Today I got my computer up and running in our new home

all the carpeting in the house but we will eventually haul it out of here and put in either tile or vinyl flooring throughout the house for I use my chairs on rollers to move from one work station to another as much as I can and carpeting just doesn't do it with the chair rollers. The people that owned the house were habitual chain smokers and it took some mighty tough industrial cleaners and hard elbow grease to remove all the grease and grime that 17 years of their smoking had done.

We are going to have to paint sealer all over the walls and then repaint them for the stains will not wash out and we are afraid that nicotine stain will just bleed through and regular paint job.

We have been having absolutely beautiful weather here since we arrived.

Highs have been in the mid 70's with lows in the upper 50's.. A far cry from the steam bath we left in south Florida. Got out just in time to avoid the crummy weather from Alberto. It is such a relief to be clear of those storms. I get anxious just hearing about it on the news here and I am safely 1500 miles away.

A funny revelation hit my husband, the lead foot, on the way up here.

We rented a 12 foot long trailer from U-Haul and Bill towed it behind the motor home and I packed the Saturn Vue full from stem to stern and that is how we came up here in 3 days on the road. The trailer Bill was towing did not take well to his lead foot style of driving and he was forced to keep his speed between 55 and 60 the whole trip. Our first fill up on the road made him think that there was something wrong with the gas tank on the Vue or on the station pump for I only needed 7 gals of gas and this worked out to a 33 miles per gallion. He couldn't believe it for he was only getting around 18 MPG when he drove the Vue.

I had told him he was a gas hog driving like he did and boy did I prove it to him.. I am happy to announce he has tried a few times to keep his foot under control lately.

I have been busy planting some glads in the flower garden areas and it will be such a pleasure to watch them grow. Came face to face with a chipmunk this morning so I don't think I am going to see my green beans I planted do too well as long as he is in residence here. I watched where he went and immediately shoveled some of my kitties used scoop away litter down his hole. So far he has not tried to come up and out that hole!!! I now have to find his back door and do the same. I am hoping he will eventually move somewhere else.

Our 3 acres have plenty of fir trees on them and I can see and hear a lot of birds about. The chirping of hungry baby birds greets us with the dawn. Also saw a doe grazing in the field across the street in front of our home. It was just at sunset. What a beautiful site!!

I must say that all the work and pushing to get things here and unpacked was well worth it. My body is screaming at me with the pain but my soul is so happy it is singing. Hope all is well and happy with you.

Donna

http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/donnadirect/

Donna Schmidtke

2149 N.E. 56th. Place

Fort Lauderdale, FL

33308

(954)772-6123