I was being busy taking a break....and being famous.

Things have been crazy busy here this summer. We've gardened till we've dropped. The weather was really wet so we spend a lot of time canning our veggies so they didn't as you might have read and seen in an earlier post.

As you know our numbers have increased as my step daughter and her family have moved in with us until they get settled. We're having a great time getting to know each other again and I must say I love the pidder- patter of kids feet on my floors again. That's not to say that Bill and I won't enjoy our privacy once they move out but for now we've settled into an nice rhythm of family life.

Which begs the question; how long will this situation last?That's rather complicated. Lets just say that in the post 911 climate getting ones green card so you can work (her husband isn't American) is very difficult. That you have an American wife and four American/Cypriot children has little bearing on the time involved or the cost. The Department of Homeland Security/Immigration is rather a mess when it comes to giving directions on the process not to mention the difficulties of the process itself. I think we're in for the long haul.

 I'm grateful we all get along very well.

Oh and btw,  my DSL has been for the birds these past months and Verizon sucks, just sayin. We loose service as much as we have service and as this summer has progressed it's gotten worse. Needless to say we had satellite internet installed this very morning. We'll have to be careful since we have a cap on usage (not something we're used to) but it runs fast and strong. Good riddance DSL!

If all that hasn't been enough to keep me on my old toes....on my rest.

I've taken another trip south to visit my ward and see to her care and well being. I've come to call it "doing my guardian thing". She's doing wonderful and we had a great time on our visit, sharing meals, having ice cream as well as visiting her mother in the nursing home. She is such a happy and energetic woman who knows her mind despite her intellectual disability. And really why shouldn't she? She is loving and lively and sees the world as such a beautiful place; I envy that.

And about the being famous part!

Remember the whole debacle with our trip to the Bahama's in June? You might also recall I contacted Christopher Elliot the consumer advocate/journalist, the story is here. Want to know which agency and airline was involved and what the outcome was?  WELL, our story made it's way to an article in a major publication, just click here.. Washington Post!

WE'RE FAMOUS!!

Adjusting to changes

No matter whether changes are good ones or bad ones they always are a bit challenging for me. If you've noticed I haven't been on the blog for a while. The fact is there's been a big change in our lives recently.

Good; but a change all the same.

As you know Bill and I live alone with our cats.

Not anymore! But life's still peachy.

Bill's daughter and her family had made plans to move from Cyprus to the US and live on a temporary basis with another family member until they were established here with jobs and housing. We were thrilled that the five of them (she, her husband and three of their four sons) were coming back after some 25 years.

Well as things sometimes happen their living arrangements didn't work out and they were in a huge bind with no jobs or place to live for themselves or the children and going back wasn't an option. This is my husbands daughter and the fact is we've missed so very many years of her life.

So we ended up inviting them to come and stay with us until they get established. Now we are seven and not two and having a house full 24/7 is something that going to take some getting used to as we carve out our personal spaces and routines. To be honest I miss my privacy but it is awfully nice to have kids in the house again.

Bear with me if my posts are sporadic while we visit and get to know each other again, spend time with the boys and support them as they find jobs get their lives together here in the US.