Hey there, I realize that I have been gone for nearly a month...we have had a rough summer here in our house...as you know...it started out with Brittany being sick throughout her entire graduation and beyond...then I caught the bug...let me tell you. I was very sick...it took everything in me to just get better. Six days of fever, followed by what I think was viral pneumonia...which I really believe is what my Brittany had as well...but I can say that I woke up yesterday morning with that feeling that I am back to myself...and I am so very thankful.

I completely missed my darling husbands birthday (which I plan on making up to him)...and then Brittany ended up with a bad ear infection in which she couldn't hear out of her left ear for over two weeks...so...as you can see...it has been a rough summer for us.

Since this is Football Hall of Fame week in our neck of the woods...this past Friday, we went to see the hot air balloon festival which is the kick off to the celebration. The city of Canton is just a stone's throw from us...Brittany took her new camera and was able to take some neat pictures...we had Italian sausage sandwiches and yummy lemonade...and then shared an elephant ear between the three of us. The best part was just getting out of the house and feeling like we were just normal people again. I was able to walk a long way...and up hills which a week before I don't think that I would have been able to. I barely had the strength to walk across my living room.

I know that I am jumping around a bit...but to tell you the truth...when you have been cooped up in the middle of summer being sick...there isn't a lot to say.

Brittany is finishing up her last week of dance camp this week and then she'll have a break until her fall classes begin...she will be teaching about 10 hours this fall which she is thrilled with and should keep her very busy as she has lesson plans to create for all of her classes and dances to choreograph.

Plans this week...my darling husband is in Massachusetts...so Brittany and I have plans to rent a couple of movies...check out a couple of antique stores...have an Hawaiin ice at a place we just discovered...return cd's to the library...and make a visit to our favorite bargain store...most importantly to just enjoy the fact that we are both healthy again...

I'll try to write more interesting posts instead of sickly rambling ones here in the near future...but for now...have a blessed Tuesday!

Joyce Marie