Bailey's visit to Santa

I guess there is nothing to say except he is absolutely adorable and we have totally fallen in love with him.

We send all of you our love
and wish you a

Happy Chanukah,
Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays
and a
Peaceful New Year.

Linda and Barb

Wii Bowling

We have joined a bowling league.

We do not go to a bowling alley. We do not own a bowling ball. We do not change to bowling shoes. And the place where we bowl is not smokey and noisey.

We are bowling in the Cabaret room of the club house and all we use is a small device on our wrist and a TV. We have entered the high tech era of video games. This device that we do hold and that is strapped to our wrist causes the person on the TV to move in the same manner as we do. So when Barb swings her arm back, the video person swings her arm back. If she throws her arm straight out, then the ball goes straight. And if she twists or curves her arm, then the ball has a curve. Amazing!!!

BARB ROLLED A STRIKE!!!

We can walk and throw the ball as you would do at a regular bowling alley. Or you can just stand there and throw as I am doing.

There are four of us on a team and we play two games once a week. We record the total points of all of our scores for both games. At the end of the 12 week period, the 4 teams who have the highest score will play off for the championship.

We are having a great time!

Love and hugs,

Barb and Linda

Bailey's Birthday party

Yesterday,

Dec 7,

was Bailey's

2 year birthday.

So we had a party for him

and his best friend Simba.

He had a wonderful time opening his presents.

Love and hugs,

Linda and Barb

Setting up a Print Server

I have just finished spending three days trying to set a print server. What that means is that if I really do get it to work correctly, I will be able to print remotely. For most of you who have a network using DSL or cable modem in your home, being able to print remotely is just part of the network. However, as full timers, who are not landbased, we do not have a cable that connects to a router that will act as a network to let us print remotely. Our wireless service either comes from an RV parks wireless service or from Sprints broadband card. Neither of these allows a network to be set up.

Up until now, if I am working at the kitchen table and want to print something, I need to take the laptop to the bedroom where the printer is and connect the USB cable to the laptop. I know the distance is not far but the inconvenience of walking all that distance...............well, what can I say. Often times, I read an email, click print, walk to the bedrooom, connect to printer, print, disconnect, go back to kitchen, only to read the next email and have to do it all over again. We do get spoiled , don't we.

After some research, I found out there is a gadget called a print server, that looks like a router. It works like have a computer connected to the printer and then the laptop connects to it wirelessly. So I purchased a Netgear wireless print server that would allow 2 computers to print to it. I was able to easily set it up using the wireless wifi of this RV park in AJ. The problem is that when we are on the road, I will not always have wifi. I have been online with Netgear tech support and they have sent me pages (3 pages with font of about 6) of setup instructions.

After many attempts and much trial and error and much frustration, I finally got the print server to work without having to have internet access. I had to work at finding IP addresses for the laptop, router, print server and laptop...........not sure what that all meant except it allowed them all to talk to each other.

And they are now talking...............And I can print from the kitchen. HOORAY... another task accomplished. And I must comment Netgear for their good tech support via email.

Love and hugs to all of you,
Linda and Barb

Busy Days at AJ

We are in the swing of activities now.

Last weekend was the beginning of a Bocce Ball tournement that Barb and I participated in. There were over 30 people who were competing and partners were assigned by the drawing of numbers. Barb and I both played on Friday and Saturday in what is called a double elimination. I am learning about sporting terms. Double elimination means that everyone plays two rounds for sure and you continue on with the competition as long as you keep winning. So you have to "not win" two games before you are out. Barb and her partner did not win two games so they are out. My partner and I won one and lost one. This morning we play another team who also lost one and won one. We are really enjoying bocce ball. It is similar to bowling only done on a sand court outside. The object is to roll your team's ball close to the "palimo(?)", which is a small white ball that is rolled out first. So it is a fun game and we are now athletes!

This week is the beginning of Chanukkah. There will be Chanukkah celebration in the clubhouse on Wednesday evening. We will light the Chanukkah candles, eat potato latkes and applesauce, and play music. This morning we need to be at the clubhouse to decorate it for Chanukkah.

Barb has many responsibilities as the chairperson of the cards and games committee. There are weekly scheduled card games, like Euchre, scrabble, Mexican Train. One day a week new games are taught; last Friday was Pinnocle. In addition, poker matches and tournements are scheduled three days a week. Loving cards as she does, she not only schedules the games, she plays them. Great fun for her!

Bailey is adjusting very well to the environment here and to our schedule. He is meeting other dogs and learning to play with them. For the first several days, when he saw another dog, he would tuck his tail and run. But now he is getting a bit more friendly and will go up and touch noses. There are so many people with dogs here that he has just had to learn to be comfortable with them. We took him to the dog run yesterday to play with two Westie Terriers. They wanted to run and play. Bailey was very intimitated at first. He would hide under Barb's chair. Of course, once Lucy and Blanche started ignoring him, he crept out and started sniffing them. Then they would turn and want to play; he would run back under the chair. Eventually he started to get comfortable. It was very amusing to watch the interaction. We will do this again next week.

Need to get ready for another busy day...........

Happy Chanukkah,
Barb and Linda