Our brother Pete will turn 70 on February 1. Because he and Janet look so much younger than their age, Rose and I are considering asking them to shave off a decade. Then we'll all do likewise. Who can believe 70 anyway????? What happened to 50 and 60? They were a mere blink of the eye.

As usual every month, January is a busy time. I spent a very enjoyable weekend with the Abbotts on the 7th, 8th, and 9th. Then on January 15, Rose and I went to Margaret's for a candle party and that evening out to dinner with the family to celebrate Alex' 12th birthday.

On Monday, January 16, I had my fourth intravenous immuno-globulin (IVIG) treatment. This time I had to go to the St. Luke's Infusion Center at St. Luke's Hospital for the day. The treatment was easy, the people at the Center efficient and thoughtful. So far, I can't tell any difference in my condition. No miracle occurred. Although my hands are still fairly useless, the rest of me is improving. I walk, drive, shop, eat, visit as always. Brother Joe, whom I had not seen for two months, thought my hands were better.

Speaking of Brother Joe, Rose and I went to the Lake on Tuesday, January 17, to meet with a contractor who is going to redo my bathroom at the lake house. Joe drove up and met us for dinner, and the three of us stayed overnight. We had a wine time with Joe. We met with the contractor (who looks like Willie Nelson) Wednesday morning, then drove home. This Willie will remove the old bathtub and replace it with a walk-in shower.

On Saturday Chris, Shelly, and I went to Eric and Julie Nichols' for dinner. Eric and Chris have been friends since high school. Eric, as a kid, used to give me advice on how to raise Scott and Chris. From my vantage point today, it was good advice. We had a lovely evening. The Nichols have two sons, Ryan and John, and a nice home.

Jack Delaney, my old friend from Midwest Recovery, is ailing. He is in St. Claire Rehabilitation Center in Alton, IL. Chris and I are going to visit him on Wednesday.

On Thursday, my former neighbor Leslie will be here for dinner and overnight. [She is the one who is married to 'that King boy,' Joe's description of him.]

Friday Mark, Chris, and I are going to Evansville, IL, where Brick is buried. We'll visit the cemetery and look around the town. I haven't been there for several years and neither have the boys. We'll have lunch at Brown's Tavern if it's still there. That is the place Brick sat on Saturdays during tax season doing town folk taxes.

Early in February I am going to Scott's in Louisville for a few days. I look forward to seeing my babies, the old ones and the new ones. We understand the 'swingset' that we got the boys for Christmas is a BIG HIT. Brayden said I could climb into the playhouse and on the mountain. All this will make more sense when I see the thing, I am sure. Brayden calls every few days. He talks excitedly for a bit, then says "BYE" and clicks the phone shut. Often I can hear Scott in the background, saying, "Don't hang up. Don't hang up," even as the phone is clicking off.

Rose, Shirley, Shirley's sister, and I are into planning for our trip to Florida in February. Stephanie and Dan lend us their condo each year at this time. The past two years we were unable to go, so our anticipation for this trip is HIGH.

A big topic with Joe over our dinner was the family reunion this JUNE 3 AND 4 IN ST. LOUIS. Joe brought along his family history file. We'll post a couple of items we borrowed from it when we have time.

These are all the 'Greenwood Items' we can think of at the moment.