Where is Alice ?

4/18

            Where is Alice, DK, Betty , Abe, Shelagh  ?


             Cheers.. Joe ..........

I'm still here, Joe. The forum is mainly used by visitors seeking information on the numerous writing topics. It is no longer used for conversation.

4/18

               It breaks my heart..... that old gang of mine is gone....

                                            Cheers......Joe.....

Did you know that Pierrette died a few weeks ago?

4/21

          I didn't know that ! I remember I reviewed her first and 2nd book, she appreciated
that. How is Abe and his wife ? Is Alice on vacation ? How is Betty's husband ? She used to
give updates.... How is your life ? And your Mom and Dad ?

                                                          Cheers...Joe...

My mother tuned ninety-one this month (it's the Queen's birthday today -- same age as my mum). My dad will be ninety-two in June. The wonders of modern medicine! My mum is lying on the swing seat in her garden here:

4/21

             Shelagh..

                       I love her garden and the swing seat...


                                      Cheers......Joe...

Thanks for asking, Joe.  Good to hear that Shelagh's parents are doing well in their old age.  Being surrounded with the beauty of nature helps and it appears they have that along with the love of family. 
As for me, I'm doing okay.  Can’t do everything I want to do without paying the price.  I’m still recovering from back-breaking garden work and I accept that as the norm.
I'm not pleased with losing friends due to sickness and old age.  Although the reality of dying is ever present, it still hurts.  I’m once again reading books from deceased friends, i.e., Dick Stodghill, Don Stephens, Carol Trostler and Ann Joiner.  The words they wrote bring them to life. 
My wife has an appointment at the hospital in Goppingen on the 31^st of May for further infusions.  I expect that she will be there for a week.  There is no cure for her illness, but the control helps.  She is determined not to become an invalid.  We are thankful that we have good healthcare services. 

As for Alice, I saw her posts on FB where she is enjoying time with her grandchildren.

I couldn't log in - you know me - still in the conversation.  I still think it's our private club and forget that our posts here are also found by the Internet bots.  I've been trying to become employed and wonder if my strong minded posts are seen by the those from whom I'm seeking employment and that has a negative affect.  I never thought I would be seeking employment after my initial job loss and subsequent retirement so I sort of quit guarding my words - as if I guarded them much before.

I made some poor investments in family needs that exceeded my capacity to help - and so my financial situation is quite dire.  Fortunately, my needs are small and it's just the emergency situations that could come along that I need some additional income for safety. 

I just drove my 97 year old mom to Michigan - loved the trip.  Had a one-way rental car, a new Nissan Ultima, and it was fun to drive.  In the spring, you can rent a one-way car to get them out of Florida for hurricane season and north to summer resorts - for a pittance.  I paid $5/day and fuel.  Period.  What a deal!

I drove up the west side of Florida on divided highways (17 and 19) with little traffic and few trucks.  I managed to stay off the freeways until north Alabama - and then I65 isn't as bad as I75.  With slower speeds and the enjoyment of villages and towns - the shorter route took one hour longer to travel than the zippity 75 mph I75 with its many lanes and whizzing cars exceeding the speed limit and competing with gigantic trucks and caravans of rv's headed back north. My driving ability seems less - so I'm glad I took the slower route.

Mom - well, she spent the next day scrubbing the stairs to the basement and the dusty basement floor since she'd been gone 5 months.  I flew home - 2 1/2 hours on Allegiant air non-stop.  She's been super busy getting her home back in order and gardening in between the cold spells.

I still write for the newspaper, www.swspotlight.com and spend some lovely time with friends. Just watched the movie, "Figures" and I highly recommend it.  The acting was wonderful from humor to anger and sadness to joy, excitement and a satisfying conclusion.  The directing was wonderful to take a potentially boring story and make it enjoyable at many levels for every viewer.  I don't feel that way about many movies these days.

Weight continues to be an issue as well as some debilitating medical things that have no relation to my ability to think and live and quality life, but that may cause me problems down the line.  I have been going to WW and have lost about 20 lbs. though I still need to lose more.  Made the mistake of looking at a few photographs from a few years ago and then looking in the mirror. 

Well, like Abe, I am sorry for the loss of so many from this forum who made it lively and even controversial at times.  It's a quality list.  I'm glad you are reading their books.  I have little desire to read or write lately - but the requirements to keep the newspaper job keeps me writing - and I help friends with their writing needs and tutor some children now and then.