In honor of women's history month and in memory of Erma Bombeck who lost her fight with cancer;
by Erma Bombeck (Written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER---

--I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

--I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

--I would have talked less and listened more.

--I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

--I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

--I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

--I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

--I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

--I would have sat on the lawn! With my grass stains.

--I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

--I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

--Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

--When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's'; more 'I'm sorry's.'

--But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it... live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

--Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.

--Instead; let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

--Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. I hope you have a blessed day.

WE DROVE INTO HAMILTON YESTERDAY AFTERNOON TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL APPLE DAYS...MAINLY TO BUY ME ONE OF THEIR DELICIOUS APPLES PIES.

WE DIDN'T ARRIVE TILL ALMOST 3:30 AND AS WE APPROACHED THE APPLE PIE BOOTH MY HEART SANK AS WE SAW NO PIES IN SIGHT. JW ASKED THE LADY BEHIND THE REGISTER IF SHE HAD ANY PIES LEFT AND SAID "YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS! BUT I HAVE BEEN TELLING FOLKS SINCE ONE O'CLOCK THAT WE WERE SOLD OUT AND WE JUST FOUND THIS COOLER FULL OF PIES!!!" AWESOME! SO WE CAME AWAY WITH A WONDERFUL LOOKING HOMEMADE PIE.

WE WERE THRILLED TO SEE THAT THE PRICE OF GAS HAD ONCE MORE DROPPED AS WE PULLED INTO THE GAS STATION TO FILL UP. THERE ACTUALLY IS A STATION FARTHER UP THE STREET THAT IS SELLING THEIR GAS FOR $3.36 A GALLON BUT IF YOU DON'T PAY CASH THEY CHARGE 11 CENTS MORE A GALLON FOR CREDIT OR DEBIT!! WOW! AND SINCE WE HAD SPENT MOST OF OUR CASH AT THE APPLE DAYS EVENT WE OPTED FOR THE SECOND STATION.

JW ADDED ANOTHER WONDERFUL MOOSE TO MY COLLECTION. HE'S BEAUTIFUL.

AS WE WERE LEAVING THE HOT SPRINGS THE OTHER DAY WE SPOTTED A HERD OF BLACK COWS IN A FIELD NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY. SOMETHING CAUGHT MY EYE AND I SAID"SOMETHING LOOKS STRANGE IN THAT HERD." AS WE LOOKED CLOSER THERE WAS A LARGE BLACK MOOSE HIDING AMONG THE HERD OF COWS!! AS HUNTING SEASON IS APPROACHING I CERTAINLY HOPE HE FINDS A BETTER PLACE TO HID. BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HUNT IN PRIVATE PASTURES SO MAYBE HE IS MUCH MORE SMARTER THAN WE THOUGHT!!

AFTER JW RETURNED HOME ON THURSDAY FROM WORK I DROVE HIM TO THE HOT SPRINGS THAT IS LOCATED JUST A FEW MILES FROM OUR HOME. THURSDAYS ARE A TOUGH DAY FOR HIM AT WORK AS THAT IS THE DAY THE DELIVERY TRUCK ARRIVES AND HE MUST HELP UNLOAD IT AND GET THE MERCHANDISE PUT AWAY. SO HE COMES HOME ON THURSDAY VERY TIRED AND SORE. SO THIS LITTLE TRIP WAS JUST THE THING HE NEEDED.
WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE THE ONLY ONES AT THE HOT SPRINGS THIS DAY.

WE HAD THE WHOLE PLACE TO OURSELVES AND SPENT PLENTY OF TIME JUST LETTING THE HOT MINERAL WATER SOAK INTO OUR BONES. WONDERFUL. WE PURCHASED 2 "NOODLES" SO WE COULD EACH HAVE ONE TO USE AND THEY ALLOWED US TO JUST FLOAT INTO THE DEEP END OF THIS WARM POOL. THE INTAKE WAS AT THE DEEP END SO WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME FLOATING AROUND DOWN THERE AS THE WATER IS VERY HOT THERE. IT FELT WONDERFUL.

AND ABOVE THE POOL YOU CAN SEE A RESTAURANT THAT LOOKS VERY INVITING BUT WE WERE JUST TO TIRED...AND RELAXED...TO THINK ABOUT CLIMBING THE STAIRS TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT! MAYBE NEXT TIME.

AND THE VIEWS WERE GREAT TOO! THEY INSTALL A LARGE PLASTIC COVER OVER THE POOL AREA AS WINTER APPROACHES SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE THIS SITE EVEN DURING THE WINTER. THEY ALSO OFFER VERY CUTE CABINS TO RENT TOO IF YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND A FEW DAYS HERE.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, JW AND I BOTH SLEPT VERY WELL THIS NIGHT. WE WILL BE VISITING THIS SITE MANY TIMES IN THE COMING MONTHS. IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO SOOTHE AWAY OUR STRESS AND TIRED MUSCLES.

I'VE BEEN BUSY!

I AM SORRY THAT I HAVE BEEN AWAY FOR SO LONG. I HAVE KEPT MYSELF SO BUSY!

MY WALKING GROUP IS BACK TO WALKING TWICE A WEEK...IT'S GOOD TO BE TOGETHER AGAIN.

I GO TO THE GYM EARLY EVERY MORNING FOR A GOOD HARD 1 AND 1/2 HOUR WORKOUT 6 MORNINGS A WEEK.

I SPEND SEVERAL HOURS A DAY ON MY EBAY SITE.

IF I AM NOT OUT WITH MY WALKING GROUP OR AT THE GYM OR ON MY EBAY SITE, I AM NEXT DOOR AT MY NEIGHBORS RIDING HORSES SEVERAL HOURS EACH TIME..I LOVE EVERY MOMENT I CAN SPEND WITH THE HORSES.
AND OF COURSE THERE IS MY TIME OUTSIDE MOWING THE LAWN OR WORKING IN THE FLOWER BEDS AND ALWAYS LAUNDRY, DISHES, VACUUMING, ETC, ETC.!!!!

SO THERE JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ENOUGH HOURS IN MY DAY LATELY. BUT THE ONES I GET I AM FILLING WITH JOY AND FUN EVENTS WITH WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER GONE TO SOON.