As I write these journal entries, I hope you are not bored with them! Ever have a friend or relative invite you over to view pictures of their latest vacation or adventure. Please feel free to leave if you don’t want to hear everything LOL. Alas, I have no pictures to show you, as I didn’t bring my camera, didn’t want to have to bring along anything else that might have weighed me down

I spoke with my oldest daughter in Fargo ND for a little while. Actually last nite I had called, but I didn’t leave a message – so she called me this morning to see how everything was going. I’ll talk more with her when I get home. We like to exchange jokes via email, and just chitchat – when she’s not working.

I can tell that I’m getting tired. Yesterday, we walked through Central Park – on day 4 we took a trip over the Tappin Zee bridge to Nyack. There we went to the Rockland Lake area, and walked around the lake, a 3 mile walk. We had mom’s wheelchair, and she sometimes held onto it, and walked, and other times she sat in it and let us push. It was a great walk – but 2 lengthy walks for me in 2 days is making my legs hurt. At least my back doesn’t hurt.

Drove around a little in downtown Nyack, saw a number of trendy stores (not like malls) and beautiful Victorian Homes. We have a few in our area, but it’s always nice to see how well kept these old homes are in other areas of the country.

The lake area is really nice and there were lots of people there – bikers, roller bladers, walkers, joggers, kids, adults, babies, and oh, yes dogs. We saw one lady walking her dog – actually the dog was in what looked like a stroller – the dog wasn’t walking, he was being pushed in the stroller. What a hoot!

Another dog that was being walked, was a cute little one, the woman walking him had to keep moving the leash around her body, as the dog would be walking on one side and then move in front, and onto the other side just to see what was going on and who was passing them. What was so tremendously funny, was that the husband was pushing the dog stroller behind the woman and the dog! He looked at us with such a sheepish grin -

The dog that was barking and whining all day long, the other day, is back. At he’s back to his old self of barking and whining all the time. My brother suggested that perhaps the people who own the dog couldn’t afford a kennel – or are looking for a house to move into and are staying where we are. It’s a Residence Inn, so complete with kitchen, frig, stove, microwave, utensils, cups, plates, and pots and pans. I might have mentioned that before – but hey – it bears repeating.

My sister-in-law cooked a lavish dinner for us last nite. She didn’t go with us to the lake – just my brother. We had roasted chicken with vegis – cut up turnips, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and carrots, that she roasted with the chicken. She put whole cranberry sauce and mandarin oranges on the top of the chicken. Wow it was good. Then she made green beans, salad, and dessert. As I might have mentioned, I’m going to need to go on a diet when I get home. I’m sure I’ve gained 5 lbs since I got here! Will my pants fit, to be able to go home? The waistband was a little snug when I got here – so I might be in trouble.

I had finished one of the books that I brought with me – Flyboys, and got out the 2nd one – only to find out that I had already read it! Wasn’t in the mood to re-read. So on our last day of vacation - Monday, we are supposed to go to Trader Joes – have never been in there and my neighbor back home had suggested we go to our local one which is about 40 miles away. So this way, I will see if it’s worth visiting. While there – I’ll pick  up a book – hope they have them, so I have something to read on the plane going home.

The weather on day 4 was a little better – not so cold, more in the 50′s than 40′s so that was ok.

I should have brought a back scratcher with me, my back itches all the time, must be the hard water and lack of soothing body wash. At home we have  very soft water and I use a sensitive skin body wash. So that works better, in addition I have 2 back scratchers around the house available for use. You never know you miss something until you don’t have it!!

We talked to my youngest daughter in GA after supper, and had a good long conversation. Afterwards, I noticed that there was a voicemail message on my cell phone. That was from my sister and her husband, who are down in FL. They watched the shuttle launch yesterday afternoon . What a thrill to see that – and I’m glad to see that people are still excited about the launches. For awhile there – interest seemed to have disappeared.

Believe it or not – we have not turned the tv on – except to see the weather. There doesn’t seem to be any good programs here, just like home. Oh, well, we’ve been either too busy or too tired to watch anything anyway!!