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Well, Kids....RH (retired husband) and I have been quite busy this past week.  We transferred ownership of the downsized place and had all the utilities put in our name. We met with our contractor today and he thinks he can do everything we want done.  He is preparing a design and estimate so we can get it approved by the Board at the cooperative where we will be moving. 

We have measured and remeasured and think we can take more of our furniture than we originally thought possible.  This makes it easier for  us to keep some the family pieces that we have treasured.  We thought about selling those items that our son didn't want but we knew we would never get what they are worth and besides....we like them!

Anchor Hocking Royal Ruby glassware.  We have juice glasses, larger glasses, cups, 2 vases, a sugar and creamer.

H.Hargrove oil paintings...We have about 12 of them.

At the downsized house, we have two bedrooms on the top floor and we plan to use the second one as a large closet area and as my computer room.  RH will have the family room for his computer, tv, recliner and other special mementos.  We can also fit in the very large hutch and our antique table and chairs which were a wedding gift to his grandparents many years ago..  In the living room, which will basically be "MY" space ~ we will have the second tv, a second couch, my recliner and pictures that I enjoy from my chicken collection.  Somewhere we hope to fit in the oil paintings that we have collected over the years.

I called a franchise that said it handled E-Bay sales but the person on the phone was extremely negative and didn't seem very interested in working with us.  We thought about putting some of the glassware and oil painting items in our garage sale knowing that we would never get much for the items.  We will have a large couch with 2 recliners at each end, a small recliner, some end tables, lamps, a wooden entertainment center and a lot of knickknacks including the rejects from my vast chicken collection.  Whatever we make from the sale will be better than nothing.  I know we will be donating a lot of the left over items to GoodWill or the Habitat. 

We spent most of the week cleaning inside and outside the current home.  I know I haven't cleaned this thoroughly in a very long time.   OMG!   I even cleaned the patio door tracks which had accumulated a lot of gunk during the 6 months we were gone.   And in cleaning, I found some carpet stains that had appeared over the winter....they came up easily by using some carpet cleaner ~ thank goodness!.

We had our first showing last night.  The neighbors said they were here for a long time, even checked out the back  yard.  We  haven't heard a thing about the showing so I guess they haven't made any offer.  It would be wonderful if we could sell the house before next November when we return to Florida.  We have a 6 month sales contract and hope there is a sale by then.  We live about one long block from a very nice elementary school so maybe once school is out; people will think more about moving.

I still haven't had any time to read.  I have downloaded a lot of free books on my Kindle this week.  Some day I will have time to read again.  RH has to start mowing at the downsized house tomorrow.  The Cooperative requires the lawns be mowed once a week.  I am putting off planting flowers for now but hope to fill up the many large planters before the end of the month.   If the Board approves our contractor's plans at their Wednesday meeting, we can get that work started before we move in.

Lots of things to do and the time flies by so quickly.  Please keep us in your thoughts to sell the house.

I HAZ REMODELING SKILLZ.....

So, kids....We left Avon Park, Florida about 6:45 A.M. on Saturday, April 28th.   We had a bit of a struggle getting Callie, our feral cat, into the cat carrier but we finally managed that.  Got the rest of the luggage in the car, turned off the utilities and closed up the RV for the season.   We had good weather but ran into two separate traffic jams near Atlanta.   Once we got past that area, we were making good time.  In fact, we were doing so well that RH (retired husband) asked me about 7:00 P.M. if I wanted to keep going or stop for the night.  We decided to keep going and finally got  home about 4:30 A.M. Sunday morning.  Once we had crossed into Indiana, we hit some major thunderstorms and it seemed to take FOREVER. to get to our house.  

We went to bed about 5:30 A.M. Sunday morning and slept a couple of hours.  Then we were off on a busy and hectic few days.  Monday, I went to the grocery store.  RH ran some errands.  By Tuesday, we had looked at 3 properties where we were considering a downsizing move and selected one.  That afternoon, we made an offer and then called our real estate man to put our current home up for sale.  Wednesday we went back to the house we offered to buy to check it out and take some measurements.  In-between we were cleaning up our house after being gone for 6 months.   Our step-granddaugher and her friend had stayed in the house.  We had a fun filled few hours trying to find things that were in different places.   Thursday RH was working in the yard and I planted flowers.  Friday was the photo and video tour picture taking by the real estate company.  Today RH continues to make minor repairs and I am sorting through STUFF!  And today, the house is officially on the market.

Here's the link...

 http://prudentialonerealty.pprmi.com/2411-DIVISION-ST-MISHAWAKA-IN-46545/255697SB 

We are waiting now for the Board to approve us for the home we wish to purchase.  Then we will have a contractor friend come over to see if we can do some improvements before we move there.  It's going to be a big job to downsize.  We have already had our son and daughter in law come over to go through the Christmas decorations.  We just don't have room in Florida for many Christmas items.    RH has gone through his collections of Western items and police memorabilia.    I have gone through my extensive chicken collection.  Surprisingly it hasn't been as difficult as I expected.   I'm sure we will weed out even more as time goes by.  We plan to have a big garage sale in the not to distant future too.

It's been a very busy week for both of us.  We are tired but getting excited about changing our home.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that we sell this house quickly so we can move on.

Also this week, I  had my mammogram.  Monday is a dentist appointment, Tuesday is a blood test and the week after will be my annual physical.  I also need to get an appointment with the eye doctor.

I haven't been able to find a minute to sit and read this week.  I am feeling the withdrawal already.

Well, kids, this is your lucky day.   I had an enormously long blog and lost it all when the Internet hiccupped.   So instead of re-creating all that unimportant stuff, I am going to cut to the chase.

This is the last week we have in Florida.  It's been quite a week.  Monday we took the day off from the RV park and drove to a casino.  It has plenty of penny slots....our favorites.....and plenty of new slot games.  I started out with $60 of my own and RH (retired husband) gave me another $20 when we walked through the door.  I changed the $20 into $5s and put one in and I was off..... I never put another dime out of my pocket into a machine.  I played for about 4 hours on the original $5 and left with $35 profit.  I had $45 but wasted $10 playing some machines that I ordinarily wouldn't even try.  I'm sure we will visit this casino again next season.

I've tried to cook up almost all of the food in our refrigerator.  Strangely enough, many other items have gotten to the end of their use this week too ~ so we have managed to use up nearly everything. 

Today I cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed the RV and Florida room.  Tomorrow will be my final laundromat visit for the next 6 months.   When I return, it will be time to start sorting through the clothes we brought down and the clothes we bought here.   I bought several 3/4 length sleeve tops which I will be taking back to Indiana for the spring and autumn.   I also will take the short sleeved tops I bought here back to Indiana.  I found so many great summer tops here in Florida that are so different from what is available back home.   We are leaving some of the really old things here to be used when we return to clean and redo items in our unit.  Now that we have lived here for 6 months, we are more aware of what we would like to change when we return.

Our new neighbors were here this week.  They were cleaning and sorting through what was in the RV they purchased.  The former owners took a lot of stuff that was supposed to stay with the unit.  However, the new neighbors said they wanted to make the unit their own and were making some changes.  They also cleaned the carpet, cleaned the bathroom, fixed a water leak, got a tv antenna and made plans to have the Florida room reworked next November.  Most of the tenants in the park come in November and stay through April so it will be a busy area next winter.  I am sure they are going to be great neighbors.

My newest addiction is called Pinterest.  I love it.  I spend hours looking at photos, clothes, recipes, posters and all sorts of things.   I have my own boards and "pin" the items to the appropriate boards.  I put a link to my Pinterest boards on the left side of this blog if you care to visit.

And I read two books.

I absolutely loved this book. There was a romance and a back story but they didn't take over the book. It has plenty of descriptions of beautiful vintage clothing, descriptions about the vintage clothing store the heroine opened and so much more.  I'm already looking for other books by this author at my library back home.

Here's the description.

Phoebe Swift’s friends are stunned when she abruptly leaves a plum job to open her own vintage clothing shop in London—but to Phoebe, it’s the fulfillment of a dream, and her passion. Digging for finds in attics and wardrobes, Phoebe knows that when you buy a piece of vintage clothing, you’re not just buying fabric and thread—you’re buying a piece of someone’s past. But one particular article of clothing will soon unexpectedly change her life.

Thérèse Bell, an elderly Frenchwoman, has an impressive clothing collection. But among the array of elegant suits and couture gowns, Phoebe finds a child’s sky-blue coat—an item with which Mrs. Bell is stubbornly reluctant to part. As the two women become friends, Phoebe will learn the poignant tale of that little blue coat. And she will discover an astonishing connection between herself and Thérèse Bell—one that will help her heal the pain of her own past and allow her to love again.

and here's a review....

Most of the other reviews have gone over the plot of this charming book, so I won't belabor that. What I will do is tell you that I absolutely LOVED A Vintage Affair and didn't put it down until I finished it in one day. Now, for me, that is NOT just chick lit. This book has a wonderful main character, Phoebe Swift, who narrates the story and captured my heart early on in the Prologue. She's definitely not perfect, and we feel her confusion, her disappointment, and most of all, her regrets. But she's also filled with passion and enthusiasm and hope, and we, the readers, are taken along for the ride. Phoebe is not afraid to risk in love or in business, but she is unable to get beyond regrets about what she sees as her own failings. There's also a bittersweet story of World War II friendship and tragedy that parallels in many ways a complex friendship in Phoebe's own immediate past. Both stories of betrayal and friendship touched me deeply, and I have to admit that tears were flowing freely as I read.

What makes this book a can't-put-it-down page-turner is the fact that mystery lurks around every corner, as does coincidence (or fate?), and this combination, while it may strain credulity at times, also keeps the reader guessing and hoping, right along with Phoebe. In addition to mystery, there's romance that includes just about all the various shades of romantic entanglements, including lost love, found love with complications, and budding romance with great potential. Somehow the author manages to keep it believable enough that the reader is swept along with the story, unable to put the book down or forget about what's going to happen next.

To make the novel even more interesting, there are fascinating details about vintage fashion, classic films, vineyards, and World War II in Europe. The story is set in England, and the British setting provides interest without becoming off-putting to American readers. Somehow this author pulls all the above together beautifully, even though this review may make it sound like a hodgepodge of plots. The successfully unifying elements are friendship, parent-child relationships, romance, and regrets, and who can't identify with most all those facets of life? I adored A Vintage Affair, and I highly recommend it. I definitely intend to investigate other novels by this author.

I'm nearly finished with this paperback. It's a quick read and has lots of information about what it is like to run a restaurant, to work in a restaurant and I'm sure it will end well. It's a love story between the co-owner of the restaurant and the young woman he hires as his assistant during the final summer that the restaurant is to be opened. I was surprised that the author mentioned my home town, my high school and a hospital in my area in Indiana. According to the jacket, she attended college at John Hopkins and went to the University of Iowa Writers Workshop.   She lives with her family in Nantucket, Mass. so I am not sure why she would select my area. I guess I need to Google her.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was the amount of alcohol that the heroine was told to drink. The owner wanted her to always drink an expensive wine so the customers would want to order it.  That didn't make any sense to me but maybe there will be an explanation by the end of the story.

Here's a description.

The pricey, popular bistro of the title is the real star of Hilderbrand's fourth novel set on Nantucket. After years of hotel employ, peripatetic Adrienne Dealey, 28, lands her first restaurant job within hours of disembarking on the bucolic Massachusetts island. She's got a lot of learning to do as assistant to co-owner Thatcher Smith. Adrienne's soon attracted to the handsome Thatcher, and he seems to return her feelings. But just what is his relationship with his partner, the famous, utterly reclusive chef Fiona "Fee" Kemp? And why will no one talk about her?

Hilderbrand specializes in beach reading (Summer People; The Beach Club); the plot doesn't go too far beyond standard romance and the characters don't reach beyond the conventional (though Adrienne does drink a bit more than the average heroine). But the complexities of running a bustling, ambitious restaurant in a summer hotspot are absorbing, and as Adrienne develops survival techniques with the customers and staff, readers follow her progress with genuine interest. Though the romance is a bit tepid and a subplot involving Adrienne's father's new girlfriend doesn't add much excitement, this is still a perfectly enjoyable beach book.

and a review...and as is often the case, I had to delete the spoilers...

This was my first Elin Hilderbrand book and I can see why she's such a popular author.  She excels at creating a main character you can relate to and care about. Adrianne is in her late twenties and has been floating from hotel job to hotel job in exotic locals, driven from each as soon as the going gets tough. On the advice of a friend, she lands in Nantucket with $40 to her name. With a tip from a frequent visitor on the ferry, Adrianne finds the Blue Bistro getting ready to open for its final summer season. While debating if she wants to attempt the switch from hotels to restaurants, she runs in to Thatcher who co-owns the restaurant. After sharing the best breakfast of her life with Adrianne, Thatcher offers her the assistant manager job at the front of the house. After a little persuasion Adriane takes the job. Before she even starts, Adriane begins to hear bits and pieces about the chef, Fiona, who is the co-owner with Thatcher.  Fiona  and Thatcher are childhood best friends in the world. As Thatcher and Adrianne grow closer, Fiona's attachment grows with Thatcher. While Adriane knows that Thatcher cares about her, she begins to wonder if she will ever be first in his heart. . For some reason even though Adrianne is managing the restaurant, nobody (including her roommate who also works at the restaruant, a bartender who she knows from her hotel days, or her new friend the pastry chef) will tell her what is happing with Fiona. Once she finds out, she is given only bits and pieces from Thatcher and left to figure out everything else on her own. The ending was also extremely frustrating for me.   If you like everything tied up in a neat little bow, this book is not for you. Since I did like the main character so much, I probably will try another of Hildebrand's novels.

 

For those of you who may not read Facebook, you might be interested to know that we had to put down our male Siamese cat this past Monday.  His name was Samurai aka SAM.  He was not even 7 years old.  He became ill almost 2 weeks ago over the weekend.  We found a vet in Avon Park, Florida who could see him.  He was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection.  He was treated with pills.  He was making a very good recovery for about 6 days.  On the sixth evening (Saturday) of the following weekend, we noticed he was acting much like he had acted the week before.  We watched him on Sunday and he seemed to rally a bit but we took him back to the vet last Monday.  The vet took xrays.  There were two possible stones in his bladder and some dark shadows.  His bladder was extremely large.  The vet gave us some options but could not guarantee that Sam could get better.  It would be a long shot at best.  Because Sam was still sedated for the xrays; we decided to let him go and had him put down.   The vet was extremely compassionate and said he would do whatever we wanted  him to do. 

During our 47 years of marriage, we have had to make this decision more than once for our furry friends.  This time seemed particularly difficult because Sam was so young.  He was so personable too.  He loved everyone who came to our door.  He had visitors come to our Florida room window every day to talk to him.  I know they will be shocked when they return next winter to discover that he is gone.

The other two cats seem to miss him too.  Callie ~ our calico was adopted about the same time as Sam.  They have been buddies for years.  She was hissing at Sam during the week he was recovering.  I think she knew he was very sick.   We had expected our oldest cat, Dakota, to have to be put down while we were here.  She is old and sick.  However, she has rallied very well.  She jumps up on the window ledge.  She plays with Callie.  She eats and drinks well every day.  However, we do expect she will be gone by the end of 2012.  And then we will have to make the decision if we want another cat.

Sam is in the first two photos below and all three cats are in the third photo.  (Callie, Dakota, Sam.)

Yesterday we received a lovely sympathy card from the vet's office here with a quote about pets from Cesar Millan.

We are on the countdown of our last week here in Florida. We have changed our mailing address with the Post Office, changed our magazine subscriptions and had the car serviced for our trip back home. We are trying to use up the food in our refrigerator and cupboard. Anything we can't take back home, we will give to some people who live in the RV park. We heard about a couple who don't have much money. Most of our neighbors gave the couple their refrigerated foods when they are leaving the park for home.  We are surrounded by about 8 empty units. Our newest neighbors came yesterday to check out the unit they purchased. (It's the one we were considering buying). They want to get it set up now so that when they return in November; it will be ready for them. They plan to leave on Tuesday for their other home. RH (retired husband) will start packing some of our things that we don't need this week in boxes to be put in the car carrier. We have been putting the food and water for our cats in the large cat carrier we bought for the return home. That way, we hope, they won't be too freaked out when we put them inside.

I also made my last grocery trip to the store this week. I will do the laundry one more time the day before we leave next Saturday. I made my last shopping trip to Beall's last week ....this is my favorite store. And I went to Beall's outlet store this morning. I had a $5 coupon to use up. I didn't need anything but I managed to spend just under $40 anyway. I got a few gifts and some sweaters and t-shirt tops for myself.

And ....of course, I read a couple of books. I am using GoodReads to keep track of my goal to read 125 books by the end of 2012.  Currently, I am only 1 book behind in my timeline to reach the goal... I have about 175 books on my Kindle to read. I also kept a list of titles of books that I want to borrow from my favorite library when I get back to Indiana. I imagine I have about 100 titles on there....

This is part of a series called The Elm Creek Quilts.  There are a group of woman of varied ages and backgrounds who meet on a regular basis to make quilts.  They have started a quilting center and teach others how to do various types of quilts.  In this book, the group wants to create a wedding quilt as a surprise for one of their group.  She is an older woman and has gotten married without an big celebration.  Of course, throughout the story, there are many misunderstandings and a lot of confusion.  But it all turns out well in the end.

Here's a jacket description.

This newest of the Elm Creek Quilts novels continues the series with a tribute to matriarch Sylvia Compson, who surprised her fellow quilters by marrying her longtime sweetheart on a recent holiday. Eager to honor their favorite Master Quilter, the Elm Creek Quilters hasten to stitch a bridal quilt for the newlyweds. Until the time comes to unveil the surprise gift, Sylvia will be the one in the dark. Such little white lies seem harmless enough. But the quilting retreat at Elm Creek Manor thrives on women sharing their creativity, their challenges and their dreams. Somehow, in their race to commemorate in the bridal quilt all they hold dear about Sylvia’s wisdom, skill and devotion, her fellow quilters forget to give honesty its pride of place. Just when it seems that the women have everything to celebrate, forces conspire to threaten their happiness and prosperity. Two among them falter in their personal relationships, while another suffers financial problems. As still two others weigh the comfort of the present against dreams of a future far from Elm Creek Manor, closely guarded secrets strain the bonds of friendship with those who may be left behind.

and here's my own review on GoodReads.

 I have read other books by author Jennifer Chiaverini. I know I have read at least one other in this Elm Creek Quilts series. This one took me longer to get into. The chapters were often devoted to a different character and some of the same events were rehashed over and over. I found this confusing when a chapter about each character would go back in time and then move forward to explain how that particular character reacted to the same events. And I did think the ending was conveniently arranged. However, this was a lovely story about a group of good friends who got caught up in their daily personal lives. As was mentioned in the story line, they used to spend at least one day together quilting and would share their personal lives. They all got so busy and caught up in other issues that most of them did not share what was going on. This caused some confusion and hurt feelings among the group until they finally told each other what was happening. Whether you have followed the Elm Creek Quilts series or not; this is a good story to read.

I absolutely loved this book. When I first picked it up, I thought I might have read it. Since I couldn't remember the storyline, I started reading it. I was instantly caught up in the drama of the main characters. This book takes place during WWII. It helped me imagine how some of my relatives lived during that time.  After I finished the book, I realized it was one of the books on my list of titles.

Here's a jacket description.

Chicago, 1944. Liz Stephens has little interest in attending a USO club dance with her friends Betty and Julia. She doesn't need a flirtation with a lonely serviceman when she's set to marry her childhood sweetheart. Yet something happens the moment Liz glimpses Morgan McClain. They share only a brief conversation - cut short by the soldier's evident interest in Betty - but Liz can't forget him. Thus, when Betty asks her to ghostwrite a letter to Morgan, stationed overseas, Liz reluctantly agrees.


Thousands of miles away, Morgan struggles to adjust to the brutality of war. His letters from "Betty" are a comfort, their soul-baring correspondence a revelation to them both. While Liz is torn by her feelings for a man who doesn't know her true identity, Betty and Julia each become immersed in their own romantic entanglements. And as the war draws to a close, all three will face heart-wrenching choices, painful losses, and the bittersweet joy of new beginnings.

and here's my own review on GoodReads...

I really, really enjoyed this story. It takes place during WWII and involved the lives of 3 women friends and some of the men in their lives. The reader gets information about what it was like for the soldiers out in the field, a woman who joins up and serves in the hospitals and some women who stay home and try to keep everything going. I knew as soon as I read the jacket description that I was going to love the story line...and I did. And I could hardly wait to get to the end to see if the main character got reunited with a man that she fell in love with by exchanging letters throughout the war....

RH (retired husband) got up early this morning and went on a hunt.  He is determined to find an alligator before we leave for Indiana.  We have talked to people....who have seen alligators.  One of the people went on an air boat ride and got an amazing video of a gator going from land into the water.  So RH must find alligators too!.  It is after 12:00 P.M. and he is still not back ~ so either he found the gators, is looking for the gators or the gators found him.  More up-to-date information on that event later.

Remember my rant last time about the Laundromat Queen?  I haven't seen her lately.  However, I did change my laundry day.  It worked out fine.   There were a lot of people in there on the different day but we all got along.  There were enough washers for everyone and plenty of dryers too.

But...sadly....this warning sign is necessary.  (not in the laundromat I use...)

So many people are leaving the RV park for their regular homes now.  The last neighbors around us left yesterday.  In an area of 7 neighbors...we are the only ones left.  It sure is quiet around here.  Less dogs being walked as well.  We are counting down our last 2 weeks starting today.  Although I really like being here, I have to admit I am getting more excited to go back home.  We have amenities at home.  Central Air, 2 bathrooms, a big hot water heater, a washer and dryer, a dishwasher and more space.  I know I will have to spend more time doing housework.  Here, I can vacuum, mop the bathroom floor and kitchen floor, dust and clean the bathroom and kitchen in about an hour.  Back in Indiana, it's at least 2 hours plus all day doing laundry. 

And the other BIG decision will be....do we want to put the Indiana house up for sale?  We love the house but it is big.  RH spends a lot of time doing yardwork.  We know we will have to replace some things in the future...probably the washer and dryer, maybe think about a new roof in the next few years...you know..all the regular maintenance things that a homeowner takes care of.   But on the plus side, we are close to almost any restaurant or store that we like, we have great neighbors on both sides of us, we are close to family and special friends and we have enough room for people to come and stay with us or to host a large gathering. 

A former coworker lives in an area of our hometown where the homes are part of a cooperative.  They are extremely inexpensive.  There is a monthly fee to live there.  We have been told it ranges from $200 to $350 per month but includes insurance, property taxes. replacement of furnace or hot water heaters, outside mowing or snow removal, maintenance of the outside structure, etc.  Also the cost of the various homes are between $12,000 to $35,000.  I know!   If we could sell our current home even at the price we paid for it 10 years ago, and then buy a 2 or 3 bedroom home in my friend's area....even paying the fee to live there...we could put a lot of money into the bank and do some more traveling. 

On the con side, there is the stress of trying to sell our current home, getting rid of a lot of stuff and the actual move.  Also, we would probably want to update the smaller place and have it the way we want it to be.  I expect this will be the last move we make as a couple.  I can't imagine that we would want to move again if we don't have to.  I really don't see us living in Florida all year round...although it is tempting.  If we did decide to move here; we would be looking for a larger home...a house.  Honestly if something happened to one of us, I don't know if the other would want to live here without family or good friends.

As far as the high temperatures and humidity here...we have the same thing back in Indiana.   But in Indiana, we don't have high temperatures all year long.  I still like the cooler weather...the smell of growing plants and flowers in the Spring...the smell of the grass and earth as it starts to green up.  I love the summer sky and the warm breezes.  I love the Fall as the leaves turn and the crispness in the air, wearing a sweater or sweatshirt.  And even Winter....I love to watch the snow come down, the silence and serenity of the world outside my window.

It's been wonderful to escape the snow and ice and ugliness of unplowed roads not to mention the chills of wind and rain but there is something to be said for four seasons of the year

So...some thoughtful decisions to be made. 

We had a sick cat this week and found a great vet here in Avon Park, Fl.  Our sweet, laid-back Siamese, Samurai aka Sam just wasn't acting like himself over the past weekend.  He was restless, he made numerous trips back and forth to the litter boxes, he couldn't seem to get comfortable and then he started licking himself a lot and going into small spaces to keep away from the other two cats.  On Monday, we called and found a vet that could see him late that afternoon.  Both RH and I had been checking on the Internet and we were sure he either had a obstruction in his bowel or a urinary tract infection.  We were almost positive it was the urinary problem.  Of course, in reading the Internet, we were very worried about the course of treatment.  It could have required IVs, an overnight stay at the vet's office, xrays or even surgery.  We had to decide how far we were willing to go with treatment before the cost got too much.  We had brought all 3 cats down to Florida in a large cage that RH built.  So we didn't have the small cat carriers here. 

RH found a carrier at the local pet store.   We loaded Sam into it and off we went to the vet.  We were very pleased with the doctor and he was very gentle with Sam.  He determined that it was a urinary tract infection and said he thought giving Sam some pills for 10 days should work.  He gave him a double dose in the office and we took the other pills home.  We have been giving him the pills ever since.  Sam seems back to normal.  He is sleeping and eating and jumping into his favorite sleeping spot.   And now we have a cat carrier to leave here in Avon Park and a great vet if and when we need one again.

I  have a goal of the number of books I want to read in 2012.  I joined Goodreads to keep track of that goal.  So far I have read 33 books.  I am about 2 books behind in working towards my goal.

Ihis week, I read

This was an interesting new theme on a traditional paperback story. One sister has always felt like the black sheep of the family. Her mother used her older sister as the icon of what a good daughter should be. Of course, the main character has grown up feeling like she isn't good enough. Her choice of a career is never right, she didn't finish college, she doesn't have the job her mother expected her to get, she isn't married, she has no material assets. But, suddenly, something unexpected happens and she is forced to take on responsibility that isn't hers. And she does. She finds her inner strength and works on making a good life.   Then her sister comes home and everything changes...again.

I didn't realize until I read the review that this is a sequel to SUMMER OF TWO WISHES.  I will be looking for that book now.

Here's a description.

Holly Fisher opens her door one day and finds her estranged sister Hannah standing there with a glassy look and her nine-month old baby on her hip. Before Holly knows what is happening, Hannah has left her baby with Holly and disappeared. Three months later, fresh out of rehab for addiction to painkillers, Hannah shows up sober, contrite, and wanting her son back. But Holly is in love with the baby and not willing to give him up to the mother who abandoned him.

Into the middle of this extraordinary conflict between two sisters walks a lonesome cowboy, Wyatt Clark (Summer of Two Wishes) who knows a thing or two about childcare and fractured families. He’s had his own troubles and has stayed away from women the last couple of years, but he can’t resist Holly and the baby. But when Holly is delivered a devastating blow and returns the baby to his mother, Holly is too distraught to continue her relationship with Wyatt. It will take an extraordinary turn from Hannah to bring Holly and Wyatt together so that they both may find the happiness that has eluded them.

and a review...

A LIGHT AT WINTER'S END BY JULIA LONDON is a contemporary romance set in present day Texas. It is the sequel to "Summer Of Two Wishes",but can be read as a stand alone. It is well written with depth,details and twists and turns. It has family conflict,romance, love, childcare,fractured families,forgiveness,drug addiction,following dreams,coming to terms with the past, finding your place in the world, finding true love and happiness. The characters are realistic,engaging,charming and will leave you wanting more. This is a tender story of love,forgiveness,making heartbreaking decisions,leaving the past behind and moving forward to the future.If you enjoy an emotional roller coaster ride,a tender love story,a sweet reunion and family in crisis coming together than this is a story for you.BE WARNED you will need tissues handy.

I've read some other books by this author. I do enjoy the stories because they are usual light and fastpaced books. This one was interesting. It involved a large family.  There were backstories and secrets to be revealed.  This one also involved some ghosts in the house.  As I read the story and realized the heroine was getting herself into trouble ~ as a reader I wanted to yell at her to think about what she was doing and to watch out for the bad guy.  Of course, she didn't and got into some serious trouble.  But, as all good "summer reads" should, it all turned out fine in the end.  I had read the previous book, SULLIVANS ISLAND. The author was born and raised on Sullivans Island so she can bring that small town feeling to the story.

I have to say that this was not a great book.  Compared to the author's other stories; this one falls far short.  There were times that I wanted to just stop reading.  But, you need to decide for yourself.  If you want a book to take for a weekend visit somewhere or to the beach; this might work for you.   

Here's a description.

I'm not enclosing a review as most of the reviews revealed too much of the storyline and several of them were not very positive.  I think you need to decide for yourself.  Get the book at the library or borrow it but don't spend your money on it.