Ann

I am so glad to hear that your mother is doing such a great job of tolerating the treatments. It sounds like she is feeling well and has a very good outlook regarding her treatment. As you already know, having a good mental attitude is a big part of fighting this battle. For now, I think you and your husband getting away for the weekend is a great idea. Your mom will be in good hands with her fiance and I'm sure they will have a great time fishing at the lake. It sounds like they're very good fishermen. That's a lot of fish!!! You need to try and enjoy life now, as it seems your mom is doing. Don't think too far ahead on this one. I'm saying a prayer that your mom will continue to do so well with her treatments.

“ If Tomorrow Starts Without Me” A few weeks ago a woman was killed in an auto accident. She was very well liked, so the office shut down for her funeral and it was even on the news . On the day the workers came back to work, they found this poem in their e-mail that the deceased woman had sent on Friday before she left for home. "If tomorrow starts without me, And I'm not there to see, If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me; I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today, While thinking of the many things, We didn't get to say. I know how much you love me, As much as I love you, And each time that you think of me, I know you'll miss me too; But when tomorrow starts without me, Please try to understand, that an angel came and called my name, And took me by the hand, And said my place was ready, In heaven far above, And that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love. But as I turned to walk away, A tear fell from my eye, For all my life, I'd always thought, I didn't want to die. I had so much to live for, So much left yet to do, it seemed almost impossible, that I was leaving you. I thought of all the yesterdays, The good ones and the bad, I thought of all that we shared, And all the fun we had. If I could relive yesterday, Just even for a while, I'd say good-bye and kiss you and maybe see you smile. But then I fully realized, That this could never be, For emptiness and memories, would take the place of me And when I thought of worldly things, I might miss some tomorrow, I thought of you, and when I did, My heart was filled with sorrow. But when I walked through heaven's gates, I felt so much at home. When God looked down and smiled at me, From His great golden throne, He said, "This is eternity, And all I've promised you." Today your life on earth is past, but here life starts anew. I promise no tomorrow, But today will always last, and since each day is the same way, There's no longing for the past. So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart, For every time you think of me, I'm right here, in your heart

I had two favorites....McCrory's and Woolworth's. What a treat it was to have lunch with my mom and my aunt at either of these places. Both were in downtown Knoxville, which was quite a big "trip into town" when I was growing up. I would always order a hamburger and fries. But...the thing I love the most were the chocolate shakes and banana splits. Both stores used to have a promotion with banana splits. You would pick a balloon and inside would be a price for the banana split. It was so exciting when you picked the balloon that had a price of one cent!!! Ummm...how I would love to be able to have lunch at either of those places today!!!

How many of you remember stores that had lunch counters? I guess admitting to this really shows our age...lol! What lunch counters were your favorite and what did you love to order? PS...for those of you too young to remember, you have no idea what you missed!

Chris, thank you so much for being here for all of us. You have truly upheld your promise to Brad and have become a really great advocate for lung cancer awareness. I know you miss your friend. My heart reaches out to you.

Don, I am so very sorry that Lucie is having such a rough time. I just now read your post from Monday night and am heart broken. Please be strong and know that I am keeping Lucie and you in my most sincere prayers.

DEAR ABBY ADMITTED SHE WAS AT A LOSS TO ANSWER: Dear Abby, A couple of women moved in across the hall from me. One is a middle-aged gym teacher and the other is a social worker in her mid-twenties. These two women go everywhere together and I've never seen a man go into or leave their apartment. Do you think they could be Lebanese? _________________________ Dear Abby, What can I do about all the sex, Nudity, Fowl Language and Violence on my VCR? _________________________ Dear Abby, I have a man I can't trust. He cheats so much, I'm not even sure the baby I'm carrying is his. _________________________ Dear Abby, I am a twenty-three year old liberated woman who has been on the pill for two years. It's getting expensive and I think my boy friend should share half the cost, but I don't know him well enough to discuss money with him. _________________________ Dear Abby, I've suspected that my husband has been fooling around, and when confronted with the evidence, he denied everything and said it would never happen again. _________________________ Dear Abby, Our son writes that he is taking Judo. Why would a boy who was raised in a good Christian home turn against his own? _________________________ Dear Abby, I joined the Navy to see the world. I seen it. Now how do I get out? _________________________ Dear Abby, My forty year old son has been paying a psychiatrist $50.00 an hour every week for two and a half years. He must be crazy. _________________________ Dear Abby, I was married to Bill for three months and I didn't know he drank until one night he came home sober. _________________________ Dear Abby, My mother is mean and short tempered. I think she is going through mental pause. _________________________ Dear Abby, You told some woman whose husband had lost all interest in sex to send him to a doctor. Well, my husband lost all interest in sex and he is a doctor. Now what do I do? _________________________

In the beginning, God covered the earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, with green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives. Then, using God's bountiful gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's and Krispy Kreme. And Satan said: "You want hot fudge with that?" And Man said: "Yes!" And Woman said: "I'll have one, too...with sprinkles." And lo they gained 10 pounds. And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane, and combined them. And Woman went from size 2 to size 14. So God said: "Try my fresh green garden salad." And Satan presented crumbled Bleu Cheese dressing and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast. God then said: "I have sent you heart-healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep-fried coconut shrimp, butter-dipped lobster chunks, and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man's cholesterol went through the roof. Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with potassium and good nutrition. Then Satan peeled off the healthful skin, sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them in animal fats adding copious quantities of salt. And Man packed on more pounds. God then brought forth running shoes so that his children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan introduced cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering light and started wearing stretchy Lycra jogging suits. God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and the 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then Satan said: "You want fries with that?" And Man replied: "Yes! And super size 'em!" And Satan said: "It is good." And Man and Woman went into cardiac arrest. God sighed...and created quadruple by-pass surgery. Satan chuckled and created HMOs

Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants. Marriage changes passion. Suddenly you're in bed with a relative. I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it. So I said "Implants?" She hit me. How come we choose from just two people to run for president and over fifty for Miss America? A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Wow...that was fun!" I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed up in the first place! When I was young we used to go "skinny dipping," now I just "chunky dunk." Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference. Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl Alt Delete' and start all over? AMEN, AMEN !! Wouldn't you know it... Brain cells come and brain cells go, but FAT cells live forever. Bumper sticker of the year: "If you can read this, thank a teacher -and, since it's in English, thank a soldier" And remember: life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works. Easy Deviled Eggs Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up. Expanding Frosting When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving. Reheating refrigerated bread To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster. Newspaper weeds away Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers: put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers. Broken Glass Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can't see! No More Mosquitoes Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away. Squirrel Away To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it. Easier Thank You's When you throw a bridal/baby shower, buy a pack of thank you cards for the guest of honor. During the party, pass out the envelopes and have everyone put their address on one. When the bride/new mom sends the thank you's, they're all addressed! Save That Bike... If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike. Flexible vacuum To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings. Reducing Static Cling Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and - voila - static is gone. Measuring Cups Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out. Foggy Windshield? Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth! Reopening envelope If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily. Conditioner Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair... Good-bye Fruit Flies To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever! Get Rid of Ants Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed! Take baby powder to the beach Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mouse Story ... A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap-- alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Here in central Florida, we're in the 90's again today. Our "fall" usually doesn't happen until around November. Oh, how I miss the fall season. In Tennessee, we used to have the most beautiful colors of leaves. There would be a nice chill in the air.

Here in Florida, it's hard to believe that some parts of the country are really entering the fall season. So...what's the temperature today where you live?

I am so very sorry for the loss of your dear friend.

((((((Lori)))))) Continuing to remember you and your dear, sweet mother in my prayers. You are a truly wonderful daughter and I know how blessed your mom must feel to have you by her side.

Lots of prayers for Lucie and Don.

Jen was so loved by members of this board. She is deeply missed and thought of often. I am so very glad you shared a bit of insight about Jen's personality and love of life with us. Please keep in touch, as we all loved Jen so much. My heart goes out to you and her beautiful family.

In 2001, I was working at Target and was at work when everything happened. Our store manager called the management team in for a briefing but asked us not to mention the news to our customers, as we had no idea how closely people might be affected or how they would react. Also, we didn't know at the time if other areas were targeted. That day was pretty much a blur to me and there were few answers until I got home and planted myself in front of the television. That night, I was afraid to go to sleep. Sweet Dennis sat up all night monitoring the news and promised to wake me if there was anything new. Even thought I was scared to death about the attacks on our country, I felt secure knowing Dennis was there for me.

Since this day is so close to our hearts, I thought maybe you would like to tell us what you remember most about 9-11-2001.

Kelli, I am so very sorry for your loss.

Saying prayers for Charlie.

Dennis had a hard time taking Megace. Althought it was in pill form, it seemed to upset his stomach. The doctor then prescribed Marinol and that did a much better job of increasing his appetite without any upset stomach.

I relate to so many smells and like Geri, many of my favorite smells are food related. My favorite smells are gingerbread and vanilla. Both of these smells take me back to my childhood, as my mother was a wonderful baker. Whenever I smell a sweet pipe tobacco, I think of my dad and his pipe smells. Every time I smell turkey roasting in the oven, I think of Dennis. This was his favorite food and he loved the smell of turkey roasting in the oven. Oh...another of his favorite smells was grass, just after it was mowed.

What are some of your favorite smells? When you smell these things, do they bring back any special memories for you?

(((((((Kathleen))))))) I am so very sorry for the loss of your dear, sweet mother. Please know that you and your family are in my prayers.