Have you attended a class reunion lately? I went to my class reunion last week - 58 years since graduation and the first one I've been able to attend due to work, raising a family and then caring for a sick husband and elderly mother. Several of my class mates have passed away. Of those still living, only four failed to attend. I enjoyed seeing everyone and learning about their lives since 1955. I was amazed at how young everyone looked and how well they moved around. No one was obese; some were overweight (me!) but not gross. Everyone seemed to have a great time catching up; most of them still live in the community and see each other occasionally. I live quite a distance away but it was worth the plane ride and car rental to see them, plus quick visits to other family members in the short time I had. I hope to get there more often in the future.

spring has arrived

Spring has arrived in this west/central Florida area. The morning temps are cool - 48 degrees on Monday morning, the 13th of May 2013. Afternoon temps usually hit the 80's but we have a wonderful breeze keeping it pleasant (unless you're working!). My garden, small though it is, looks good. Beans are running on the fence and in bloom, tomatoes growing and blooming, mustard greens producing and cucumbers looking for new ground to cover. Mother's day has come and gone, once again. I'm very blessed to have my mother to honor. She will be 98 in August. She can take care of herself, for the most part, but is beginning to show her age, both mentally and physically. So sad to watch the gradual decline, knowing it is a natural progression of age and I can't do anything about it other than keep her comfortable. School will soon be over. Time for sun and fun but please don't forget the sunblock. Time for class reunions, bar-b-ques, weddings and other celebrations. We crowd so much activity into summer; making memories to help us through the long dreary days of winter. Whatever activity you pursue, be safe, love unconditionally and be kind one to another.

It's cold here in central Florida this early morning of March 3 2013. We're hoping this will be the last really cold temps that we have until the end of the year. We can't plant our gardens until it warms up. Our early garden will be finished before July and the late garden will be planted August/September and finished before cold weather again visits us. I'm having trouble getting myself outside to do anyting. I ordered some seeds, hoping that would be the motivator, but so far it hasn't worked; the cold weather has also dampened my gardening muse. My brothers have been very helpful in repairing things around the house and getting my lawn/sprinkler system in shape. I do appreciate them very much. Neither of my three sons has called to ask if I need any help, except the oldest makes sure I am financially solvent, but offers of help on the house or grounds have not been forthcoming. I don't ask - too independent like my mom - but willingly accept offers if I need help. We have lost so many family members in the past 18 months, the last being my oldest brother's wife. She had been havin dizzy spells - she would begin to walk across the room and end up on the floor. The doctors couldn't find out what was wrong. She and my brother had gone to Ocala and started home when she began having severe chest pains. Fearing a heart attack, she was rushed to the hospital on a Saturday night, evaluated over the weekend and scheduled for triple bypass on Tuesday. She never regained consciousness and died on Friday morning. So unexpected! That is life! Unexpected events, blessed events, fun filled events, life changing events, sorrowful events.......... Enjoy each and every day as though it is your last. It very well may be!

Life Changes

Life changes Sometimes life gets in the way of our wants and needs and we're prevented from doing the things we'd like to do when we want to do them. Such is my life. My husband passed away one year ago after a long illness. I'm still trying to recapture my desire to write while looking after my 97 yr old mother. She's a joy to take care of - does almost everything for herself, very independent but will ask for help when she needs it. I've seen a weakening in her spirit and physical being in the last couple of months. That saddens me. It's like she's slipping away, little by little, and there's nothing I can do to prevent it. That sounds selfish, I know, but that's another change in my life and who likes change? We moved in May to be closer to my brothers and my sons and she has enjoyed seeing them quite often. We are having a family dinner to celebrate her 97th birthday; nothing elaborate, just family and all of them hope they have inherited her genes.

It's been awhile since I have posted due to illnesses in the family.

The time change did not catch us unaware but it isn't easy getting used to it. The older we get, the harder it is to change in any area. We dislike our routine to be disrupted. It is so much easier to stay in the 'groove' we've allowed ourselves to create. We need a little shaking up sometimes and can't always choose how it's done.

A family crisis is often the 'shaker upper'. A severe illness; financial problems; family relationships turning sour or reuniting loved ones brings changes in our lives.

How we deal with these things will be our guide for the rest of our life. I choose to turn to God for guidance in all things. He is always there for me to talk to. He listens as I pour out my sorrows and troubles and, if I wait on Him, He will carry me through the storm. Sometimes I get impatient - I'm not good at waiting around for something to happen - and I decide to solve these problems myself. Then God comes in and cleans up the mess I made by not waiting for Him. Try it! Talk to God - tell Him you're sorry for the things you've done and ask His forgiveness. You will be glad you did.

It's an addiction! Everywhere I look, people are staring at an object in their hands, their fingers flying as they send a message to someone. I wonder what Alexander Graham Bell would think of his invention now? He was a very forward thinking guy, but I'll bet it would blow his mind if he could see how his telephone is being used. I guess, when you really think about it, it's a combination of the telegraph and telephone.

My fear is that while using the new vernacular particular to texting, we are going to lose our basic vocabulary. Our young people are going to lose the ability to spell words correctly or remember their meanings. Where will our society be then? Illiterate. So, instead of a step forward, this new way of communicating will take us a giant step backward.

I hope I'm wrong. I love to read but will refuse to try to read a novel that's printed in texting form; as a matter of fact, I'm not going to try to unscramble a text message. If anyone needs to contact me, they can write it out correctly or use a telephone and talk to me. That's more fun, anyway.

passwords

Isn't it annoying to try to sign in and keep getting the 'not correct' statement? You keep entering the password or your moniker and it rejects you every time. I get so frustrated sometimes that I just stay off that particular website. The same password for every website would work for me; then I wonder how many more people want that same password? What a diverse mixture those entries would be. Not to mention the different languages! The internet is like a giant spider web with all of us hanging by a thread while we post our entries. I'm hoping the internet is also like a huge umbrella, protecting us against illegal actions as we use and enjoy the resources posted there. I thank the ones responsible for building such a humongous enterprise and those who maintain it.