Ann, I'm on pills and everyday the dose is different, if I didn't chart it I would be so mixed up by now and not taking it properly. Tonite I think I feel a slight difference in my knee. I love the ads that say the minor pain of arthritis or bursitis. Nothing minor about this pain, I just can't walk but refuse to use the electric cart in the supermarket. We shared the 3 lb lobster tonite and saved the other one for tomorrow, Yummy! Taking Aleve for the pain is making me nauseous so I try to take it only when I can't stand the discomfort. Hope the physical therapy will make a differense.Nothing to watch on TV tonite as its all about Michael Jackson's aquital. Good Night.

Is 6-13 really the last post for us or am I missing something?

I've been busy with guests for the last 10 days so no time to post. When I discover if this is the "real" place to post then I'll write something.

Siwa: This is the real place to post, but I have just sort of given up. Everyone was so busy that no one was posting at all. So I didn't either. Maybe we can get something going again? Ann

It has been a busy summer so far and that's making the summer go so quickly and I don't like that. We painted 3 rooms and then our visitors came. My second cousin once removed and her husband from Sweden stayed w/us for 10 days. They just left on Tues. It was their 1st trip to the US and they were thrilled. They were on a bus tour for the 1st 10 days touring NYC, DC, Philly, Niagra Falls, Chicago then they flew to Minneapolis. While here we went to a fam reunion that we had organized for her. We had about 100 people and she was overjoyed to meet so many. Her English had some stumbling blocks and when the 2 of us talked she often used a dictionary but the day of the reunion she went the entire day w/o a dictionary. Her Eng improved after those 10 days in MN. It was a little boring for me to sit w/them all the time but I wanted to do it to make their time here enjoyable. My Swedish improved too. She is a VERY lively person and quite likeable. Her husb didn't speak much Eng at all but when I asked if he were bored he said no.

Now they're gone and my house is nearly completed. Just one room left and some carpeting to replace. Who knows when that will get done. I was glad to have the guest's arrival in order to spur us on to finish those rooms. After all, we've lived her for 11 yrs now. We've had hot HUMID weather lately and the garden is loving it. No tomatoes yet but there are signs of them.

ANN--You often have guests--how much do you do w/them while they're w/you? I felt like I had to be w/them every second with the exception of one day when they went shopping by themselves for 5 hours.

I haven't been around, but life has not been good for me this year. Our business has gone from bad to worse and we are hanging on by our toenail. I have made the decision to go back to work, and job hunting at age 58 is not a fun thing to do.

Diet has been non-existant, and I've even gotten lax in the exercise department, so it seem foolish to visit a weightloss site. Except I miss my friends.

I'll try to check back in more often and maybe if I find a job things will get easier for us and I won't be in the conststant stress that has been following me around.

Have a great July 4th

Barbg

Siwa: to answer your question about what we do when we have guests: Now we mostly act like a hotel/motel for them, if they want to do a lot of the attractions. We have done all of them and actually don't care about going any more except for occaisionally to Sea World. That is my favorite.

We sometimes have a meal together, but that seems to be the way it goes, until they are ready to spend a day or two here and use the pool, or shop or something like that. Then I go with them, but DH does not.

Barb: Sorry things have not been going well for you. I hope that things may pick up. I hope you will continue to drop in, no matter what.

Candice: how are you doing?

Bernice: and how about you? Enjoying a nice summer. Is it warming up any? We are finally getting some sunshine, without so much rain, and now they are talking about 'Dennis'. He just has to leave Florida alone.

We had a nice Independence Day celebration here. Good food, and good company, and good entertainment. I acted as chairperson, and was delighted that all went well, but I was a 'pooped puppy' when I got home.

Hope you all had nice family 4ths. Watched the Capital 4th from Washington D.C. It was a fun show, but I missed their fireworks display as i headed for bed.

We had one set of kids and grandkids this weekend, leaving on the 4th and now next week will have another set. it is kind of fun to have them come and visit us, instead of us driving so far to visit them.

Have a great week. Ann

Hi I thought after my post everyone disappeared. Terrible the news out of London but I'm not surprised. Those muslim extremist target innocent people on subways and buses by blowing themselves up. This is the kind of fanatisism Israel has to deal with on an on going basis. Such cowards these people are, can't imagine such hate and animosity toward democracy. Makes you wonder if they hate all of us so much why are they infiltrating every country unless it's to destroy our way of life. What kind of world are we leaving to our kids.
Barb, I am sorry that things are not going well. These are tough times when you are in your own business. I wish I had proper words of encouragement.
The weather had not been great in NJ.Gray skies and lots of humidity. I know Fl has had lots of rain, the pool guy called and said he had to reduce the water 3 times.
Siwa, When I have had company I make breakfast and maybe one dinner but it's up to them to entertain themselves. Other meals like dinner we go out for. Maybe if I had guest from Europe who had never been here before I would feel I have to spend more time with them.
Finally took down the crib as Eric is now almost 4 and when he stays overnite he sleeps in a bed. Sad that there won't be more grandkids. My son who got engaged in Feb just broke it up and altho I liked the girl alot I never thought they were right for one another so I'm sad for the mess that their
in but happy it won't lead to a divorce.
A big hello to you Ann. Hope all is well! Bernice

Berniece, It's hard to believe baby Eric is 4 years old, but then my little Nathan is 7 now. Time does fly doesn't it.

Just a little update on my life. I have jury duty on Monday, and when it is over I will start working at my "old" job again. The Arthritis Center just happened to have the girl doing my former job quit and I am going back. After 4 years a lot of things have changed, but a lot are still the same. In a way it will be good to be back in the working world again, but in other ways it will not.

The good points are that it is close to home and just down the street from the health club, so I can still go work out and exercise of a morning before I go to work, and I will be getting an actual PAYCHECK!!! haven't seen one of those in a while!!!

So with a new job, I'm making a new committment to get my life back together and start eating healthy again, and at least watching my weight. The thing I blame most from my bad eating is that we go out to lunch everyday and eat too much!!! So I will be where I can take my lunch and eat healthy food at lunch.

Well, I'm out of time, so I'll end now.

Take care

Barbg

Hi everyone: Nice to know that you are all still around. We just got back from 2 1/2 days up at Daytona Beach. and can you believe it, I was so busy that i didn't have a chance to go get my feet wet on the beach. A bit frustrating. But the conference was very good, and I got a lot of good ideas and music for choir and the future.

Candice: I couldn't access your kitten photos. don't know what I was doing wrong. I have a friend up north who has two huge cats, and their names are Fred and Willie. They are beautiful pets. We have considered getting a cat, but then keep thinking about having to care for it if we go away on any extended vacation, so, so far we haven't broken down to get one.

Bernice: Hard to believe that Eric is no longer a baby. He would probably be insulted if anyone called him 'baby Eric' now. I'm sure he figures he is a 'big boy'. I agree, that I can't understand the mentality of those people who like to terrorize people, and even blow themselves up. It has to be wild fanatics, who can see no other point of view. And I think you are right about their desire to destroy our way of life. Anyone who disagrees are the infidels, and if I understand things at all, that is what the Jihad is for - destruction of non-believers. What really gets my 'goat' is that our immigration services just let them keep coming into the country. And if they don't get in legally, then they sneak in. I was reading in the paper this week, about illegal aliens coming across the borders in Texas and Arizona, and there are so many that they have no place to house them and it takes so much time to get papers to return them, that they let them go with some sort of a letter stating this, and they of course are supposed to keep in touch and they just melt into the country.
Ridiculous.

Barb: Glad to hear that you are sounding more like yourself. It sounds as if you have things pretty well 'scoped' out now and with the healthy eating and all. I wasn't on plan at all while we were away, so have to get back in step now once again.

See you all later. Ann

Can it be that Ann's was the last post on the 7th? Where has everyone been.? Weather in NJ has been hot and HUMID with scattered thrunderstorms.
Have been going to physical therapy and can't believe the difference in my knee. No pain and I actually can walk. Have been doing 10 minutes on the stationary bike and need to do more muscle strengthning exercise. My daughter joined Curves so I have a free one week guest pass to try it out.
Have a wood chuck who is doing a job on my tomato plant so we fenced it in and it's so funny watching the little bugger stand up against the fence trying to figure out how to get in. We will have to se a Hav a heart trap and relocate him.
My daughter and family are moving in next week because they are sanding the floors in their house. Expect I'll be ready for the loony bin at the end of the stay. 2 big
Boxers are coming with them.

Well, I made it throught my first week of my new job. It was suprising how much I still remembered. It all came back pretty easily, but of course since I haven't been doing it everyday for the past four years, it will take a while to get completely up to speed.

I did do better on the food front, but I couldn't seem to get up the steam to do any exercising. But next week I am planning to go every morning.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Hi All:
Barb: I'm glad to hear you survived. Each week will get easier.

I Have been busy the last couple of weeks with company, actually family, but you still have to entertain, and cook and all that stuff.

Bernice: Hope you make out okay with the two big boxers. I can handle family okay, but I think I can understand why you are a bit concerned about the 'loony bin'.

I hope all is well with everyone. My kids left this a.m. and now it is getting all the laundry caught up, etc. Life will get back to normal soon, I know. I will miss them. Hadn't seen this Granddaughter for several years for any length of time. She just graduated from college this spring, and now will be going in to the world of employment. We did have a good time.

Off to the pool before it rains. See you all again soon. Ann

This has been an unbelievably busy summer!! I feel like I've hardly been home. The latest thing is that I've been spending many hours for the last 3 days visiting my mom in the hosp. She had her 2nd knee replacement. Things are going well but I'm hardly ever home. Just 2 more days of hospitalization and then recovery at home. I don't know how much I'll be needed then but the drive will be much longer. I live on the south side of town and the hosp is 20 mins away. Mom's house is a good 45 mins away across town so rush hour would be a problem.

I'm hoping that August will be a MUCH quieter month. I'd like a few days when I have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do. The good news is that people are beginning to notice my wt loss and that feels good. Sorry I haven't kept up w/everyone but hope to begin to soon.

Sounds lke you all have been busy.....me too....the new kittens we have are taking alot of my time and all the watering, the garden is producing now..yum..looking for a new computer too....this one sucks!

Hi everyone: I think we are all busy, since this thread is laking along time to fill up. We have been having some really loud thunderstorms and the power keeps going off. So the computer has been shut off a lot.

DH and I went to Seaworld yesterday for a few hours. It was very hot, but the places we went to were airconditioned. So it wasn't too bad.

Siwa: Hope your Mom is doing better. Once she is all healed and has her PT she will be better than ever. We have a neighbor across the street who has had a hip and a knee replaced, and he does really well. Nothing keeps him down, and I know his wife has at least a kitten or two when he climbs up a ladder.

Candice: Your kittens sound like work and fun. We adopted a stray that surely had been someones pet, as she has been spayed. She is all gray and has a coat like a Siamese, just like velvet. I am trying to get her to be a bit more affectionate, but we will only have had her 2 weeks tomorrow, so I have to give her time.

Bernice: How is your summer going? 'See' you all later. Ann