned to include athletics, physical education, and conference center and corporate training space.
A notice of the Bond Issue Notification Act hearing regarding the sale of the bonds at its July 30 meeting will be posted on July 10.


text:
The Indianapolis Bar Foundation announced May 28 that the Joseph Maley Foundation has been named the recipient of the 2014 Impact Fund Grant of $35,000. Specifically, the grant will fund the foundation's new Parent Education and Pro Bono Legal Assistance Program for central Indiana students with individualized education plans.
"On behalf of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation and its donors, we are delighted to award our Impact Fund Grant to a project that will raise awareness and provide legal assistance to those in our community facing legal issues associated with caring for a loved one with a disability," says David J. Duncan of Bose McKinney & Evans LLP and 2014 president of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. "We look forward to partnering with the Joseph Maley Foundation to provide pro bono legal assistance addressing the challenges and opportunities in crafting individualized education plans. We are confident that together with the Joseph Maley Foundation, Indianapolis Bar Association members will affect positive and meaningful impact in these individuals' daily lives."
The Joseph Maley Foundation was founded in 2008 with the mission to serve children of all abilities. The organization works to build acceptance of individuals through programs that engender compassion and respect for the diversity of life, with its efforts focusing primarily on disability awareness, adaptive athletics, opportunities for youth leadership, and service learning.
The Parent Education and Pro Bono Legal Assistance Program is specifically designed to address the unmet legal needs of central Indiana's special education students, providing education, counseling and advocacy for parents and guardians and their students with disabilities. In addition to the grant funding, program support from the Indianapolis Bar Association will continue as members will be recruited as volunteer speakers, as volunteer writers for educational materials, and as pro bono advocates for students. The program is slated to begin in August 2014.
The Impact Fund began in 2011 as a vehicle to maximize the financial generosity of Indianapolis Bar Foundation donors and to provide members of the Indianapolis Bar Association with compelling opportunities to donate their time through pro bono service. This single, substantial grant to a non-profit organization is meant to provide a significant positive impact in central Indiana through the promotion of access to justice for indigent persons. Previous recipients of the IBF Impact Fund Grant include the Military Assistance Project of Indiana Legal Services Inc., Reach for Youth, and the Health and Human Rights Clinic at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. The application process for the 2015 grant will begin in early spring 2015.
The Impact Fund is an important tool in the foundation's efforts to fulfill its mission: to advance justice and lead positive change in Indianapolis through philanthropy, education and service. In addition to the Impact Fund, the Indianapolis Bar Foundation grants $105,000 each year to a variety of community service programs co-sponsored with the Indianapolis Bar Association. Some of the programs funded include Ask a Lawyer, Legal Line, and educational programming at the Bench Bar Conference.•


text:
Hooktheory's best-selling how-to books, Hooktheory I and Hooktheory II, will concretely teach you how to craft melodies and chord progressions like professional musicians, and gain a deep understanding and intuition for how music works.
Hooktheory I and Hooktheory II are designed for hobby musicians at all skill levels. They don't require any previous music knowledge or the ability to read music.
Available for Web, iOS, iBooks, and Android.
Los Angeles
Love Letter To Japan
Recreational Love
Will You Dance
Golden Days
by Panic at the Disco
High Hopes
by Panic at the Disco
by Unknown - Misattributed to Henry VII
One Dance
by Drake
Good Old Days
by blink-182
Seraphic Chicken
by ZUN
by John Mayer
Hide And Seek
by Imogen Heap
Roaring 20s
by Panic at the Disco


text:
Hormonal Menopause
I know this isn't birthy information, but is women's health and is me, so thought I'd share anyway.
I don't know lots about menopause, just that I'm there not having had a period for over two years. I just had a vaginal ultrasound (consensual) and the lining of my uterus is thin, as thin as a woman in menopause, so I'm officially there. Well, have officially been there for awhile, but reaffirmed now. I mention about not knowing a lot because it wasn't until recently that I learned of the intense hormonal depression many women entering menopause experience, my own depression perhaps having another explanation besides (or in addition to) the life changes I've been experiencing.
I was on progesterone for awhile, helping to take care of hot flashes and night sweats, but my newest care provider was concerned about the progesterone and felt I should be on estrogen instead, or at least with the progesterone. But in 2007, I had a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and blood clot from ankle to groin and estrogen is contraindicated in women who've had a DVT. I was almost completely bedridden when I had the DVT, so the provider (a Nurse Practitioner) sent me to a GYN for a second opinion. The GYN said no way on the estrogen and put me back on progesterone, again for the hot flashes and night sweats. They suck, by the way. Nothing like having to lay down towels on the wet bed just to finish sleeping.
I off-handedly mentioned my lowered sex drive and that I'd love to have some help with it and she easily prescribed testosterone cream. Wow! It had to be compounded and my insurance didn't pay for it, but the container is enough for 4 months and cost a mere $28 ($7 a month!). It's in a little deodorant looking vial and I make one rotation of the bottom and a little squirt of cream oozes out the top. I then rub it in a hairless part of my body. At first, I tried under the top part of my flappy underarms (not where deodorant goes), but have since changed to the inside of my right elbow. I have to be very careful with babies and moms and only hold babies on my left side, hence putting it on my right side. I've only used it for a few days and nothing so far, but I'll report back if my sex drive, fantasies and orgasms increase. laughing I know you can hardly wait to hear.
It's kind of weird, taking hormones. The hot flashes and night sweats have lessened, so that's good, but I can't help but wonder what all these hormones are doing to the rest of my body. Interestingly, the results are more important than long-term considerations. Clearly, I'm a want-it-done-NOW kind of person.
Okay, time to put my cream on. Later!


text:
WASHINGTON (AP) — House and Senate negotiators pushed to finish a new round of stifling sanctions on Iran, targeting energy, shipping and insurance sectors with punitive measures to derail Tehran's suspected push for nuclear weapons.
Lawmakers hoped to unveil a final bill late Monday, with a House vote as early as Wednesday. Congress has just a week before a month-long August recess and members see the legislation as the last chance to impose crippling penalties on Iran.
Sanctions have broad bipartisan support in Congress and in a crucial boost to the measure's prospects, officials at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group, said they support the legislation.
The draft bill would essentially sanction any transaction related to the energy sector and prohibit Iran from transferring money back to the country from oil sales to foreign nations.
Any company shipping proliferation-sensitive goods to Iran would be subject to penalties under the bill, a provision pushed by Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.
The bill also would deny visas and freeze assets on individuals and companies that supply Iran with technology that could be used against its citizens, such as tear gas, rubber bullets and surveillance equipment. The bill extends those sanctions on human rights violators to Syria, where President Bashar Assad's regime is accused of a bloody crackdown against protesters
The bill targets Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and requires companies that trade on the U.S. stock exchange to disclose any Iran-related business to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A few lawmakers said they were frustrated that the legislation didn't go far enough. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., the chairman of the Banking Committee, have been negotiating for weeks to reconcile a bill the House passed in December and one the Senate backed in May.
Several proponents of tough sanctions such as Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., Rep. Robert Dold, R-Ill., and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., had pressed negotiators to blacklist Iran's energy sector, labeling it a "zone of proliferation concern" that effectively bans all business.
But the draft bill says the president shall impose sanctions and the provision is non-binding.
Lawmakers also pushed for sanctions on the directors and shareholders of organizations like SWIFT, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, unless they stop providing services to the Central Bank of Iran. The draft bill does not target the directors.
Mark Dubowitz, a sanctions expert and executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, described the legislation as a "strong bill that fills numerous loopholes and tightens the sanctions requirements but it could be a lot tougher" if Congress understood as much about the psychology as legality. Dubowitz said Iran often figures out ways to get around the penalties.


text:
Search WeAreHairy.com:
Bellavitana takes off green dress and lingerie
Bellavitana loves her green dress and lingerie. She strips them both off, and has wonderful natural breasts. She then climbs on her counter, and reveals her hairy pussy and sexy natural body there.
Home |
Members |
Help & Support |
Terms & Conditions |
Privacy Policy |
Webmasters |
Sitemap |
Mobile Hairy Porn |
Subscribe to our weekly hairy porn list for fresh hairy girls
or visit We Are Hairy Free for more hairy pussies
18 U.S.C 2257 Record Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement
© 2009—2019 WeAreHairy.com All Rights Reserved. …


text:
Home | Cart Review | Site Map | Tracking
Holiday's & Observances
Frog Lollipop Bouquet
Approx Size 7"x11"x14" - 14 lollipops
Available in Get Well, Thank You and Happy Birthday themes.
Each lollipop is handcrafted to ensure the best quality, flavor and appearance. And every lollipop bouquet is created by hand using superior workmanship and creative flair.
Send a Candy Gift Basket.....What a great way to say I'm Thinking Abou You or Happy Easter!! These are perfect arrangements to send your condolences....
Online Delivery made easy. You place the order and we do the rest. Send this lollipop bouquet to your loved ones, friends and colleagues.
Submit a Review...
Corporate DISCOUNTS available for multiple baskets. Please call or email for pricing.
Click Add to Cart to order this product.
Email us at email@example.com with any questions about this or any of our other products.
Shopping Basket
Note: All prices in US Dollars
Shop Online 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 100% Secure Shopping
APO & FPO We only ship items from our Military Page to these addresses.
Corporate DISCOUNTS available for multiple gift baskets. Please email: email@example.com or call: 866-732-8130 for pricing.
We deliver to addresses within the United States:
Alabama AL . Alaska AK . Arizona AZ . Arkansas AR . California CA . Colorado CO . Connecticut CT . Delaware DE . Florida FL . Georgia GA . Hawaii HI . Idaho ID . Illinois IL . Indiana IN . Iowa IA . Kansas KS . Kentucky KY . Louisiana LA . Maine ME . Maryland MD . Massachusetts MA . Michigan MI . Minnesota MN . Mississippi MS . Missouri MO . Montana MT . Nebraska NE . Nevada NV . New Hampshire NH . New Jersey NJ . New Mexico NM . New York NY . North Carolina NC . North Dakota ND . Ohio OH . Oklahoma OK . Oregon OR . Pennsylvania PA . Rhode Island RI . South Carolina SC . South Dakota SD . Tennessee TN . Texas TX . Utah UT . Vermont VT . Virginia VA . Washington WA . West Virginia WV . Wisconsin WI . Wyoming WY
We also deliver a few selected products to APO / FPO addresses (ground shipping only) see our


text:
Benefits & Features
Looking for a compression sock that provides style, function and performance during your early morning jogs or after work runs? Our SKINS Essentials Women's Active Compression Socks look great and are in a variety of colours for you to mix and match with our other compression garments.
More performance! SKINS engineered gradient compression boosts performance through increasing the delivery of oxygen to your active calf muscles while the targeted support stabilises your calves, which in turn reduces fatigue and risk of injury. The result? Reduced blood lactate build up so you can run harder for longer and be ready to do it all again the next day.
Maximum comfort! Our arch wraps support your arch and reduces strain and impact on the sole during your runs while soft fall cushioning absorbs shock and enhances comfort. Need more? Special anti-chafing yarns in the heel and toe reduce heat, moisture, friction and blister development while SKINS Copper Technology acts as an antifungal and helps prevent food odour.
Why not complete your wardrobe with our recovery socks and our A200 and A400 compression ranges.


text:
Oct 28, 2010
Vintage Set 1 | Free Digi Stamps
Vintage Set 1 Free Digi Stamps in high quality 12 inch size.
For personal use Only.
You can Download the files.
Password: skhedrdesigns
DownloadTotal Download:
19 comments:
Thanks so much for your generosity these are awesome !ReplyDelete
These are gorgeous! Thank you so much!!ReplyDelete
thanks guys and more on the wayReplyDelete
Thank you so much - just found your blog!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 20, 2010 at 2:57 PM
very nice! thank you for sharing.ReplyDelete
Thanks for sharing .ReplyDelete
Great work.
- AnonymousJanuary 27, 2011 at 4:44 PM
Thank you so much. Your digis are awesome! Helen xReplyDelete
Your files are gorgeous. Thank you so much.ReplyDelete
Thank you soo much! :)) <3ReplyDelete
Thank you so much, loved this! Just found your blog, will keep looking here :)ReplyDelete
Thanks a lot for these beautiful images.ReplyDelete
Very, very pretty. Thank you ŸReplyDelete
Very, very pretty. Thank you ŸReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 28, 2012 at 7:14 AM
Thank you SO much for these gorgeous images! Have a great day.ReplyDelete
Wonderful vintage images. Thanks so vry much. Lynne from OZReplyDelete
Thank you so much.ReplyDelete
These are so wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing them :DReplyDelete
Spring Sale
Check the new look of our shop www.sherykdesigns.com and enjoy the 55% off of our products*. Check it HERE . *Conditions Apply


text:
Christmas and Deceased Relatives
Our family didn't visit the cemetery during the holidays. In fact the only times I personally remember going to the cemetery was when there was actually a burial taking place. My dad died Dec 28,1959. I definitely remember being there then! Because of the date of his death, he is always remembered during the holidays.
My husband, Dave, died Oct 24, 2005. It wasn't during the holidays and he is buried at Arlington National Cemetery so we don't visit his grave during the holidays either. Dave loved Christmas and loved nutcrackers, wooden soldiers, and toy trains for Christmas. Today he is remembered in both my children's homes by the nutcrackers scattered about and the winter paintings by Hargrove that they display.
About 1995, when we were living in Florida, Dave built some life-size toy soldiers to guard our house during the holidays. They were on display when grandson Aidan, then 1 yr old, came to visit. When Aidan returned to Florida in March of that year, of course they had been put away, his first words when leaving the car were "where's the guys?'
The "guys" have traveled with me from Florida, to Kentucky, and now to Texas. They proudly display their Chicago heritage by flying Bear flags.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 22 - Christmas and Deceased Relatives
1 comment:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)