Internet Explorer 6...So Slow!

[bcsouth]

My operating system is Windows Xp the home version.
It came pre-installed on the computer I bought last year.
I have high speed connection and have had no problems up until last night....when opening anything on my desktop, things run as usual. BUT??? when I click on the Internet Exlporer (version 6) it takes forever to come up and bring up my home page, also outlook express seems to be running slow. If I try and go to any of my favorite sites the same thing happens....its as slow as molasses in January. This seems to have happened all of a sudden. One minute things were great and then soooooo slow!
I checked with my neighbor who is also on the same high speed connection as myself and they are having no problems with there system.
I have always kept up with all the windows updates.
Defragmented on a regular basis.
Disk cleanup regularly.
I did a virus scan and there was nothing there.
I'm thinking there is something wrong with Internet Exlporer???
I'm a novice at all this.
Any idea's???