[Maria]

Is really the highpoint of my life and I'm actually feeling quite good emotionally and physically. Last night however I attended a birthday party for a friend turning 60. It was mostly her family and I was one of the few unrelated guests so that was really nice of them to invite me. There was live music and really it was so nice as there were mulitple generations there with her Dad (she has 2 other sisters and 3 brothers), his kids, his kids' kids and so forth!

Ok so to cut a longish story short I had taken the little local ocean side bus there as it's not far from apt. tho far enough to walk quickly with my feet would have rendered me somewhat sweaty and tired so I stayed awhile, had a great time chatting and lightweight dancing to the great music tribute to S's era and then decided I needed to leave because I had been up since 4a.m. and wanted to leave at an hour still good for awaiting the bus safely.

So I left about 8:45p.m. and instead of waiting at a bus stop on Ocean Blvd (straight shot home pretty much) I decided to fast foot it home. Now something happens to my right foot when I walk too much and too fast.. it really has a prob with the toes mashing into one another (reason I had surgery on left foot) and some particular toes are involved but also the foot feels like clod foot with pain and burning! I HATE THIS!!!!!!

I practically had to limp the last few blocks home as that right foot needs the same surgery as the left foot had. Problem is my Podiatrist died (age 47/brain tumor) and I've found no one that would even do the same surgery he did esp. in the office (I have hammertoes on all toes/right foot and need a bunionectomy) .

This right foot just drives me crazy when it ats up from "too much activitiy."

So yes I can walk fast and fairly far at least once/day but when this stuff happens to the right foot ... ohh... it's just like that sharp pain you might feel in your upper back Judy or others or that burning that might stop you from moving Dale.. it just "stops me nearly dead in my tracks"....

GRRRR!!! I hate that my back is good and one foot is telling me "no!!!!!!!"

Oh well. This is nothing in comparison to losing one's child however or having serious health probs so while I complain believe me ladies I realize there are things far worse and definately much more important to deal with!

Dale, just hoping you have a great time and things actually go better for you than you imagine they might. I would LOVE to attend a writers conference. Someday I will.

Judy, good for you re going to your therapist to see how to deal with or best help your daughter. I don't have kids as you and Dale both know however I do have a stepson and those teenage years can be quite challenging. Then again I had only to think of my own to realize there is much that goes unsaid tho if one is fortunate there are actions that might reveal quite a bit about how the teen is feeling. At least that seems better to me than one covers their feelings revealing very little but is hurting quite a bit.

Teen years can be downright hard! I know from my own personal experience (we moved 4 times while I was in high school). Good luck!