Ginny Ann, sorry the fibro is giving you such a hard time lately.

jane, I saw on our weather that Iowa was in a line of really severe stuff.  Glad to hear you're still there and keeping safe.  BTW, just out of curiosity, do y'all have a storm shelter?  I just wondered how often folks in the Midwest actually have them.

Nothing doing around here.  Silver Sneakers this morning, and we will have the Chef's Demonstration this afternoon.  Bridge here after supper.  It's a cloudy day, and rain is predicted for later and the next couple of days.

re:  BTW, just out of curiosity, do y'all have a storm shelter

We almost all have basements and that's where we're told to go...and under a heavy workbench if tornado coming.  Those without basements are told to go to an inside room...closet, etc. without windows.  Those in mobile home parks have a "shelter house" where they go.  In the schools we were told to take kids to inside hallways.

Walk is finished...a nice low 70s out there, but lots of dark clouds.

Ray's gone golfing and when he comes home, we're going to do some window cleaning.

jane

Hi Gals, I'm back from PT and the grocery and am eating lunch.  Pooped as usual.

Ginny, I'm sorry the fibro has you in its grips. No fun.  I always have some, but mine doesn't seem as extreme as yours or others I know.  Of course, the knee and the back take up the slack!    I hope you get to feeling better.

Jane, sounds as if you've had good weather and pretty good bridge.  Our weather has been great for the last week, but I just can't get out and walk and take advantage of it.  Unfortunately, the 90's and high humidity are returning next week.

Mary, our trip is from the 5th to the 9th.  Not long, but I'm sure it will be long enough even though enjoyable. It's so good that you are able to exercise and also play bridge right there in your center. I really need to start going to the weekly bridge games at the Lake House, but I just haven't felt like making the effort.

Marilyn, that is a long drive. Do pad your seat this next time.  Maybe Gilbert will come up to see you at Christmas if he no longer has his home.  So sad. I hope he is getting back on his feet.

Sue, hope you got your grocery list made and were able to complete your shopping. You surely aren't mowing the lawn these days. Can't you get your mower to mow them down like Mary said?  Hope the movie was good. I considered it but ended up watching the HGTV channel.

Hi to Darlene, Jeanne, Joy, and?  Sharon

I want to wish everyone a Happy and safe 4th July...my daughter is picking me up in the morning and we will meet up with my 3 sons...her brothers...and families for a holiday get together...we don't all get together often..so looking forward to it....it's about a 4 hour trip.....so hi to all and hope you get to be with family this holiday...Darlene

Hi Buddies.  I had a nice lunch date with Tim at the Amsterdam Café--I had an incredibly delicious baked salmon.  We each had a glass of draft beer--different kinds.  Then we went to Ollie's, a discount store that had queen size sheets on sale for $9.99!  I bought a set as I'd bought one last summer and have enjoyed them.  They are not as large as the ones I've purchased from Lands End or LLBean and are much easier to handle when making up the bed.  And they are certainly a lot cheaper than Lands End or Bean's!

GinnyAnn, I'm sorry you've been having Fibro episodes?  Does the weather seem to trigger it?  I hope you feel better soon.

Jane, good luck with your eye exam.  Do you wear glasses for everything--and have you had any cataract surgery?  Since I had my cataract surgery, I only wear dime store reading glasses if I'm reading for a long time after dark--and never wear them during the day time--not even when driving.  However, when I was driving before my fall after dark, I took a pair of distance glasses along if I was going to be in an unfamiliar place.

Mary, I don't have a storm shelter, but when our tornado siren goes off, I take a sofa cushion and something to read into my long hallway between the living spaces and the bedrooms.  I sit on the cushion and read as long as the lights stay on if it's dark.  If it's not dark, I can usually read until the all clear sounds.  I do have a friend who moved here from Michigan who had a shelter built in her yard next to her house and she enters it as soon as she hears the warning.  Very few people here have full basements.

Sharon, I have so many large trees that I have very little grass to mow.  I have planted shrubs everywhere they will thrive and leave the rest bare.  I do have a small area of my back yard that is not planted with azaleas and it has a small grassy area.  I mow it with an old rotary push mower--no motor--but this summer I've only had to mow it once!

Darlene, thanks for your wishes for the 4th.  It sounds like you're going to have a great family get together.  Tim and Kris are going out of town to visit friends over the weekend, so I'll be staying home alone unless someone decides to come over or calls to ask me to go out an eat.

Auburn City puts on a 4th of July show at the high school football stadium with is about 3 miles from my house.  It's down hill from me, so after it gets dark and they start shooting the fireworks, I can take a chair out onto my drive way and see the high ones from here.  Then the rest of the evening after the show I hear lots of fire crackers and bottle rockets being set off around my neighborhood.  I'm glad we've had lots of rain as that lessens the fire damage from that kind of stuff!

Have a nice evening, Buddies.
Sue

I see my eye dr tomorrow for the 6 month check up on my cataract and the MD. I do think I already p;osted this but Sue's comment to Jane about ther eye appt has me wondering and I can't find my post.

Marilyn, it is always good to stay up-to-date with eye appts.  So many things can occur in our later years.  I wear glasses for everything, although I am far-sighted and don't need them to get around. My last check-up said I had some time yet before I needed cataract surgery. I think Mom was in her 80's before she needed them.

Sue, that explains why you need to do the sprout removal by hand.  I'm sorry you have no plans for the 4th, but we don't either since we will be leaving the next morning.

Darlene, it sounds like you will have a wonderful holiday with your family.  Ours is just going to be the rest of the week.  Have lots of fun.

Mary, are you leaving tomorrow for the beach?  That sticks in my mind.  Anyway, have a wonderful time.

My car detail man called to reschedule since it has rained and is supposed to do some more today. Consequently, he is now scheduled for the 22nd of July because we each have vacations in between.

I have a couple errands to run, but nothing major.  Have a good day everyone & Hi to those I  didn't mention. Sharon

No rain today...but it's getting very humid.  I have my walk finished and have been working on computer stuff and family business.  Very frustrating talking to Vanguard.  VERY. FRUSTRATING.

Off to cool down and lower my blood pressure!!

jane

I wrote a post about 10 minutes ago, but it disappeared.  It's been raining here this morning and I got caught in a downpour about 10:30 when I was out front pulling up oak seedlings.  After I fixed and ate lunch, I went back outside and put the pulled seedlings down by the curb.  I'm ready for my afternoon "lie down and read time".  I hope all are having a good day--and Jane, I sympathize with your Vanguard frustrations.  I have that problem, too!

Sharon, safe traveling tomorrow and enjoy your visit with Brian's family.  I hope the travel weather is good for you.

Marilyn, I think your eye post was at least 3 pages back, but I'm not sure.  I do remember seeing it.

Hi to Every Buddy.  I hope you're all having a good day and that your holiday plans are progressing nicely.

Sue

My eye appointment went well, no progression on the MD and the cataracts are n ot ready to be removed yet. He did tell me to get stronger readers of a strength not sold over the counter., So I will have to go back to the Optical center at the de to buy reader, 4+ or up to 5+ depending, he told me to bring something to read with them before I buy them. Gee Whiz those are strong. I have been using 2.75, so 400 or 500 sounds awfully strong to me. I will go over there Monday  Or Wednesday  to get the new ones.

Marilyn, glad your eye appointment went well.

Sue, watching fireworks from a lawnchair in your front yard sounds like a great idea to me.  I hope it doesn't rain. 

Jane, is Vanguard your cable/internet provider?  Sorry you're having problems. Hope you get it solved before long.

Sharon, I know you'll have a great time with your family In NJ.

Margaret is here, the car is mostly loaded - except for refrigerated stuff.  We should get away okay in the morning. I did get in my bridge game this afternoon.  There were some very strange hands, but we didn't do too badly - won 0.31 MP.

Hold the fort while we're on the road.

Mary...Vanguard is a mutual funds company.largest one, I think.  I finally got "Katelyn" who spoke English I could understand and it turns out my first effort had saved as a draft, so I could finish it up.

Beautiful Sat. here... mid 70s and a nice breeze.  I just finished my walk to town.  There were a lot of people with kayaks headed to the river and white water park. 

I have the bed aheets in the washer and want to continue work on the windows.  When you have about 30, it takes a while!😁


Jane

Eye dr called me last evening to tell me the scan showed a problem with my left eye and I am to see a Retina Specialist. The virteous that breaks up with age is breaking up and there is a piece that is hanging on to the retina like gum. He said it may continue to break up or stick and will break up whenever I eventually have cataract surgery. For now we are just going to wait and watch it to see if it breaks loose  if and when it does the vision in that eiy will improve. So I will go get my readers and hope for the best. He gave me a chart with a grid for me to look at every day to see  if the lines get more wavy if they do that is a sign that the MD is increasing.

Marilyn, when we have a problem with our eyes, it's scary.  I hope the new readers work for you.

Sue, I don't leave until early Wed AM. Flight is at 7:45 AM  Back on Sun. afternoon.  Sorry you got rained on.

Jane, isn't it the most frustrating thing when the customer service reps speak with such a heavy accent you can't understand them!  I'm surprised mutual funds have that kind of agent though.  Glad you got it solved in the long run.

It's warmer here, but I haven't been out much. I did go get my hair cut at noon, but that's it.  I also pressed the collars on a bunch of John's golf shirts. If he would just hang them up right, they would be fine!  Grrrr. 

I've also been on line to buy a couple books for the younger grandson so he doesn't feel left out.  Yesterday, I got some earrings to put in the waist purses I got the girls. They are great for people who are running or going to track meets, etc & don't want a regular purse.  I hope they like them.  I don't do very well on buying things for Brian's wife. She and I have very dissimilar tastes.  I'm going to tell the girls that they can switch and swap if they want. Brian's retirement gift is a check to use for a shadow box for his medals and something else for the new house.  Also a check for Braeden for HS graduation.  Already gave a check to the other grandson who graduated from college. I have books for the 2 little boys.  We'll be celebrating someone or something every other minute.  So looking forward to it though.

Mary, I'm sure you're on your way to the beach.  Have fun!  Good on the partial bridge pts.
Sharon

Marilyn, I'm glad your eye appointment went well.  However, do you have beginning symptoms of the MD?  Perhaps that's why you're having problems finding readers that help.  Keep us posted and good luck!  Good luck with the specialist.  I saw a retina specialist for about 5 years, but no change to the dark spot on my retina and I don't have to see him now.

Mary, you're probably almost at your condos now.  I hope the traffic wasn't too heavy and everyone got there safely.  For a few years after moving here, I had Alex and Nick here over the 4th, so drove down hill to the Winn Dixie parking lot and watched from there, but the traffic was so bad that coming home was a night mare.  So I finally convinced them we could see from up here and I fixed treats we could eat out on the driveway!

Jane, I've had Vanguard stocks for a long time, but I'm not putting money in, now, just letting the interest build up.  I'm making pretty good interest on the stocks I have, so that's OK.

Sharon, are you going to Brian's change of command in New Jersey or visiting them back in Illinois?  I am not sure which was going to happen, but hope you have a good visit, no matter where it takes place.

I hope you're all having a nice weekend. 
Sue 

Sue, it is Brian's retirement, not change of command and is in NJ.  He is moving to IL. He may however work on contract with Scott AFB, but not active duty.   Nice that you can see the fireworks from home. We can't, so just watch them on TV.  They used to have nice ones at Sun City Hilton Head, but they have never done them here. They have beautiful ones in Charlotte though.

Tomorrow, I go in for my annual cardiologist visit and probably will schedule an echo gram.  I also plan to get a mani/pedi on my way home and stop at the library to get some books to take with me.  I have to have something to read in the airports and on planes.

We're back from SS & church and received a bag of fresh green beans from one of our friends there. Need to go get them snapped and started cooking.  I've also put in a load of towels.

That's all here. Hope Mary & gang arrive safely at the beach and have a great time.  Jane, I can't remember what you are up to.  Have a  good day anyway. Sharon

We got here safely, but the traffic was the worst we've ever seen.  It took us 10 hours to make the usually 8-hour trip, including 3 detours, with slow-ups on each of the detours.  And that was pretty much true of the folks who came from SC and from TX, too.  But the beach is still lovely and the weather is great.  I put a photo on FB, if anyone can look there.  Over the winter and during the tropic storm a couple of weeks ago, the beach in front of the house is about 100 feet less than it has been in previous years.  Friends and family are all good, and more to come over the next couple of days.

Marilyn, sorry about your macular degeneration.  I'm treating early glaucoma.  I could handle losing my hearing(I think), but I'll do almost anything to take care of my eyes.

Sharon, I know you'll have a great at your family event.

jane, glad you're getting some good weather for a change.

Sue, enjoy the fireworks.

Happy Fourth to all the Buddies.

Mary...lots of sand being lost on South Padre Island,too.  Every couple of years, they dredge it out of the Brownsville Channel and blow it through a huge pipe up to the northern part of the island.

Very humid here today...and to continue through the week with temps in upper 80s.  I did walk this morning and then came back and got the car for some errands to the bank, WalMart and the grocery store. 

A dehumidifer we ordered from Amazon...$40.00 cheaper than anywhere we looked...and delivered to our door free came today and Ray and I wrestled it to the basement. Thank heavens for a heavy duty handcart to get it to the basement.

Have a safe 4th!!

jane

Jane, good deal on the dehumidifier.  Our weather is about the same.

Mary, sorry it took you so long to get there, but enjoy every minute you're there.

I'm home from the cardiologist--nothing new, a mani/pedi, and a stop at CVS for more melatonin.  Now I need to staaart packing.

Happy 4th to you all!  Sharon

I know the beaches "move around" - they are dynamic things.  This is just more dramatic than we've seen before in this location.  It's still wonderful!

Sharon, glad you had a good visit with the cardiologist.

jane, I hate doing in the local stores, but I do love Amazon Prime!  (And y'all know how I hate to "shop" in any case.    )

Hugs to all!

Hi Buddies.  I've had a busy morning.  I woke up early as my "Molly Maids" were scheduled for today instead of their usual Tuesday---and of course they were late as they were trying to do their Monday and Tuesday jobs today so they don't have to work tomorrow.  While I was waiting for them, I worked in my front yard--cutting out more mimosa seedlings (and some of them are getting pretty big!). 

When I took some mail down to my mail box, my neighbor across the street was out putting mail into her mail box, so I walked over and we had a short chat.  Her husband has beginning stages of dementia, so I don't see him much anymore. I was glad to be able to talk to Peggy, though.  She is pretty much confined to home except for taking him to doctor appointments.

I've had a late lunch and it's almost 2:30 here, now, so I'm off to find a book to read and will lie down for a while after I put the sheets the Molly Maids took off my bed in the dryer.

Have a nice afternoon, Buddies.
Sue

MaryZ.  Now if you like Amazon and you are a Prime User. Take time on July10th. ending at 2am July 12 for their big Prime Day. Only they can buy.
Its better than the One they have the day after Thanksgiving. I always buy on that one..  They have it all over in 13 countries  It use to run just for 24 hours. My daughter used Prime a lot and I go through her account
Can't really think of anything I need. Bought both my Computer Tablets on their last big clearance.

Sue I have a close friend who her husband had Alzhiemers in it later stage now. I hadnt seen them all winter and took 2 lbs of cherries over last week. She has aged 10 years. They do never seem to go out of their homes and their children live clear across the country. Its hard as now he doesn't seem to recognize me at all and he was my Handyman for 38 years. So smart.

Sue, mimosas do put out a lot of seedlings, too.  I loved our tree when we had one - John hated it.  LOL.

Jeanne, thanks for the info about Amazon Prime day.  Our Kate got Prime and has me on it, so I can buy then.  I don't know what I'd buy, but I'll think about it.

Alzheimer's is a terrible disease.  I know a couple of folks who are dealing with it, and John's dad had dementia, so I have some experience with it.

John's sister is in the early stages of alzheimers.  Not fun.

I'll tell Melanie about Prime Day. I'm not on Prime.

I just sent off the church articles for, I hope, all of July and August. I had thought I'd finished July, but more things came up.

I am going to go pack all my things shortly. I'll do John's when he comes home.  He lays everything out and I pack. I've got my meds all organized and ready to go. That's always a hassle. I also have all the gifts in the case & organized. Now just to figure out what I'm wearing to all the different events & pack that.  My knee is improving, but I am taking a cane just in case.  I did get an appt with the ortho surgeon who did it to discuss both it and the projected complete replacement, but that appt isn't until Aug.

John took the baby to the kennel this morning. He said it was full up and that it was a good thing I had reserved her early.

Did I mention that I ordered a smart phone from QVC. Their latest and biggest and best on special value. Supposed to be $250 value for $139.  This is a tracfone, the only kind I will have.  I only ordered it Friday and it arrived yesterday. I am so glad. I haven't even opened it up, but have packed it and I'm counting on some of the grandkids to help me get it up and running and programmed.  I figured it was the ideal time and would save me a lot of angst. I do hope it works well and that I like it.

It is to be 90+ today and through the week here, but "only" in the low to mid 80's in NJ.

Sue, I have never had oak trees or mimosas in my lawn. Certainly glad I've never had to deal with their seedlings. We do have some big oaks behind our property, but the squirrels or the landscapers seem to take care of their acorns.

I hope everyone has a happy 4th. I will be back online Sun or Mon. I'm not taking any electronics with me.  Sharon

Safe travel, Sharon and John!

Mary...enjoy the beach. I think you and your family love time there as much as Ray and I and our families who visit enjoy our time on the island in Tx.

Quiet day here for us.  BBQ with neighbors later this afternoon.

The legislature in Iowa thought it was a good idea to let people buy and shoot off fireworks from the month of June through July 12 or some stupid date. The neighborhoods in some cities are IRATE!  Fireworks going off all day and night, even though they're supposed to stop at 10:00 pm.  They don't, of course.  Veterans with PTSD and dogs are going nuts.  Of all the problems in this state, fireworks was NOT one.  $$$ are. The  gov and legislature have given so many tax credits and breaks to out of state companies that far, far less money is coming in.  It's shortfall after shortfall.  AND he's now ambassador to China.  I sure hope he doesn't screw that up worse than it is.

I need to get some windows washed today....better get started.

jane

Well I am doing better today after a very bad Vertigo attack yesterday. I that one was the last for awhile these last 4 or 5 days have not been any fun at all. We are  Taking Freckles to the 4th of July celebration that the fire dept is putting one at the Park it is the annual Family day. Furry friends will be there to showcase all of our dogs and the Therapy Dog Program. I am taking  the poster and all the handouts to be on my display table. They will serve hotdiogs and hamburgers but I am taking protein bars and drinks for me and Keith.

I've been out in the yard most of the morning, cutting back mimosa volunteers and stacking downed limbs out on the curb.  There are still more mimosas to dispose of and jillions of weeds!  But I'll do a little each day and hope I get the front yard cleared by the end of July!

I've done several loads of laundry this morning, including the sopping wet clothes from my mimosa adventure.  It is pretty hot outside today!  I've had a nice lunch--hamburger, rice with sautéed red, green, and yellow peppers, and corn on the cob.  I'll save the ice cream for this evening when I eat a sandwich and some yogurt for supper.

I though Tim might stop by this morning, but I expect they've gone over to Jimmy's with their kayaks if they came home from visiting their friends at their farm near Birmingham.  They went up there on Friday afternoon.

I'm knocking off "ship's work" for the rest of the day.  I'll take a book into my bedroom and lie down to read as soon as my last load of wash in the dryer is dried and put away.

Have a great Independence Day, Buddies.
Sue

Just back from supper with the neighbors..inside since it's so humid and hot outdoors.  It was nice, but it's good to be home.  We took stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer. 

Tomorrow is bridge day and I always look forward to that.

jane

Funny Story: When we were at Sunriver last month, I took Freckles for an early morning walk, a young couple were sitting on a picnic bench enjoying the morning sun. We stopped and I told them all about Freckles. I was wearing my normal extra dark sunglasses.  Later that evening I came back around from another direction and they were out there again. They said to me "Your seeing eye dog must have gotten sidetracked and took you the wrong way, good  to see you finally getting back.

Funny, Marilyn - I assume you chatted a while and got them straightened out.   

I hope Sharon is having a safe travel day.

jane, it's pretty humid here this morning, too. There's more breeze than yesterday morning, but I'm still sitting inside rather than on the deck with my morning coffee.

Hope the fireworks were good for all who got to watch some.  There was plenty happening around us on the beach - nothing professional, just folks setting off their own stuff.  I like the pretty ones, but not all the noise.

Have a good 5th, Buddies!