surviving back in the saddle

Whew! I am hating TV, can only stay with reading a short time, Phil and I are attempting conversation but since we are confined here, there isn't much we don't know about one another. btw, Phil is officially finished with UMD. He graded his last paper day before yesterday. Now what? He does get to the golf course almost daily (I encourage).

Can't wait to see El and PT again. Some time needs to pass before El will be able to jump into my arms. I love her to pieces-she has personality oozing out her pores. Little PT looks so sweet in his pictures. He is really a love of a baby.

Weather in southwest FL is glorious. Every morning I go out on the lanai with a cup of tea and just gaze at the pool and the palms. Then the sun gets a little hot by mid morn and I go indoors til the shade comes back again. The only frustration is that as I sit outside, I can think of dozens of jobs to be done in the garden. Not sure how soon I can be hauling 25 pounds of potting soil about or dragging filled pots around. Right now that scenario seems remote. The bottom line may well be that Phil and I will have to hire someone to do heavy jobs. Since we have never done that, the loss of that kind of independence seems awful. I do realize that adjustments have to be made all through life and the happiest folks seem to be the ones who just go with the flow. I don't think we have been "go with the flow" types in the past. We are trying.

Strength comes back almost without realization. I find myself thinking of just one little ladder project-only 3 steps or so, to hang some outdoor fabric panels. I think the look would be dramatic and would provide some privacy on the lanai. The sewing machine is already threaded with the appropriate thread. All we need is the ironing board and some energy to get going. I wouldn't be able to live without the sewing. Life simply would not be as satisfying.

We are set to go to China in August with a group from Washington and Lee Univ. in Virginia. We leave August 5 and return at the end of the month. We are visiting some places we have not seen before and there is a cruise of the Yangtse River and a side trip to Tibet. Will this be our last trip to China? Maybe. Even after having been there 4 times, there are places we haven't seen. But maybe we should do some other things while we still can. This summer's trip ends with several days in Hong Kong. I am looking forward to doing some shopping and comparing Hong Kong to the Hong Kong we visited 20 years ago.

We will be traveling with 2 other couples from Phil's Air Force days in Turkey. Talk about long time friendships. Both the other guys were in the Navy and sort of adopted Phil while they were stationed in Turkey. I believe the common interest among these guys was PARTIES. Now they are much more subdued but still like to relive some of their youth. Because of them, I have learned a few Turkish words but have also learned not to use them in public because the precise meaning may not be what the Turks understand. The guys had a sort of pigeon Turkish invented on the base and I doubt the Turks would appreciate it.

Well, it's getting close to my morning nap time here in the nursing home. Please keep in touch all of you and other cousins, etc. who don't share blogs, please consider joining. It's a great way to stay together. Grandpop would approve.

Love each other.

Jeanie