* 2007 has flown by, I know not where. Days were like minutes, weeks like hours and before I knew it, I was in December. . . * *

I worked hard with the help of my sons and Joe to get my home back in shape after the windstorms, a flood and then surgery of a near burst appendix! That took a month and a half to recover from. The roofs were replaced where the wind had blown them hither and yond, the cellar was emptied of drown materials and disposed of. The job of drying the cellar out took a long time. New insulation put on underside of first floor, plastic was laid on dirt floor. As of early December, things were looking much better, but there are still some concerns.* * I helped Joe plant and care for a wonderful vegetable garden, which did very well. We each did what we could to keep it going. Joe worked in keeping weeds down and watering. When I came, I cultivated it. I loved doing it. I had always had a garden. It is good exercise. Harvest time was great. There are lots of goodies in the freezers now.*

When fall rolled around, my attention was spent on working on the outside of my building. Weathered areas were replaced with new texture 111. Mark, Joe and I scraped and painted with a chocolate brown and a friend “Jack” scraped and painted the doors and windows white. I think we finished in November. What a year!

I lost my good friend, Hazel Mc Shane, who was well into her nineties. She was such an inspiration to me having battled with severe arthritis for many years, never complaining. She lived alone since 1971, when her beloved Joe passed away. Now they are together in Paradise. Sleep well, good friend

Natalie Fisher, my good friend, has been enjoying the Big White House on the Hill, with a few trips elsewhere in between. She is spending her first winter there. It , so far, has been good with just enough cold and snow to make it interesting. We often get together for dinner. Hope to see her after the holidays.

I went to my 55 Teaneck High School Reunion and it was so GREAT!. I stayed with Walt and Elfie Kunzel in their lovely 150 year old home in Dennvile, NJ. Walt is one of the top decorators in the country. The only problem was, the visit was too short. After my visit in Dennvile, I drove to Waldwick to visit a high school friend, Betty Stermensky. My, it was nice to see her. Old friends all prospered and looking wonderful. Hope to do it again in 2½ years. . . *

* I still work, but now just a day a week instead of two. I do not write for any newspaper now, but have my own website- www.corinnepollak.com. Check it out.

I finally got Joe to make the decision to have a cochlear implant, which was done December 14, 2006. The Cochlear Implant Center and the Veterans Administration made it possible. He is now hearing wonderfully after 48 years being deaf. He joins me in attending church and he loves hearing the music and sermon. He is slowly getting working on using the phone. *

* Andy and his Laura are a busy couple. Andy got a new job working for the county, after the mill he worked for so long closed. He had Carpel Tunnel done on one hand and hopes to do the other. Laura has had a bad time with her back, and after a number of weeks of physical therapy, she is back to work. Andy’s near 15 year old Beagle is in dog heaven now, haven given her life to make Andy and Laura very proud owners happy.*

* Wendy is dealing with a few health challenges and is still working for MetLife in Utica. Hubby and son are very busy in their construction business. Kenny is in his second year of college at Herkimer County Community College. *

Mark is lives in Oneonta and is still looking for that special job.

* Patchy, Joe’s near 14-year-old Jack Russell, is still faithful. She is slowly losing ground however. She sometimes acts like a puppy and has come to put up with the latest arrival, Precious, a year old Calico female cat. They both bring a lot of joy to all who encounter them.

The wildlife that abounds nearby is also enjoyable. Deer frequent nearby and rabbits, birds of every description come to feeders. It is a little bit of heaven on earth.

As we near the New Year, I pray for peace and the end to wars, poverty, disease, famine, pestilence and natural disasters. I pray for understanding between nations, their people and governments. I pray to my GOD that someday, we can all live and thieve together in a peaceful world, but I know it will not happen in my lifetime.

* So it is onto another year with all the best in mind. Keep in touch and email me at cory13us@yahoo.com. I would love to hear from you.

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