We folks, it has been awhile since I wrote here. So much going on in our lives just no time for blogging. First the medical issues. I am recovering from hernial surgery three weeks ago. All went well, but not being allowed to lift over 10 pounds or do anything much is driving me crazy. But the surgeon said unless I wanted to come and see him again, don't lift anything over 10 pounds for 6 weeks. Lesley is the enforcer and so here I sit! Stroke wise, the left arm improvement I spoke of in the last entry has continued and I can pretty much do whatever I want with it. I no longer have to use the e-stim thing the VA gave me, but it sure worked! Even the curl in the left index finger has gone. Amazing. I have stopped taking the muscle relaxant pills, off all blood pressure stuff except the beta blocker for my a-fib, stopped my antidepressant, in short, I have been blessed and am doing great.

We also bought a small motorhome and plan to use it mostly in the fall and spring months when there is not too much to do around here. We are planning a trip to New Zealand next fall to be at our son's 40th birthday party.

Lesley is also doing great, since retirement she has stopped her blood pressure pills and also her antidepressant. She is so busy living life now, she doesn't have time to get sad. She and a local girlfriend are now making soap here at home and all sorts of other crafts, she is also playing her Mountain Dulcimer and has been asked to join a local jam group. She has more going on now and has more friends than I think she ever has had before. I have to keep slowing her down. She is now planning next summer's garden, and I am planning the fishing. We have decided to stop the pizza parties with the outdoor brick oven, as well as making the bread for sale with it. We are just flat too busy enjoying retirement and don't have time for it anymore. We will still do some pizza and bread for friends, but just don't have time to do it on a regular bais for sale anymore. Retirement has gotten in the way of it.

I have reactivated my lifelong hobby of building toys and models with my Erector Sets. I have sets from around the world and routinely build models with them. I now have a local friend also retired who joins me about once a week and we build together. The craft/hobby room in the basement is getting very crowded and busy between Lesley and I. We have to now swap days for use. I never thought I would be able to use my Erector sets after my stroke, but now I can.

We have had a great winter here. Lots of snow, looks like about three feet presently on the ground, no overly cold, just a few days of -20F and only a few days of much wind. The only problem I have now is that since my hernia surgery Lesley has taken over plowing the driveway (1000 ft long) with the ATV and the way she grins while doing it, I may have trouble getting that job back. I had her convinced how much hard work it was, but now she knows the truth - it's fun!

Lesley and I have decided since we are both over 60 now, that it is time to lighten the camping gear we carry into the wilderness. So, new goose down sleeping bags, a new lighter tent, etc, will now go into the light weight Kevlar canoe I got after my stroke. Hopefully this will make our portages between lakes up here and in Canada a bit easier. As I said we a truely blessed and enjoying life. As with all of us over 60, a few things don't work as well with the body as we would like, but all in all, we are most happy here. Couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

Well, my coffee cup is empty, long time readers know what that means.