Problem Solved
This is what I did, and I have no idea how or why it worked, but it did.
I thought it might have been my SpySweeper program, but it wasn't, since I uninstalled it, and I still had the same probs, so I reinstalled it. Then I installed Window Washer, also by Webroot to clean up all the nasties on my computer. I also made sure that LimeWire was allowed "full access" with my Mcafee Firewall, which I was courtesy of Comcast, then I defraged my computer, and then the next thing you know I have been downloading ever since!
I have no idea what was up?? Maybe I just had too much junk accumulated on my computer, not enough elbow room for the files to download, or what the problem was, but I have been happily downloading and uploading ever since I cleaned up everything all week.
Which is a bee-you-ti-ful thing, because I am in Boulder, Colorado, and I don't know if you have heard about our devastating blizzards here, but I have been housebound with nothing much to do BUT stay at home and play with my computer!!
So, that is my suggestion to everyone - make absolutely sure you have ZERO SPAM, and that your firewalls know that LimeWire is A-OK, defrag, defrag, defrag.
Oh, and one *very* important thing - Prior to making any major changes. Please, Please, Please always remember and don't ever forget to Create a System Restore Point before AND after making any major changes to your computer!!
I am SO thrilled that I finally figured this out, and I hope that this works for you, too!!
Happy New Year, and Happy Downloading