Update From Mike

Hi gang, loved Jackie's performance... literally laughing with tears in my eyes! Don't know whether it was that funny ( I love Satire) or because she was just so damn good at singing/acting that song. I think that satire singing is her niche. Just like Taylor the Latte Boy song.

I'm off to Swingfest 16 in Naples Thur-Sunday. Our 16th year! My first break of no work for more than two days since September! Can't wait.

Just finished a photo book for a couple's 20th Wedding Anniversary who are frequent guests at Lago Mar but live in Maine.

Here's the link to see proofs of the book pages:

http://gallery.mac.com/ballinh20#100306

Also today, I completed a photo book of a tourist family to Lago Mar. I'll be showing this book to the owner to try and seek his permission to do these types of books for our guests at the Resort. He's already given me the "ok" to do it for the corporate groups that have meeting there.

Here's the link for "Beard Family" visit to Lago Mar:

http://gallery.mac.com/ballinh20#100270&bgcolor=black&view=grid

Karen took delivery on 2,500 postcards that I designed for her. Her theme is "The Queen of Clean has gone Green" with all natural cleaning products. Jes would be proud! We targeted wealthy neigborhoods here in Weston and purchased a mailing list with 2,100 names.

We sent out 400 yesterday, and she got a call today and booked a new weekly client starting next week. We'll probably send 400 per month for the next several months.

Anyhow, I posted a shot of the front and back of postcard. Click on it for a larger view.

Hey, the blog lives!

Facebook

Hi Folks,
A little more oxygen for the gasping blog. Jackie had her final musical performance of her college career last night. She had the crowd eating out of her hand with this song about Facebook.
Enjoy,
Barry

Hi Everybody,

Just to keep the blog alive, I'll tell you all about my exciting week.
Still have a lot of back pain but my narcotic pain pills help a lot. I manage to sleep 9 or 10 hrs. a day - I feel comfortable in bed and hate to get up.
I went to the dentist for teeth cleaning (exciting) - he told me I have 1 tooth in the back that has already had a root canal & cap - that it needs to have the cap removed and another one put on. Not sure I want to spent any more money on 1 tooth in the back.
Went to a meeting at church Tues nite - a group is going to the Holy Land next March - Dave and I want to go - sounds wonderful - hope I can make it. You go to all the places where Jesus walked and it is very safe.

Had a dexascan and Mammogram on Wed - no word as yet- not expecting anything new.
Saw the movie "The Year my Parents went on vacation" on Fri nite - it was one of the strangest movies I've seen yet!!
met 4 friends from the Reserve there and 6 of us went for dinner afterwards.
On Sat. nite, I took Eileen to OYRCC for dinner - we sat on the porch - it was Fri nite golf so saw all my old golfing buddies.
Church on Sun as usual and Mon. Eileen and I went to see "Mamma Baby" which was very good.

I'm taking the senior driver refresher course here at the reserve - 4 hrs. last nite and 4 hrs. tonite. You get a certificate which entitles you to a 5% discount on your car ins. for 3 yrs.

Today I had my car inspected and it came out with no problems - great news since it is 6 yrs. old in July.

So, inbetween, I sit and watch TV with my heating pad on my back and shop QVC.

How's that for an exciting week???? I guess pretty good for a 79 yr. old with a fractured vertebrae (:>)

Bye,
Mom

After 9 years of owning black BMW's, Karen has leased a "Glacier Frost" color Lexus IS 250 today! 4-door, automatic, leather, 6 disc CD, 18-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, security, iPod compatible, 204 h.p., loaded package. She's sad to see her BMW go away tomorrow, but it was time to "scale down" to something slightly more affordable. If Karen's Cleaning continues to grow, she can go back to BMW when her new lease is up in 2011!!

Hi Everybody,

The past 2 weeks have been pretty rough for me. I slipped on some water and a bathroom rug - 2 weeks ago.

The first week I had 3 chiropractor treatments (just thought I needed an adjustment) The second week, I had cortisone injected in back -and got a stronger pain med. No help from the cortisone, but the stronger pain med helps a lot.

Yesterday, I had x-rays and apparently I fractured my Lumbar 2.
No treatment - other than a back brace and pain meds - it will take 6 weeks to 3 mos. to heal.
I'm hoping for 6 weeeks.

I can do everything that I have to do in this house, so I'm sleeping a lot and catching up on all the news and tv shows. I'm going to try a movie with a friend today??

My allergies went nuts and for a week I had lost my voice and was coughing constantly -OUCH!
My Internist ordered a "Zpack" and some good cough syrup - so I am finally over that.

Some good news for me - I have lost 6 lbs. - not drinking alcohol with these meds and not much appetite since I'm a couch potato. I keep ordering clothes on QVC - it's my satisfaction for now.

Other than all of above, - I'm great for 79!!

Love,
Mom

Hi all...

Karen and I travelled to Orlando on Thursday to attend the tech expo at PhotoShop World. Instead of me spending $800.00 or more on taking all the classes over 3 days, hotel, meals, etc., I decided to put that money towards a good camera and just do a one day trip to visit the trade show. Nikon booth, Epson printers, Canon, etc. Karen went with me and we had a lot of fun, just getting out of town and our "routine" here in Weston.

Spring Break 08!

Today's the first day of my last high school Spring Break! My mom got the bright idea to be in charge of my friends and me, and we're headed off to the Caribbean on a cruise. We leave out of Ft. Lauderdale so maybe Uncle Mike can flash his lights as we pull out or something. I'm going to be a legal adult in just a few days! I turn 18 on Tuesday, the second day of the cruise! It's going to be so great! The day after my birthday we'll be in Cozumel and then Belize and then cruising back home till Friday. I'd say an acceptable way to ring in my adulthood! The Georgia Honor's Program waitlisted me, so I won't find out for another two months or so. Though I may miss first semester in the Honor's program, getting waitlisted gets you guaranteed to get accepted the next semester. So if I don't get in now, I'll get in at Christmas. I hope this helps relight the blog. -Chris