HAPPY 85TH BIRTHDAY TO COUSIN BETTY

CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO COUSIN BETTY IN PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC FOR MAKING IT TO THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 85 WITH HER MIND INTACT AND SHARP AS EVER. WE HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL AND COPING WITH THE CHALLENGES OF THE AGING PROCESS.

I AM ENJOYING YOUR MEMORIES OF OUR FAMILY BACK IN THE DAYS OF YOUR YOUTH.

I KNOW YOUR BIRTHDAY WAS YESTERDAY, JANUARY 23RD. I THOUGHT IT WAS ON MY CALENDAR, BUT MY 80 YEAR OLD BROTHER HAD TO CALL AND REMIND ME.

HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT DAY.

Food for thought...

I was reading this article about how one family trimmed their budget, and one of their ideas was to visit family and friends instead of staying in hotels. One of the readers made this comment:

I'm always amazed at people who save on vacations by visiting family/friends. Unless you are bringing groceries/cleaning products; paying for water/electricity/gas or chopping wood; helping with household chores; and footing the bill for any outings, all you do is pass on the cost, except for travel, to the people you are visiting. Stay at home. Visit state or national parks where you live. Go downtown and play tourist or volunteer to improve your community. That way you save your money as well as the money your family/friends spend entertaining you and yours for a week or more.

NOTE: This is one person's opinion that may apply to some people at some times. Always good to check with the visitee and, no matter how welcome/related you are, this is good advice to follow generally speaking.