Ann

Please say a prayer from my best friend, Pat, who just lost her companion of 35 years to lung cancer this morning. Bob was told about a year ago that there was something suspicious on his lung and they were going to keep an eye on it. About two weeks ago, he suffered a seizure and was rushed to the hospital. Testing shower masses in both lungs, liver, spine and a large mass in the brain. He has just had his first chemo treatment on Monday. I am so thankful that God didn't allow him to suffer. Bob was 69 years old and this was all going to be very hard on his body. He already was unable to get out of the chair or dress himself. The treatments would have taken such a toll on his frail body, As you may know, it was December 2002 that I lost my dear husband. All of this is hitting really near home for me but I think having been through this will help me be strong for my friend. Please say prayers for Pat and pray for a cure!!!

Good afternoon, Judy and Bud !!! I thought I'd chime in and let everyone know that it's FINALLY raining here on Florida's Space Coast ! It's been two months since we're had a good rain. We had a sprinkle or two at the first of the week but nothing like this. Forecasters say that it may continue into the night....whoopee!!! I'm considering stepping outside and dancing in the rain!!! My allergies have been really bad and I'm hoping this rain will wash away a lot of this nasty pollen. My SUV is white and it's been yellow from all the pollen. I haven't been sneezing too much but the itchy eyes have been driving me absolutely nuts!!! I'm very happy that it's FINALLY Friday !!! This week has seemed to drag on and I'm so tired of hearing that alarm clock. Tomorrow, we're going to visit with all three of the little ones while my Son and DIL take a break and both get out of the house at the same time. It's really different now that little Harper is in our lives. I had forgotten how much care a baby needs...and it hasn't been that long. She'll be four months old next week and she's growing like a weed. Life has been exciting here in our family. My oldest son (the attorney) is running for County Judge in the November election. I'm so proud of him, as this has always been one of his goals. This Mom is working as hard as I can to make it happen for him. I had forgotten how tough campaigning can be, as it's been years since I ran for City Council. KW Judy...get your sweater out. I hear it's supposed to be a chilly weekend. The high for Sunday here is only supposed to be in the 60's. Of course, it won't be that chilly down your way. You probably got a lot of rain earlier in the week from a system that was brewing our there and was to give South Florida some showers. We missed out on that opportunity. Bud...so sorry you're dealing with all this. When my son was dealing with a knee injury, his work had no light duty either. He had to have a complete release from the doctor before he could come back to work. I know you're going to miss the bike riding but maybe you can get in a little fishing now and then. Hope everyone has a great weekend. We're going tonight to the movies to see Red Tails. Tomorrow is baby-sitting day and Sunday, I have a baby shower to attend. have I told you that I hate baby showers? This is boss's wife and I have no way out of this one...lol! Ann

KW Judy....please tell me more about the silverfish packets. I hate those little varmits and wold love to have something to guard against them.

Good morning, everyone. Hope everyone is having a nice day with decent weather. It's supposed to hit 80 here today. It's very hard to believe this is January...even if we are here in Florida. It seems that the uncanny weather has been one of the top lead news stories for most of the networks lately. Hopefully, February won't double up on bad weather and make up for our mild January. I do know that some of the coldest temps I've ever witnessed here in Florida have been in February. It seems it's always very windy during February and that makes the air seem much colder. I am so hopeful that our MI Judy will be able to come home today. It breaks my heart when I read her posts and see how much she misses her little furbabies. I can't imagine what it would be like to be away from my little barkers for a long period of time. Our Becky Snowflake posted on FB last night that she got some great news from her doc yesterday. I'm going to wait and let her spill the specifics! I'm just so very happy for her. Ann

Good afternoon, friends. My, it's quiet here today. If it weren't for KW Judy, we'd have an empty room today. Judy, I am sorry to say that my list hasn't gotten much shorter. For the past two days, it seems that i have been distracted every time I start to do something with numbers. We have three phones in this office and if the other two are busy, the third one rolls over to my desk. It sure does seem that has happened a lot this week, making it hard for me to get my work done. Funny, I was just listening to John Tesh's radio show and he says that for every time you go "off task" it takes about 25 minutes to get back on task. I can definitely believe that. When you work with payments, there is never an easy answer like yes and no. Everything is about a paper trail and that takes time to track down and figure out, regardless of how good a job you do. It's a beautiful day here today. The temperatures are in the mid 70's. The sun is shining and there's not a cloud in the bright, blue sky. I love these days and would love to be outdoors, soaking in some Vitamin D. I haven't gotten an update on MI Judy today. Yesterday, I was so glad to see her post on the care site. I pray that she is having a good day! KW Judy...I know what you mean about friends not being with us. Very sad and hard to cope with. Hope everyone has a great afternoon and evening. Ann

Good afternoon everyone. Like KW Judy, I have been keeping up with MI Judy and it seems that she is progressing wonderfully! She's a very strong and determined lady and I'm sure that she's going to keep up a great fight!!! KW Judy...don't think you're the only one that's still struggling with the Christmas decorations. My tree finally came down last week and some of the boxes are still sitting in the corner of the living room, waiting for the annual trip to the attic. This year, I really cut sown on the amount of decorating that I did and it really does feel nice to not have so much to deal with when the time comes to putting it all away. I am really thinking that next year, the tree will be a much smaller one and maybe that will be all that I do. Sorry...don't mean to be a "humbug" but it's just getting to be way too much! I spent most of my morning thinking that today was Wednesday. What a bummer it was when I found out the difference! But...honestly, I need the time as I'm still fighting with winding up end of the year paperwork and figures. I talked to Becky Snowflake last night and suggested we organize one of our annual winter trips on the Big Blue Bus. I know we always try and find a warm destination to visit...last year we went to see Ned in Hawaii. Maybe this year, we'll journey to KW and see our Judy. Think you're up to a Big Blue Bus with a lot of LCSC friends onboard??? Becky says she can't get the bus on the road this week, as she's awaiting tests and results...but maybe in a week or so. What does everyone think? Where should we go? Ann

Good afternoon, all. I had a nice post and I guess Eric and I were posting at the same time....you know the rest of the story. Nice, cool day here on Florida's Space Coast. As KW Judy said in her post, out temperatures are very up and down. All of this week, except for today, I've been wearing short sleeves and sandals to work. Today, I'm in jeans and a heavy sweater...go figure. This weekend is supposed to be chilly...nice weather to cuddle up, eat chili and watch a good football game. I woke up this morning and before I got out of bed, I said a prayer for our MI Judy. I pray that her surgery goes well today and that her road to recovery is a smooth path. Hubby and I are going out to dinner to a new Japanese restaurant tonight. I'm really looking forward to that, as I love Japanese food. After dinner, we're going to an auction that was recommended by a friend. This is not one of those "high priced" auctions where everything is pushed as being antique or collectible....it's one of those where you can buy box lots and all kinds of goodies for a small price. I will let you know how I liked it on Monday. Hope everyone has a great weekend. I plan on making some homemade soup or stew, and cuddling with my big red dog (golden retriever) and watching some serious football!!! Ann

Just wanted to jump in before going to bed and say hello. It seems my morning "air" has turned in to late night "air." MI Judy...my thoughts and prayers are with you. You're a very strong lady and I know you're going to amaze everyone with your speedy recovery!!!

Glad to see that so many people are here today enjoying the fresh Air. MI Judy...you can tell your doctor that you get nice, fresh air on a daily basis from all of us!!! I am amazed at how well you are coping with all this hospital madness. You seem to be all settled in now! I was so worried when you were so restless at first, as I know how hard it can be to settle in and get comfy...especially when you're in so much pain. Thanks for stopping in and giving us an update!!! KW Judy...you should be a tour guide. I can remember when I first moved to North Miami in 1984. It seemed that everyone I had ever known...even vaguely....was ready to make a trip to Florida and my house became an instant hotel. I'll swear it was like a swinging door at times. I finally had enough and made some house rules for my guests. Seems the visitors slowed down a little after that. Glad you're feeling better after your massage!!! I may have to try that!!! Wow...Janet...you're description of the library sounded really nice. I love spending time in the library but I haven't done it in a long time. Eric...as always, love reading your posts!!! Today has been a terrible day for me. Work is the pits and I almost lost my composure today. I was so close to walking in to my boss' office and giving my notice. I am so tired of getting more and more piled on me with no extra compensation...or even gratitude...for all the extra work. I had a million thongs that I needed to get completed but kept getting interrupted by new things. I just need to remember that jobs are very hard to find and I am the sole bread winner for my family now that hubby had to retire on disability. It's so hard when you know there are no immediate choices. Please say a little prayer that I can hold it all together until I can make a move. Ann

MI Judy...I can tell by the tone of your "typing voice" that you're feeling much better today and that's very good to know. I had a better night's sleep last night and didn't have any more of those "chapter" dreams...lol. I am glad to know that someone else knows what I'm talking about with those and yes, we'll have to swap dreams as soon as you're feeling better and have a slow day! KW Judy...good luck with buckling down and getting the taxes done. I can tell that you hate that as much as I do!!! But...maybe we'll find it inside ourselves to make it a fun thing??? Sorry.....that was a really stupid idea. I don't even think taxes would be fun after a few glasses of really good wine. But...we could get together and have the wine and then see how we feel about it!!! Absolutely nothing going on here today. It's just one of those blah days when you seem to get nothing done. Hubby has been having a lot of severe back pain. Tests showed arthritis, so primary doctor sent him to a pain management specialist. Hubby has to wait almost two months on an appointment. Then, when he finally got there today, there was no pain. The doctor even tried to trigger the pain with no luck. So, he left with this ...."call us and make an appointment if the pain returns." LOL Ann

MI Judy...so glad to hear that you finally got some well needed rest and that you're adapting to your surroundings. It's truly amazing how much better we feel after a good night's sleep. One thing I really hate about having a restless night is that I want to turn in so early the next night to compensate for the lack of sleep the night before. That means that I get very little (if anything) accomplished at home the "evening after." Last night was a real trip for me. I have had some strange dreams in my lifetime but these (multiple) take the cake. I felt like I had a slight fever when I went to bed and I was probably right, because I always have weird dreams when I have a temp. This dream actually had "chapters." I would wake up, look at the clock, think about what I had dreamed and then just go right back dreaming...right where I left off. Some day, when everyone is really bored, I'll tell you all about the dream...lol. Janet...I had to laugh when I read your post about "if it has to be cold...be beautiful." Funny...here in Florida last week, our temps dropped low enough for snow and I would love to see snow here. I always say that the next time it snows anywhere near us, I'm driving to see it!!! KW Judy...I can tell by your post that you're really looking forward to those taxes. I hate that...especially the ones I have to do as part of my job!!! Ugh...it's terrible!!! Hope the doc can find something to give your energy level a nice pick-er-up. I need to find the same thing, so let me know. My doctor dropped the level of my thyroid meds a couple of months ago and I've been a couch potato ever since. I'm hoping a lot of my energy loss has to do with this creeping crud thingy that i ahd for a month. Well....almost time to fly out of this office door...like a prisoner released from a life sentence....and go home. Can you all tell how much I love my job??? Ann

Good morning, Eric and KW Judy. Good to see both of you here this morning. It's nice to get some nice fresh air on a Saturday morning. As you know, I rarely get a chance to drop in over the weekend but today is just a nice, lazy morning for me. I have a dinner to attend at 5:00, so the rest of the day is mine. We saw War Horse last night and I have to say this is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. But...I have to say there were several parts that were just to painful for me to watch and I found myself dropping my head and crying. I even had a hard time falling asleep last night, as there were parts that were trapped in my head. But...it was a wonderful movie and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to see it. Just don't think I would watch it again. Our weather is absolutely lovely today. It's the kind of day that a Chamber of Commerce would special order. The sun is shining and there's not a single cloud in these beautifully blue skies. The temps are in the low 70's and it's just perfect. Wish all of my cold weather friends were here with me today to enjoy this!!! Eric...I love brisket. Wish I could have joined you! KW Judy....sorry you didn't make the flea market. I was looking forward to reading about all of the wonderful treasures that you found. Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'm keeping Judy in my thoughts and prayers!!! Ann

Judy...I love a good flea market!!! I like to find ones where people bring in things from their homes and sell them. The one we have here in Melbourne used to be like that but now it seems that all the vendors have the same things....all overpriced and made somewhere other than the USA. I have heard there are a lot of good flea markets left in S Florida, so maybe that includes you, since you're as far south as one can go. Janet...I love that term ...dedecorating. I hate dedecorating. It's much more fun to decorate than to dedecorate. As a matter of fact, my Christmas tree is still up[ and I plan on dedecorating it this weekend and getting it all put away. I don't have a lot of other Christmas stuff to put away, as we were both too sick to do much decorating this year. So, I have finally found something good about having the cold. No big plans here for the weekend. I do have to speak at an Auxiliary dinner tomorrow night but that's all that I HAVE to do. I think we may go to a movie tonight, Hubby has been wanting to see war Horse, so that will probably be what we see. At the top of my list is J. Edgar, but I will be nice and be happy with War Horse. Someone told me there are some very dark and sad parts to the movie, so I'm hoping it's not too bad! Hope everyone has a great weekend. I know there will also be a lot of football at my house this weekend. I really don't mind, as that gives me a chance to be on the computer playing Words with Friends...lol! Also...hope our Judy is feeling better today. I was hoping to log on and find lots of good news about her today! Ann

Hurry up and walk out of there, Judy. I hope you're feeling better now and I also hope you are able to land a private room before tonight. At best, it's hard to get a good night's sleep in unfamiliar surroundings and it doesn't sound like the room conditions are anywhere near being good. Glad you have our laptop so that you can keep us posted on your progress. It's a beautiful day here today. We made it into the 60's and the sun is shining and there is a most beautiful blue sky. I have to admit that I have been enjoying the cooler weather. I think the urge to cuddle and nest just gets stronger when the weather is cold outside. It's just one of those things that plays tricks on your mind, but I have been loving it. Last night the dogs were all cuddled up in their blankets and the cats were curled around me on the sofa. The little dog, Harley, has his own little Snuggie. So cute....I'll have to share pictures. So...hope everyone has a nice evening. I'll be remembering our Judy in our prayers....actually both of you!!! Ann

Darn it....I keep losing my posts. I posted around 1:30 today and popped back in to add something, just to find my post didn't make it the first time. Oh well...it's now time to head home for the day so I'll wait until tomorrow to catch everyone up on my little bitty corner of the world!!! Hope everyone stays warm tonight. I love the cooler weather when I'm home and all cozied up with all my furbabies!!! Ann

Wow...what a great crowd we have here today!!! Lots of fun reading everyone's latest news. I'm always amazed at how much good a little "fresh air" can do for me!!! KW Judy...are you chilly yet? We got really cool during the night and I figure it takes a while for the front to move down to where you are. Our high today hasn't even reached 50. On top of the cold front, we've been having winds up to 40 mph and that makes the chill travel right through you. I was all bundled up this morning to come to work. It's supposed to be down to 30 here where we are and that's very unusual for an area this close to the coast. Too bad tomorrow isn't a sleep in morning, I love the cooler weather but hate to have to face it early in the morning. I had to run to Walgreen's this morning and pick up some Claritan, as my allergies have been going absolutely nuts. Not much sneezing involved but my eyes have been itching like mad. Pharmacist said this unseasonably warm weather has a lot of our grasses, plants and trees very confused. The Claritan helped the itching but also made my eyes very dry, so I'm stopping on the way home for a little bottle of eye lubricant for these now dry eyes. I can't seem to win at this!!! Judy...I love dumplings!!! When my boys were little, the dumplings were always their favorite thing and we would have a ton of dumplings and not so much chicken. Now, they like more meat but I still love the dumplings and can do without the chicken. This conversation makes me think of that poor guy up in KW Judy's tree....poor baby! Eric...don't feel at all bad about being mixed up on the days. I tell people that the only reason I work is so that I can keep my days straight. Even with that, i still maage to miss a few here and there. Well, the five o'clock whistle has blown and it's time for me to get out of here and head home to my warm jammies!!! Hope everyone has a nice evening. Stay warm and say a prayer for all of the people that don't have a warm home this evening. I have been so worried about all or the homeless people that live in the woods because it's going to be so cold tonight!!! Ann

Happy New everyone !!! We had a great Friday and Saturday night but yesterday I felt terrible and spent the first day of 2012 in bed. I kept feeling like my creeping-crud-cold was coming back yesterday, but today I feel fine...just a little draggy. So sorry to hear that you have the shingles, Katie. I had the same thing a few years ago and was very lucky that I got to the doctor in time to get meds in my system before things got really bad. Hope you have the same luck with getting better and having little pain. So sorry to hear about your rooster, KW Judy. Maybe you'll have to find another one for Stan as a New Year's gift!!! Hope everyone has a great day.

Happy New Year to all my LCSC friends !!! I wanted to hop on now and send wishes for a happy and healthy 2012, as I may not be on the computer again before Saturday evening. I have exactly 34 more minutes before I open the office door and RUN out for the weekend. I love getting out of here at 3:00 on Fridays. It just makes the weekend seem a wee bit longer. Although we have to work on Monday (ugh) it will be a nice weekend. Tonight our Legion Riders are having their All-You-Can-Eat Fried Chicken dinner. Not a very "festive" menu but we do this every month that has five Fridays and today is the 5th Friday. It's amazing how many dinners we serve on this night. Tomorrow night, we're having our first ever New Year's Eve party at the Post. We're having a buffet dinner with a prime rib carving station, live band, champagne, favors and free rides home...yippee!!! I'm going to be one of the designated drivers, as I'm not a big drinker. Should be fun to drive people home that are too wasted to remember where they live. I should have some great stories for this board on Monday! So...hope everyone has a great weekend. I love you all!!! Ann

Hello, friends. Good to hear that everyone is having a good day and getting a lot accomplished. KW Judy....if you get bored cleaning your house, you can hop in the car and drive to my house....just a few hours north...lol. When I do the touch up cleaning, I always find that something needs a good "deep" cleaning and I end up spending way too much time on one area. Hope your dinner goes well. I love entertaining will everything is well planned and prepared. Judy in MI...your scenario with the computer puts a whole new twist on "cleaning up files." So sorry that happened. I love computers but get very frustrated at times. My son got me an IPhone and I'm going crazy learning to use it. I can't believe how "hi tech" this thing is and have absolutely no idea why I even need half of these features.

Happy Tuesday, Judy, Judy and Randy! It sounds like everyone survived Christmas and all of the hustle and bustle associated with the day! KWJudy...can't wait to see the pic of you wearing your new hat! I know you look adorable and you couldn't have selected a better photographer. Judy in Mi...saying prayers that when the phone rings, the news will be good. I am so grateful to be finally feeling a bit better today. I still have some sinus congestion but am feeling much better. Sunday marked the two week point for this cold of mine and I am more than ready for it to move on!!! Hubby has been sick for a week with the same thing but he seems to have more coughing than I did. But, yesterday we were both feeling better. On Friday, we were seriously considering calling the kids and telling them they were going to have to make other arrangements for Christmas dinner, as we were both too sick to cook, much less do all the needed cleaning and tidying up. But.. I did a lot of praying and we somehow managed to pull off a great family dinner. I, for one, believe I am more than ready for a brand new year!!! Ann

Richard, I am so very sorry for your loss. Geri was a good friend to us here at LCSC and we will miss her very much!!!

Good morning everyone. I just wanted to pop in this morning to open the windows so "the air" could start to flow. Today is my last day at work until Tuesday and I am thrilled to have some "Me" time, if only for a few days. I still have a lot to get accomplished before Christmas, but it will get done...as always. Here's wishing all my LCSC friends a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY HOLIDAY to those of you that don't celebrate Christmas. I hope you all have special time with loved ones and have the opportunity to remember and celebrate the meaning of this season. Ann

Good morning, Judy. Glad you were here this morning to open up the windows and let the air flow. So sorry to hear about your water problems this morning but it sounds like you're a very resourceful person, finding ways to make good use of your free time. I'm still fighting this cold and am determined to beat it!!! I have talked to so many people that went to the doctor and were given antibiotics, only to take the entire prescription and still feel no better. I'm going to try and hang on a few more days and see if I can just get this thing to fade away gracefully. I don't like taking meds and I hate going to my doctor, as every time I go he seems to find ways to get me to spend my money on tests. Our insurance plan isn't the greatest and it all adds up quickly. If I had a serious cough or was heavily congested in my chest, I would not hesitate to call for an appointment. But this all seems to be head/ throat congestion. I'm trying to get with the program and raise my spirits but it's being really hard. My boss, who should understand, called me in the office this morning to talk to me about my "down" attitude and that I should leave my "problems" at the door when I come in. He understands that this is a bad time of year for me but my "down" attitude affects the others in the office. I can't believe this. It's not like I talk about what happened 9 years ago. I'm just quiet and obviously distant. Oh well....guess this is something else I need to add to my resume....NO FEELINGS....HANDLES LOSS WELL. Hope everyone has a great day. I'm working hard on getting my jolly back!!! Ann

Good morning, Judy and Eric. I was going to post yesterday but was having one heck of a time with the site, so I just decided to wait until today to post. I made it through yesterday, flying by the seat of my pants. I tried to stay busy and keep the date completely out of my head!!! Now that yesterday's passed, I'm hoping I can get a little "ho-ho" spirit going on in my heart. Having this terrible cold is really hampering all of the work and chores that I have to get done. It's terribly slow here at work, as it usually is at this time of year, and I am thinking of all the things I could be getting done if I were just at home. Eric...you get your decorating started and I'll use Judy as motivation to start the house cleaning that I've been putting off...deal??? Tomorrow should be a really nice family day. We're all going to see a live performance of The Nutcracker and then having a nice family dinner out. No cooking involved. Hope everyone has a great weekend. It's supposed to hit the high 70's here today but a cold front is coming with some cooler temperatures for next week....YIPPEE!!! Ann

Well, today is December 15th and, once again, I feel numb. I think I am at peace with the world today, knowing that I have my angel watching over me and helping me along this path called life. Last night, as I closed my eyes to sleep, I prayed that God would give me the courage to carry on and to live for those that need me to live. I remembered the last night that Dennis was alive and God helped me to remember that all of those memories weren't wonderful ones. For Dennis, there was much pain, suffering and confusion. For me, my heart was broken and I was scared for what would happen, much as I am today. As I lay there, I recalled the little verse about loving something and being able to set it free. I loved Dennis more than life itself and I was able to set him free....free to be with God and free from the pain and agony that was filling his body. Funny, the last 8 Decembers have been bad, really bad but nothing compared to this one. One would think there is nothing particularly important about nine years. But...this has been the very worst. Maybe there's something important in my life that the number nine signifies...maybe I'm just getting older and the hurt is deeper. Whatever the reason, my heart is broken today!!!