Much better.

This was Tuesday morning when Alyssa took the supervisor position while I made breakfast. She was still in her jammies and rather surprised that Don was handy with the camera already. I mean, what's the big deal about breakfast? (Can you believe my hair it this long? I was surprised when I saw this picture!) Today has been MUCH better for my hip. I'm not sure why I've taken a good turn, but it could be the pad the doctor put into my shoe. I wouldn't dream that it could help so much, so quickly, but I have to admit that something has helped. On a scale of 1-10 I had been at a 7 for weeks. Yesterday I moved to 6 and today I'd say it's about 5. It's still a lot of pain, but so much better to be going this direction. I can be a lot nicer at this level! Also it turned warm today, so that could be helping. We don't think this is arthritis, though, so it may not be that. Certainly the warmth helps me to relax, though, so that could have an effect. I just hope it keeps getting better and better every day! Woo hoo! I sure thank God for this relief! Yesterday I got my cell phone activated, so I'm in good shape there. The computer is still limping; hopefully, the new recovery discs will be here soon and I can get the computer cleaned up, too. I have high hopes! (Hope is much easier to see at pain level 5 than at pain level 7 where I want to throw everything rather than fix it.)

Hardly here.

This picture is one Don took yesterday of Alyssa and I. We had her stuff all ready to go home behind us. She was the PERFECT little visitor. We'll have her stay with us anytime her parents will let us have her! We sure thank God for blessing us yesterday with a precious day with her. Her daddy is doing well and we thank God for that, too.

I have been tormented all day by this computer, so I'm cutting this off before it dumps me! It has taken me an hour just to get here and write this. The blog wouldn't let me sign in at all. I had to sneak in by saying I wanted to edit yesterday's post and then jumping to a new post. What a mess when the computer doesn't work right!

Thanking Sponsors!

Elena DeSantis, daughter of Gretta DeSantis. Gretta is SEEKING SPONSORS FOR THE ROCK N’ ROLL MARATHON APRIL 30, 2011

Gretta running in the Rock N’Roll Marathon on April 30, 2011 for the MAGIC Foundation and is seeking sponsorship. Gretta was the Network Coordinator for the Turner’s Syndrome division for three years. Elena has been the poster child for the MAGIC Foundation for three years. Charities are suffering tremendously in this economy and every little bit helps.

If you are inclined and able to help by being a sponsor in this run, you can do so online by completing the form at:

https://www.magicfoundation.org/www/docs/1008.1886/

Gretta had this in a beautiful flier, but I couldn't figure out how to use it, so I had to just pull out the information and present it the best I could. If your heart is melted by this sweet picture of our precious Elena, thank you for your help! Elena is blessed to have very few problems and no problems that are fatal to her. She does take human growth hormone shots every day to help her to be at least 4'8" and we dream she may be even taller. You can read more about Turner Syndrome on the Magic Foundation site. Most Turner Syndrome babies don't survive to full term and birth, so we feel like Elena is our miracle baby, and we thank God for her.

Still dreaming of escaping, however home is sweet!

This picture was taken on July 4th on the Big Island at Waikaloa, I think. Tom and Linda Rose were with us and it is a precious memory to recall. (Linda, remember little Nathaniel who took up so with Tom? That was so cool!) It's cold here! It was 41 when we went to the grocery store this morning! So, I'm wearing layers and dreaming of that nice balmy warm July in Hawaii! My computer is still way limping along, so I don't have current pictures to post and I'm enjoying going back down memory Lane to find some that may have already been posted. I've ordered another set of recovery discs to pull my laptop out of the grave. It had recovery discs built into it, but they tell me they are corrupt. What's up with that? All I know is I'm throwing more money at it. It's only $24.95, but that's $24.95 I could pay to MD Anderson, who want an arm and a leg. That's how life goes and I asked for life, so I give thanks. God wants me to be nice even when my computer is broken and my hip hurts, so I'm working on it. sometimes I do well with it. I haven't thrown anything today. Alyssa is coming to spend the night and tomorrow. I'll shift in to grammy mode, and surely I will be nice to her. She is a precious little girl, so she makes it really easy to be nice. We're going to color and work puzzles and read books. Surely I can handle that! God will help me! I think she is a practice session for me. I've rescheduled our card party for this Friday. I'm thinking I'm getting a handle on this painful hip and limping computer. (That's my prayer!)

Escape!

This is a picture I took a couple of years ago at Hapuna Beach on the Big Island. I'm dreaming today and in my dreams I'm there. Ah . . . wouldn't that be nice.

I read a one liner on a calender yesterday that says, the trouble with leisure time is keeping other people from using it. Our friends here don't understand why we like to travel so much, but that's it. When we travel we get to decide what we do with our time. When we are here, other folks are so eager to fill up our time with what THEY want us to do. Like someone just called wanting me to donate money to the college where I graduated. Because I have a phone number that is listed they feel free to call in the middle of my Sunday afternoon and tell me all about what's going on at the school and what they'd do with my money if I gave it. If I cared what was going on at the school I'd go visit. If I had money to give them I'd call and tell them I have it to give and ask where would they like me to send it. When I'm gone that doesn't happen. I owe MD Anderson an arm and a leg, so it would be totally out of order for me to give money to anything else. I have a granddaughter who has Turner Syndrome, so the first extra money I have is going to the Magic Foundation. I'm really not cordial to people who want to spend my money.

I'm not doing so good with my attitude adjustment. I haven't slammed any doors today, though. I didn't even slam down the phone when that girl called. I didn't throw anything when I disconnected from the chat with the Carbonite idiot, either.

I spent 45 minutes on chat this morning with a Carbonite idiot. If I ever get my laptop restored, I'll give them credit then. However, we got 16% restored and then it quit responding. The person on chat couldn't get the picture for 45 minutes when I disconnected and restarted the computer, which meant I had to restart the whole restoration process. So, I don't know if it's a good thing or not, at this point. I had high hopes until I ran into the guy this morning. He spoke English! I think he was napping or something or maybe he was smoking something. I don't know what his problem was, but he was dangling me and running me between these two computers like my hip didn't hurt. I will let you know as we progress if I can fully recommend Carbonite or not. I'm hanging by a thread with a knot on the end.

We had a visiting song leader at church this morning, and his leadership blessed me! I thank God for wonderful people in our church family, too. People do care and they want to be kind and helpful. It's good to know some people like that!

Carbonite is restoring the files.

This picture is one a classmate took of me last September when we had our reunion in DC. I don't think I know any of those people in the picture with me! I must have been lost, but Sam found me. He was up above and hollered at me and I looked up and he took this shot. We walked all over the capitol that day. It was fun, and I'm sure glad my hip wasn't hurting like it is, now! I had to go onto Facebook to swipe this picture.

Carbonite is restoring the files on my computer and it's only 5% done. It gives me a message that says it will be done in "a few days." I guess the good thing about that is that Carbonite is doing it and I'm able to do other things. If I didn't have them I'd just never get all that stuff restored!

Don and I got the house cleaned today. It took us all week to get the place ready so we could clean it. I dusted and did the hard floors and he did all the carpet. He is an angel, no doubt!

We have good friends coming for dinner tomorrow. I have a roast already cooked in the freezer. I'll add potatoes and carrots and gravy and some rolls. We'll call it good and give thanks for it. David and Dorothy will join us if David is feeling okay tomorrow. He's had a really rough week. Leann is bringing dessert with no sugar, so that's cool! Dale is having surgery on his shoulder on Tuesday and we get to keep their daughter Alyssa, who is 3. I'm hoping they'll come and spend the night on Monday so they can get up and go early to be in OKC by 7 for his surgery. That way they won't have to wake Alyssa and drag her out in the wee hours. We're so looking forward to having her. She is such a fun little girl! We'll get some pictures and some day I'll get them on the computer so that I can post them. We thank God for good, good friends and precious little people like Alyssa and our grandkids who give us hope for future generations.

Just call me Chester.

I swiped this picture off of Tricia's album on Facebook, because I don't have any recent pictures on this computer. (Thanks, Trish.) This was one Rob took of them when they went on an adventure to the Landing in Branson. That's Trish, Gabe holding Raynie, Gracie, Sadie, and Mason. The other computer is in limbo, working it's way back to life, I hope. The real geek told me to let it run all night and maybe it will be done tomorrow. That means I get to ruin tomorrow with it, too. UGH. I got so excited when I got it to strip this morning, that I dug out our old laptop and started working on stripping it. Well, I'm not getting anywhere fast with it, either. I've been going from inversion table to power plate to jiggler today and I'm still walking like Chester, too. However, I AM walking. I haven't slammed a door or anything today, either, so I'm doing good with my attitude adjustment.

I really do thank God that this hip thing is just that, a hip thing. It's not a big deal and it's better than a migraine, which I used to get all the time. I don't have migraines anymore, which is such a wonder! So, I'll deal with the hip. It could be so many other things that would be way serious. This is just something to slow me, and that's probably a good thing. So, I took today to fool with computers. Tomorrow I fool with dusting and cleaning the hard floors. Wonderful Don will vacuum for me. I sure love that he does that!

Sunday we have company coming for dinner. I have it in the freezer, so it's no big deal. It will be a wonderful day! I may be limping along with this computer for a few days, but isn't it wonderful to have one that works!

James 1:20

The picture tonight is one I took of Grace and Don last week in Branson. I chose this picture because they are two of the sweetest people in the world.

Poor Don has been so patient with me. I've let the pain get to me a lot this week, especially. He is good as gold and never growls or preaches to me. I was planning to play cards here tomorrow night, but I've been in such a foul mood I called everyone to call it off because I can't trust me to be nice. Besides, I just don't feel like it. Everyone was so sweet and understanding. My dear friend, reminded me that James 1:20 says, "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." So, do I need to straighten up or what? I've been counting my blessings and giving thanks, but then I'll slam a door or cabinet! I am ashamed of my behavior and I am working on it. Joan set me so straight and God will help me get my focus where it should be.

This morning I did see the chiropractor for the 3rd time this week. He showed us my X-rays and the news is good. There is no indication of any tumor or any indication of weakening of the bones. Those were possibilities that kept looming at me since breast cancer likes to go to the bones and I'm taking Arimidex, which tends to weaken the bones. However, the bottom disc in my back is totally degenerated. It's likely because I have a congenital deformity right there. Usually when one disc is bad 3 or 4 will be bad, but all the others are good. Anyway, my hip is complaining because that bone on bone area at the bottom of my back is not allowing fluids to pass through like it should and it causes pain in my hip. The hip, itself, is in great shape. Knowing all that, I'm free to use the power plate, the jiggler and the inversion table and they will all help me to get back into motion. Motion is what I need and I have all that equipment! As soon as I can walk without too much pain, I can walk, again. This is all good news and I do give thanks for it. I asked God to give me another chance at life, and I know that He wants me to give Him glory, not shame. I hope to smile for the camera, soon. Thanks for caring and hanging with me!

Fishing!

Not me fishing! I'm not into fishing, but Gretta and Elena appear to have caught one and are really tickled with it. They don't get that from me! I'm happy that they have fun with the outdoors, though. I especially love it that they share the pictures with us! Elena turned 4 the 20th of February.

I'm still at war with my cell phone company. Ugh. I'm still having trouble with my hip, too. I'll get the reading on the X-rays tomorrow, so we'll know more about what happens next. maybe at 62 your hip just hurts? I'm just thanking God that I have one good hip so I can hobble around. I'd hate to be grounded!

Sunshine!

Tonight's picture is one I took of Raynie, Sadie, and Gracie when we were in Branson last week. Sadie was such a sweetheart to help the girls decorate cookies. They are sunshine to me no matter what the weather is!

Today was beautiful here, so I was able to collect some sunshine outdoors. I've done the power plate and I'm headed to jiggle. I also did some chores around the house, so my hip is begging for relief. The plumber was so kind to come and fix the commode yesterday, but he wore his work boots on my white carpet and left horrible big dirty spots. So here I was shampooing carpet today. Just what I needed. I really love that guy, but this is the second time I've had to shampoo the carpet after he left. The next time he comes he's going to have to leave his shoes at the door.

If I begin to count my blessings I get bogged down with the abundance. God is so great and generous and I want to always see that instead of the dirty carpet. Dirty carpet sure becomes big and it and it's partners sure work to bring me down. I refuse to go because I'm alive and thank God for it. I don't expect He gave me another chance at life so I could be ugly and bring Him shame. I hope I can clean the carpet, meaning all the ugly things in my life, and give Him glory. Thanks for caring and reading. I hope you can clean the 'carpet' in your life and give God the glory, too.

Nearly done.

This picture is one Don took on our balcony at the Surrey last week. Notice how the trees behind me are just beginning to bud out. It was really cool to be there and watch things beginning to bloom. The fountain and creek behind me ran all the time. I liked it.

Yesterday we noticed the carpet was all wet around the commode in our bathroom. Ugh. Thank God, the wonderful plumber was able to come and pull the commode and replace the seal today. It was a bad time for me to have to walk down to the next block (that's how far it feels to go to the other bathrooms in this house) because I'm hobbling around like Chester on Gunsmoke! I was so thrilled to be able to get it fixed today.

I also went to the chiropractor today and he has hopes for fixing me. It's a shame I always get all stove up when we're gone for long. I was working hard at staying in shape, but I still needed the good doctor when I get home. I've had trouble with my sacroiliac joint before, but this is the worst it's been. I hope we can work through this and I'll be walking right, again, soon. However, for now, I'm glad to be able to walk at all!

I got the kitchen put back like it belongs, today. I still have my suitcase to finish unpacking and hoped to get it done today, but didn't. I'll get it done tomorrow. Then I'll start getting the house clean. It hasn't seen a dust rag in months, so I'm going to break it out and put it to work. It will be fun to get re-acquainted with all my clutter. It's great to be home and I thank God for a safe and happy trip!

For fun.

Tonight's picture is one I took of Raynie getting in on a smooch with Trish and Rob last week. I didn't get around to making pictures in the yard today. I did get to lay out and get enough sun to turn me pink, though. That's great because I've been so pale. Color will boost my spirits! The house is still piled high with things that haven't found their home, but we are home, so that's all that matters. It's good to be here. We'll be settled in a day or two. I thank God that our home is where we left it and for good friends who took care of it for us!

Oh, man! So tired!

Tonight's picture is one I took of Trish and Rob one night when we were in Branson. They were headed out for the night, so it was a good time to take a picture. I wish I had taken lots more, but I'm glad I got this one.

We had a wonderful trip and I'm so thankful for it, but it's even better to be HOME! We made it home in 7 hours. I wish I could get everything put in it's place in 7 hours! The kitchen is still a mess, but maybe I can figure out how to clear enough space to make breakfast in the morning. I've got to get a bath and go to bed. I'm so ready for both! Home is wonderful! Tomorrow I'll finish putting everything away and cut some jonquils from the yard. I'll get some pictures of my blooming redbuds and the Japanese Magnolia, too! What a wonderful greeting!

Two little swimmers.

This picture is one I got of Raynie and Grace at the pool the other day. They are both great swimmers! It's been a fun week. We'll head for home in the morning and look forward to settling in there for a change.

We thank God for the opportunity to travel and for our friends and family who can share it with us from time to time.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Look at THIS! We DID finish this puzzle! That bunch of trees were the hardest thing, ever! I thought I'd go cross eyed looking at all those pieces that looked so much the same! Jane, get ready; I'm bringing these tough puzzles to you!

I played canasta with Gabe, Sadie and Mason tonight. The boys beat Sadie and I, but it was still fun. Today was a beautiful day and tomorrow is supposed to be pretty, too. We got to go out and collect Vitamin D for the second time this week. I hope we can get some more tomorrow. I thank God for some beautiful days to enjoy while the kids are here! I thank God for our health, too!

Happy Birthday, Nate!

Nate is 19 today and we're missing him! This picture is Gabe and I working hard on this puzzle. Man, it's at the point where it is going so slow!

Today was a great warm day. Don and I got to lay out in the sun while the kids all went to the Landing. I thank God for sunshine and fresh air. I feel so sorry for those folks in Japan! It sure reminds me that we are so very blessed.

Swimmers.

So, these are the swimmers! That's Raynie, Gabe, Grace Sadie and Mason. They all swim like fish. Raynie has on one of those swim suits that won't let her sink, so she has no fear. The rest are avid swimmers. I caught this shot of them in the hot tub, though. I thank God that they all love the water; it's a skill they can enjoy all their lives.

We're stuck on the puzzle. I guess we get to the difficult part with every puzzle and we're sure there with this one. Ugh. Maybe I'll finish it tomorrow? This big, huge tree is a monster to work!

A new puzzle starts!

This is a picture Don took of Gracie and I this morning with the puzzle we started today. We're about 75% done with it, already! Man, it sure helps to have help! Woo hoo! Maybe we'll finish it and I'll have the finished puzzle on here tomorrow night!

I sure thank God for this time with this family every year. It's way fun! We miss Nate, but he's home working and taking care of the pets. It's Sadie's turn to use my computer, so happy spring break!

Yikes; allergies to the max!

This picture is one Don took on the balcony off the back of the little Chapel of Hope. It was beautiful there. We see buds on the trees around here, and my allergies have discovered them, too! I woke up this morning after a nasty night of itching and my eyes were gummed shut. God is so good, though. I'm feeling much better after taking some antihistamines.

We spent the day outside at Dogwood Canyon on Friday. Then, yesterday, while we were waiting on our unit to be cleaned we waited outside in the sun. It was good to collect sun, but I also collected pollen, I guess. UGH.

The kids are on their way. I'm headed to the whirlpool to relax so I'll be ready when they get here. I've got the cooking done.

Inside the chapel.

This picture is one someone on the tour with us took for us inside the chapel. I'm so glad that my batteries held up for a few pictures!

We got moved into our last condo of this trip. It's very nice and has 3 bedrooms and two sofa beds to hold all of us. We didn't get to check in early, so it took us a while to get settled. Then after supper we went and bought groceries for the week, except whatever I forgot.

We don't have WIFI in the room, so I'll be using dial up this week because I hate packing up all my gear and going to the activity room. Now, this is working so slow, I may have to go over there. Ugh. Maybe it will post while I take my bath.

God is so good to give us the opportunity to have this special time with the kids. We're looking forward to their arriving tomorrow afternoon. Happy spring break to you! If it's not spring break for you, then celebrate with us!

Dogwood Canyon Day.

We went today to Dogwood Canyon, which is 2200 acres of back woods south of Branson and going into northern Arkansas. It's a bunch of land that Johnny Morris, the owner of the Bass Pro Shops bought some years back and is preserving for wildlife and adventure. We took a tram ride through it (took a couple of hours) today. On it is this really nice chapel where they hold lots of weddings. That's my honey, there in the picture as well as the handle bar on the tram to the right. Behind the chapel is a beautiful creek. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed our tour. My batteries on the camera ran down on me in the first half of the trip, so I didn't get many pictures! I missed the best part! They had a pasture area where they have buffalo, elk, deer and longhorn that they feed right beside the tram! It was so awesome and I didn't get pictures. The really bad thing is that I had extra batteries in the car, but I wasn't in the car! Ugh! Such is life. But, we DID get to see all that! I thank God for opportunities like this. We did get a few pictures and I'll share those with you over time.

We are pretty much packed and ready to move for the last time, tomorrow. We are blessed to have all our belongings. Imagine the folks in Japan who have all their stuff broken from the earthquake or washed away by the tsunami. Imagine the ones who have lost loved ones. We are so blessed with more blessings than we can count! I pray for those hurting people!

Nate is working.

Okay, so Nate is working and can't join us for spring break. I knew that was probable, but it was confirmed today. We want them to grow up and be busy, but it's hard to accept! This was a picture we got at our house over Thanksgiving. I hope we can get another one, even though Nate won't be here, this weekend. They are coming Sunday afternoon, so we've got two days to get ready. I'm almost ready! We just have to move to a bigger condo. Then I'll go get the groceries and cook some stuff ahead. We'll be all ready when they get here. It will be cooler than we particularly like, but it will still be great. Thankfully, we have an indoor pool! I thank God that some of our family is close enough to celebrate with us from time to time.

Happy spring break, Everyone!

Dreaming of last March.

So this time last year we were just coming home from Hawaii. This is a picture Don took of me as we strolled around our last day in Maui last year. It was misty and rainy, but we'd had two great sunshiny days, so we weren't complaining. I've worked all day to see if I couldn't rearrange things and come up with a way we could go and house sit for a friend whose house sitter had to cancel at the last minute. I just can't make it happen. We've got so much already scheduled that I just can't make it happen. I have to be so grateful that our lives are full and we are healthy enough to lead this life. I thank God for the great opportunities we've had and for our health. Check out that cruise ship behind me. That's a goal we have; we haven't cruised. Somehow, we'll make it happen in the next year or so, I think.

Monticello, DONE!

This is one happy little old lady! When I started this puzzle it was pretty much a delight because it worked so well. Then as I got cluster's together, I found that they fit several places! How frustrating! I finally gave up on getting all that yellow and brown and green right and did the sky. The same thing happened! I found several places that would take several different pieces; they fit perfectly with one piece, but then the nearby pieces weren't right! Finally, I got the sky done and I was down to NINE pieces that just wouldn't work in the bottom part. There were 3 or 4 pieces on the bottom border that could be interchanged and work, but then the other pieces wouldn't work! I finally took apart the whole bottom border and about 4 pieces up; mixed them all up and put them back in place. Then it worked, but a piece was missing! I did everything but turn this unit upside down. I was down on the floor feeling with my hands when I FOUND the piece. It was right there on the rug (looks like a leopard) and turned upside down, so it blended right in with the rug. Whew! I was sure glad to get this one finished. I thought several times that this just wasn't going to work and it might be the first puzzle I ever threw into the trash. I'll carefully put it away and tape up the box to hand it over to another puzzler. I was so excited I posted this post as soon as I typed the title. Sorry if anyone went looking and found nothing for a post!

I'm so grateful to be able to get up and down to hunt the puzzle pieces! A friend wrote needing a house sitter in Hawaii, tonight, and I thank God that we could consider it. We haven't ruled it completely out; if we can get home in time for our family reunion we just might do it, but it looks tight. I doubt if we will. I really like to spend the WINTER in Hawaii, not the spring. However any season in Hawaii is wonderful! Spring is wonderful at home, though! But, I feel like we should help friends when they need us. It's kind of like loving lovable people; I don't think we get credit for that. We get credit for loving folks who are hard to love; we're expected to love the ones who are easy to love. Like that; how much help is it to sit for a friend when WE want to do it? When he needs us, we ought to go if we can at all. We'll see.

Wierdest puzzle, ever.

This puzzle is getting to be so bizarre! I keep running into places where the pieces, fit, but so do some others! It's pretty wild. I've seen this before, but not so much as in this puzzle. I've moved so many pieces that work so perfectly, but others seem to fit better. Actually a whole clump fits better or I'd never move a piece that seems so perfect. So far I've found a place for the pieces I move, but I still have a bunch that I haven't found where they go. It's really bizarre! I'm enjoying it, though. It's nearly all done except for the sky. I have some really strange pieces to find their place, though; this is very interesting and another example of, "All is not as it seems!"

I dropped Don off at the Surrey to do his workout today. I got some errands done while he was there. I feel old and decrepit to not be able to work out with him, but it makes me feel some better that I can at least go check the mail and drive myself to get some cards, etc. When I was going through breast cancer, I sometimes thought, "So, this is what it feels like to have cancer." Now, I'm thinking, "So, this is what it feels like to be old." More importantly, I'm thinking, "So, this is what it feels like to be alive and appreciate it!" (For many years I took life for granted; what a mistake!) God has blessed me with no telling how many chances at life, and I so appreciate it. I hope I can be graceful in all the days He gives me.

Moving right along with this puzzle.

This is the progress I've made on this puzzle. It's a pretty cool puzzle, but I fumble with it sometimes. I like that it's taking shape pretty quickly; I think I'll be able to finish it this week. There are about 2 hours in the late afternoon when the lighting is perfect for seeing the colors as well as the shapes. Then after it gets dark, I'm working mostly with shape. I was glad to get all the border done. For a while I was convinced there were a couple of pieces missing, but I finally found them all.

Today was really cold and I had packed my heavy coat and only brought in one outfit for church, so I wore it. I thought I'd freeze, but it wasn't so bad since the wind wasn't blowing. Then when church was over it was very warm because it was so sunny. God's work is amazing. It's going to be pretty cool this week. It's been a cold winter and it looks like it's going to be a cool spring. We saw a ground hog this morning, though; right out here by our condo! Of course I didn't have the camera with me, but I'll keep watching for him and maybe I'll get a picture of him later this week. We always see ground hogs when we come here in the winter; I've never seen one anywhere else.

Puzzler needs help!

Publish Post

We got moved and I've started a new puzzle. Help! I hope I can get it done this week before we move.

I took a break to start the puzzle and got frazzled, so took a break to do the blog. I sound like an old cb-radioer taking all these breaks! Oh, the memories. Everybody has a cell phone, now, but back in the 70's cb's were the thing on the highway. My handle was "Holiday." It's a way of life for me; love those holidays! Every day is a holiday; I can always think of something to celebrate.

I'm bushed from moving and settling in today. I'm ready for a good night's sleep after a good bath. I thank God for so much comfort and for the boost a good rest gives me!

Charlotte, if you're taking a peek . . . hello and welcome! You don't have to say anything; just come back real soon!

Happy Birthday, David!

Is this a terrific group or what? Cousins. Deanna is on the left and her brother, David is on the right. Today is David's birthday. David and Deanna are my sister, Ruthie's grown children. Nest to Deanna is John, our brother's youngest son. Then our Gretta is in the middle and our Tricia is between Gretta and David. What a fun group and we are so proud of all of them! This picture was taken last June at my mom's family reunion in Lebanon (near Nashville), Tennessee. We'll do that reunion again this June, Lord willing, and the go on to spend a week in Gatlinburg. Woo hoo! We sure thank God for happy times to get the family together for fun.

I've spent today loading as much as I could to the car. It's kind of fun to reorganize things and the anticipation of spring break with Trish and her kids is fun! We do spring break every year with her family, here in Branson. I already have some Chex made for that week's snacks and I have cookies I saved for the kids from our week at Big Cedar. Plus I have some cookies for us to decorate that I found at the Cracker Barrel. Tricia's oldest, Nate, will be working, so he can't come. Gabe may be working, too, so the big kids grow up and away from us. It's life and it's good, but we have to adjust and cherish the memories.

The condo where we'll be next week doesn't have a fitness room, so I'll be taking the week off. I took this week off, too, because I have hurt my hip and I want to give it some time off until I can get home and see what the chiropractor suggests. I figure better safe than sorry, but I sure hate to miss my walking. Don has gone right on walking and he will go to another condo to keep up his work out next week. I'll get plenty of activity when the kids get here.

It is pouring down rain, here. I think it'll be great to sleep with this sound. I'm glad I got a lot loaded today before the rain started. We just have a few (ha!) things to load in the morning.

The latest completed puzzle.

So this is the completed puzzle. It would have been more fun to share it with Ruthie and Phil or Steve and Mary, but I still enjoyed it even all by myself. Don sometimes will come in and put in a piece or two, but he never touched this one. It was a good relief for me to go in and relax a while with the puzzle between getting the taxes done and getting my web site moved. I'm ready to box it up, so we can move to a different condo on Saturday.

Don has been walking by himself this week. Something is not right with my hip, so I'm putting as little weight on it as possible until we get home and I can have the chiropractor look at it. I hate missing the walking, but I don't want to mess up my hip for the long term. Aging has it's complications, but I thank God for the opportunity to experience it. I'm not ready for the alternative!

It was 70 here today. That's a great number when it comes to weather!

Another shot of the bluebird.

Can you tell that I'm enamored with these bluebirds? Remember if you click on the picture, it'll get bigger and you'll see the bird better. (I hope that works; sometimes it won't get bigger when I've done too much editing on the picture.) These are birds we're watching right out our window, so it's really cool.

Next week we are moving into Branson, so we'll have a different setting. I hope it's warm enough that we can walk around and see some great scenery. It's a condo that we like for many reasons, so we'll be counting the things we like rather than lamenting over what we're missing. We'll be within walking distance of the Tanger Mall, so we'll probably check it out really well.

I just heard the TV say we might get SNOW this weekend? (eyes rolling) I think that's a trap to get us to watch the weather show tonight. I'm not believing it. We may see some, but I don't expect it's going to be anything like what we already have seen this winter! I'm convinced spring is around the corner! I thank God for four seasons, but I'm done with winter.

I'm done with the puzzle, too. Tomorrow I'll post a picture of the finished puzzle!

Not the best picture, but a great view for us!

This bush is right outside our screened in porch. We've had the pleasure of watching this bluebird this week. I wish I could get a better picture, but this is the best I've been able to do and I feel compelled to show it. I know you have great birds where you are, too, and I hope you're noticing and enjoying them. (Remember, if you click on this you'll be able to see the bluebird better.)

The weather is warming, so I thank God for that. We're getting ready to move to another condo this Saturday. It's not a big deal; we're packed and ready to go all the time. It will just be an adjustment to remember where I am when I wake up in the middle of the night. It's been a wonderful winter and we've enjoyed the escape. We look forward to spring break with some of the grandkids, here. Then we look forward to going home. Everything is a treat and we give thanks for the experience.