Hi everyone...the temps are expected to hit fall-like lows the next few days...not sure if I like that, since I know what's coming

Barb...sweetie. Who would've thought that you'd have to escape to the north during the summer??? Our summer was warm the last half--the first half was wonderful. The winters are awful I agree. Perhaps you could go down south for a month and stay with your sister, and stay up here the rest of the year? I always feel that I need to leave the area in late February, right before spring thaws begin.
You could live outside of the city limits of Chicago....there are nice, quiet 'burbs with wonderful condos or townhouses. And you know how great the docs are. My neuro is an hour away but well worth the trip!! And I have all of the universities whose docs come out to the 'burbs, so I don't have to drive into Chicago.

Think about it...come on up and visit me. Once we move in we will have plenty of beds for a visitor!

Well, hope all of you are well. We move out in two weeks. We are still feeling a bit overwrought about leaving our haven- which, IMHO, is the best reason to leave; I recall how my in laws cocooned in their haven until they only went to the grocery store and doctors. We need to change it up just to get a bit out of our comfort zone. And like my DIL says, if we don't like it, we can move. I look forward to having a laundry room on the second floor, instead of schlepping it down two floors to the basement. And as much as I will miss my fish, there is a natural pond out back that I don't have to take care of. I especially won't miss the pond now that algae has taken over yuck...
My yard is what I will miss most..but we can create a new haven

Take care all...have a wonderful day

Today is such a beautiful day, here in GA. Just a few more weeks till the GBs are here and I'm nearly bouncing off the walls in excitement, especially because the week before the GBs get here I'll be cooling off even more (hopefully) in OH! So many great things all at once. I have my aunt and uncle down from WA who are thinking of staying here, GBs coming, a trip to go on and my DH is out of the house right now off to start his bow-hunting for the season.

Poor DH had to sit up in a tree through the rain storms we had and still hasn't hit a deer. (He's been hunting for the past 5 seasons and no Bambi's have been injured in the making of his hunting career ) But it's a great break for me, since he's off in the woods and I'm chilling at the house. My folks took me out to our favorite restaurant, my aunt and uncle came and stayed the night, we chatted well past our bedtimes, all the while DH was getting drowned in a tree

Hi everyone...wherever you are

The leaves seem to be changing early this year...NOOO...

We are finishing our packing before the move next week. We are moving out next Wednesday and closing on the new house on Friday. The movers are going to store our stuff for three days. We will stay with DS & DIL...we are excited to move into our new place and feel so frustrated waiting...

Leaving tomorrow for two weeks in Illnois, South Bend, Indiana, and Michigan. Of course my knee decided this afternoon to get really stiff and hurt alot whenever I walk. Hoping that it goes away quickly.

Debbie, Good luck on your move. It feels like we are have been abandoned by most poeple on this thread.

Wow, this thread has gone quiet!!

Hi all...whew, finally moved into our new home. It was so difficult saying goodbye to our home of 36 years, and the neighbors and fish.

But once we unlacked (well, about 2/3rds), I don't even think about the old place. We have a lovely natural pond out back with grasses surrounding it. The view is gorgeous, and I don't have to take care of this pond

Our new home is everything we always dreamed of owning. The laundry room is upstairs which helps me greatly; I don't have to carry wash up and down two flights any longer. the stairs are a straight shot rather than a curved design in case I ever need a lift, and we made all of the pertinent doorways 36" in case I ever need a wc.

My body has not been happy with all of the lifting, carrying, etc. Trying to take it easier the past day or so to see if I can recover. Crushing fatigue has hit too. But it's all good!

Our pup still seems a bit confused. He hasn't quite found his place to call his own. And since the yard is newly sodded we can't throw a ball for him. We need to take him to a park soon to let him run free.

Hope everyone is doing well...

Back from Michigan. The weather was lovely. The trees had not changed as much as I had hoped. I guess it has been warmer than usual. I had to deal with some back and leg pain while I was gone. I overdid it yesterday (my first full day home) and i could barely move last night without crying from the pain. The worst of it is in the middle of my back where I have 2 lesions. I am hoping that the pain eases up a bit now that I am hme.

Debbie, I Saw the picture of you new home on FB. It looks lovely. I am going to start house hunting after Christmas. My lease runs through the end of June, so i do not want to have to pay double payments for too long. Apartment living is just not for me. Been dealing with ants and crickets again since I returned. I just want a small home on one floor with a garage. I may have to go for a new one if I can't find anything I like.

Good luck with your new home Debbie. So nice when you get settled. Doggy will soon adjust.

Welcome back Barb. Hope you find a new home just fit for you.

Feel better.

Hi there! It's in the high 60s today, but 20s are expected tonight...

Everyone is settled in nicely...pup loves it here. There is a dog park about 2 miles from here that Sonny loves to visit. I also throw the ball around for him in the yard.
We have gotten most of the rooms done except for pictures and things put in drawers in the studies. We bought 2 mattress sets for the extra bedrooms for when the kids from out of town come in. Got them for a steal We have been putting blinds up in the bedrooms; going to wait to put drapes and blinds in downstairs, since we want to spend a bit more to put nice things in.

All in all, we love the place. We went up to the cabin for a few days last week and couldn't wait to get back to the new house. That's a good sign

Hope everyone is well...

Life is finally getting back to normal after DH was in hospital for 3 weeks. I was pretty upset that after 9 days in rehab he was ready to go home. He could have stayed longer but that was the goal he had set for himself. I tried to tell him how exhausted I was and was not ready for him to be home yet but he insisted and really he was ready so he came home. So there I was, instead of fixing me something light like sandwiches or soup all my meals, I was having to fix 2 meals a day, his laundry, and jsut basically be worried about him all the time.

He didn't do to well at first. He thought and so did I that as soon as he got home his appetite would be better since he wasn't eating instutional food. But no, he jsut had no appetite and especially sweet things were awful for him. after reading up a bit, this was normal for meningitis. Also his blood pressure was dreadfully low all the time. I mean 70/40 low. He tolerated it fairly well and was dizzy only a couple of times. doctor put him on a pill that makes you retain fluids and that would make his B/P go up. Well it didn't but it made him have some pretty swollen legs. It eventually all worked out, b/P came up, appetite is fully back. He has not continued his therapy at home except walking at the mall. So other than generalized weakness he is OK. Of course there is still the issue of his ulcerative colitis of which who knows when it will finally respond to the IV infusions. I am rested, we have a nice routine.