My Thoughts Exactly by Annette Kniola

September 19, 2015 By Annette Kniola Well Hello there!  Long time, huh?  Lol! Many changes have gone on since my last past personal blog.  And yeah, I know, I got lazy last month and pushed a letter thru from Chris Lombardo and the Fire Commission ordeal. Hey, he didn’t mind it posted, so why not!   But today I feel like writing about some changes I have seen in the past couple of months.  Not only changes with me, but changes to our community as a whole. I will begin with our community here in the Estates.  We certainly have some big changes coming our way.  Changes that to many community members feel are great, yet to many feel are sad.  For one, it’s both E’s or G’s stores.  Still don’t know which “letter” it is.  People say both.  Either way, they have since and unfortunately gone under and 7-11 has come in and picked up both stores. I see it as a good thing because I would much rather see a business contin...

Looks like the Estates community here in Collier County is moving in the right direction. Well, let’s hope anyway.  A direction for future growth of Eastern Collier County. Looks like we’ll all be digging real deep into transportation, infrastructure, environmental impacts, water management, and very important,  economic development of the areas. Or simply saying, how do we want to see the future of this area turn out?  Do you want it branded similar to Fort Lauderdale or a rural and carefully planned area with great taste.  I vote for the latter. Heck, we are getting two 7-11′s out here that bought out E’s and G’s.  I plan on contacting 7-11 just to see if they can possibly make the 7-11′s a little more special.  A homey,country feel like Cracker Barrel. Could be the first! Ya never know! Recently, well, maybe not so recently, our Commissioners here in Collier County have decided it’s time to look into four areas most affected out here i...

I bet you thought I fell off the face of this Earth with hardly any blog posts.  Trust me, I did fall off the face of this Earth.  Literally! Over the past few months, or technically since I have submitted my tax returns, someone has been seriously messing with my identity.  Annette Kniola is no longer a safe name.  I have bent over backwards and still do to this day to clear my name up.  It has started with a someone using my name and submitting "my" own 2014 tax returns before I got a chance to submit my own.  One thing I have learned is a big red flag goes up at the IRS if you have filed joint for many many years, then one year you file single.  Right there was a flag for "both" of my tax returns.  Luckily for that, I suppose.  But the audacity for someone to use my name, social security, address, and trying to submit one child as a write off still blows my mind! Thankfully, when I did got the letter from the IRS back in A...

I have been so thrilled in these past few months because all of the traveling I get to do and how much fun I am doing it!  Being a stay at home Mom for 18 years, I have been very lucky to meet someone who wants me to travel with him.  The kids are very cool with it.  They felt it was about time! My most recent trip was to France.  For most of the week we stayed in Montpelier as I swam in the Mediterranean Sea.  And boy that sea is cold!  It also didn’t help much on the terrorist attacks that came to be while we were there.  Shortly before we had left, a man was beheaded in Lyons, then sadly many more killed across the sea in Northern Africa in Tunisia.   Either way, I just made damn sure my eyes were wide open when I was there. Enjoying the beach and the cute little restaurants were very relaxing. I tried so hard to speak French before my trip, but I find it one very difficult language to learn.  Basically I ended up...

Over the last few weeks and knowing this bear hunt vote was looming over our heads, it put me in a different place.  A place where I don’t care to be. You all know I’m a big lover on animals as most are, but to have that Florida bear hunt vote pass yesterday just sickens me. And I will be posting some graphic pictures throughout my blog just to show you how sickening it really is.  We’ll start off with this one. How does this make you feel right now? I am a realistic person and I clearly understand bears have grown in numbers over the years, but if we could have been a bit more pro-active in a stronger sense, this forthcoming bear hunt would not be happening.  Should not be happening.  I am so saddened by it. Some may say we have been pro-active as to taking these bears and relocating them to different areas, but they just find their way back.  I understand it does not always work, but has the bears hurt anyone?  Is this new hunt ou...

What is forgiveness? : to stop feeling anger toward (someone who has done something wrong) : to stop blaming (someone) : to stop feeling anger about (something) : to forgive someone for (something wrong) : to stop requiring payment of (money that is owed) What is forget? : to be unable to think of or remember (something) : to fail to remember to bring or take (something) : to stop thinking or caring about (someone) For many years during my separation and divorce, I have been and still have been asked to forgive by close family and friends.  Why I say?   They say because when you forgive, you are actually doing it for yourself.  I still have pondered that very concept to this day.  Why should I forgive those that defied my sanctity of marriage?  Our future, our hopes, and our dreams to live the rest of our lives in harmony.  Sounds nice, doesn’t it?  Who doesn’t want the man/woman of your dreams, the house, that white p...

May 15, 2015   My little man Benjamin is on the far left with his percussionist group at Cypress Palm Middle School. First of all, before I even start this blog, I was at home frustrated as hell last night because Benjamin was not ready for this concert, I was starving just coming home from work (thank God I had a pot-roast cooking all day), Ben’s shirt was wrinkled, I lost my damn phone, and we had to leave already!  Oh, the stress! (But the worst thing of it all was, “Where is my damn phone!”) So I go to my son’s band concert last night knowing we have to be there 45 minutes early, so I figured I would drop him out front and hang out in the van to catch up on my emails on my phone.  Sitting in the auditorium on those cold hard seats can be boring.  And yes, I found my phone!  Oh, the relief at that moment of despair was priceless. Low and behold, as I go ahead and park, I realize and say out-loud to myself, “Hey, I’m at Cypres...