Mar 31, Apr 1&2: INTERNET/WIFI AT LAST, AT LAST!!!!!!

WOW......how quickly we seem to depened on modern tech communications...and when we can't access those techie inventions, we just seem to fall apart with worry and frustrations......right???? Well, perhaps many of you don't do that, but....this sagging, aging hulk of Me.......it has become such an important part of my daily Life that I do find myself in a defunct mood when I can't communicate with the world, nor find out what the world is doing. Oh yeah......sure, I have an iPhone, and I can definitely get online to get instant news, etc....and I can type out a few mis-spelled words to send out into cyberspace, but I certainly cannot get my thoughts down on"paper" and out into cyberspace using those tiny little letters on the iPhone typing pad. Just not possible!!!!!!

Soooo, we returned to Dr. Jeni's this afternoon to spend the Easter weekend with her and Darrel, and most of all.....with the three grandkids who will be squealing with joy on Sunday morning IF the Easter Bunny arrives overnight. This will be the first time Max will be able to move around the lawn looking for eggs since he was not able to walk at this time last year.....sooo, it should be fantastic fun to watch him doing that.

Now.....as to the past two days....my birthday on Wed and yesterday:

We left here early afternoon to go 100 miles further north to Monroe City to check on the 1st Lady's mother, whom she had not seen since the Holidays, last December. Since it was my 67th.....we stopped in the little German town of Hermann, 20 miles east of the Dr. Jeni's house where we had a not-so-great little lunch. The sandwich in the Bar/Grill was not bad, but onion rings were slick and slimy-like as the fried coating just slipped off of these huge peels of onions......not slices, but these "rings" were about 1.5-2" WIDE as the cooks had peeled the onion, rather than slice it.....and it was just tooooooooooooooooo much!!!!

Hermann, is known for it's wineries.....quite a few there and it is sort of either the beginning or the end of the MO River Wine Trail, depending on which end you start the drinking....errrr, drive. It is also the home of many old buildings, homes, B&B's, and antique stores. The German's came up the river to this area when they settled in what is now Hermann, however, they made many stops and many stayed forever at these stops, which made for many, many small towns of German Heritage. And.......now there are many, many wineries along the river......and some great ones at that!!! For more info.......drop me a comment/email....

We will be in Hermann tomorrow afternoon as the 1st Lady and I, Dr. Jeni and Darrell all meet with my great friends, Andrew and Laura Gipson and another couple from where they live across the Mississippi River on the east side. We plan to visit a winery or two...or three....or four....and then have dinner together tomorrow night in Hermann. CAN'T WAIT!!!!

OK......soooo, back to Wed........we continued on to Monroe City after that late lunch.....and once there, we just kicked back and did nothing. Watched some TV, read some, watched some TV, read some, .....and this little two pharse litany becomes the story of my Life from Wednesday afternoon until when we left after lunch today. The 1st Lady did take her mother for a scheduled doctor's appt......and we did do a bit of checking on the farm acreage which we own in that area, connected with the 1st Lady's family farm where she grew up.

Soooooo, it was exciting.....eh?????? Not!!!!! I did appreciate soooooooo much the hundreds of birthday wishes that I received from those of you on Facebook that are a part of Facebook Family of Friends.......if you are one of these, THANKS sooooo much!!!! If you are among those that emailed me or contacted me through this blog.......THANKS soooo much!!!!! It really made my day a special day....WOW...WOW...WOW...WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

And so.........I now am counting on being able to get back to writing this blog each and everyday for the next few weeks!! We are flying to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and then drive on to British Columbia with our good friends......all the latter part of next month, but I will be taking my laptop with me so I can do some posting from there. As always.........

LIFE IS JUST REALLY, REALLY GREAT(even if I am aging/evolving)!!!!!!!!.......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!!!