For those of you that have been using Live OneCare here is an update. OneCare is no longer available for purchase but Microsoft will continue to support it through 2010. The replacement is code named Morro. It will actually be called Microsoft Security Essentials  and will be released during the second half of 2009. I found a site where you can download the Beta version now at http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Microsoft-Security-Essentials.shtml. It is free and the final release will be free. I downloaded it and have been using it for awhile. It seems to be working fine completely in the background. It even updates itself automatically. I am using it with Windows 7.

Windows 7 will go on sale October 22, 2009. If you buy a new computer between now and then, be sure to get your free upgrade to Windows 7. I really like Windows 7 and have pre ordered my copy.

07-30-09
We wanted to let you know that Ann Pelly, Lem Pelly's wife has passed away in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and her funeral was July 30, 2009.When in Rock Shadows they lived on Row 11.
They did not belong to the computer club, but were very active in the Park and I am sure many will remember them.
Thanks
Delores & Bryce

08-08-09
The pictures were taken around the Medicine Hat area after a windstorm last week. The bales apparently weigh up to approximately 1600lbs and some were reported to have rolled up to 5 miles.  Click on picture for a larger view and use your browser back button to return

Penny Swanson

08-15-09
Good news! Harvey is home again. We got back from Minnesota on Aug. 11 where he had been in Cerenity Residence on Humboldt Transitional Care Unit in St. Paul, MN for over a month. He is still on the feeding tube and only eating pureed foods but is to have a swallow test soon to see if he is ready for more foods. He is walking about as good as he was before he entered the hospital.

We are both trying to get acquainted with our new home and like it very much. Wish everything was unpacked and put away but not much time for that right now. Harv is having home health care so a nurse, bath aide, physical therapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist are coming every week so that keeps us rather busy.

Hopefully, we will be ready to go to AZ in the fall. We will if Harv is doing well enough. Thanks for the words of encouragement. Thanks to Chuck for persevering with the newsletter. I for one enjoy reading the news from everyone who writes.
Sonia Holbrook

08-19-09

Hi Chuck,
After a very cold and wet spring we finally got summer on August 16. We have been in the 90's + with lots of humidity since last week and the air conditioner has been running full speed. We closed the beach for 3 hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday because we didn't have any parking spaces left by 11AM.
We are leaving our park Sept. 1st and will be in Manchester until Sept. 15 at which time we fly back to Arizona for the winter. We are both looking forward to it even if we know that many of our friends will not be there that early in the season.
Don has been great all summer and has good reports from the doctor. Still in remission so we are grateful for that. I spoke to Arva Kvam Saturday and Joe is still not doing well. Needs surgery but so far has refused to let them do it. We hope he is well enough to return to Arizona in the fall.
Stay well and see you soon. Pauline and Don Jobin

08-23-09

Just a note to let you know we had a phone call from Gene Hagen with the sad news that Yvonne passed away Friday August 21. She had had a slight stroke and complications and was in the hospital. Thought this was the best way to let their Rock Shadows friends know. Gene's address is P O Box 388,Scobey, MT 59263.
We have had a cool summer. Just returned from a camping trip with our son and family on the sunshine coast in British Columbia. We made a short trip to visit Warren and Darlene Holzapfel in Washington state on our way home.
We plan to get to Rock Shadows in November. Take care.

Brian & Darlene Jenson.

08-27-09

Not much happening at our house in the past month. We have had another unusual summer month in August-cool and wet. I play golf once a week and the last two weeks Joe Burgess and I have gotten rained out. Glad I will be able to play golf in Arizona in the winter to make up our rain out days.
The temperatures have been unseasonably cool. This week end the low temperatures are suppose to be in the high 40's. Unheard temperatures for August! Where is our global warming?
Twenty Nebraska Rock Shadow residents and former residents from five Nebraska cities held their monthly luncheon in Omaha, Friday. There will be one more for the summer next month in Lincoln.
Most of the conversations were about returning to Rock Shadows. A number said it depended on the weather. The first warnings of snow storms would cause them to head South. Ruth and I are returning October 22nd.
Chuck, I hope you hear from a large number of our members with items for this week's newsletter, especially those you haven't heard from all summer. It is a shame, the lack of interest in the newsletter.
Fred Kudym

08-27-09

For those of you that did not get the first message, Mel has been in the hospital since Tuesday, August 18, with low back pain/right leg, he is awaiting surgery. However, this past Friday evening while he was sleeping, he aspirated stomach acid into his lungs. It was not discovered until later Saturday morning when he started to have non responsive issues. I was to bring him home that day, but instead we had to have him put on a ventilator at the hospital. He was able to be taken off of the machine on Monday, (yesterday). But due to the issues associated with being on a mechanical breathing machine, he has developed what they call "A-Fib" with his heart beat. The doctors do not think that it can be corrected, will have to treat the rest of his life with heart medicine and blood thinners. He is still in critical care and perhaps will be transferred to post coronary care on Wednesday if a room opens up. The hospital is full. He will then stay in the hospital till he can have back surgery which has been scheduled for Monday, Aug. 31st. That will put Mel into 14 days plus unknown recovery days in the hospital before he can come home.
We would continue to ask that you add Mel to your list of people to pray for as you have in the past.
I (Ruth) am trying to keep up with all the daily medical issues and still try to get some needed rest and making sure that I take care of myself. All the kids were in town by late Saturday evening. Some will return again when back surgery is completed. If I missed you on the first email, I am sorry, I have not figured out how to do a :"group" list on my email.
Thanks for all your concerns and prayer over this past week. I will keep you informed as to the outcome of the surgery.

The Fishers

I received this from Katie Yadlosky. It was forwarded to her. I thought it was interesting. If you want to read more about it, Google Zip-lock water bags.

This sounds crazy, but it works.
We went with some out of town friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast, and we sat in the enclosed patio section beside the
house. We happened to notice a couple of zip lock baggies pinned to a post and a wall. The bags were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut. Naturally we were curious! Ms Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious! We actually watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the window sill, and then fly out again. And there were no flies in the eating area! This morning I checked this out on Goggle. I'm now a believer!

An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Papa

A few days later, the old man received a letter from his son:

Dear Pop,
Don't dig up that garden! That's where the bodies are buried!
Love, Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.

That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Pop,
You can go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love, Vinnie

Still no Monsoonal weather here in Prescott Valley. Earlier this week we had a small amount of rain but not enough to register on my rain gauge. I have real time weather radar on my computer and I can watch the storms, sometimes with heavy rain, all around us but seem to veer off even when they appear to be headed straight for us. As always in the desert we need rain. We continue to have beautiful weather with the temps in the low 90s.
Jery had her 69th birthday the 13th. I was calling Bingo that night and when I called O69 I stopped and wished her a happy birthday. Everyone joined in with applause. The players around her even sang Happy Birthday to her.

The price of gasoline at Costco in Prescott is $2.41, at Fry's in Apache Junction it is $2.61.

Thanks for the letters from home.

The Diamondbacks have now won 55 games and lost 72 games for a .433 average. They are now twenty games out of first place and in next to last place, ahead of San Diego in the National League West. 

Send me news from your home area. Send all news to Chuck.  Just click on Chuck or send to chuck@rockcomp.org. When you include pictures send them as an attachment rather than inserting them in the body of the message. It makes life much easier for me.

Chuck