Today I turned 58 years old.....mercy me.  Wanted to show you the pictures of my birthday presents.  I already had the bicycle, but the "attachments" were birthday gifts....one from my sister-in-law Debbie and the rest from Opie.  I have been riding bicycle the past four weeks, trying to lose some weight.  I ride past Mama's house every day, and I had been calling out "beep-beep" when she's sitting on her front porch, so my new horn is so I can beep at her when I go past the house.  Kinda neat.  Debbie gave me a speedometer/odometer, clock which is really great.  I'm just not sure whether to call it a CARTOON BICYCLE or an OLD FOGEY BICYCLE.....but I like it......oh, yes, the basket is removable with a handle to carry it.....a little large, but serves the purpose!  Wish I had a dollar for every mile we put on bicycles when we were kids.....no TV, no video games, just good outdoor fun!

I am sure most of you already know, but my brother Gary has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Will not know exactly what is involved until later this week, when they are planning to do a biopsy.  As bad as that sounds, it was actually sounding worse....we were told on Friday that he had esophagus cancer in Stage 4 which had spread to his brain....HOWEVER, after the gastric specialist ran some more tests, it was only scar tissue from acid reflux and not cancer at all.  Imagine our up and down emotions from first a brain tumor, to supposed cancer that had spread, then back to no cancer but still a brain tumor.  But thankfully things are definitely more hopeful at this point.  Gary is a very good sport, has a great attitude, and will face whatever comes next head-on.

Gary is closest in age to me....he was born on August 10, 1950, and I came rolling in one year and three days later on August 13, 1951.  I've heard so many people comment over the years that he'd do anything for anyone, not to mention his uncanny mechanical abilities! 

Please keep us all in your prayers, and as news travels fast, I am sure this is probably being repetitive.  However, for the sake of anyone who may not get information as quickly, I will post more on here when we learn what he will be facing.

It's been a very busy week......closed on my nephew Craig Curling's house on Monday.  Annie and myself have been over there ever since cleaning and painting while Craig is out earning the money to pay for his new home!  He will be there over the weekend doing his thing.  It is the cutest little two-bedroom house and it has been such fun helping pull it all together.  I volunteered to do most of the painting and have done two bedrooms, a hallway, and the living room so far....amazing what a little paint can do.  He probably won't move in it until the end of May because his lease will be up in his apartment then.....everything worked out just right as far as the end of the lease and beginning of house payments.

Went today to buy some plants for my own yard and must take a break from painting to get some flowers planted at home.....plus I can no longer put off pulling those weeds down the side of the house and in the backyard.  Some of those guys have gotten a foot or more taller.  It just takes so long to work my way around the house, but once it's done after winter, I can sort of keep up with it!!

This is my conclusion:  In the wintertime, I can keep the house at least halfway straight on the INSIDE, and in the summertime I can keep the OUTSIDE looking halfway presentable after the initial winter cleanup, but I CAN'T accomplish both of those at the same time!!!!  Sure is more fun in summertime, though!!!!!

Off to bed.........was painting in my sleep last night......