Good stuff, my eldest GREAT granddaughter will graduate high school next month........ my eldest grandaughter is here in Gainesville and I enjoy her company at times......others scattered. 2 grandsons living here too.... others scattered.

Two kitties and I are doing OK.....keep busy. Don't do Book sorting anymore, when pandemic hit most of we elders had to stay out too long and they replaced us....with younger folk.
I keep busy, but have problems with my right leg so cuts out on working in the yard much anymore. However, I do go to physical therapy twice a week and walk when the weather is nice....dreading the hot summer though....

Gonna try and pop in more, find out what all of you are up to. Please forgive me for "disappearing"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DIANE!

house open and in the 70s today, very pleasant....had good walk about 2. doing my physical therapy twice a week and it is helping me keep moving... trying to avoid any more surgery at my age - anesthesia not good for elderly.

don't know if I posted, but got great-grandson #7 in the fall. not seen in. person but pics are great, he's growing fast.

My 2 cats are grown and happy, and such joy and great company. they keep me moving and f rom sitting too much.

Hope all of you are well and stay so.

hope all of your are well and had a wonderful Christmas or Hannkukah!

Teddy and Fred came through Gainesville for booksale once, and spent the night with me....lovely couple. Went all over in their camper...... seems so many of our ebay group have passed on....................I feel blessed at 85 to still be around.
I wish ebay had not changed and gotten so hard and expensive...................got lots of stuff I could sell, but it is just too much of a hassle with all the new rules, and the price of postage etc.

Got my flu and covid boosters the past 2 weeks, so hoping to stay well over the winter months. I am looking forward to walking in comfy weather..............just was way too hot over the summer, I can always add clothes, hats, mittens, scarfs..but hot weather is another story,and I will not walk in the dark.

FOL book sale was last week.....didn't work it, all we "oldies" kinda been put out to pasture, it has gotten so big and hectic.
I so far have not heard how much they made..............gonna make a phone call and find out.

This coming weekend is the Fall Book Sale...................I am not working it - my legs/back just don't last long enough anymore for hours on that concrete floor..............hoping they will have good clear weather for it.........looks that way so far. Starts Saturday through next Wednesday............

Early voting going on nearby, so traffic and parking might be a problem..........hope not. VOTE first, then come buy a bunch of great books!

I have a new great grandson.............born in October. #7 th great grandchild. Sadly, 3 of them I have not met or held...only see pics or videos....but that is better than nothing.

Sister and I not doing any cruising this fall or winter... the ship part is fine but the getting there to sail and then back home has become a PITA..............whatever.

Sorry, I didn't know JoAnn had passed. Should keep in touch more.. sorry.

I turned 85 in September..............only 2 aunts on my dad's side of the family have made it longer.. I hope to keep on keeping on to 90 or above..... will take all I can get. I am doing PT 2 x a week to stay strong.............oops...time to go there now..................cya later

#7 great grandchild came last week, a sweet, chubby 8lb.4oz baby boy...........mom, dad and he are all fine.

My PT for tomorrow was cancelled, storm affecting lots all over Florida..............PT twice a week and walking daily when weather permits is keeping me going, so doctor says he will write Rx for PT as long as they can stand having me......keeping me moving............ am blessed.

I had a neighbor volunteer to help me move large flower pots, lawn furniture, etc.... was very thoughtful and helpful.
I am dreading the next 24=36 hours, lots of bad memories of Andrew = hoping this one behaves a bit better.

Am tired, time to hit the shower and pile up and READ to sleepy time...............night all... cya tomorrow!

I have been having health problems too..............but talking about them doesn't help so just keep on keeping on. I will be 85 this month, and guess slowing down is to be expected.

Am anxiously awaiting news of birth of my expected 7th Great Grandchild.. due tomorrow. Hope I get to see/hold/love on him before I am gone. They don't live here.

Many of the old BB group are on my Facebook list and I see and hear from them there.

Well, time to shower and prop up with my book for the night............................. love to all of you..............I too miss the old board................ stay well everyone.

Thanks Kurt..... and belated Happy Birthday!

We have had some really bad weather, and more due overnight tonight... My sister in Mobile said they had 6.35 inches of rain yesterday/last night at the airport there....that's a lot of rain.

Beth: I must made a similar decision with the recommendation of my doctor, my doctor daughter and 2 others not to have surgery on a Femoral artery blockage in my right leg where I had a knee replaced in 2018. Their worries were the anesthesia at my age of 84... I could awaken with a fixed artery, but with lots fewer working brain cells. Happens often to elderly patients. My PT twice a week has allowed my leg to "grow" new arteries and veins according to the pics from the exam, and bypassing the blockage. I agree, I can use a cane, a walker, a wheelchair, but would like to keep my working brain cells, so I cancelled the surgery.

Diane: Sorry you have been having such an awful episode with your health, just take you time and get your strength back and feel better soon.

Oh, I have great-grandson #7 due on Sept. 7th...... maybe I told you already, can't remember. brains too full...........LOL!

Stay well and safe everyone................... oh , I don't do much on computer anymore, as I had to have the joint of the pointer finger on my left hand opened and cleaned and a steel screw into the end of it...so that finger doesn't bend at all and the middle finger is growing the same thing.... I am a lefty... and typing is becoming very aggravating, have to keep correcting mistakes.......................

love to everyone.....................

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIM! Hope it was special!

Looks like we are getting our first taste of summer later this week.... expecting high80s low 90s.... Gee, still spring!

Hope all are well.........happy, content, and enjoying every day!

Night all!

Hope you have a good outcome.... think you might be a bit younger than I.........

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIANE!

Surgery for Friday cancelled....got some advice, talked to some people, and decided at 84 I was not willing to take the risk of 5-6 hours of anesthesia................gonna get back to the PT, the gym, my walking and let my leg keep growing new arteries and veins like the x-rays show............. several MDs advised me against it............and I was edgy anyway.... will keep on keeping on.

Haven't read the board..... oops, doorbell.............BBL

Sweet dreams everyone!

Hello everyone - not much to share..........just marking time til the surgery..........trying to stay healthy, one SIL has covid. EEK.

Goodnight, sleep well.....................

We have crazy weather = one day rain, a day of "slight frost", a day of wind, a day of sun, warm day in AM and cool later or vice versa.... craziest end of winter I ever remember.... was in high 70s several days lately and 40s at night... weird.
At least no floods, wild fires, tornadoes, etc................so guess we are blessed and should be thankful. I am!

I got some good news this week - GREAT-GRANDSON #7 IS DUE IN EARLY SEPTEMBER! I have 2 "greats" I haven't met in person as yet - they are scattered all over.............my middle daughter's 6 kids are the parents of all of them.

Everything is beginning to bloom here, and the spring/summer birds are returning.................I saw 2 "v"s of sandhill cranes heading NW last week, a bit early for them to be heading north, especially with the weather bands moving across the country, but guess nature knows things we don't. I love to hear them calling...

Just marking time till March 15 - trying to behave and not do any damage (wow, just hit me "Beware the Ides of March" - LOL! oh well,.......................................

Hard to believe 2 months are already gone............2024 is in "zoom mode" for me anyway.........

OK< lunch time.....................enjoy you day all......................

Well, spring has sprung here in No. Central Florida, the azaleas are starting to bloom, my yellow jasmine bush is producing flowers, the trees have small spring buds/green sprouts, guess our "winter" is over......unless we get an unexpected cold snap. Will be in the mid 70s here this afternoon.

My kitties, Puddin and Sweet Pea are loving the warmer weather, on screened patio watching all the birds in and out. I have tons of birds............and they "watch bird tv" and love it. Hard to believe they are 4 now.

My "baby sister" turned 80 last Thursday, so we are both now Octogenarians! Wish we lived closer together, but neither of us wants to move.... she has been in her house since 1954 and I have been here 20 years by myself. Thank heavens for Facetime, we get coffee and get on facetime every afternoon and try and understand the world.

Haven't read the board, hope all are well..............we have got all the spring flowers/trees budding and blooming here, we really have had NO winter to speak of..... Azaleas, yellow jasmine, dogwood budding, as are peach, pear trees etc. If we do get a freeze, it will all die back.

Middle daughter and SIL came down for a couple of days, he needed to check on his 87 yr. old dad who is a bit ornery and very introverted. Poor John, dad wasn't very helpful with what John was trying to do to help.

2 daughters and their hubbies here doing well, and the 9 grandkids and 6 great grands too, so am blessed.

Today is my sister's 80th birthday, so we are both now octogenarians - with all that allows....LOLOLOLOL!

off to read the board and catch up........ need to think about dinner, haven't the faintest!

All of you having awful weather, I feel for you...........I watch the waves of it, one after another......frightening. We have actually had a very mild winter - was 72 here yesterday.

June: re "bookstores" on know of 2 here anymore...........guess maybe that is why the FOL sales are so popular...lots of good reads at really great prices. 5 days this past Oct. they made over $175,000 - awesome.

Diane:. thanks but not my knee, it's in the thigh.......above the "fake knee" - all this time I have been "cursing" the knee replacement.....not the cause.

Been watching the Mardi Gras parades in Mobile on WKRG live feeds - they are holding their breaths daily with the weather moving through South.........tomorrow will be all day coverage of activities/parades, etc. Hope the weather doesn't wash it out. Lord, I loved Mardi Gras as a child and teen..............I really miss it. Thank heaven for TV.

Am really enjoying my winter bird population.........lots of little birds, cardinals, buntings, blue jays, doves, and of course the ever present black crows, boy are they greedy and noisy.
Sadly, our hawk population has diminshed, they are "clearing" uphill to build more houses, and the habitat for the birds and deer is shrinking every time they put in new streets.

Noon, gotta eat something.............. stay well, safe and dry everyone!

The leg which has a knee replacement has for quite a while been bothering me...heavy, tired pain, etc. Been going to PT twice a week thinking muscles needed strengthening............but just kept getting worse. Had heart and leg scans for arteries and veins..found an abnormality in that right leg above the knee area..
Last Wed. cardiologist went in to "clean it out" -right femoral artery - and found it was much larger obstruction than showed on scan and did nothing as it must be done surgically.
Am being referred to a vascular surgeon, seems it's gonna be a much more extensive fix than originally thought.
Am anxiously awaiting to hear from vascular surgeon for consult and plans to "fix" me. I am terrified it is going to break loose or leak or worse before they can fix it...................has not been a good 5 days.

now, to go read all about all of you....................................

All you folks living in the blizzard, frozen warning world today, please stay in, stay safe, warm and well!

Dreary here, but no danger warning yet today....hope it stay that way.

Anyone besides me to the point that you just don't want to turn on the TV news or read the news......... what a mess of a world we have now...................... sad..................(think our alien neighbors are sprinkling "crazy dust" on our planet?)

Hope you upEasters who are now getting that mess with all the snow come out OK................been a harrowing 24-36 hours.
Sister in Mobile came through OK too.

Goodnight all........................

I didn't stay up for midnight either...............fireworks in neighborhood was less than years past....but I just took out my hearing aids and went to sleep before the "witching hour". Cats too.........they weren't as "squirrely this year"

Flu, RSV and covid appearing more and more here...........imagine it will get worse with all the travel
ing that was done over the last 2 weeks....School starting back up, so it'll be interesting to watch.

Weird warm weather here and my azaleas are beginning to bloom, about 2 months too soon. If we have a freeze they will be done for this year.... always enjoy them so much, remind me of home. Mobile, The Azalea City...................

Wishing all a very pleasant and happily eventful 2024...................and good health!

Christmas OK, went to youngest DD Lisa's on Christmas Day for Brunch - her Swiss in-laws in for the season, and was lovely to meet my daughters SIL and her husband...their 2 daughters arrived today and they will be here through 1/11 - was lovely.
Chistmas Day went to eldest DD Chris' home on Christmas Eve - just 5 of us and she did lazagna, make your own salad and French Garlic Bread...was most enjoyable and not a huge work job. Chris is the one who had the brain aneurysm 21 years ago..... (gee, long time) and she is amazing. Her son Michael and his wife were there.
Our family has much to be thankful for...............

don't know if I posted, but my ex-husband passed away Nov 10 from multiple cancers and illnesses. He fought hard, like he did most of his life....... we had 44 yrs. together.

Am dreading New Years Eve....I have a fireworks-crazy neighborhood and the poor animals just don't know where to go or what to do. I shut down, turn on a good movie, pile up in bed and pray for 1AM to come and quiet.
Hoping 2024 will be a nicer year, but not sure that will happen............news is not good, politics are stinky and dirty, and am already tired of the campaigning..................oh well, it is what is has become.............

Hoping for a healthy year ahead....at 84, things are slowing down and I am fighting what I can............I accept every day I get with a thank you and look forward to each new morning I am given.

I now am not just grano9 but, GreatGran of 6, hard to believe!

Off to eldest DD and family this afternoon and will be with other here in town tomorrow. Middle DD in Tenn I will FaceTime with tomorrow!

Wishing you all a super holiday season!

BETH: so sorry to hear of all your health problems..............be good to yourself and hope you get some relief quickly.

JIM: Holiday cruise sounds nice.....where in the world are you headed this trip? Have a great Christmas.

DIANE: Your tree is lovely...............but so much work. I haven't put one up for 3 yrs now.........just put out some of my favorite decor, put a string of lights on the silk tree in the den, decorate the mantel, dining room table and wreath on the door. No outdoor lights this year...............no climbing ladders or standing on stools......... Enjoy you good work!

Hi to JANE AND JUNE.....................and anyone else I missed.

Will be right here for the holidays. My youngest daughters' husbands' sister and family coming in from Switzerland. Lisa and Patrick went there a couple of Christmases a go, and now they are coming for 2-3 weeks.... looking forward to meeting them- sure they are just a lovely as Patrick is...........will be interesting.

Stay as well and germ free as you can over the holidays.................. oh, eldest DD helped me clean out the closet in my computer room the other day..........I got rid of a lot of stuff. We are going to move from room to room and discard and rearrange. As I said, no climbing anymore, and lifting is getting harder....time to pitch and ditch!

Oh,remember my eldest DD Chris that had the brain aneurysm in 2001? She is turning 64 today...........she is a walking miracle................and I am greatful everyday for the medical science of today!

Wed total - $4,512.00. (Dime day)

Sale gross total - $179,622.36

I didn’t work this sale, wanted no germs before trip tomorrow!
Lots of hard working volunteers just get more and more each year!

Dramlin- shingles, yuck! So sorry

Diane: glad you had a great trip and just rode.

Getting packing started for cruise - off to Ft, Lauderdale Friday, sail Saturday earlier than normal.
Holland Eurodam to the small Eastern Caribbean islands for 11 days. Will be so glad to hug my sister, we have only FaceTimed since 2019.

It’s FOL FALL BOOKSALE WEEK, yesterday they sold A great start: Our Saturday sale amount was $97,037.19 worth . I am not working as I don’t want to acquire any germs to ruin my trip!

Grano9 is now GreatGran of 6—— the eldest is 15 and the youngest 2 are both 3 yrs. My lordy, where has the time gone!

Very quiet weekend..............did some reading, British TV show watching, and just killing time.
Started off today with semi-annual dental checkup and cleaning - got a gold star * - gee, cleaning and xrays has gone sky high.
DIANE: Glad you had a great trip for the wedding.............you drove? Wow, you are brave!
Dramlin: hello down under, how are things with y ou.

Anne: No ladders or step stools, etc. for me anymore either...........I'm dangerous enough on solid ground... but it sure is a pain to depend on others favors or hiring someone for something I used to just DO

Have a good week all...........am ready for FALL to Fall...........how about you?

Been busy, and stupid, and running in circles. Yesterday I tripped myself and fell in garage...thankfully I had old throw rugs and runners around the car...so didn't bleed/break, etc. but boy am I sore today....was a dumb step I made, just not paying attention.

Got my latest Covid booster today.............now waiting to see if cruise line is going to ask for a 48 hour virus free certified test to board....hope not...........ship sails on the 8th, but we are flying to Ft. Lauderdale on the 7 and spending the night to be sure that we get there in proper time.....we would have to have a test on Thursday, certified...we will wait and see.

Pass the word to other FB folks that are old BBers, would love to "friend them" - if they feel like it........

FOL Book Sale is the week Oct. 21-25th... I will not work this one as I don't want to be around that crowd that week and chance catching the crud................the bookhouse is bursting at the seams............hope they have good weather.

Our cruise isn't til Oct. 28th - Nov 8..............out of Ft. Lauderdale..........so I will pop in and out occasionally.

Oh, and I got back on Facebook today (nice BD present....) PATSY SANDERS.............. if you are on, send a friends request if you want. I have missed everyone....just don't mention I got bumped off, as I used a new IP address to sign in and I don't want them checking me too close.

Today has been a good day...a bit quiet... had dinner with one DD and her husband last night......was good... eldest daughter came by this AM for a visit and brought me an awesome potted plant. Many emails and birthday cards... I feel blessed..............thanks to all the good wishes from you guys.................

gotta go rattle some pots/pans in the kitchen...gonna eat kinda light tonight.

Hi Ann................have missed you and all on Facebook...........have lost track of so many people. Connie and I are so looking forward to our trip...........thanks for the good wishes.

about AI - not sure I understand it much....but from what I hear from those w ho do, you may not be speaking to a person most of the time............or a real company or a human at all................kinda scary for and old 83 yr. old... Yikes~

Sad to hear about Ellen, but good to hear that Laurie is still about -

Gotta rattle some pots and pans and feed myself................am so looking to cooler weather and some fall/winter stick to your ribs food............... (oh and I am trying to control A1c to stay off insulin with my diet and it is no fun. High BP, High Cholesterol and High A1c doesn't leave much room for variety of good tasting food. (I know, bitch, bitch, bitch)

If I missed any birthdays, Happy Birthday.........have kinda been in a funky haze for a couple of weeks, niggling medical stuff and the heat is just awful............be so glad to see fall temps.

Sister and I looking forward to our cruise in October, will spend Halloween at sea and am so looking forward to getting away...it's been over 3 yrs. since we have been together except for FACETIME daily -(that has been a blessing). Am a bit worried about cats being here for 12 days alone 24/7 but daughter and SIL will come feed them daily.... but Punkin will definitely miss me letting him in and out onto the screened back porch through the day.... Sweet Pea is just content to stay in the A/C and nap off and on.... hope they don't freak while I am gone. Used to board my pets, but prices now prohibitive. ACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a doctor appt. in a bit so will close.............please keep all those in the hurricane cone in your thoughts............hope it doesn't become a real nightmare..............

Our weather is just miserable, very hot, humid, bad thunder/rain/wind storms day after day and where they "say" it's going to be it isn't, and vice versa. I hate summer, be so glad to see fall, but fall is even getting warmer (as is winter here).

Sister and I have scheduled a cruise for 10/28-11/8 in the Eastern Caribbean - counting the days. We Facetime daily, but we haven't been in each other's company since our last cruise we returned from on 2/21/19.............and I have only be out of this county ONCE in 3 years...and that was about a month ago. Really looking forward to the cruise, we have missed 3 yrs. of vacations.........bummer.

Jim: I agree about the decor............I have white walls and cabinets, but I have lots of colorful wall decor, colored carpets (which need replacing and I don't want to have to empty all the bookcases to get that done), and colorful stuff on my tables, etc. I couldn't live with that bland decor............no the black/grey/white. I like color.

talking of "non-human" biological matter, I saw a clip this AM that scientists melted glacial waters millions of years old and a worm came to life and wiggled away, was a video...................... do I believe it or not? in today's world of AI, who knows.

June: I have heard them called "rain lillies" - they are lovely.

Hope bookdelle and Beth of Vt. are ok...............those floods are terrifying.

Diane: Guess Pensacola has been having the same nasty weather as my sister in Mobile with heavy storms and high"feels-like" temps... She has gotten lots of lousy weather.............

I am still walking daily, but awake at 6:30 and get out the door before 7....using a cane, as my leg with knee implant is acting up - am in PT 2x a week to try and stay strong.... living alone gotta be - cats can't help much..... but they are such a joy.......... DD and her hubby gonna feed them while I am on my cruise, but they are going to get lonely I know....and will miss being out on the back screened porch. (I can't get them in carriers to board them anywhere...theyhate those carriers, and would cost be about $1K dollars for 12 days..................prices sure have changed.

Speaking of prices, gasoline is $3.79.9/gal here in Gainesville, and groceries have gone up too............yowza!

On Cousins..................My sister and I only had 5 - 2 boys where we lived (both dead now) and 3 in South Carolina we never saw/met - finally met youngest at one of the other 2 boys funerals....was kind of bizarre.
There is/was a 6th, an out of wedlock boy who was named Douglas and put up for adoption when I was about 9 yrs. old.
I have often wondered where he ended up and where he is and if he is still alive - he would be about 74 if still living.

I often envied large families that had big reunions and vacations together and memories to share over a lifetime.

CRUISE SCHEDULED - sister and I have an 11-day eastern Carribean cruise schedule end of October to Nov. 7 - two ports we have been to before, but several smaller island that are quieter and less travelled. I don't care where it is going, I just want to get out of Alachua County and get onboard a ship and just drop-out for 11 days. Only problem is the 2 cats, I can get neither in a carrier (they just go stiff) and the cost of boarding has become prohibitive.

Happy Birthday Carol (bookdelle) and anyone I have recently missed.

Time marches on..... I have the 9 grandkids (eldest will be 40 in August) and 6 "greatgrands, (eldest 15, youngest 2 are 2 - (5 girls and 1 boy) Hard to believe at times. The youngest 2 I have only seen in videos or pictures, they were born during pandemic and live in different places. Maybe someday.............

3 weeks ago, I went out of Alachua county for the 1st time in 3 yrs........ went to visit my "ex-husband" in ST. Augustine who is very seriously ill with liver, pancreas, intestinal cancers and Transverse Myelitis..... he is a ghost of his former self, and it was extremely sad to see him in that condition. I count my blessing that so far I am pretty healthy for almost 84.

well, enough..................better get something "accomplished" before I have PT at 3...............still walking every day it's not raining, but dreading the summer heat.

GAIL: About the FOL SALE.......... they missed 2 years because of Covid, but the last two sales have been OK... they changed lots of rules - limiting number of shoppers in bldg...... at a time....as some leave the line moves forward. (not sure I like that, standing out in the Fla. hot sun is not pleasant...even for cheap books. Also, lots of new worker, many of we older ones have not been able to return for health reasons..... I haven't worked a sale in 3 years........... and the finally decided to accept credit cards as well as cash and checks, and it has improved the income.

That said - the total for the sale this spring was $179,113.00 - all on donated books and volunteer labor.

My sister and I have made reservations for a Halloween cruise to the Eastern Carribean this fall. I can hardly wait.
11 days - 10/28 - 11/7 - out of Ft. Lauderdale. We will NOT drive to Ft. Lauderdale as we have done before, our old bodies can't take the time and hysteria of South Fla. driving....so we will meet in Atlanta and fly together the day before the cruise.... same on return - back to Atlanta and then fly to our individual homes.