February 14, 1999: Lisbeth's birthday, St. Valentine's day: Jack and I took a red velvet cake, fruit punch, a single red rose, and the Dedicated to Lisbeth printed out Web pages. She ate two pieces of cake, enjoyed punch which is one of her favorites, and carried the rose around the rest of the time we were there.
She was delighted with the pages. She cannot read now, without glasses, and the pair I gave her on a previous visit have been stolen or lost. I read the quote from our phone conversation and she kept saying "that's right, that's right!". Then I turned the page (I had them stapled into a "book" and in a folder), and she just sat there and looked and looked, hungrily. She took my glasses and could read the comments. When I went to turn the page again, to the baby picture, she became angry. She sat in silence about 10 minutes, working on controlling it, then went back to absorbing her "self", her real, well, self. I had disturbed that, and should not have. I understood the problem and her upset. The anger goes beyond normal parameters of course.
She was doubly delighted with the pictures of Katrina and of Eddie. The couple that she had down there have been lost. Now when that happens I can print out more! She commented about Eddie "He will be back one day, Mom." She liked the Pets Page and the Unicorn Page, too. She asked where Rufus, a black horse, and Rex, a German Shephard were. She was very "taken" with the Spirit Helpers: Serenity, Brave Heart, and Sun Glow. Lisbeth was involved with our Native group and gatherings here for awhile and understands about this. I think they really are, because I was "led" to those images, and the names were "given" to me. Maybe they, or the thought anyway, can really help her a little. She gave me an extra big 5 minute hug before we left.
The voices are bothering her a lot again. A couple days before her birthday, we were talking on the phone, and suddenly she yelled "Stay out of my head, I'm talking to my mother!" Then she said to me, "I'm sorry Mom, but they just won't leave me alone." I mentioned this to the head nurse, and she said yeah she had noted it in the log again, and it was bothering Lisbeth more. She had started hitting people again because of it.
Did you know that this disease cause electrical impulses to go off in the brain with out your volition? You "hear" because of neuron impulses, which normally are set off by sound waves. But this disease stimulates the same circuit with no sound waves. So you hear the same as if it were outside. She actually does a much better than average job of ignoring it. But it gets to her after a while, then she loses control and hits someone, cause she is sure that they said this horrible thing to her. Can you imagine trying to think or visit with all this noise and comment going on, seemingly around and outside of you?
Well, 1999 is here, so I thought it was time to put up a non-Christmas page. Most of this new Pepper page will be photos. I hope you all enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed doing them. Jack and I enjoy our life here out in the boondocks, down behind the groves, on Lake Buffum. 
I am still doing Avon, besides taking care of the house and building Web pages which I really LOVE doing. Mary sending me that old computer back last summer was the best miracle that could have happened for me. Thank you Mary.
There is not much "news" this month. We have been reading about all the snow and storms in other parts of the country. Also been hearing from Amy, Mary, and Uncle John about being snowed in, freezing cold pipes busting, and so on.
Our weather report: We had our week of winter the last part of last week and the first couple days of this one, 1/6 to 1/11 approx. Two mornings the temperature was only 26 degrees, and in the 40's the rest of our week of winter. Yesterday and today it is balmy and beautiful, in the 70's. Still cool though, the high was only 77.
Catherine has done several new pages. Jack is still working 6 pm to 6 am, Ned still guards the driveway, Baby Doll makes you throw pine cones, Buttons gets all excited when Jack comes home, and Prissy still disappears whenever anyone comes to visit. Have a good month everyone. Stay well. Love from our house to your house.

Hi there!
Happy New Year to you all. Most of you are keeping warm compared to us poor New Yorkers. Temps have been hovering around the teens. And the wind is especially brutal where we live here near the lake. Our recently installed hot tub helps take off the chill, however getting to it is another matter (just outside our back door). John is loving every minute of this brutal weather since winter brings snow and snow means snowmobile heaven. 
Jamie and myself are considering flying south for the winter.

I have enrolled in the Healtheology program at the American Institute of Holistic Theology and am on my way to a Doctorate in Healtheology. One day I will be a Holistic Health Practitioner/Counselor. If you are interested you can find out more about this program at http://www.aiht.edu/. I hope that all of you are well and happy. Send us some sunshine, we need it. 

Love to all, John, Amy and Jamie.
 

We had a great Christmas, The boys woke up promptly at midnight and tried to wakes tired old mom & dad up, We told them it was way to early and
go back to bed, well they lasted three hours and woke us up again at three a.m., so we got up and let them begin opening their presents. 
From Aunt Amy & Uncle John they received a car each, very nice ones that they each displayed in their rooms.! 
From Mommom and Poppa Jack Clint received a very nice Mickey Watch, DJ received a Hot Wheels Computer CD, and Danny
received Tommy the rugrat doll which he was absolutely delighted with! 
Randy received a neat Jeff Gordon belt buckle from Mom.  & a nifty flashlight from Amy and I received a beautiful Gold faced picture album
from Amy and new perfume from Mom.  We had a wonderful Christmas!! 
Uncle John And Johnathan and Marcus and Jason and Sue all came over at sometime throughout the day. 
The boys got a Nintendo 64 from their Uncle Jason.  Love to All and a Happy Fruitful New Year!!

Clark News As you all know I am 62yrs old since last May, and getting older every day. This is something that happened to me this evening, and I thought I would share it with you. It is 9:15pm and I just put Johnathan to bed. He had his bath and I read him a story, gave him a hug and a kiss, tucked him in and said goodnite. Now it is my time!! I came into the livingroom, emptied the ashtray, and decided to have one more cup of coffee. I picked up the ashtray took it into the kitchen, put a spoon of sugar in it and poured it full of coffee. As I was getting the cream from the refrigerator I realized what I had done. Boy was I disgusted with myself. What do you all think? Am I loseing my mind? Ha Ha!! John Clark
I have to admit this News was inserted by me, the old sister! UJ sent this email to most of us, but it deserves sharing. 1/28/99