Debby from Michigan,USA

Hi, Debby! Are you back in Michigan? When you mentioned buying peaches at a farmers' market, I remembered something from my long ago youth - riding in the back of a pickup truck with my siblings, a friend and bushels and bushels of peaches in the Kalamazoo area. I don't remember the details (where we were going - or why), but I DO remember eating the most wonderfully ripe juicy peaches, one after another!

Hi Debby, we are not far away, I'm in central Ohio (yes, the heart of Buckeye country although I grew up on the east coast so I do not get excited about the Buckeyes like everyone else in this town!) I was looking at your flickr photos and saw your little bunny - we have 2 bunnies, and I usually do the sudoku puzzle at night while I watch the bunnies run around the living room. (They like to chew the carpeting so I have to keep an eye on them.) I'm hopeful we've seen the end of the 90 degree weather for a while, but I'm not a fan of cold weather either! Stop by my page sometime, not much going on there but I'm trying to get more pix up to my flickr site.

Hi Debbie. I am slow in welcoming you back to your home in Michigan, but then again from the sounds of your posts over the last little while, your home will soon be in Virginia. Glad you had a safe and happy trip. All set dor the winter (BRRRRR!). Cheers my friend!

Thanks, Debby, for your thoughtful message.
I found myself quite down in the dumps yesterday, so hearing from you helped. The hospital phoned this morning to let me know that Mom had fallen and they were taking her for x-rays because her arm was badly swollen and painful. These are such dark days, but we'll visit at suppertime and make sure Mom has a cheery night. We're also awaiting a transfer to a clinic that specializes in stroke rehab. It can't come soon enough. Bless you for caring.

Hi Debby! Everything is fine with Rob, Ebony & me. You were sweet to notice my absence from the site lately & tell me you missed me! I think I just got out of the habit of checking in daily while I was with the grandsons in NC, & since I've been back I've been really busy with lots of other things. Rob & I have finally finished retiling our pool, a job which took WAY more time than we expected. Now we are going to use some of the leftover tiles to dress up the bare areas between the steps up to the spa. Should look very nice when we're done. Also, this week I've played tennis 5 days in a row!! Boy, is my body feeling that. Thank goodness for ibuprofen! Are you enjoying some cooler weather up there now? How are your mom & dad? Saw your note about their mangoes! Do you think you'll be back down to FL to visit them this winter? We must be SURE to get together on your next trip.

Hi Debby, I just visited your page for the first time today and looked at your photos. They are great! You have beautiful daughters and one has the same name as my daughter, Jennifer. She likes to be called Jenni not Jenny as is usual. She is a beautiful girl, too, and is married and living in England at the moment on a working holiday. I miss her but my husband and I will be visiting her in England in February/March,next year.

Hi Debby, and thanks for all your good wishes and positive thoughts. We visited Mom twice on the weekend, and despite having had a tumble and a bruised arm (we're hoping it wasn't another mini-stroke) she's still so eager to get on with her therapy and get well. Needless to say, my mind is numb and I'm trying to focus on one thing at a time, one day at a time, otherwise ... meltdown. I get teary once in awhile but dust myself off and try to get on with the tasks I can manage. Just heading out for a walk now, to clear my head. Thanks again for caring, and have a terrific day!

Hey Deb, Just dropped in to see the newest pictures on flicker...nice. Wish you had someone take your picture for your first visit to the Rodeo. Were you in the band..I didn't check closely? I'm with you in loving seeing the mountains...so pretty. See you on easy. Peace.

A number of things could have contributed to Mom toppling over--the partial lack of sensation in her right foot, dizziness, and the fact that she only weighs 89 pounds ... we're hoping she's not going to be eroded by a series of mini-strokes. That'll just quash her spirit which is still so good. She'll likely be transferred to the rehab clinic this week, so for that I'm thankful. And yes, I'm trying to keep a balance, slowly resuming my own exercise routine and catching up on work. There are times when I get teary so I grab a crossword puzzle or pet my cats as a distraction. Tough days, but I'm managing to keep the blues at bay most of the time. And it's because of caring people like you that I'm able to do so! You're a true gem.

Thanks for the greetings Debby

, Debby. I just wanted to drop in and thank you for the visit and birthday wishes. When we lived in Toledo, we often drove up to Howell, Michigan, to visit my brother and his family. Do you live anywhere near there? My husband's grandfather had lived in Charlevioux (spelling?) and I have fond memories of traveling across Michigan to visit that area, too. Yes, I do enjoy homeschooling, even though it started as a temporary solution for the grandchildren while their house in Colorado was being remodeled. Then their parents decided to sell the house and the bottom fell out of the housing market. After two years, their house has finally sold, but the grandchildren are enjoying living here. Their father is still trying to decide where he will find 'permanent' work. He has accepted moving to Utah, but hasn't checked out any jobs in our area. He likes Salt Lake City, but my daughter prefers the rural life. We'll have to see what happens. Meanwhile, their education continues with me teaching the older two children and my daughter teaching the younger two. We have an excellent curriculum, so all it takes is time and patience. We love the flexibility of scheduling, so that any unexpected events can be attended to at the time and the children just bring their homework along. And we don't accept just passing grades; the object is to learn and if their tests don't reflect a thorough knowledge of the subject, we review until we know they fave full comprehension of the subject. They have special community classes offered on Thursdays by the local homeschoolers group and that helps, too. They are enrolled in the community Shakespeare class, pen and ink (writing) class, Liberty girls (history and crafts), art class, builders class (young boys), princess class (young girls), and science class (young boys). Besides those classes, they attend martial arts, violin, and Scottish dancing classes. So their lives are full. And I am busy either teaching or transporting to classes.

Debby, when I look at the falls on your creek I can almost hear the water rushing. That's a nice sound, isn't it. We can only try to duplicate it here by the sound of the spa water flowing down into the pool - not quite as nice but at least it's convenient to have it right outside our door.

Hi Debby! I am so glad you stopped by. I've been checking my page periodically, but have not been posting much.

Hope you, and yours, are doing well.

Debby, we use the SOS (Switched-On Schoolhouse) curriculum, by Alpha-Omega Publications, which are computer-based for the older children. They use their laptops and can take them anywhere. I think the younger children use the Horizon curriculum, the traditional paper and workbook version, but it is published by the same company. We are supplementing with a typing tutor class this year, too. There are some excellent magazines published by Alpha-Omega that we also use for supplements. There is a home-schooling magazine that does a survey once a year of curriculums and SOS was highly recommended by those who used it, which is why we first researched it. One of my older granddaughters has ADD and she does much better sitting in a corner with a PC than having multiple books and papers around her for distraction.

Hi again. Thanks for the info on Howell; it has been about 6 years since I have been there, so I'm sure I would have problems recognizing the little town atmosphere that I remember. But at least I can place you in an area of familiarity. And thank you for the compliments on the photos. I have photos from this year to add yet, but will wait until I have more time, maybe after Christmas. My husband gave me a new camera for my birthday, so I'll need to test it out soon.

Debby, You asked if I lived near the PA. mountains, and sorry to say, as much as I enjoy the mountains, I'm about an hour to an hour and a half away from the closest mountains, The Poconos. It is nearing a beautiful time of year when I usually travel to the mountains on weekends. I will be going up there in a couple of weeks and look forward to the changing leaves to their fall dress....such a wonderful, picturesque time to enjoy. I usually stay as far away as I can in winter because I really don't like cold weather, but have had on occasion watched others enjoy the ski sloops...not my cup of tea, while I enjoyed the social aspect of the ski lodge! I did buy my dog from a breeder there, so its not too difficult to go any time I want to spend time away from my city life. Have you ever been to Pennsylvania? If not, I do hope you can get here sometime during your life. This is a great time of year to enjoy nice weather and less crowded conditions and beautiful fall vistas. Late September to mid October can't be beat! Keep it in mind.

Yes, Debby, the SOS curriculum is Christian-based. And I discovered that my daughter uses the Lifepac curriculum, not the Horizon, for the younger children. We tried Saxon math first because the girls used it in their Colorado charter school, but Amanda really struggled with the quantity of homework. We then tried Galswin math, but the girls didn't like it very well, either. Both girls prefer SOS math and actually retain the knowledge. Amanda has always scored highly on math tests, but it's so much easier with a program they like. Having the curriculum individualized is an advantage of homeschooling, and I commend you for your efforts. I had no idea that the Howell area had such a strong base of homeschoolers (might be because my sister-in-law is a public school music teacher). Have a great day!

Debby, I'm so glad you visited my page. Thank you for your nice comments.

Your house looks like an Alpine chalet. How lovely. Are the wedding pictures your daughter?

Please stop by any time.

Debbie, your daughter made a beautiful bride! Aren't weddings exciting?!

I understand about wanting to become a grandma. After patiently waiting for many years, we now have two grandbabies. Our grandson celebrated his 3rd birthday last month and his little sister will be 1 year in October. Being grandparents is truly the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to my husband and me. It has rounded out our lives and brought us a richness that we could never have imagined. Hopefully your daughter will make "the announcement" before too much longer!!!

I've been spending way too much time on the computer lately. I'd best go get something productive accomplished. Have a great weekend.

Hi Debby, and your wish for a sunny day has come true--it's gorgeous here! After an outing to a local mall, Mom got transferred to a stroke rehab clinic yesterday, so I spent the rest of the day getting her settled in. I'm pooped, but reassured to know that she's in a great place with specialists whose goal is to get her functioning at her best. Other patients spoke highly of the place, and we can even bring her out for weekends to our house (once she's stronger, with doctor approval). So we're still taking everything one day at a time and won't know until she's assessed at the end of her stint at the clinic whether she'll be able to return to her home. Meanwhile, I try to visit every other day, commuting the hour each way. But I love those visits--real quality time and such a bonus. Thanks for continuing to keep me in your thoughts. I so appreciate it!

Debbie, glad you had a great day out with your son. I googled Papa Joe's and now my mouth is watering all over the keyboard!!! Thanks for the hunger pangs I am now experiencing.

Thank you very much for the nice compliment on today's butterfly- -my husband's very good at photography, I couldn't upload the pic as he took it, it was too dense for the website. But you can see his work at http://blog.myspace.com/ansky23456.

Thanks again!

Hi, D E B B Y .
Very glad to recieve your post to me and your very kind words.
A lot of my photos which covers my Cruise trip to Mexico is now on my photo galary .All others will follow.
Hope it meets your interest.
Have a nice time .

Debby, thank you for the birthday greeting. It is appreciated. I love just outside of Ft. Lauderdale, on the east coast. It is about 2 hours to Cape Coral. The beaches on the west coast are so much nicer than the east coast.

Good luck and enjoy your Dobro lesson, Debby.
Have to admit, I had to google that one!!!

Debby, once more you come into my corner and support me with your kind words. Your message of condolence is most appreciated. Blessings to you and all those you love.

Hi Debby. Thanks for the heads up on the latest pictures. I left a few comments. Hope all is well down your way. When do you plan on leaving Michigan behind permanently? Cheers!

Thank you for going to the trouble of sending me birthday wishes Debby. I appreciate it very much. I'm also glad you like my fountain (made by my very clever husband, and very clever 15 year old). As to the kids being cute, just remember that pictures can be deceiving!!

Debby for the birthday wishes

Cidar and donuts. Reminds me of when I was much younger and lived in Michigan. I can almost smell it.

Hi Debby. Old Mexico is the best to visit. The new parts are nice as well, but the old cities are the best. Thanks for visiting my travel site.

Hi Debby, I am studying to be a High School Science teacher. I used to be an engineer, then the kids came along.... Now they are 14 and 11 it's time to get back into the workforce. In Aus we can't teach without a graduate diploma at least (though I think some private schools still allow it, a recent law has them having to change too).

Hello Debby - thank you for visiting my page and viewing my latest photos. I just went into Flickr and you have quite a few I hadn't seen before. Your daughter's wedding looks lovely.

Debby, thanks for the flowers! A cheery touch from a good friend is just the ticket. It's a gorgeous autumn, isn't it? Very crisp, cool breezes, and our leaves are just beginning to turn. I've still got roses and balloon flowers blooming, and may get the convertible out for one more ride yet. A brave few were still drinking their coffees out on sidewalk cafes over the weekend. Hope you're making the most of this bonus weather (though I admit to being a diehard winter fan and am looking forward to it). Cheers, and enjoy your week!

Debby,
I am getting full of envy for your neck of the woods - with all the ads on TV about "Pure Michigan" If I was free to do as I please - I would love to drive around Lake Michigan - starting up to Door County and then around. I love this time of year - but it is quite rainy this early morning, but it seems gentle and not as wild as they said it could be. The trees are just now starting to change over and I finally got some apple cider - Thanks - I always love your offerings. I'm baking pumpkin bread for my sewing group tonight. I just finished my last Christmas Stocking (did 64 this 2 week period) so hoping I'm free to start on another project. Well, enjoy your day and an early - Take care and thanks, Mary

Thanks Debbie,
for your warm welcome, i was away from the website for a while, 'cos the connection was not good here.
anyway let's meet in the chatroom sometime.

Debbie,
Thank you so much for your kind words today. Bruce and I will work things thru and I know we will not let this beat us. Thank you also for your offer to come in here and vent. LOL I might just take you up on that.
Hope all is well with you and your family, and enjoy your week.

Hi Debby, I loved your housework joke today, but I'm wondering if you realise that 'fanny' has a very different meaning in Australia. I was surprised Gath's filter didn't boot you off. My sister, when an exchange student in the US, was very surprised when she heard the word used there. In case you haven't worked it out, it's used in place of the female 'v word' here (don't want to get booted off).

Debbie, we Aussies are a thick-skinned bunch. Yes, 'that' word does mean something different here but we know it has two meanings. While we may be a little surprised to see it used, we would certainly not be offended.

Hi again Debby. I just read your posting today. I regret unintentionally giving you the impression that anyone would be offended by your word. Gail is 100% right!! I thought the use of the word 'loved' would have shown I wasn't offended at all. I just wanted you to know. I always think it's hilarious when Americans use terms like pulling for, rooting etc in a context that would be read very differently in Australia. I often choke on laughter!! I can guarantee you that no Australian would be offended.