Hello dear friends {smile}

Please excuse the dreadful typos as we have now finally arrived in singapore after 22 hours travelling! Half way into the flight there was a medical emergency and the pilot diverted into dubai where we stayed for four hours all sitting on the plane whilst the passenger was taken off the plane refuelled etc and so we finally arrived here at 7.30 at night instead of 4.30 in the afternoon.

WE are both fairly exhausted but have a small beautiful suite at Traders Hotel in Singapore so time to catch up on sleep and unwind a tad before leaving for sydney on friday evening.

Will write more int he morning as we have broadband in the room - so will put a longer post in with my coffee as I can leave Paul sleeping in the medroom whilst I get my morning coffee and sit and do emails! {grin}

Hope all are well

much love always

mermaid...xxx

Hello to All.

Elfina, it's good to see you again, but I'm so sorry to hear of your nasty bug. Sending healing thoughts your way and hoping that you're getting rested up.

Liz, I'm relieved to hear you made it to Singapore safe and sound, despite the very long delay. Hopefully you were able to get a good night's rest. Then by Friday you'll be in Australia and can hopefully get some good relaxing and unwinding time in.

Uncle Mark is recovering from his surgery, though he's having some emotional ups and downs at the moment which is only to expected from such devastating news and circumstances. They've moved him from the main hospital to the skilled nursing facility to get his strength back before being sent home. He lives on his own, but I'm sure his daughter Ariane will be looking after him as much as she can, yet she lives a considerable distance away and has a child with special needs, but she's a wonderful person and is trying her best to juggle everything.

Ed has had some bad sick days as we prepare to find out more from some upcoming tests before the chemo can begin. I must say, we've had our own dark moments of the soul over his recent medical news, though we're both doing our best to remain as positive as possible. These human bodies of our are truly fragile things when you think of it, aren't they?

I've had to delay working on my book as a couple of orders have come in recently, so devoting my time to that and Ed at the moment, yet all things in good time {smile}

That's about it for news on my end. Am hoping Elfina is on the mend, Kermit is doing well, and that you Liz have a wonderful remainder of your holiday.

"The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears."
Author Unknown

Love to all,
Diana

Happy to see our Mermaid is relaxing now in Singapore before the next flight. I hope the next flight is less exciting.

Diana, Sending out soothing energies to Ed and your uncle Mark. I myself am finally up and around, I still have the remnants of the cold/flu but at least I am out of bed. Pat had his last doctor appointment today after his kidney stone episode. Started on June 4th I can't believe it took almost 4 months of doctoring. As we age it seems our health becomes more and more an issue. I supposed we now have to pay more attention to what we eat and how we exercise if we want a chance at a healthy old age. I know I should have started at a younger age but it was fun while it lasted.

Scooters Birthday is this week...14 year old in dog years 72 in people years. Pat will be 69 on Monday he and the dog are almost the same age. LOL

We leave for Connecticut on Friday for Pat's 50th reunion. So once again I am packing. It should be a great weekend and a lovely drive as the leaves are at their peak right now. Such a beautiful time of year. Sad to think that in just a few weeks the trees will be bare and brown. I am looking forward to Florida on the 10th of November. I am such an lucky and grateful person for the great life I am able to live.
I am glad all the hard work Pat and I did when we were younger paid off.

Kermit, don't forget to check in while our Mermaid is away. I hope you are feeling all right give B2 a scratch behind the ears for me.

Good morning dear friends (from Singapore)

It is 6.30 Singapore time and 11.30pm UK time (from looking at my computer) and I am getting used to waking up early in the mornings again as have been awake since 5 and finally gave up trying to sleep and got up so I have my coffee made and thought I would try and write a more coherent post for here in a word document. At least I can edit this although typing on a keyboard the size of a paperback book is interesting to say the least! {smile}

It has been a lovely stay here in this hotel – so comfortable and the service has been wonderful to say the least. I was so tired when we arrived on Tuesday that once we had had something to eat then I just zonked out although Paul didn’t have such a good night but he has made up for it now and has caught up on the 7 hour time change. So this evening we prepare for another one as we depart for Sydney at 8pm and then should arrive at 7am Saturday morning. I think the time difference from here to there is only about three or four hours so it should be easier although let’s hope that we manage to get more of a night’s sleep on this flight as we only got about three hours in total on the flight here due to them trying to treat the woman in our part of the plane.

I had eaten dinner and then crashed out in the seat as, although the hostess has said she would come and make up the bed for me I was just too exhausted to worry. {smile} She then woke me at 2am to make up the bed and though I lay and was about to go back to sleep the noise that was going on with voices and lights just about made it impossible. I had heard a sort of announcement though with the noise of the engines it was difficult to determine what it was about. By the I was awake and lo oked across the aisle at Paul and then saw everyone gathered around the seat behind him. The next thing was the beds were being put back and we were then diverting to Dubai which was an hours flight away so they could get this poor woman off as they didn’t think she would make it to Singapore. So that was the end of sleep time! {smile} Once there then they had doctors arrive on board and then they got her off and then had the plane refuelled whilst we were still sat on the plane (which usually you all have to get off for that). I guess the captain (or the Dubai people) decided it was better to take the risk and do that so that we didn’t lose much more time else they could have been out of flying time hours and we could have all be stuck in Dubai!

Once we left Dubai (with another 6 hours flying to go) we had breakfast and then settled for more sleep time (though it was daylight all the blinds were pulled down) so I just dozed for an hour and then read my kindle. By the time we landed in Singapore Paul was seriously bad tempered (think lack of nicotine first and sleep second) and fortunately it was only a 20 minute drive to the hotel.

After a nice dinner we crashed out and then next day went to the Botanic Gardens which are world famous especially for their orchids . Yesterday we went on a boat trip which was lovely and also went to Chinatown to do some shopping. Am not sure what we are doing today but I will need to repack and we are not checking out til 4pm this afternoon as we have to check in for the flight at 5pm.

Reading through my posts I can see the typing is absolutely dreadful (thatnks to predictive text on ipad and me being so tired!) so I do apologise for that.

{{{elfina}} hope you have a lovely trip to Connecticut for Pat’s reunion and good to hear that he is now fully recovered and you are on the mend. It isn’t much fun getting old(er) with the resulting aches, pains etc is it but at least nowadays we can be a lot more healthy lifestyle wise. Mind you having said that I didn’t think Paul thinks of that and he just carries on regardless. {smile}

Sounds as though you had a really nasty bug there dear friend and I was so glad to read that you are now better. I was sending out {{healing energies}} when you first wrote that and at least now you can enjoy your trip and then return to Florida all bug and illness free for the pair of you! {{{hugs{}} Hope Pat has a wonderful birthday and then it won’t be long before yours will it? {Smile}

Can’t believe Scooter is 14!? Sheesh where does the time go? I can remember him as a pup! Having said that chakhotay is now 10 and it only seems like yesterday since he was a little black bear cub bless him! I had an email from the house sitters last night saying that his medication seems to be working with no further side effects so that is great. I must sit and write an email to the sitters who are coming for November as they don’t know what has happened with him because they are away at the moment but at least all seems to be well at the homestead for now thank goodness. {Smile} Have a safejourney this weekend dear friend and sending love and {{{warm hugs}} across the Pond to you.

{{{Diana}}} I was so sorry to read about {{Ed}} and hope he is feeling a little better now – I was sending out some {{healing energies}} to him when I read your post – I think we are all being shown how fragile our physical bodies are at the moment aren’t we? Also sending you a good dollop of {{energies}}} as I know how worried you must be right now {{{hugs}}}} Am also sending out some more {{healing energies}} to your uncle as he gets the emotional kick back – I think with cancer you first of all deal with the physical without giving time to the emotional but it does catch up with you. I hope that his recovery from surgery continues and that he gets strength back for what lies ahead for him bless him.

Well that is good that you are also getting some extra orders in sweetie {smile} I must go and take another peek at your site soon as I love the backgrounds you popped in there – green is such a healing colour I really love I! {Smile} Knowing that Chakotay seems to be responding well to his treatment is great and has helped easing the worries I have for him – it was not actually losing him so much more the side effects he would have to perhaps go through and me not being able to be there for him was the worst. He is such a good beautiful dog and I really did feel dreadful having to leave him. It was so good of the sitters to write and give me an update though I did also speak with them on the phone and hope to do that again once we arrive in Australia before they leave on Sunday. I know that everyone is good and looking after everything at home for us so that isn’t so much the worry so nothing I can do at the moment is going to help or hinder {Smile}

Sending love and {{warm hugs}}} to you {{{beloved wolfsister}}} with some etra {{energies}} as well! {smile}

Well looking at the time I will pop this message in with the hope that everyone is well in their own nows despite all the ~hiccups~ that we are going through at the moment.

{{{kermit}}} please check in – ~worry wort~ here needs to know you are ok! {{{hugs}}}

Will write more soon… til then leaving a {{{warm group hug}}} to {{all}} who may enter… andhope that there aren’t as many typos in this post as in the previous few! {grin}

With love always

Mermaid…xxx

Back in NY after a really super great weekend at the reunion and visiting with family. My mother was really good and knew us all and was in the moment the whole time we were with her. This was a true blessing for me.
The reunion 2 nights was such fun. Pat was very popular in school so knew most every one and they all stopped by to talk with us. Dining and dancing the weekend away was great. Pat's birthday was yesterday. The 5 hour ride home was pretty because the trees were at their peak so we enjoyed the ride.
We went to Outback restaurant for dinner and I thought of you Liz in the real outback while dining. I hope you are enjoying your stay in Australia and that the jet lag is all gone.

The sun is just coming up so I'll go and take Scooter for a little walk before it rains. Have a fun day friends.

Wow, it's already near the end of October! I can't believe how quickly everything seems to be whizzing by these days.

Happy Belated Birthday to Pat, Elfina. I'm glad to hear that he had a good one, and that the reunion was enjoyable as well. It was wonderful to read that you were able to spend some good time with your Mom and that she was fully in the present for you to all enjoy her company.

Scooter's a wizened old fellow now at 14, and hopefully he'll have several more years of healthy and happy times with you. Lakota will be turning 11 this coming March. It seems like only yesterday we were bringing him home from the breeder's house and he was sitting on my lap as a pup. Bless him, he too is getting a little rickety being a large breed dog, they seem to age so much quicker, but he still he's still plenty feisty, so we're lucky for that.

Liz, thanks for keeping us updated, and I too hope you are all recovered from jet lag and enjoying Australia. Looking forward to hearing how everything is going now that you're Down Under when you get the chance.

I've still not had the chance to get all of the new website up and running, though I see that my old domain is still up. I think they have it under "parked" domain as it's visible but I can't update it or upload files. Once the new one is all done, I can ask them to remove the old one from "parked" status so there isn't any conflict. Thank you, by the way, for the kind comments on the backgrounds. You were my inspiration there with your advice, and as always, I appreciate not only your creative talent, but your honesty and insight as well!

Mom tried to contact Uncle Mark to check up on him, but he didn't answer the phone call, so he may have been resting or not feeling like talking. She's going to be talking to his daughter soon, so hopefully we'll get an update on him then. In the meanwhile, thank you all so much for your healing thoughts to him, I know they've helped.

Ed has a Dr's appointment tomorrow, just a follow up on everything, then more testing on the 31st, followed by an appointment to make certain he hasn't got glaucoma as evidently the chemo he's to begin can hasten glaucoma and cause blindness. That test is at the beginning part of November, so if that all goes well, then he should start his treatment mid November at the latest. In the interim, he has good and bad days as can be expected health wise, though he constantly amazes me with his upbeat attitude.

Ok, rambled on long enough, going to head out and get a start on the day.

Leaving a {{warm hug}} for all who enter, and really hoping Kermit is ok . . .

“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”
― Albert Einstein

Love,
Diana

Diana, hope Ed's Dr. appointment yesterday turned out well and the test tomorrow show no glaucoma. Both Pat and I show signs of early cataracts which are a sign of aging. It will be a long time before we need to have it corrected I pray.

We came through Hurricane Sandy with no damage thankfully. The wind howled all night and is still blowing really hard today but no trees down near me that we can see. I live in a clearing surrounded by large old trees and the sound of the wind passing through them is amazing at times. Last night they howled at the moon louder then wolves. I am saddened by all the destruction near the coast. My husband and son were supposed to go to Long Island on Friday but their trip will probably be cancelled as there is no power there and many trees and power lines are down. They are upset as this was their father and son trip each year and they enjoyed it so.

I filled my bird feeder yesterday morning and the birds must have known the storm was coming because they ate all the seed before nightfall. Smart little critters. A full feeder usually lasts 2 full days. It was bird central all day with them all hurrying in and out just outside my window. We had 10 hawks migrate over our house 2 days ago. We are not in the migration route so they must have gotten off course. I was something to watch 10 at once. I think these were broad winged hawks a kind I usually don't see here.

I hope our Mermaid is having a wonderful holiday. Wishing you all a
Happy Halloween, I am glad the weather will be good enough even with the rain for the little trick or treaters to go out an have a fun night.

Hello dear friends

Am just popping a quick line in to say how Glad I am that you are ok dear elfina! Thank you for popping in and leaving a post. I did see the one where you said that you were battening down the hatches so to speak and then we have been up in the mountains with no phone signal let alone internet access! Having read the news and seen the pictures with hurricane sandy I just feel so sorry for those who have been caught up in it and have suffered devastation and the loss of loved ones. The scenes from New York are dreadful and I hope that sassy is ok and moonlady's family as well as I believe they are all n New York?

Diana I hope that ed's appointment went well and will write a bit more later on when I use the netbook.

Please excuse the typos as am using my iPad here this morning. I will start up the netbook latter as I do find it easier to type on that as think my typing must be too fast for the iPad! (smile)

We will leave for Canberra tomorrow and have been enjoying meeting up with friends and travelling - I wish I knew how to copy and paste urls in here because I have got places bookmarked that we have visited and stayed at on the iPad but I don't know how to do that and have left the book at home which is not the best of things to do but we were limited on weight for flying! As I said up here're I will type another post on the netbook as at least I can copy things in here easily! I have heard from the sitters who are doing from now until we return and all is well at home and with the dogs which is a relief to know! (smile)

Hokey dokes will post this in now and be back later today hopefully. til then hope that all are well and leaving a {{{warm group hug}}}}} to {{all}}} who may enter and sending out {{healing energies}}}} to those who need them.

With love always

Mermaid xxxx

Today is our special friend Elfina's Birthday.

And because you're always so good at sharing your magical Fairy Dust with us, here's some star glitter in return to kick off your New Solar Year, Elfina.



I hope you have a blessed and wonderful Birthday and New Year!

Love,
Diana

Thanks for the pretty star filled card Diana. I had a most wonderful weekend with my kids and hubby.Denise and the girls came on Saturday and we went shopping at the mall all afternoon. It was fun buying for her and the girls and she bought me 2 lovely tops. My son and husband took us all out to Outbacks for a great supper of lobster and steak yummy. Sunday morning Denise made a huge breakfast of french toast and raspberry muffins. John arrived just as we were sitting down to eat so he was there for my birthday party breakfast. Later in the day we went out for pizza for lunch and then Denise and the girls had to head back to Buffalo a 3 hour ride. I was so happy so see them and will miss them greatly this winter. Pat was upset a little because the gift he had ordered for me in September had not arrived. He had been tracking it for weeks and was told it would be there on Saturday. Well lucky me it arrived today and it is 2 beautiful gold bangle bracelets. All an all I had a great birthday but having my family here for 2 days was the best gift of all.

Kermit I hope all is well with you...miss you guy.

Mermaid wishing you a great holiday visiting friends and beautiful places.
I am packing up again as we fly out to FL on Saturday. I should have my
computer all hooked up by Monday next if all goes well. We are expecting another storm this week. Nothing like Hurricane Sandy but still wind and more
rain is always an issue. Hopefully it will be all over by Saturday when I leave.