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Thread: What a long strange trip it's been - recession, depression, aggregation.

  1. #21
    Senior Member diakonos777's Avatar
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  3. #22
    Senior Member diakonos777's Avatar
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    Yeah FireBrand, Amanda my oldest daughter she became Type 1 at the age of 5. My son Luke, Type 1 at age 30, same age I was when I became Type 1. My Dad was 19 and in the US Army marching band as a Sax player when he became type 1. Guess it's a family thing,,, gezzz.

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  5. #23
    Senior Member Highly Favoured's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by diakonos777 View Post
    Thank you so very much. Help me remember are you from Benton Harbor? Susan comes to mind, Idk.
    I'm from the Metro Detroit area. I'm not sure who was from Benton Harbor. Seems like, being a Michigander, I might remember that.

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  7. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Highly Favoured View Post
    I'm from the Metro Detroit area. I'm not sure who was from Benton Harbor. Seems like, being a Michigander, I might remember that.
    Wasn't that "SisterTanya"?

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  9. #25
    yeah, what happened to her?

  10. #26
    Senior Member diakonos777's Avatar
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    Chapter Five: Millers Vets, Billy and a goal to reach.

    In hindsight, the Lord found me the help I needed. But the onslaught of Satan wasn't over.
    While I was at Millers Vets for Homeless Vets. My collection of tools of over 30 years got stolen. I had them in my sisters garage while I was staying there. I found this out after I got my SSI and got plates & insurance for my car. I'd get a weekend passes to go home and work on repairs at my place needed so I could move back home.

    While I was at Millers, we had a very cold winter. The ground had froze as deep as 9 ft. in some places The pipes at my place cracked as well the toilet base. The winter of 2014/15. I had volunteered to work at the St. Joe County Food Bank. They once gave me a bunch of food items which was way more than I could carry, but I took them back for the other Vets and put in the kitchen the place had for us. I nearly froze to death walking that 7 blocks back to Millers that day. Colonel Kent A. Laudeman was the director that ran Millers Vets. When your entered in the program. The goal is to find the Vets what they need to get out of their homeless position. Put in a job looking format, education needs, VA Health Care needs, addiction programs and many other things. They want to get you motivated again to get one out of their hopelessness realm. The place had 12 rooms that would house 4 Vets, (4 Bed room and a locker). Room 13 was right by the front desk, were if the watchman thought one had come impaired. They would breathe antsier you and urine test you right on the spot. If you did not pass the test, you was placed in room 13 and they babysit you until morning and the Colonel would look into if he had to evict you.
    Colonel would come in every morning and go on a 2 mile run. He was a Vietnam Vet in his 70's and as healthy as all get out. Every 4 weeks he would sat you down and see how you were coming along in the program. He became very fond of me I'll have to admit. I'm friended with him on Facebook, look up that name and see what that guy is about. Quite the man I'm telling you. Things were sat up there just like the Military as far taking care of your AO. Every week you had cleaning duties you were assigned. Like cleaning the Head, washing windows, cleaning the dayroom, poolroom, the kitchen and other areas. As well as keeping your rooms in tip top shape.

    Many folks would donate cloths to the place, shoes, food and lots of coffee. Every now and then I'd get to open a can of Folgers Columbian, my favorite. But the morning hours the 2 coffee pots would be going and folks could sit in the dayroom and watch the news and enjoy a cup of coffee (folks would donate creamer additives as well). I was waiting on my SSI to go through but I had to have something to do, Colonel got me the St. Joe Foodbank position. They had rules, no drinking, any kind of drug use was forbidden. They would get a Vet set up for free housing programs the VA would pay for for a Vet to live as well. I got my Brother Bill into Millers after I had left (Kent really thought Bill was a piece of work, he would just shake his head at him many times and just laugh). But Bill was in the Army during the Vietnam War he gets a VA pension for being in during that time. And now is in a very nice apartment in Mishawaka, IN. Billy was a grifter & gypsy most of his life. Praise Jesus he took my advise on getting in the Millers Vet program.

    I live by forgiving those who have trespassed against you as you have trespassed against them. While I was at Millers Vets. My Brother Bill visited me and sat in my car and had a talk. He wanted to confess something to me. I already knew what he was going to tell me, which I had already forgave him for, because I knew. But he needed to get it off his conscience. He feared I was going to beat him up for it to. But he told me he was the one who stole my tools. He said he sold them for $1000 and bought drugs with the money. (They were worth way over $1000 bucks. I told him, you got took, snicker). But the first words out of my mouth was Billy I forgive you, I did that right when I found out they were gone. He just looked at me in awe. I then told him well I know a way you make up for it. He said ok, what. I got some construction repairs I need done at the house. That made him smile. He has a talent in that field. So he did make up for it, he did a lot of work and did it well.. Even more than what I took in a loss.

    So I needed tools and stuff again, so I hit the pawn shops in South Bend and got everything I would need as in hand tools and such. I was now ready to get some work done at my house.
    Last edited by diakonos777; 01-17-2021 at 10:22 PM.

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  12. #27
    Senior Member diakonos777's Avatar
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    Chapter 6: A home Invasion.

    At the Marion VA Mental Ward folks there got me some basic stuff to wear, some sweats, underwear and 3 pair of sox and a pair of shoes. Folks would even donate packs of cigarettes to the Vet Ward. So I would be issued a pack of smokes once a day and a book of matches. There were also plenty of Bibles on a display table for folks to use if they wanted. I was given 3 meals that were sat up for my diabetic diet. A nurse would check my sugar every meal and they would give me my needed shots before a meal. Talk about being care for, wow. I would just raise my hands and praise God for the help I was getting. I was told then they was looking for a shelter for me to live at as well. One thing I was clueless to what they did for homeless Vets.

    On the night of the Super bowl 2015, New England vs Seattle. A South Bend located Marines MC fed us a great meal and with all the trimmings a party would love.

    Upon my first visit home I found out my house had been broken into. Anything of worth was gone and the house ransacked. They even stole the medals I had got while in the Army. Their was snow on the ground and tracks leading to a house's backdoor where I found my lunchbox that had my name on it that was packed with insulin syringes. (the Country Police officer walked right by that and didn't notice it, don't figure) There were also tracks from my front door out to the road, that I noticed when I had got to the house. And tracks and evidence of someone trying to get into my car where I had locked up some valuables just in case thing ya know. My shotgun was in there. A 1952 Mossberg bolt action 20 gauge. Only gun I own or would ever need for me. I had no home owners insurance either. So it was a big dollars loss for me.

    The County Police Detective told me what to do in listing all the items and things to give them later for the case. He also said chances are we will never find them, but worry not that house is going to be raided in a few weeks for the meth operation there. They did pull the renter in for questioning. It was my 1st ex-wife's place her Father left her and she was renting it. Later she brought me my Army metals and a Sword I had received from World Harvest Ministries for being a covenant partner. They found them in a covey hole in the floor of a closet. I'd worked under that house when her Dad was alive helping him do some things, and he handed me tools down through that closet covey hole.

    Almost all my band equipment was gone, TV's, a PC computer, My Kramer electric guitar was gone and a rare Peavey amp (One my Dad gave me.) I used in the Band days. I could only take so much stuff in a car to take to Millers. I took my Fender acoustic with me and some other stuff and cloths. When I arrived at Marion VA Mental Heath Ward all I was wearing was the hospital PJ's they give you there. My daughters had taken the stuff I was wearing & my wallet & boots when I was admitted. I left in hand cuffs to arrive at Millers Vets in South Bend IN.

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  14. #28
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    Chapter 7: Getting Home.

    Millers is still in operation, I was given a job there to talk with the South Bend homeless facility to build an add on to the Millers Building for a out door shelter to store folks bikes and for Vets to smoke with a roof over their head and to sit down at a table if they wanted. That got completed after I had left. But I was the spokesmen for Millers to bring it up and get it done by the Cities Homeless Program. That was an honor to have that responsibility. Millers Vets was just a walk to the corner of the street where the main city homeless shelter was. That served 3 meals a day, at meal times, the Vets were given 1st in line honors to be served. Many homeless people who were not even from St. Joe County migrated there just for the services they provided.

    I performed at a special dinner that the Mothers of the Revolution provided for us one day. I sang some covers of country tunes, a gospel tune, Johnny Cash tune (Folsom Prison Blues) sung in the lyrics as "I know that Christ is coming" and some humor type songs I had wrote. It was fun and a privilege to do that.

    Millers had a big pool room that had big windows that faced the sidewalk and Michigan Street. The staff told me I could play my guitar and sing in there any time I wanted. Many times folks would stop as they were walking by and listen to me. One day as many as 7 folks out there watching and listening to me. That made me smile. My oldest daughter really step up all thru this. She is a Mental Health RN in a Mishawaka facility. She dropped off some clothes and things and brought my grand daughters to visit with me.

    Well I got the repairs I needed done. The juice bill caught up and turned back on and fixed my well so I had water again. Repaired the pipes and put in a new toilet and some money saved up and thanked them folks there very much and moved back home. I got back on line shortly after. Looked for Faith & Fellowship Forums, but never found it. Not long after I got all set up back at home, the engine in my car blew up, value train. I found a Ford Ranger 2011 only 80,000 on it and had a great price on it. I was given a loan and that is almost paid off then I'll be debt free again. God is good to Him be the glory.

  15. #29
    Senior Member diakonos777's Avatar
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    2 days before my sister evicted me.

    What a long strange trip it's been - recession, depression, aggregation.-va4-jpg

  16. #30
    Senior Member diakonos777's Avatar
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    My Kramer Guitar

    What a long strange trip it's been - recession, depression, aggregation.-luther_good_pic-jpg
    Last edited by diakonos777; 01-18-2021 at 07:41 AM.

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