2009......I'm glad to see it go.

I don't know how things have been at your house this year but I'm glad to see 2009 go out the door (and don't let it hit you in the ass on the way out). Shirley's son Jeramie was out of work all of the 2009 winter. He was hired (returned from 2008) for a seasonal job with the City of Elgin in late March, that was supposed to last until November, and they let him go sometime in late June. All the summer help was already hired and he didn't find a job until mid fall. He has a job now as a teller at a credit union but it is far from the pay he was making at the old job. Shirley's daughter Melissa was released from her CNA position at a Nursing home (we sometimes have to learn the hard way) and is having a difficult time trying to find someone to give her another chance when there are so many applicants fighting for a few positions. I currently have been out of work since the end of July (laid off) and to this day have not found anything that will pay more than I am collecting on unemployment. Luckily, Shirley was able to find a part time position at Central Dupage Hospital that had benefits, so at least we have health insurance and do not have to worry about paying for COBRA. The year also had some sad moments. Our close friends the Gelfo-Kleins and the Penars each lost one of their parents this year, and I know they are missing them dearly during this Christmas season. The year was not a total loss however. I had a wonderful time helping Bryan's baseball team when I could (I was still working), we enjoyed our fishing vacation in Minnesota even though I was let go the day before we left. I was the assistant coach for Bryan's basketball team this fall and will be head coach for the winter 2010 team. I spent a great deal of time with Bryan, and that was without a doubt, AWESOME!! Oh, and we did go fishing in the Fox river as much as we could. As Cub fans we were able to witness another season of baseball what not to do. The Bears bought and brought us new hope! When it was all said and done, same old press conferences. The Bulls, I have not managed to sit through and entire game yet and I may not even want to try for much longer. Our Blackhawks are the bright spot in the sports scene and it is a pleasure to watch these kids mature in to great hockey players. I am looking forward to going ice fishing within the next few weeks, now that we have had some cold nights and good ice conditions. A few bull bluegills and a crappie or two will give me a much needed shot in the arm until the job market turns around. I hope the New Year brings all of you health and happiness in 2010 and hopefully a few nice fish to go along with it!

Merry Christmas from the Cahill-Grays Family

The winter is upon us and the end of the year is near, the Cahill-Grays family wish you a holiday full of good cheer. As we hurry through this enchanted season, take time to reflect that there is a reason. A gift from the father sent from above, the birth of a child to teach us to love. Hang all your decorations from your porches and stoops, when you step back to notice, remember our troops. We rush through the stores and shop till we drop, please keep in your hearts that this war does not stop. Remember the loved ones who are not with us this day, as you sit for dinner with family we hope that you'll pray. The birth of the Christ child is what we celebrate Christmas day. The love from our father that never goes away! May the love of the Holy Family be with all of you this Christmas and throughout the New Year. Love, Kirk, Shirley, Melissa, Jeramie, and Bryan.

Memories of Spunky Our Jack Russell Terrier

When I first started to date my wife Shirley some 11 years ago, she introduced me to her Jack Russell Terrier named Spunky. She was a very muscular dog with above average size for a Jack and weighed about 23 pounds. Spunky was mostly white with a few tan patches on her ear and face. Her coat was smooth and short and her undercoat was almost barren of any hair. Because of the lack of hair growth on her underbelly many skin spots would be very noticeable and at first I wasn't taken in by her appearance. Shirley had Spunky for a few years already and both her kids had grown quite fond of her. I had not been around for more than a few weeks when I offered to take Spunky out for a walk one fall evening. Down the apartment stairs and out the front door we went to head towards the park near the creek. About ten paces from the door we began to pass the garbage bins that were in the parking lot, when I heard Spunky had began to choke on something. The sound that was coming from her throat immediately signaled to me that she was in a desperate situation. I looked down and saw an entire chicken breast bone lodged sideways in her throat, just passed her rear teeth. I don't know what came over me at that moment, but I probably wouldn't be married to Shirley today if I didn't respond as quickly as I did. Grabbing Spunky's mouth I opened her jaw, stuck my fingers down her throat, and somehow was able to dislodge the breast bone from inside her. I paused for a moment and made sure she was OK, and we continued our walk. When I returned to the apartment I explained to my new girlfriend that her dog almost died the first time that I had walked her. At the time I did not know, the long relationship I would build with both Spunky and Shirley. The dog became a "project" of mine. My goal was to transform her from the many bad habits she had learned from the kids and the lack of consistent discipline she had received. Some of those habits included, barking at everyone and everything, being aggressive towards certain people, and some dogs, digging through the garbage, just to name a few. I worked with her all the time to try to make her a better dog, but she was very stubborn and many times I nearly lost all of my patience. She did develop into quite a nice dog and over time I grew very fond of her. Spunky continued to have her moments though. There were her two confrontations with dogs that required several stitches and permanent scars. One was a Doberman Pincher, the other was a Rottweiler. Fine choices when you are only 23 pounds. My favorite episode though, was when we had taken her to Minnesota to go on vacation with us. Spunky was deathly afraid of the water and a bath to her was the worst torture you could consider for a dog. Getting her into the boat was going to be trouble but somehow, the thought of being with us overcame her fear of the water and she reluctantly climbed on board. One outing during that week we had got into a nice bunch of bluegills and bass and we're having quite a good time when Spunky decided to grab on to my 6 inch culprit worm (purple shad if you were wondering) and stuck the hook in her upper lip past the barb. As she panicked from the surprise of the hook, she managed to again stick the hook in her right paw. Now we had a yelping Terrier with her paw stuck to her lip and quite a dilemma on our hands. After some quick thought I was able to pin her to the boat deck and began to remove the hooks as though I was removing them from a large Musky, very carefully trying not to injure her mouth. The operation was successful and she never touched another lure again. Spunky loved to be outside(as long as it wasn't cold) and I loved to watch her as she would sit, watch, and listen attentively to the world around her. I spent an entire week with her in St. Germain WI one fall and let her run through the woods chasing squirrels up trees and giving a few Whitetail deer quite a surprise in a field near the cabin. As with all dogs her time was too short and she developed a tumor that was too difficult to remove. It was the second one she had, the first one was removed successfully. Other complications began to take hold of her and we decided it was best to put her to rest peacefully. I had that task, and it was one of the more difficult things I have ever had to do. I don't know what made me think of her today, but it was probably something in our current Jack Russell, Scruffy that reminded me of her. I have taken Scruffy in the boat with us once, and he has been to St. Germain for the opening fishing weekend in 08, but I'm sure the first time I show him a purple shad culprit worm..... I'll make sure I leave the hooks out!