Soooooooooo Far Behind

I don't even know where to begin. My New Year's Resolution to "keep up" didn't last long. Just kidding......that's why I don't make any! A couple people have emailed to see what we've been doing & I said we've been so busy I haven't had time to blog. You have to carry one of those pocket calendars around with you because you either overbook or forget what the plans are for the week or the day. Mostly it's forget!

As I said in my last post, Bill & I started our Monday classes of Country Western dancing. We have a lot of fun, but we have decided to only do the 2 step class. It's easier to accomplish one thing at a time. Bill is doing really good. Building his confidence on the dance floor anyway. When he sees a lot of other beginners, that helps. Also, the crowds at the Monday Night Jam Sessions are huge now that most of the snowbirds are all back. So he feels he can get out there & loosen up a bit. We do a lot of laughing because we get out of step. Oh well, the idea is to have fun & I've waited 42 years to get him to dance! He said the other night, give me a pair of roller skates! He was the best on them, that's why I picked him!!!!

Last Thursday was our first BBQ Pot Luck. Our friend Kay down the street, made the best "from scratch" carrot cake!! Did I have a piece??? You betcha!!! No, I didn't take my camera. It was very well attended. Bill & I will be helping Lou & Lynda & Dave & Carol getting that set up each week. Right now Dave & Carol went on a nice little vacation - I think to the Caribbean. Now that sounds like a vacation!

I've changed Pilates classes from 9 to 8am so now I have to make the conscious effort to get up earlier. I thought they might be a little easier on my back than the other class. Some things are a little easier, I just have to learn which moves I can do & which ones will hurt my back. I feel pretty good this week. I'm trying to decide if I should go once a week or twice a week. When I go at 8am on Mondays, then walk for 2 miles, go to the Market Place, come home clean up & go dance, I'm pooped at the end of the day!

When I came home before the Market Place (I took my shower at the club house as I had to recaulk our leaky shower again!), I checked my phone messages & I'd forgotten to go to an email class I said I'd help monitor! See, I told you it's all about "forgetting"!

Connie, The TeacherGreg, Jean, Nettie, Bobbie, Marilyn, Pat, Bev, Steve - The Class & Monitors

This past Mon. Bill did a No, No! He got Ruby, our neighbor, to ask me to go computer shopping with her. She wasn't very interested as I noticed, but thought oh well, she hasn't made up her mind which kind of laptop to get yet. Come to find out she had bought a new computer (desktop) that morning & she was just keeping me away from the trailer so Bill & the neighbors could put together a surprise birthday party. Phyllis asked him where he was going to put them all & he said he thought maybe a nice neighbor would let him use her patio! I think he should have checked with her first! He's a stinker, but he got me some beautiful apricot roses. That would have been enough. But 22 people came to share my evening & Bill cooked chicken on the grill & everyone brought something. It was fun. He was afraid I'd be really mad at him. I had told him in the morning after I saw the roses, he'd better not tell anyone. Now that it's over, I can tell!

Ruby, the culprit who took me "shopping"

Me & My Honey

Jim (Ruby's honey - Birthday 01-14), Peg & BillPart of the gang
Kay (who made that delicious carrot cake for the potluck), Kay (Chico's), Gene & FayeRay & Marquita

Tuesday I didn't forget to go to email class, but I got there early so I went & walked my 2 miles on the treadmill. Boy, when it's cooler outside, it's a beautiful sight from that exercise room! You can look at those mountains & wonder "how far up them have I walked" & you never left the room. Also, if you didn't tell anyone & you just looked at the picture, you could almost tell them you were in Hawaii! Dream on!

Mel on left; lady who had open heart surgery last Fall on right

Tuesday afternoon is 2 hrs. of line dancing. Talk about tired legs. By last night I was ready to just put my feet up, but no, I had to run to the store, catch up on the checkbook and write out some cards. Oh ya, then clean up my emails. Did I say I went to bed around 11??

Fred our teacher Getting Ready
A few more, Lois on right is 92!!! Bless Her Heart! Yes, she does all 2 hours!

Bill told me today to get this blog caught up so I could spend the rest of the day outside in the sun & then tonight I could work on my scratch art again before class in the morning. I won't take a picture of this one because it's for a gift & if anyone sees it here they might guess who it would be for! Now all the family can wonder! Sorry!

Each week is pretty much the same except who we spend time with & where we go to eat when we go out. On Fri. night we've gone to the Am. Legion a couple times with the neighbors. They have very good meals, but Bill leaves & I stand in line to pay because it's in the smoking section & we both hate it! But it's worse for him.


This past Sunday we went with Ray & Marquita, & Larry & Bobbie to Paradise Bakery for brunch. It was good, but for your first time you don't know what you are doing, where to order, where to pick up. It was a little pricey, but hey, ya gotta eat somewhere different now & then. Bill's favorite is Sweet Tomatoes. It's all healthy, low-cal, low-fat salad bar. Very few desserts to choose from. We like it there. I thought that was where he was going to take me for my birthday, but I guess not.

Next Sunday is the Chapel Dinner, so we will be eating there after the service. I'm making chicken & Amish noodles. I'm sure there will be more than health foods there! I've never seen church ladies who couldn't cook or bake!!!!!

On another note, Bill's sister had her cancer surgery last Friday & seems to be doing well. Hopefully she was to come home today. They feel they got it all & it wasn't as big as they first thought. They didn't have to remove so much of her colon that she had to have a bag. That was wonderful news. Keep her in your prayers during her recovery.

Next Thursday, my brother-in-law, Bob, will be having surgery at the VA hospital in Buffalo, NY. He has a growth on/near his jaw. Apparently they will have to do extensive cutting from in front of his ear, down his jaw & down his neck. They are not sure if the growth is wrapped around anything nor if it is cancerous. The surgery could take from 2-1/2 to 6 hrs. Please keep him & my sister Romayne & their family in your prayers. This has the family quite concerned. He has been a real trooper through a broken back, prostrate cancer, bad hips, ulcerated legs & other problems, so let's hope the outcome to this is positive. He is a fighter! The family can use lots of support. As I said, your thoughts & prayers would be very much appreciated. Their daughter Dee will be closing her daycare temporarily so she can be with them & the rest of the family will be sitting on pins & needles wishing they could be there too. This is when I wish we weren't so far away from family. I guess we have to learn to accept the bad along with the good. As long as they know we are with them in thought, that is the most important thing right now.

Well, I have no more good or bad news, so until next time............The Traveling Cardinal's

Oh by the way..........look at the time..........it took me all afternoon to do this! No sun today for me!