Well I must explain the ice cream deal. Yes, I can eat a whole half gallon in one day. I don't eat it at one sitting. It takes me about three sitting. Oh, but I promise not to do it again.
I am feeling much better. Had my car fixed today. It only cost $288.00 too. I found this great little place in the only bad part of Santa Barbara, he is really nice and does a good job.
Later today Carolyn and I took the kids to Shipwreck Park. She met a friend who had two little boys. We all had a nice time. You would think I have nothing to do., but I really have a list a mile long to do before I leave. Tomorrow the cleaning lady is coming and I will mail some extra stuff to your house,Arty.

I did not post last night because I was sick! Ugh, bad abdominal pain and I was sssooo weak I could hardly get up. I have been sleeping all day today. I feel better but not 100%. In the middle of the night I almost went to the ER. Glad I didn't go. The good part is I have no appetite. I think this is my wake-up call that I just can not continue to eat a half gallon of ice cream in a day, nor can I continue to eat everything in sight.
I'm glad to be back in the race.

Barbara and I went to lunch than we went back to her place and sat at her pool.
This morning I watched Claire and Finn for an hour and a half while Carolyn met with her new boss. The were good.
Other than that the only thing I did was to play computer games...oh...and watch TV.

My car is giving me trouble again. The engine light keeps coming on and the car stalls every time I am at a red light. I have had it fixed twice before, this time they are going to replace some thing or other. So I won't have a car on Monday.
Carolyn and I took the kids to Oak Park. Its a nice park where there is a big pool but it is only 1.5 feet deep. It is for little kids. We had a nice time.
I am beginning to really get down to business about my vacation. Packing etc. This time next week I'll be in Chicago.

I could not get on my Blog for the past two days. I don't know why.
I really don't have anything much to report. I went to my primary doctor today. What a waste of time. Obliviously he had not read or seen any of the reports that were right there in the chart. He did not have anything to say . Told me to come back in Nov. I will see what Patrick has to say.
Today I took Norma shopping and to get her hair cut. I had mine cut too. Don't like it much.
The good part is it will grow back. On my head I hope.

Well today the cleaning lady came and she really helped me. Sot some stuff in my storage space. It comes with the apartment. She made space in the kitchen and bedroom. She put my things up high or in my room.
Than I had to take my car to the garage. The engine light has been on. He fixed it a few weeks ago but after two days it came back on and than it started to stall at every stop light. While he was looking at it Carolyn,Finn, Claire and I went to Ruby's for lunch. It's a place like the 50's. They even give out little models of Edsel cars to kids. We waited so long to get our meal that they gave us a discount ($3) we did not even complain about anything. Finn ate a little and Claire ate everything that was put in front of her. Including two whole pieces of bread.
When we got back to the garage he told me that he"found out what was wrong but, he could,"only put a band aid on it. He did not have the part he needed to fix it right. When I asked how much I owed him he said,"nothing, "I am not proud of what I did". Hope it last until I get back from NJ. Than I'll have it fixed right.

This morning Finn and I met my friend Sarah and her granddaughter, Alex and we went to Shipwreck Park. Its a neat park down by the water. Lots of things for the kids to climb,jump,roll,etc. They also have a merry-go -round. They were so cute. Alex is 5 and visiting from Texas. Than we took them to lunch.
This afternoon Carolyn came over and helped me to clean out my storage space here so I can fill it up with stuff from my apartment..eek its a vicious circle.
Tonight I minded the kids while C&D went to a bar where their neighbor was performing. He works for the county and plays guitar on the side. They said it was good.
Now I must got to sleep.

My lawyer was here for over three hours this morning. We are getting ready to file suite against Hospice. He is a neat guy, came on his motorcycle. He is an MD and a lawyer. He just got his law degree last year but has been a doctor for about 20. He also had an IPhone! He showed me a lot of the things it can do. I want one.I did a little more moving of things around here. I have to have room for the tenants to put their stuff. tomorrow I think Carolyn is coming over to help me clean out my storage space so I can put new stuff in there.

Okay. Here is the story of the,"splinters" on my face...
Dana, Robyn and I were sitting on their patio when Finn comes over to me and says,"Nana what is that on your face"? I say,"what do you mean?' He says,"You have splinters on your chin". It is of course, as Robyn calls them,"Hag hairs". Now, Dana gets up and leaves. Finn says,"you need to get them removed". Robyn and I are by this time in hysterics. He asks,"Why are you laughing. Whats so funny"?
I decided to pay a little more attention to my appearance.
The next morning we all went to the mall where I had my whole face waxed.

Hi. I have not Blogged in a few days because Dexter and his mother were here. We had a wonderful time. That baby is so sweet, he is almost 8 weeks and he is so cuddly. He loves to be held and snuggles when he is picked up. He also will lay on the table and coo. Oh he is so good and so cute. I was sorry to see them leave.
They got here on Tues. PM and we went to Carolyn' and Dana's for a nice BBQ. We all, Robyn, Carolyn, Dana, Finn and I watched TV we saw, "America's got Talent". We laughed and laughed. Finn loves that program since once when I was babysitting I watched it with him.
When we got home Robyn and I sat up and talked until all hours.
Yesterday we (Robyn,Carolyn,Finn, Claire ,Dexter and I went to the Natural History Museum to see the, Grossology Display. Finn was so excited to show us neat things like: 1. The burp machine 2. the smell area. This is where you push these buttons and the guess the smell. The choices were:
Farts
Armpits
Feet
and
Bad breath.
and many more gross things.
They actually explain the science behind the smells etc.
Can you just imagine how much the kids love this stuff.
Than we went back to Carolyn's and had a nice chicken dinner.
Today I had the ,"splinters " on my face removed. I will explain this tomorrow. It is too long for today.

The friend of the Aug. tenant came over and said she thinks he will love the place. Got an email from him that he is wiring the money to my account tomorrow. Than the Sept. guy emailed me and said he was sending me a check tomorrow too. That's good news.
Claire took her first steps today. She was very proud of herself. Also when you ask to
say," Mama" she says,"Dada" than she laughs.
I did NOT go out for lunch today.

Again Barbara and I went to lunch. today we went to IHOP because there were some coupons......2 meals one price... but after we ordered we realized it was not good on Sundays. We of course ate anyway. It sounds as if we only go to cheap places but that is because we (I) are on an economy kick. After lunch we went to her house and sat on her patio. Than I came home and began to get some of the stuff out of the other bedroom. EEK its a job and a half.

Got an email from nephew Patrick Byrne. He is going to be on Good Morning America on Tuesday.

Barbara and I went to Denny's for lunch because I am on a very tight budget. I got a Boca burger that came with fruit for $5.00. I only got water too because I decided that I go to lunch about 3 times a week and I pay between $2.00 and $3.00 for diet soda. Thats about $6.00 a week and therefore I save $24.00 a month. It cost me $37.00 to fill up my gas tank so I intend to use the, saved money to but gas. This is the first day of my new plan. I don't know if it well be in effect tomorrow.
After lunch we went back to her house . She lives in an over 55 right on a little golf course. We went to the pool. It was fun.
I called Patrick Byrne and he told me to send him the copies of the ct scan and OR report. Said my doctor was most likely correct . He said he would look at them and call my doctor if necessary. I like that idea.

Friend Barbara called because her homeless drug addict brother was at her house and she said he was,"all red", asked if I would come and take his BP. I did, it was fine, but the skin is just a bright red. He just got out of the hospital and was going back to the homeless center where he lives. I told him to see the nurse at the home when he went back. He came here about six months ago and I had not seen him for about two years. He looks really bad. Poor guy.
Talked to Patrick Byrne and he said he and Susan will try to come to NJ when we are there. He wants me to send him copies of my ct scan and the Pathology report. I will do that tomorrow. He said my doctor is probably right. They have to CTA's.
I am starting to get my place ready for the tenants. Anyone who knows me knows I should have started a month ago.

I went to the doctor and the CT scan was really weird. It shows I have ," a mass interposed in between the dome of the liver and the right hemidiaphragm, certainly a suspect in light of clinical history of colon cancer". Also, "Abnormal segmentof small bowel in the lower central abdomen with more proximal levels of distended bowel, question postoperative change versus secondary to inflammation versus infiltrative process of bowel and.. sigmoid diverticulosis".
EEK it sound s so bad. Plus he told me that my last ct scan in Feb showed I have,"bilateral compressive atelectasis"
The weird thing is the Dr. who surgery only, said it was ,"nothing to worry about". I think I will talk to Patrick Byrne who told me he would review what ever I wanted and he could also make me look like Angelina Jolie. I feel fine.

I talked to one of my classmates that I have not spoken to in FIFTY YEARS! Joanne Caroll. We are having our reunion in Sept. and she has never come to any of them. Well she says she will come this year. She moved to Washington State. Margo Connor Gormely had called me and asked me to call Joanne. She had spoken to her too and wanted me to reinforce that we all wanted her to come. It will be fun to see her.

Today Carolyn,Finn,Claire and I went to Alice Keck Park Park. Its a beautiful place with a Japanese's theme . A lady named Alice Keck married a guy named Park and when she died she donated the land to the city, so now it is Alice Keck Park Park. Finn fed the turtles, fish and ducks. Than we went across the street to Kids World. It is a free park with all kinds of neat things for kids. Claire loved the swings and Finn loves the whole place.
Claire got her first tooth today. She is only 6 months behind in the tooth department, just like all of my kids.
Carolyn,Dana and the kids are going to San Francisco tomorrow. Dana has a meeting there and Carolyn will visit with cousin Maureen. They will stay at Francine and Charlie's. So I won't see them for four days.

Last night I decided to list my apartment on Craig's List and lo and behold this morning the first email was from a man in Spain who will be a visiting professor at UCSB for the month of Aug. The second was from a guy from Phila. who will be a student at UCSB he wanted it for Sept. than I had a call fro one of the decorators of Oprah Winfrey place. I would not even let her in my house. Also got several other emails.
Anyway I think I'll take the guy from Spain and the one from Phila.

Went to lunch with a nurse I knew from one of the Nursing Homes. We went to the Wharf and while we looked over the Pacific.

Finn and Carolyn went blueberry picking. Not the same place Larry and Rosemary went.
Claire and I had a great day. First, we went to return a shirt I bought but it didn't fit, than to
Staples , than we stopped in to see Norma. She has three cats ...yes that's THREE. Claire liked them. Than I took her home for a nap while I read the paper. When she woke up a couple hours later we went to two grocery markets. I took her home about 5 pm. She is so cute I mean it people stopped me to say how cute she is. One guy said she had my smile.
Tonight I am playing my new game.

Today I put my apartment on Craig's list for rent for aug. & Sept. I don't know if I'll get anyone but its worth a try. I don't know if I am allowed by the owner but since I never got a lease from them I'll just do it.
Stayed home the rest of the day except for church at 4PM.

Met my friend Sara for lunch in Monitcito today. she is my ex-neighbor and has two Grandchildren who are about the same ages as Finn and Claire. They live in Texas and are coming for two weeks. Every time they come to Ca we get Finn and her granddaughter Alex together.
Than went to the farmers market. There is a farmers market within three miles of my house everyday except Sunday.
When I got home I bought my tickets! LA to Chicago on Aug 2nd, Chicago to Phila on 8th, Phila. to LA on Oct. 2nd. I am looking forward to my travels.

Today was like a summer day in Ventnor.
Carolyn, Finn, Claire and I spent the whole day at the beach. This was the first time Claire ever played on the beach . She loved it, kept crawling into the water. It was fun. I took some pictures that I'll email to you when I get them out of the camera.
The cleaning lady came today so when I got home the place looked great.

Yesterday was a great day in Santa Barbara. It was warm and sunny. I went to lunch with Norma as I did not feel like going to the picnic with C&D and Norma was alone because her son in in Mexico . About 3PM Carolyn called and asked me to come over for the afternoon. I was already scheduled to watch Claire while they went to the fireworks. After I got there Carolyn suggested we go for a walk on the beach. It was beautiful with the mountains and beach and the water was the warmest I have felt in Ca. We walked and talked for about three miles. When we got homr Dana, who had the kids, had made a neat Bar-b-que. Chicken ,corn on the cob, salad, rice.
They went to the fireworks, Claire woke up twice because of the noise while I watched TV.
It was a fun day.

Today I took Claire to the bank and drugstore. We had such a good time. I was walking down the toy aisle and all of a sudden she said,"doll'. There was this cheerleader soft doll on the shelf, so of course I had to buy it for her. She kisses it and carries it around with her. Tonight I watched she and Finn while D&C went to dinner. It's been along time since they got out alone. Claire fell and hit her head but I picked her up and gave her yogurt. She eats ANYTHING that is given to her.
( Isn't that what they taught us in nursing school Pat?) after she went to sleep Finn and I watched, Americas got Talent. He had never seen it before and got a kick out of giving the contestants X's.
My surgeon's nurse called to see how I was she did not have the results of the CT scan but said she would call me as soon as they came in. She said a virus was going around.

I am so bad with writing in everyday and I know thousands are waiting for my every word.
Well anyway, today I had a CT scan. It was no big deal except they had to schedule it again after I went at the time they told me. That's life.
Dana called me this am to tell me Carolyn was sick. Same as I was last week. I watched the kids until I had to leave so Dana could go to work for a little while. Just talked to Caca and she is feeling better.
I weaken and bought another computer game. It is called," Little Shop of Treasures". You have to find things in all kinds of junk shops. Right down my alley. You can try it for an hour free at Game House Games. It's fun.