Monday News:Technology and Family.

I have a Technology blog of sorts. Like to write all about the New technology items and well as Healthier lifestyles for us. Writing things from Solar option to Recycling options. Tend to throw in some Healthier choices for our bodies also. Notice that I have not been so active on the posting of things. Went to the Technology Conference with Hubby in New Orleans last month. Brought back some new knowledge of the newest tech toys. Will be sharing some of that on that blog site. Also brought back  a new view and rejuvenated my technology interest.  So stay tune and visit  Living Healthy with Auntie E blog,

We had Critter and his family over for a cookout and family and friends time. Now for those who do not know Critter. He is my Grand nephew, lives with is G-Mother. She is my Ex sister in Law, now remarried and has a daughter, who is 12 now. Critters is now 9, he has been with them for most of his life. We live close and go to the same church. However with the church being so large and their business  and kids activities, we seem to not be able to connect as we use to. So, this was great to see them at my home.

Now with my daughter off to college, we have been busy also. Traveling and working has multiplied it seems. Who says it get easier when the leave for college? It must be some one who isn't invested in their child much. We tend to see her at least once a month, sometimes more. Well Critter and the family hasn't seen her since last Christmas. So, we decided to have a Skype visit. The Kids and family enjoyed talking with her and seeing her. It was so funny because Critter had never skyped before and just couldn't figure out how to handle it. He always would run a hug her. He tried to do that by getting close to the camera. We had to tell him to back off so she could see him. I think that was the highlight of their visit. Maybe they will try to skype her more. Isn't technology Great!

We had a cookout and I made ice cream for Banana splits. Also made Mrs Peeples Baked beans. I will have to post that recipe on my Cookbook Blog. It really takes me back to Hubbies Family cook outs days.

Was able to catch up on all the going and comings of the families. We do talk on the phone, but talking in person is much better. The weather was much better, not as hot as it has been. That made it easier to sit outside and chat. Hubby bought me a Blue tooth speaker. That made it easier to listen to my Pandora music choice. Really love that steaming music choice. I listen to it all the time. Mostly from my Nook by Blue tooth now a days. Even though I do listen to it through the TV and Blue Ray player.  With my New Nook it is easier to move around and the house and yard. Back to our chatting, a lot of changes in the family seems to be taking place. With the kids involved to sports and her business she is staying busy. Stating she is now what they call a Soccer Mom. Being in the car picking up and dropping off. Seeing the other Moms on the go as she passes them, waving hi. With only one child I never experienced that. It seems to be very time consuming. She feels a need for a bigger house, however stated that she is not there that much to make a difference. Yeah I guess it works as a lay your head down place. Like a hotel, only sleep there. Sounds funny but, isn't that the way it goes when our lifes as so busy.

Winded up the night siting outside talking. The night air was nice. Had a fan moving the air. Overall it was enjoyable time. Need to do it more! How was your weekend?

Time to Travel:We are making Plans again!

Well as you know, since daughter is off to college, Hubby and I have been vacationing.  It seems we are always looking for some place to go. So far this year we have been to St Louis, Tennessee, Pennsylvania,Smithfield Virginia, New Orleans and Virginia beach. We still have several more coming up. Vermont, New York, Vegas and of course Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Just need to decide about  December. Not sure where we are going. Just received the RCI book, need to look through it. I would love to go to Hawaii for our Winter trip. Will look into that for sure. I think I can talk everyone into to that place.

The next few days we will be booking the activities in Vegas. That trip will be in October. Trying to get tickets early as to know we can do the activities. Talked to the resort and found out we really do not need a car. I really like it when we do not have one. We seem to enjoy ourselves much more.  While in New Orleans we did not use the car and really had fun! Others did the driving and we were able to walk to some things. We stayed near the French Quarter in the Warehouse district. So things were close to get to and the transportation was good.

Traveling can be fun and enjoyable when things are planed out in advance. Be sure to leave some down time for those spur of the moment things.

Are you planning any trips for this summer or the rest of the year? Where are you off too?

Monday News- Leisure time

I have to say that this Month started out an On the Go type month. May and June were both busy travel months. I think we was home about one week both those months. We were traveling so much between vacations and work. In May it was the college things. Daughter moving and squeezing in some mini vacations. Then back to moving in at college.

June started out on a airplane to New Orleans for eight days. Then once back, off to Visit daughter in Pennsylvania. A baseball game, dinner out and shopping. Then the next week off to Virginia beach, and Smithfield Virginia. I think we were at home for about10 days that month!

July was tempting to be a busy one also.  A possible camping trip, a trip back to Virginia Beach, and helping with a move. However I just decided to say no! So this is how the month started out. First week we went to see a movie, The Lone Ranger. We went out to eat at Unos also.

On Monday hubby took my car in for new tires. Oh the dread  of it all. Balancing can be so frustrating! I will never understand why it is so hard for business who supply new tires to be able to balance them correctly. It took three trips to two different places to get them balanced! When the final place tested them, they said all of them were out of balanced. Now we took it to the original place twice for balancing. The third place balanced them all well. I think this will be the last time to get tires for my car.

Still Car work to be done, so we took it to get new Shocks and Struts. Hubby had purchased some air shock a few years ago. He took them to get installed. However they were not good ones or maybe just old. Anyway, they would not work properly. We had to take the car back and replace one of them with a new Monroe brand shock. Then the other one started not working and had to take it back to replace that one also. That was three trips to another place! Meanwhile while we were working on the tire balancing, we found out that the alignment was off. So we took it back to the place that did the alignment and showed them the report. They said that their machine seems to be off. therefore they will have to get it fixed before they could realign the tires. That meant we ended up going to another  place to get an alignment.

I wonder what happened to the car care industry? Why is it so hard to get good and reliable work done? I think we really need to find a reliable place and stick with them. Maybe it is the machines they rely on. One machine says good and the other says no good. Then the eye says the no good is correct. Well my car rides well now and in alignment, new balanced tires and shocks and struts working fine. After a week of working on the problems and three places later! Of and Lots of Dollars to boot!

Now into the third week of July and hoping for a quite week.