Patricia - i didn't mean to imply that you should know everyone in Fairbanks.  I only mentioned this realtor because she looked about your age, and talked about living there her entire life.  Her name is Kelli Powers.   

Mary Ann - It's good that Tom is taking up a walking routine. If he can keep it going on a daily basis, it will pay off for him.  My cardiologist preaches the importance of walking, eating right, and not spending too much time sitting in front of the computer or TV.

Larry - the only cruise we've ever been on, was a short five day cruise from Honolulu, to Los Angeles.  It was the final voyage of the SS Monterey, before it was dry docked forever, in San Francisco.  It was one of the old original Lurline Line ships, so was very small, compared to the huge ships of today.  A wonderful cruise it was, because there was much nostalgia with the crew and passengers.  We had a marvelous time, and remember it as one of our very favorite vacations.   

Good evening everyone!

I've  been enjoying reading about all your travels. For a girl who grew up in tiny Vermont and had never been more than a hundred miles from home, I've seen a lot of the country since. My first trip of any significance was to California on a business  trip with my husband when I was 25.  I think one of my favorite trips was to the SeniorNet Bash in Calgary, Alberta. We took a tour to Lake Louise...so beautiful! I loved the Canadian Rockies.

Mary Ann = I'm also glad to hear Tom is walking. Better to start off slowly, like he's doing.  Did you get my e-mail? 

Beverly

It's good to know the youth of today have their priorities right. On a cocktail, Pininterest page was a list of nonfattening drinks with a large colorful slogan across the top which read, "Get drunk, not fat!"

Are you kidding me?!?

BEVERLY. - I have to say I agree with you about those Canadian Rockies.  They are so picturesque and beautiful.  When I went over to the Calgary Bash which was so organised by Ruth and her husband Ralph, I flew to Vancouver and met Whimsy from Indiana there.  We hired a car and drove to Calgary, stopping when we wanted to take in the view.

It was a special day when we all went to Lake Louise and a once in a lifetime view of that bear with its cub running up the mountain.  Hope you are well.
Hi MARY ANN. I do read your news each day and enjoy hearing your news and also of Dot.

Hi everyone.  We have a clear sky and pleasant temperatures this Sunday morning.  Pat and I are going to go to Sunday School and Church this morning.  This is our Children's Sunday in Church where they participate in a large part of the service. Following Church we will go somewhere to eat or pick up something to bring home for our main meal of the day.  I plan on watching the end of the PGA Golf Tourney later this afternoon. 

Marilyne, I used to follow a walking routine starting years ago when I went with a neighbor to a big shopping center to walk, then the "Y" and other places including four years of cardiac rehab three times a week.  Unfortunately, my heart tells me that it doesn't have the strength to walk very far anymore.  That sounds like a very memorable cruise.

Beverly, Pat and I seriously considered attending the Alberta Bash but decided it just wasn't in the cards for us.  I am sure the scenery was breathtaking. 

Patricia, I have never been able to understand why anyone would purposely get drunk. 

Junee, I hadn't thought of Ruth and Ralph for a long time.  I know that Ralph passed dnd Ruth moved in with her daughters.  Do you ever hear from her now? I remember how much she liked to play Bridge.

Beverly, I do not recall getting an e-mail from you.  Maybe it is far enough back that I have forgotten!!!  I'll check after I finish S&F.

Dot cannot drive yet because her second eye surgery doesn't seem to have gone as well as the first; she sees double.  She said covering one eye at a time, things are OK but with both of them, she sees double.  She will go back to the doctor next Thursday.  As as result, we did not go to church this morning and Tom and I went OTB but to New Beginnings, a fairly new restaurant near us.  We had no trouble finding a table, but it was nicely filled anyway. 

Terry's memorial service is this afternoon.  I am disappointed there will be no prior visitation, but there will be a reception following.  I expect both of their children are here and I know Jan has her parents to worry about.

We have the start of a beautiful, but cool day.  It is around 50 degrees at 11 am.  I do not feel I have to wear a coat or jacket to the funeral.  It's hard to imagine Terry not being here.  Tom will say some words at the funeral, probably about their life when young, and I am sure he will include some humorous moments.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - This will be a sad day for you and your family. I'm glad they will all be there for Terry's memorial service. Tom certainly has had his share of  sadness, what with losing both his brothers so close together, and also his long time friend. It's good of him to speak at the service.

Good morning, early for me. sun is shinning, no wind, but quite cool for May.

MaryAnn, glad to hear Tom is walking, I know that is good for us, my doctors keep telling me to try and walk.  A couple of steps and I am out of breath. 3 years ago I was still playing golf. Will be thinking of you to day.

Marilyn, I have been on a couple of cruises to the Caribbean. To be truthful I like the smaller ships.  They still have a to offer. Very good shows, pools, games gambling, and just relaxing.

Mary Ann, seeing double is also a sign of a stroke, I know, I saw double when I had a minor stroke and was seeing double, except when I covered one eye.  I was told that seeing double is caused by bleeding near one of the muscles that controls eye coordination.  She might want to have it checked, she could have had a stroke in conjunction with the surgery.   Also I was told. and it did happen as told, that it would clear up by itself in a few weeks on it's own.

Good morning everyone, sunny but cool here and everyone has had their shower, and a meal so ready to start the day.



  JOY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!   

Hal, Dot had the second cataract surgery Wednesday, then back to the doctor on Thursday for the first checkup.  She will return for the final checkup next Thursday.  I will mention the possibility of a stroke to her, but I know what her response will be - NO!

Terry's memorial service was very nice, nicer than I expected.  Jan had told Tom there would be no pictures and no visitation before the service.  I went in the sanctuary and saw Tim's wife (Tim is deceased) and his daughter and son-in-law so I sat with them.  Eventually, Jan came in with her folks, Erin and Geoff.  It turned out Geoff's wife was there with their baby so I saw him for an instant.  He's a bit over two months old now.  James and Alicia were there but someone was looking after their twins; they weren't there.  The church was nicely filled and I saw many people I don't see often - Tom's cousins, friends of Tom's, all of Norm's grandchildren, some of Norm's former neighbors. 

Marilyne, Norm also died in that span of time - in 2 1/2 years Tom has lost two brothers, his dad and his good friend.  The husband of the friend was at the service.  He and Tom have lunch together occasionally and it is good for both of them. 

Jan had told Tom there would be no pictures but someone put together pictures for a screen and many of the pictures were ones I had given to Tom recently so he probably got them to Jan and I don't know who put the screen show together - maybe Tom and I forgot to ask him.

As funerals go, it was a nice funeral.  We had lovely weather to enjoy too, clear blue sky with no clouds.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - I recently went to a memorial service where they had a screen show and it was very nice.  Tom has to be going through some sad times, losing so much of his family in such a short time. That's a lot to handle!  I sent the e-mail to the address you have in your profile.  Has that changed?

Larry - You would have enjoyed the Calgary Bash but I understand your deciding not to go.  I knew that if we didn't go then I would probably never make that trip. I haven't heard anything about Ruth Levia for a long time. She and Ralph were lovely people. So many of us lost touch when SN unceremoniously closed the forum.

Junee - That bear and her cub were the highlight of our bus trip to Lake Louise. I have many pictures from that day but none of the bear! Ruth and Ralph put on a wonderful bash, as did the other bash hosts who took on that monumental task.  I think I have a picture or two of you and Whimsy. If I can find it I'll post it in Photos.

Beverly, I checked my address in my profile and it is correct.  Can you find the message, copy it and resend it?

One year I took a tour which included some of western Canada.  We went to Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Banff, Jasper and places in between.  We didn't see any bears that trip.  But when Jim and I were on the Alaska trip, we (and our bus driver) saw that traffic had stopped.  There in the middle of the road was a woman who had gotten out of her car to photograph a mother moose and child.  The woman was fortunate that the moose didn't attack her.  But it was the only moose we saw on the trip; we did not see any bears. 

We have plenty of deer here in our county and many people have accidents to prove it; I think Kent County has the highest number of car/deer accidents in the state. 

Mary Ann

BEVERLY ,  would you believe just last week I saw a message from Ruth Levia in Facebook and she had been on a cruise and had been in Sydney for three days, my home city.
We had not been in touch recently but I would have liked to have called her.  I was pleased to hear she had had a wonderful trip via New Zealand and Australia.

MARY ANN  The road trip we made from Terre Haute along the Eastern shore of Lake Michigan ,Traverse City,Machinac Island,Orlando and then Niagara Falls was superb and of course on another occasion, we met Norm and Dot,Pat Scott  at Grand Haven.It was not cherry time in Michigan.  Pity!  It was a surprise to me ,that looking across Lake Michigan I could not see the other side.  Great memories.
LARRY. I know Ruth was not well sometime back but was happy to see she had been on this cruise.  Think she still plays bridge as she really liked that game.

MARY ANN. The Tock family is having a year or two of sadness.  Thinking of you at this time.

Junee, thank you for your kind words.  Today we're trying to get back to normal, whatever that is. 

I'm trying to think of what you saw between Mackinac Island and Niagara Falls that starts with the letter "O" and I think you meant Ontario, not Orlando (which is in Florida).  It's all beautiful area there and I have seen some of Ontario north of Lake Huron, but not much. 

I remember when Ruth Levia was posting, I think she posted in Norm's B&T in his Yahoo forum that came before he was able to put it here. 

I just celebrated #93 and I know I won't catch you, but I'm right behind you.

Stay well!

Mary Ann

Hi everyone.  Another cool but beautiful morning.  I hope to have a rather full day today as got up feeling rested for the first time in several days.  I have fixed Pat's breakfast and a new batch of her sausage muffins in the oven.  Then I want to get over to Costco as they open and get a few items.  Finally, if I am not too worn out I want to attend my Monday noon meeting.

Mary Ann, sure hope that double vision that Dot is experiencing will not be permanent.  I remember my mother had to have a prism type lens put into her glasses to eliminate the double vision she experienced in her later years.  Always nice to try out a new restaurant and hope you enjoyed the food.  Hopefully the grandchildren were of help to Jan yesterday with the grandparents.  I would never be able to speak at a memorial service or funeral for a departed loved one.  Of course, I know that Tom has been in the ministry.  It sounds like it was a fine service and glad to see that Geoff and his wife and the new baby were able to be there. I think the picture collage is a wonderful idea as it helps recall happier days and the person's life.

deAngel, I sure understand trying to walk and quickly wearing down and getting out of breath. 

Hal, the stroke could well have been what caused my mother's double vision as she had had several before the double vision appeared and don't recall it in connection with her cataract surgery. 

Beverly, I well remember the awful way that SeniorNet treated all of the faithful hosts and contributors that made it what it was.  Had they been upfront with us we perhaps wouldn't have lost to many folks as it would have been easier to get them over to the new discussions that Pat Scott Halbach set up for us. 

Junee, thanks for the update on Ruth.  It is so good to read that she is still active.  I sure wish she would pop in here occasionally and that her health has greatly improved.   

Good morning.  Just a quick message as I am going out around 1 and I have to get myself movin'.

Patricia,, thanks so much for the nice birthday message.  I had a great day; had dinner out with my family,  which was very nice.  A special seafood place right on the water down near the Baltimore Harbor.  Have not been down there for so long and so many changes.  It is a big tourist area and it was quite crowded in spite of the chilly, cloudy day.  Sure didn't seem like May.  We had wanted to eat outside but, it was too chilly.  But, we had a nice table by a big window that looked out at a big marina.

WIll get back later to read today's message.  I especially want to read Mary Ann's message about the memorial service for her nephew, Terry. 

Have a good day.

Joy

Dot will go to the surgeon for a final check on her eye surgery Thursday.  He is aware of her problem.  Dot has/had an astigmatism in the first eye and all went right.  The doctor had to implant a special lens because of the astigmatism.  The other eye did not have that problem so a regular lens was implanted.  The special lens cost a lot more than the regular lens.  It is especially hard on her because with Norm gone, she is unable to drive.  I will say her daughter is very willing to take her anyplace she needs - in the evening, because the daughter has a full-time job.  Tom is willing also, but he also has a full-time job. 

Larry, I think I had a prism lens at one time to correct a lazy eye.  It was so long ago, I don't remember any more, maybe in the 1950s.

My grandmother died in 1951 and I am sure she had cataracts and she could not see.  We'd set the table and put food on her plate, then tell her where the food was (at 2 o'clock, for instance).  She got along fine and made fun with it.  She died at 92. 

Larry, Tom did very well yesterday.  He kind of faltered a couple of time, but stopped and composed himself.  Of course, he was telling about the lives of three young boys and they did have fun growing up.  They lived in Northville, an area NE of Grand Rapids.  They had a park with a swimming pool and all three boys took advantage of the pool.  Also, they could ride their bikes on the streets in Northville without having to go on main streets.  Tom admitted they were privileged to live in Northville.  I haven't found out yet who put the pictures together for showing on the screen. 

Mary Ann

I have not posted or looked in here for ages.  How nice to read familiar names and I so enjoyed your reminiscing of past meetings.  We still live in a suburb south of Denver except we spend winter in Tucson now.  Jenny lives withing walking distance.  Yes, SeniorNet pulled out so quickly that it was good some people were able to send emails so we could "soldier on".   

I posted at 12:37 and Carol posted at 4:02 (EDT).  I can see why Denver people did not post, but where was everyone else.

I've just seen scenes from Denver on the Weather Channel and I immediately thought of Carol and Jennie (posts on Soda Shoppe).  Those were huge hail stones.  I had never seen any so large until a few years ago when I was in Indps, there was a hail storm.  I was at Jim's and the noise was terrible.  Our hail here, when we have it, is pea sized.  I hope we never graduate to golf balls.  I also hope there was no great damage in Denver.

Besides going so long between posts here, there were no other folders shown. 

Mary Ann

Hi Mary Ann

I've been gone all day, so haven't posted anything.  I think I did leave a message somewhere before we left, but I've forgotten where? 

We drove to the Outlet Stores, about 45 miles south of here.  I wanted to get a few things there for graduation gifts, as well as some sandals for myself, that I can only get there.  I also love to go to the Corning Ware-Revere Ware store, although I managed to control myself, and didn't buy anything. We ate a late lunch at a nice little sandwich deli style cafe, and then drove home. 

I also have noticed how few people have posted today.  Some members only post in one forum.  Others, like you and me, post in several.  Still others, seem to now prefer Facebook.  Hard for me to understand, since I'm inclined to write long messages, and FB is really only meant for a couple of sentences. 

Mary Ann,
No wonder you were puzzled by my last mail as the place in Michigan where we stayed a couple of nights was ATLANTA when the Elk festival was on.  Saw an Elk which was brought down but of course was behind a strong fence.  From there, after our trip to Mackinac we took the long way round travelling in USA to Niagara.
I know you are very close behind me.. you can see the memory lets me down sometimes but I am not worried as long as it is a gentle let down.  We cannot expect to have successfully lived through all those decades and be perfect.  Catch me if you can.

Do hope Dot's eye problem rights itself.  Have had my two eyes done and it certainly helped my eye sight.     

Mary Ann, mu neighbor just had cataract surg. a couple of weeks ago, the first eye did fine, but the second one has given her trouble.  she had been back to the doctor a few times. I think she had and infection.  She is also the one who fell last week and broke her foot. Before that she had and infection in her tooth.  Not a good month for diana.

Hello Marilyne, Junee and Gloria de, it's good to see someone posting.  Monday nights I watch TV from about 6 pm to 9 pm, then come to the computer.  So it was good to see some posts. 

I am not on Facebook.  Norm was and Tom is - more to check family doings than to communicate themselves.   Sometimes that is the only way I hear about Tom's kids, nieces and nephew.  If there is a picture, he often forwards it to me.  I think I was turned off Facebook when it began because I had so many people, some I did not know, wanting to "friend" me.  I ignored them all.

Junee, it is May here, so it must be comparable to our November in Australia, so it is getting cooler in your area.  We are having cooler weather than we expect in May but things will warm up.  Tomorrow we'll have our "family" weekly luncheon and I don't know where.  That doesn't matter because I usually say "I go where the car goes" since Tom does all of the driving.  We may go to the Olive Garden since we didn't go last week, but it depends on how Jan's parents are feeling.  If they can't go, Jan doesn't go, then Tom, Dot and I will go somewhere closer to home.  I would never have thought of you going to Atlanta Michigan because I have no idea what is there.  I think I have not been to Atlanta because it isn't on the way to anywhere I have gone, but I have heard about it.

Gloria, I haven't talked to Dot today to hear how her eyes are, but she will see her doctor Thursday, at least.  He didn't see concerned last week, but another week is another matter.  I may call her yet tonight; she goes to bed late and we usually talk for a half hour when I do call her.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann
Yu are right there is not much at Atlanta but before I went to the States I had been in a Chat room  for about one year, of Purple Hatters which was formed from a larger chatroom and one of the Purple Hatters lived in Atlanta and she was very keen we go to visit her.  She was a good guide to Mackinac  and a bonus was to go via The Lake,  The six Purple Hatters from different States,Wisconsin,Illinois,Oregon,Michigan and Indiana plus an Aussie all met in Effingham Ill which was a central point.  It was like meeting old friends and each one was just as I had pictured in my mind.
Yes , we had a very wet start to our Autumn but now the nights are cold but the sun shines during the day and that makes every day a good day.
I reluctantly joined Facebook but must say I enjoy contact and photos from family.
Have a son in Rome at present on a business trip,but of course he is not wasting any time while there and I look forward to his photos taken on his phone which sounds ridiculous to me but guess i am the only person in Australia that does not carry a phone with me.
I do more reading than posting these days.
I Ike to see everyone is well specially the half dozen nineties gals.
Enjoy Olive Garden, I always liked to visit there.  June

Junee, it sounds like you had a good group with the Purple Hatters.  I am sure the one from Indiana was Whimzy.  It's good when you have someone to guide you when in another country.  I can tell I do miss things by not being on Facebook, but I do get some info when/if Tom tells me what he's read or sends me a picture.

My indoor/outdoor thermometer read 28 degrees this morning.  I want to put some of my plants on my deck and it's past time for the last frost, but not at 28 degrees. 

Mary Ann

Hi everyone.  It is another beautiful day here in South Carolina and is predicted to get to 90 degrees this afternoon.  Today was suppose to be my Echo cardiogram but was called a little bit ago saying the tech was ill today so it was rescheduled until the 19th.  I have written to my doctor's office regarding the followup appointment I had with the Cardiologist on Friday to see if that appointment shouldn't also be rescheduled since the test results won't be available.  I did manage to accomplish all that I had set out to do yesterday and had a day when I felt reasonable good.  However, I seem to be paying for it today and am glad I can stay home. 

We did receive the sad news that my brother-in-laws mother had passed away last evening.  She was near 100 years old and had been in the nursing home probably for the last 10 years or more.  She was wonderful person who taught Sunday School for over 50 years and taught high school mathematics for many years.  Her older son was a very good friend of both Pat and mine during out college years and was actually a part of our wedding.  It has always been my intention that we would be there as support for my BIL and Sister but life intervenes and neither Pat nor I am really up to flying to Kansas City and then driving a 100 miles to the town where the funeral will be held.   

Joy, was your birthday dinner close to the Baltimore Aquarium?  We had the opportunity to visit there and also go through that old submarine that is harbored in that area many years ago.  I did not enjoy the submarine as it was too confined and I felt trapped even though I knew I wasn't. 

Mary Ann, glad to read that Dot has a daughter close by to help her get where she needs to go.  Hopefully, she will soon be able to drive again.  I am beginning to really notice the effect of the cataracts on my eyes as the print seems to be getting lighter and the words blurry.  Pat had her cataracts taken care of several years ago and now sees very well.  I know I will need to have mine taken care of before long as the eye doctor told me at my last exam that they could be removed now but at the time wasn't having much problem and told him I wanted to wait another years.  Glad to see that Tom made it through is comments at the service.  It sounds like he has many happy memories of his brothers. 

Marilyne, those Outlet Malls are fun to visit.  We have shopped at several of them over the years but never bought many items there. 

deAngel, it sounds like Diana has had a lot of bad things on her plate this last month.  We sometimes hear that things occur in three's and it looks like she has reached her limit in a very short time.

Junee, what a nice experience with the purple hatters.  It sounds like you had a mini-bash and got to meet in person friends you had made on the Internet. 

I just called Dot to tell her we'd be lunching at Jan's today and I asked about her eyes and they are the same.  She has an afternoon appointment with the doctor Thursday and she feels she will need a special lens in her glasses for that eye as well as the eye that had the astigmatism.  A friend of hers moved in the other side of her condo building and the friend had knee surgery recently and will need to have the other knee done soon so she can't drive either.  At least Dot will be able to go to Jan's with us as Tom will drive.

I told Dot "it never rains but what it pours", what with both of them unable to drive.  And of course, I can't help them either.  Old age isn't for sissies!!!

We will go to Jan's because of her parents, her father, especially.  It is hard to see him so frail since I have known him since Jan and Terry were married in 1982.  He was a history teacher and has traveled a lot to see historic places.  Jan's mother was a librarian so they have been a compatible couple.  Jan's brother is in Japan (I think) teaching English there and Jan's sister is teaching in Alaska. 

Mary Ann

Good morning.  It is sunny this morning, but still a little chilly.  Not supposed to get warmer until sometime next week.  But, at least it isn't raining or windy.

MaryAnn,  I was hoping to hear that Dot's eye problem had changed for the better.  I know she is anxious for the appointment on Thursday.   I think if the doctor had thought it to be more serious, he would have had her come in right away.  Hope you will have a nice lunch today.

Larry,  the Baltimore Aquarium is closer to the Inner Harbor.  We went to a place called Bo Brooks, which is in the area known as Canton.  It is one of the best places to get steamed crabs, but we just went for a regular dinner.  We have another place closer to where we live that we go for steamed crabs.  I would say that Canton is maybe 10 min. from the Inner Harbor. It is one of the old neighborhoods of Baltimore that has recently been renovated.  Lots of the old factories have been converted to condo's.  My son had been working in one of the condo's right next to the restaurant.  When I remarked that it would be fun to live in one of them right on the water, he said if I could come up with about a million dollars a month,  I could.   I was just amazed at all the new buildings and high risers since I had been down that area.  We also stopped at a real nice little park, right on the water, which included a memorial area for the Korean War.  I had seen pictures of it, but never seen it in person.  It included a lot of the history of the war and a list of names engraved on several big stones of all the Marylanders that had died during that war.  It was very impressive. I also have seen the submarine, but don't remember going down in it.  We did go on the Constellation ( I think that was it)  many years ago when we took our boys down.  It was very tight quarters, also.  Back in those days, the sailors must have not been very tall.  I remember having to duck down to walk through most of the areas. 

Although there are lots of areas inside Baltimore city that are very bad for crime,  the Inner Harbor and areas around it are considered relativity safe.  They do have incidents now and then,  but it is usually so crowded that people seem to be safe going there.  Things can happen just about any place now, but you just can't  isolate yourself from going places.  My oldest son and his wife go down to that area several times a month for dinner.

Sorry about your brother-in-law's mother, but sounds like she had a very rewarding life.  And, I am sure they understand how hard it would be on you and Pat to get to the funeral services.  I know there have beenl times that I can't get to things like that when I really would like to go.

Time to get on with my day. 

Joy

Good morning from a chilly but still sunny Interior! Temperatures remaining in the sixties for a high and mid-forties for a low. We are not receiving the usual heat thus Spring as we're used to. Planting is not done until after Memorial Day as summers here tend to be brief in the Arctic.

Joy, I'm glad you enjoyed your birthday with family and still have Mother's Day to look forward to. Dora has purchased Alan a Mother's Day gag gift of a flowered apron because he certainly dotes on Duchess who now expects nothing less! 

MaryAnn, I feel for Tom as he must feel rather like the last man standing and for Jan who has lost her husband but still has her parents to care for now more than ever. I know you and Terry's kids must be remembering him and missing him so, but glad he is no longer in pain.

Everyone seems to be having issues, physically, this Spring along with more expected and unexpected illness, deaths, falls and conditions here as well as online. I hope it is a short period and everyone is better soon. I also am looking forward to Sandy's return.

I have certainly missed several spring occasions because of transportation issues as well as scheduling notices when I haven't had time to arrange for the expected cash or gift.

Everyone has breakfasted and cleaned up for the day and Farrah has been nagging. She will make a sound to get my attention, stroll over to her big blue cylinder while keeping a close eye to see that I am paying attention. She will then say "Win!" which is her word for treats while tapping the cylinder with a paw. It must be very irritating to have to visually spell out her need for treats with such a slow and inattentive caretaker!