Another Texas Girl Here!

**kitchendiva** · 11-09-2008, 02:55 PM

Hello everyone! I've been lurking here forEVER and finally got the nerve up to fill out my profile properly and say hello.

My name is Pam and I live SE of Houston. My hubby is retired from the USAF and is now working as a computer techie for a local school district. I've been driving a school bus for 24 years. My son is 28 and on his own but nearby, and I have 2 stepsons in their 30's and 1 step granddaughter who turned 1 in August. They are in California.

I am a total homebody and am very blessed to have to work only part time with holidays and summers off. (I'd be a full time housewife if I could!

) Hopefully I'll be able to retire in 5 years. I have degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, and ankylosing spondylitis (where the bone and ligaments try to fuse together). So pain and fatigue can be real issues with me, but I'm working on all that by regular visits to my chiropractor, taking good supplements, eating healthy, and walking and staying active as much as possible. It helps tremendously and I can sure tell when I'm not keeping it up.

Love to spend time with family, cook, craft, garden, read, play word games, shop flea markets, garage sales, and thrift stores, have lunch with my girlfriends, and just generally kick back. I am not a high energy type A personality!

We have 6 ridiculously spoiled furbabies- 2 beagles and 4 cats. They are such a joy and worth every bit of energy and expense it takes to have them.

I am frugal at heart, the classic kid raised by depression-era parents, although I've made some serious financial mistakes over the years. I want more than anything to be able to retire in the next few years, so that is a huge incentive for me to be more careful (about money AND health issues). Hubby is not so frugal- but very hardworking and responsible, so that helps.

This forum is such a great motivator! I have enjoyed reading your posts. They are a goldmine of ideas and encouragement. Thanks for letting me join in!

Have a wonderful day! Pam