Florida

We just returned from a few days in Florida -- where it was nice and warm -- in the low 80's. We returned and this morning it was 24 degrees outside!

We first went to Gainesville where we saw our beloved Lady Bulldogs lost to the University of Florida in basketball. A disappointing loss to say the least.

Then we headed about four hours south and went to Ft. Myers. My first cousin Laura and Ken live there six months out of the year (the other six months in Wisconsin). I hadn't seen them for many years and we decided that since we were that far south we would go the extra miles and visit. We had a great time and I want to thank them so much for showing us around and being so gracious with their time. A few photos are posted on top -- Ralph and I by a banyon tree on the grounds of Thomas Edison's estate in Ft. Myers along with a few other photos from there. We also went out to Captiva Island and Sannibel Island. The homes there were gorgeous -- it kind of reminded me of a cross between Martha's Vineyard and Hilton Head!

Several things I saw there that I had never seen were a cinnamon tree and an allspice tree. I guess I never knew those spices grew on a tree -- had never really given it much thought but was surprised by them.

Thanks again to Ken and Laura for our royal treatment!

Another thing, I went to Florida with only one of my two Alzheimer's medications -- I forgot them -- imagine that. I did ok since it was only a couple of days, but I'm glad I wasn't alone!

I spoke last night to a really nice group of women at the local Pilot Club. The work with a program called Project Lifesaver International. Project Lifesaver International helps provide rapid response to save lives and reduce potential for serious injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer's, Autism, Down Syndrome, dementia and other related disorders. For more information you can go to www.projectlifesaver.org. This program is provided nationwide. I'd like to thank the ladies there for welcoming me to their meeting last night.

In a few weeks I'll be going to Washington DC for the Alzheimer's Action Summit Advocacy Forum. If any of you that read this blog are going, please let me know as I would love to meet you. The conference is designed for advocates across the nation to meet with their national legislators. For more information you can go to www.alz.org/summit/forum_about.asp

Great news!

This is something that we have been fighting for for a long time! Great victory for Young on-set Alzheimer's patients. Social Security disability earlier. See details here www.alz.org.

Weather

Well, I'm glad I'm not living in DC like my son and daughter-in-law. I am too old for all that snow -- having been a former midwesterner I've "been there done that". But I told my son that he will be able to tell his grandchildren about this storm. My daughter in law Jennifer has taken some beautiful photos of the snow and I have posted a few here. The government has been shut down again today -- but Alan has still been going to work.

Travels

Well, since I last wrote, I've been to Starkville MS and Auburn Alabama for two UGA women's basketball games. Unfortunately we lost both of them, but after returning late last night from one of the games, I don't want to talk about it! We will definitely have better days!

When I went to Auburn, we went on a bus trip with other booster club members. This is usually fun and I won't say it wasn't fun -- i just didn't enjoy it as much and not because we lost. My intention was to get there early enough to get in the front or the back of the bus because of the noise. I knew that if I was sitting in the middle that I would be bombarded by noise coming at me from all angles. Well, my best laid plans as they say didn't work out. I was right in the middle. I did have my earplugs which were a godsend, but I was still not comfortable and was only hoping the bus driver would go faster and faster to get there. We stopped for lunch and I chose not to eat in the restaurant because it was too noisy so I got a little break from it. Coming back wasn't as bad, because we were coming back late and because the crowd was a little more subdued because we lost. I'm not sure if I'll be doing that trip again.

Next Monday -- we are off to the capitol in Atlanta for Alzheimer's Awareness Day. Hopefully we will have a good turnout.