I think you were very lucky Mary Ann.

About our house in the Congo: we had a huge lawn with a nice gazebo covered in climbing "gold rain" vines. It was separated from the road by a low bougainvillea edge that did not detract from the view.
Now the lawn has been replaced by an Olympic swimming pool and the whole place is enclosed by a tall wall with broken glass on top to deter thieves or whoever would try to enter unlawfully.
Who would want to revisit that?

The town too has changed much, the paved sidewalks don't exist anymore and it does not look clean and manicured as it was.  I have seen a video from eight years ago and it made me so very sad.

The house I lived in from birth to age 15, was taken by Urban Renewal, actually a two block area because the basements were dirt. They tore everything down and left it for 20 years and no I am not exaggerating! Then they built a combination Police and Fire station in that two-block area.

There is a Fire House just one street over and up and another police station just down aways but I guess they figured that they needed to do something with that vacant area....

The house I lived in from 15 to 18 when I married and left home, has become a newly added on bed and breakfast. I don't feel the need to go back as everyone I knew in that neighborhood has either died or moved on. I live in the same town, so sometimes go by there on the bus on my way from one place or another. I had a rough childhood, in and out of hospitals and family histrionics so I feel no need to revisit that. My two sisters feel the same way about our childhood.

Bubble.  I get upset every time I go back to my home area in the UK. So much has been torn down. The whole area I was born and lived in. Gone  Only my school still there Must be at least 175 year is not more.  I think it was about 1847. The chapel still standing also. Doubt it is used now. The School is the same in the front but many modern building added. The whole are is now sort of all Indian. Have a mosque and all the homes come under a Government corporation.  Thing is can still walk about 2 miles north and then the Moors start and nothing changed up there.  Lots of the Old stone cottages still standing.

http://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?topic=11.msg27461#msg27461

Wonderful news, Bubble!

Congratualtions and a
Big Hug
to Don and Bubble!! 

Great picture!  I recognized you both
right away!! 

How exciting that you two are
committing to a meaningful relationship!!! 

Tell us more and Enjoy!

Sandy

Oh, Dear!  I thought she was kidding us!  I thought it was a very funny put on!

Was I wrong?

MaryPage, the announcement is in at least three folders so I guess it must be true.

They make a handsome couple.  I'm just wondering where they will live.  Six months here and six months there? 

Congratulations again, Bubble and Don.

Mary Ann

I just got home and I swear I only had one drink with dinner but I turned on my computer and saw a photo of Don and Bubble , Naked jumping into a lake.  Maybe my drink was stronger than I thought but. IF photo still there in the morning I will say.

  CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH.  (Will check my computer again in the morning) 

Hi everyone on what is starting out to be a great day.  It is only 71 degrees outside now and we are only suppose to get to 85 this afternoon after reaching 100 degrees yesterday and setting a new record for this area.  We got just a little bit of rain yesterday afternoon but some parts of this area had heavy rains and winds and lost power with trees down. 

Nothing special to comment on for yesterday other than we now have a nice clean house.  It was so hot yesterday that we decided not to go out for lunch as we usually do on the day the housekeeper comes.  Today will probably be a repeat of yesterday as don't have any plans to go out other than perhaps to put gas in my PT Cruiser while it is a cool morning.  I will watch some of the U.S. Open Golf Tourney if it isn't rained out.  They are running pretty much behind.  However, sure I will find plenty to keep myself occupied.

MaryPage, glad you had no damage in your area from the bad weather.  I haven't heard anymore from my friend in Gaithersburg as to damage they might have had in their area. 

Joan, how does Dan carry the groceries on his bike?  Hope he has a nice time on his weekend trip.

Bubble, you certainly have an interesting background in terms of places you have lived.  With your announcement yesterday will you be adding a new location to that list?  Congratulations to you and Don.

The descriptions of where we grew up and our experiences in trying to return to the place only to find it greatly changed is quite interesting and yet it seems most of us have had the same "let-down" feeling seeing how things have changed with time.  Of course, we have changed also over the years. 

JeanneP, Pat and I have been watching the Midsomer Murders series on Netflix and they show many of the older homes.  One thing, besides some of them being quite run-down, is how low the doors seem to be and no screens on the windows.  However, some of the scenes show some beautiful places and gardens as well.   

Okay, no one bit.

What is the difference between a hippo and a Zippo?

One is very heavy and the other a little lighter!

Larry, according to last night's news, Middleburg got hit the hardest.  Lots of cars utterly destroyed by the hail, and even some windows in homes.  There were no reports of tornadoes touching down.

I am sure you know Middleburg, and so are not suffering for all those rich folks.  Remember Wexford?  It was the only home Jack & Jackie Kennedy ever had built for themselves, and it was their get away, and especially hers.  She rode with The Hunt there.

Beautifully perfect day out there on the bay.  The kind of day that just makes me smile all over myself.

Larry, he doesn't ...... he uses his car to do my shopping for me. 

Good Morning Everyone,  from
the very comfortable (weather wise!)
rocky coast of Maine.   

Happy Father's Day!   

I am watching the US OPEN  and
have been for the last few days.    I
love the Summer Golf Season.

Hope you all can enjoy the day!

Sandy

Has anyone heard a peep out of Kelly?  I sent him an email this morning.  I feel quite distressed over his absence.

The LPGA is playing in Grand Rapids and that is the only golf I can get.  I tried both CBS and NBC and neither of them is carrying the Open.

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers who post here, also to those who act as fathers for others who need one.

Dot and I each had pie after church today - mine was lemon meringue and Dot's was coconut cream.  Tom and I are joining the rest of his family at Hardy Dam, north of here near Newayo to celebrate Father's Day.  I hope to find some shade and a decent restroom.  I understand we will be eating Subway today.

Mary Ann

Good morning everyone on this very cloudy Father's Day! I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday. Yesterday was bright and sunny and up to plus 84, just as they told us it would be. Today is back to clouds and every expectation of more rain. It's going to be the norm for the remainder of the month, however, we will be in the high seventies or early eighties so it will be harder on my arthritis.

I did finally find time to get my greenhouse from Amazon set up on my balcony and my plants moved out there. One less worry about Farrah and eating my plants or knocking them about or over.

The Solstice blowout this coming Wednesday will be under cool cloudy skies so no sun, but the party will still prevail. That is the day of my apartment inspection, so I will be staying home, with two floors being inspected on Wednesday, I don't know when it will be my turn. We are also getting all the Interior walls painted in late June and in early July, we are having all five floors newly carpeted.

Kelly was out once before with a long absence and Sun was having both hands operated on with a brief intermission. It may very well be that neither is in shape to use  or needing a computer.

Farrah actually came out and enjoyed the opened balcony door yesterday, of course through the screen! She is settled in and seems to enjoy exploring, jumping up on items and getting behind items. She still uses odd whines and chirps but a good friend in Dearborn, says she is sounding like a Singapura cat, one of the smaller Asian breeds, while looking like an Abyssinian, another Asian breed.

She has dealt with hundreds of cats through sheltering and working with them, so she is my go-to person on cats. Farrah rarely plays with toys now and doesn't seem affected or liking catnip, so sometimes I wonder if she is simply bored. She is still hyper alert and keeps a close eye on me and any hallway sounds.

Good morning MaryAnn, I am reading a book about a villain who loves pie. The hero is working on bringing him down through that love of pies.

Woo hoo!  I won the PowerBall number last night!

No, not the whole number.  Only the PowerBall.  But hey, I will be paid four whole dollars when I go to turn it in!

MaryPage, congrats but hardly worth the effort. IMHO

Mary Page, buy a treat just for you!   

MaryPage, two words, ice cream!

Good afternoon, it is another sunny, low humidity suppose to stay in the low 70's. which I am glad to take

MaryPage, do not spend your whole winnings in the same place. Congratulations.

MaryAnn, the golf is on Fox, it is channel 5 here.

Patricia, so glad to see Kitty, is getting confortable in her new homel

The first day of the solstice celebration!

http://fairbanksalaska.com/goldenheart/

Gloria D, while flipping channels to find something,  anything, to watch, I found the golf channel on Fox.  I watched some, but had to leave for church, then had to leave for our Fathers Day get together with Tom's children and Annie's friend and his two children.  We were at a park north of here and I think a good time was had be all.  We left here about 2 pm and got home about six.  Both Tom and I are exhausted and when Tom is ready, he will order a pizza for our supper.  The day is/was beautiful.  At 7 pm, our temp is 90 degrees.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, it is so nice you could have a family gathering today. That is almost a thing of the past now. Sadly.

June, our family is so small that any time we get together, we have a family reunion.  Norm had three sons.  Tim, the oldest, died a couple of years ago.  His widow lives in East Michigan and his daughter lives near Lansing (capitol).  Tom and Terry both live in Grand Rapids and Tom's kids both live in the area.  Terry's kids are in South Pasadena and Indianapolis.  So it was the family living in West Michigan who got together.  Our family is/was not native to Michigan; Dad from Minnesota and Mother from Wisconsin.  Even I was born in West Virginia.  Norm was born in Grand Rapids.  Makes you wonder how we all got together!

Mary Ann

Hi everyone.  It is a cool 61 degrees this morning but headed up to around 90 degrees this afternoon.  There is zero chance of rain today. 

This morning I have a 9 am appointment to get the oil changed in our Hyundai Sonata.  They said it would take about an hour and the place is only about 20 minutes from here.  Then at noon I have my Monday meeting.  That will be it for today and will stay in where it is cool the rest of the day. 

Yesterday was a wonderful day both weather wise and also at our church.  Following the service we went to a favorite place and Pat and shared a club sandwich and a serving of potato salad.  Pat had ordered this sandwich a couple of weeks ago and had to bring half of it home so we decided we could have a good lunch by splitting an order.  It was delicious.  Later in the afternoon I watched most of the golf tournament until the 6:30 news came on but checked later and found the man leading most of the day yesterday ended up with a decisive win. 

It looks like I failed to save my post here yesterday as don't see it.  I always look back to it as a starting point the next day.  It did get posted in the Soda Shoppe.  I will try to do better today. 

Sandy, I am like you and a few other folks here that do enjoy the summer golf.  There are many very good young players in the game and every week is very competitive.  I see the total purse for this last weeks event was $10 million.   Dustin Johnson got $1.8 million for the win and the second place finisher got over $1 million.  All players making the cut got some money with the last place finisher earning over $22,000.  However, golf is a tough sport and players at this level really have to play a mental as well as physical game.

MaryPage, I emailed Kelly several days ago and have had no response.  I just hope he is OK. 

Mary Ann, that pie sounds delicious and a nice change from the normal fare. Glad you had a nice day with Tom and his family.

Patricia, can you post a link to the greenhouse you got for your balcony?  It seems cats often like to eat plants.  I know we couldn't have any indoor plants for the years we had a cat. 

Good morning from a dark, dreary,  wet Interior, still! 

The Solstice Festival is still going on out there, but I think I'll remain in here this year.

It's shortly after 10 am and we are already at 84 degrees.  Our high is to be 85 degrees, so I know it will be higher than predicted.  Grand Haven looks like fun today and I forgot to look at the water temperature which has been climbing daily.

Larry, I noticed several of the other golfers have spoken out about the penalty that Dustin Johnson received.  Since his margin of victory was more than one point, I think PGA should forget it. 

Mary Ann

Grand Haven water temperature is 68 degrees.

Mary Ann

Good Morning Everyone,
from the Sunny and warm,  rocky coast of
Maine.   

I have had some issues with my computer
that AVG has come in and fixed  for me.   
Cleaned up a virus or two that caught
me.    All is well now and I am back
in good shape.  (My fault because I
downloaded two conflicting programs. 
I will have to be more careful the next time)

The US Open was a long one because
they had to fit four days into three days
due to weather issues.     Phew..  All over
now! 

Have a good day,  everyone

Sandy