family | Gramm Photography

We are hoping everyone have a safe and peaceful holiday season. We spent our time tying up loose ends, then a restful break with family.

As of December 18th, I left my EMS job to concentrate more on our photography business. It was time anyway to put that part of my life behind me. This decision was not an easy one to make, for I truly enjoyed being an EMT and helping others. It’s also hard to leave one of the states most respectful professional ambulance services, Mobile Life Support Services. While I have left my ride shifts, I haven’t officially left the company yet. I am not ready to leave my second family, most of which I have grown to love and respect. My thanks go out to Rick and Gayle Metzger for having a dream of starting a Paramedic Ambulance Service in the Hudson Valley, and after Rick passed, to Gayle and the whole administrative team for continuing that dream. I will always be proud that I have worn the blue uniform for 17 years.

My heartfelt thanks also go out to my volunteer family at Goshen Volunteer Ambulance Corp. To Lisa, Ryan, Gary, and others who have been there for me every step of the way in my EMT career and personal life. Oh and to Pat Hugerth, even though you are in heaven, I can still hear you complain every time I made the stretcher wrong! I love you all.

So as I end 2013 and welcome 2014, I also end a chapter in my life, and welcome a new one. May 2014 be a blessed and safe one for all.

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly ~Henri Bergson

Sometimes, I love mini vacations better than full ones. This week was one of those times. After having Chris’s Graduation BBQ on Sunday, John and I were ready to run away. We have had a few of the most hottest, muggiest weeks lately, not to mention crazy and stressful.

We had planned on taking 1 day and going to the Connecticut shore, but last minute we decided on leaving Tuesday and spending two days in Connecticut. I had called Ann and Jim on Monday night and told them we were going to head up there on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. They were heading that way with two other couples, and we planned on meeting them Wednesday. Ann and Jim are in-laws from my first marriage, but I still consider them family. I was so looking forward to spending some time away from it all. So, Monday night, I ran around packing what we need for the trip.

Tuesday morning, we woke early and loaded the car. We gave the kids last minute instructions on caring for the chickens and headed for the bank for a last minute deposit before we hit the road. At that point, John felt uneasy about the brakes on our car, they were pulling to one side occasionally. He was a bit worried about them freezing up and having no brakes. So we turned around to find a parts store so we can fix them before they broke. What was supposed to be an hours delay turned out to be a 3 hour delay! Not that the job took that long, we had a hard time finding the part. Alas, after the work was done, we were on our way.

By the time we got to our destination, it was too late to meet our group on the beach, and too early to check into our motel. We killed some time driving down side roads and seeing some of the sops in neighboring towns. It wasn’t the day we had planned, but it was great to just get away.

Finally, it was close to check in time. We knew our friends were staying in the same motel, but what are the chances of us all staying on the same floor? Well, we were all on the 3rd floor which made it really convenient. After a brief rest, we dressed and headed off to Foxwoods Casino for dinner. Boy, it’s been a few years since I’ve been there and so much has changed. Dinner was great, John and I managed to leave $100 in the slot machines (HA, that hasn’t changed!), but we all headed back to our rooms for an early day on the beach.

Wednesday, we decided to go to a local beach as opposed to the one we had planned on going to, and we all were happy we did. The beach was clean, not crowded, and not far to walk to from the parking lot. The sun was hot, and the water cool…a win win for everyone. All to soon, it was time for us to head home, as the rest of our friends went on to Rhode Island to finish their vacation.

All in all we had an excellent time. We are already talking about going back next year and I can’t wait!