Sometimes I wonder how I got to be 76. Why it just seems like yesterday I was a young Mum with small kids and a hectic life and now I am an old lady sitting three times a week having coffee with a bunch of old people I call friends and we discuss various health complaints that slow us down and make us look...well..old. At least we have that is common. We may not be young and maybe sometimes feel sad about that for a minute or two. But then we laugh and say: "Well I'm still here." And that is where I am right now.

The summer is over here in Oz and we've just gone off daylight saving so it's going to get darker earlier now. It's a relief really as it's been a hell of a summer. It was not so much the heat but wearing waist to toe pressure stockings meant the humidity made life very difficult. I seriously neglected the garden and am only just starting to get it back under control. Weeds really love humidity and parts of it look like an overgrown jungle.

I haven't kept up with a lot of my older more distant friends so that is on.my "to do list" too. At my age there are so many funerals of older friends that that is my major source of socialising...lol. So I seriously need to pay more attention to the.living. Trev and Alice will be here next week for the week and I need to put time aside from them. Alice is 11 now, 12 in June so has some sort of media on the go most of the visit with breaks for meals. Love her heaps and as long as she's happy, I'm happy.

Church has taken up a lot of my time this year. Our main minister retired in January leaving Kathy, our part time minister to do everything so I've been filling in the gaps. I find that a bit more tiring than it used to be, don't seem to have that second wind when I need it. More rocking horse than race horse these days. But at least my days are fully filled and I have little time to feel lonely. Loneliness is the curse of old age here.

I read Kelli's blog so it's nice to see someone is working behind the scenes on Strokenet now. I think those of us who have stayed on need that reassurance. I love the interaction that being in here provides.  Okay it is a long time since I've been a full time. Caregiver but those experiences do not fade with time and I'm here if anyone needs that support. Seems a long time since I hosted Caregiver Chat but there are still people struggling out there and maybe we still have something we can do to support them.

It's getting dark outside so I best go and look to see what I can miracle into "dinner for one" tonight. My next door neighbour has been away for a few days so I've just been over to feed his cat. It's another one of those odd jobs I do. Keep smiling and keep well. That's my long term plan too. I'll be thinking of you all, reminiscing is one of my occupations now. I'd love to hear from those I know and a big "hello" to all who remember me.

Sue.