Ann

What is your favorite appetizer to munch on when you go to a party?

I thought we needed some good laughs today, Randy. Losing our dear friend, Rich, was hard for so many of us and I thought we needed to laugh!!!

A guy stuck his head into a barbershop and asked, "How long before I can get a haircut?" The barber looked around the shop full of customers and said, "About 2 hours." The guy left. A few days later, the same guy stuck his head in the door and asked, "How long before I can get a haircut?" The barber looked around the shop and said, "About 3 hours." The guy left. A week later, the same guy stuck his head in the shop and asked, "How long before I can get a haircut?" The barber looked around the shop and said, "About an hour and a half." The guy left. The barber turned to his friend and asked him to do a favor. "Follow that guy and see where he goes. He keeps asking how long he has to wait for a haircut, but then he doesn't ever come back." A little while later, the friend returns to the shop laughing hysterically. The barber asked, " So where does the guy go when he leaves?" The friend looked up, wiping the tears from his eyes, and said, "Your house."

SERENTITY: I feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape, so I got my doctor's permission to join a fitness club and start exercising. I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors. I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour. But, by the time I got my leotards on, the class was over!

-MARVELOUS MOMENTS FOR MEDICAL DOCTORS:A nurse was on duty in the Emergency Room when a young woman with purple hair styled into a punk rocker Mohawk, sporting a variety of tattoos, and wearing strange clothing, entered. It was quickly determined that the patient had acute appendicitis, so she was scheduled for immediate surgery. When she was completely disrobed on the operating table, the staff noticed that her pubic hair had been dyed green, and above it there was a tattoo that read, "Keep off the grass." Once the surgery was completed, the surgeon wrote a short note on the patient's dressing, which said, "Sorry, had to mow the lawn."

On a bitterly cold winter's morning a husband and BLOND wife in Dublin were listening to the radio during breakfast. They heard the announcer Say, "We are going to have 8 to 10 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even-numbered side of the street, so the Snowploughs can get through..."So the good wife went out and moved her car. A week later while they are eating breakfast again, the radio announcer said, "We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd-numbered side of the street, so the snowploughs can get through." The good wife went out and moved her car again. The next week they are again having breakfast, when the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park...." Then the electric power went out. The good wife was very upset, and with a worried look on her face she said, "I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the snowploughs can get through?" Then with the love and understanding in his voice that all men who are married to blondes exhibit, the husband replied, "Why don't you just leave the car in the garage this time.

I read this over the weekend but just couldn't bring myself to reply then, almost as if replying would make it so. Rich was a good friend to all of and he will be greatly missed. My prayers go out to his family and all of his friends from this board! Rich always managed to reach out to you when you really needed to talk. It was almost as if he knew when someone really needed his help!!!

((((((((((((((((((((Lillian))))))))))))))))))))) Sometimes, a big hug from a friend can say so much more than words and I think this is one of those times. Thanks for talking me out of my "valley" yesterday. I'm trying to climb back up the mountain today. Ann

Although this is a really tough time of the year for me, I have so much to be thankful for and all of my friends here at this MB rank high on that list. I woke up this morning and convinced myself that I need to pull myself out of this depression, that happens each year at this time. I have a wonderful family and great friends. I have a roof over my head and I have food in my pantry. I am healthy and for now, I have a job. Although I have been feeling completely lost, alone and helpless for the past few days, I know that I have so much to be thankful for. And...thanks to all of you for those rain dances that you did after my post yesterday. It worked!!! It's pouring the rain outside right now!!! And, yes, I saw all of you dancing for me....don't deny it...lol! I'm glad that today is my Friday. You have no idea how I look forward to four days of time to get things done around the house. I'm not a Black Friday shopper, so while all those people are out standing in line and fighting the crowds, I'll be still snoozing. I would like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and I hope we can all remember how blessed we are to have such great friends that truly understand what it's like to deal with the "c" word. Ann

((((((((((Michelle))))))))))) My heart is just breaking for you and, like Lillian, I know exactly how you are feeling right now and my heart is flooded with raw emotions. Like Lillian, it was seven years ago that I lost the love of my life. I finally realized that I was no longer sleeping and that the "nightmare" was my new normal. I have picked up and moved on with my life, but that makes no difference at certain times. The worst days of my life were seven years ago, at this time of year. Today, I feel as if I can't breath and all I want to do is cry. The sky is dark and gloomy, just as it was seven years ago. Michelle, better times will roll around for you. The pain becomes easier to cope with as time goes by, but an emptiness seems to linger. I'm here for you, although I don't think I'm in the best shape myself today!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all.... TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING, BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP. I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS, I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP. THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED - THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE, BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT. TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION, THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION. SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR, AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE. GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES, PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES. I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND, 'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND. I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY, WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE. BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES.... HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE. MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY, MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP. MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP. MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS. MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE, MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

Randy....Birthday boys don't have to do dishes!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!

Judy, I have never seen anyplace where the rain skips around so randomly as it does here. I think we had rain all around us over the weekend but not a drop here. I'm hoping that we get lots of rain as this cold front moves through. Don't you just hate it when you have more dirty dishes than your dishwasher can hold? That happens to me a lot, especially when I'm doing a lot of baking. I was so excited when they came out with the stoves with two ovens. Do you think they might come out with a dishwasher with two tubs...lol? I try to wash a lot of my bowls by hand as I go along, to save dishwasher space. It's a dreary, overcast day here in Palm Bay. It keeps looking like it's going to rain...or snow....but no rain ever comes. So, keep those rain dances coming, as we're really dry. This is my rough time of the year and getting through these next few weeks is almost unbearable for me but I have to keep chugging along. Keep me in your prayers. Ann

RULES OF LIFE: If life deals you lemons, make lemonade. If life deals you tomatoes, make Bloody Mary's.

-SERENTITY: I've sure gotten old! I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation; Hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends. But, thank God, I still have my driver's license!

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's' mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary. Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even more rude. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior." John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

If you're going to put Katie's eggrolls and cheesecake on this list, she better fly to Florida and teach me how to make both of them!!!!

So...I guess I have to make some carrot cake...lol!!! But, you now have to give me two more choices, as I am planning on taking five different goodies!!!

Let's pretend you're at a bake sale and there's every imaginable cake, cookie, pie, bread or candy available to buy but you can only buy five things....one of each. What will your five items be? P.S. Our Auxiliary is having a bake sale and your answers will help me determine what to make. So, I guess you can call this a marketing survey...lol.

So sorry to hear that you were awakened so early this morning, Judy. I have a neighbor that always mows his lawn at the break of day on Saturday mornings, my day to sleep a little later. Don't you just have to wonder how people can go through life with so little consideration for others? Bud, be careful riding in heavy fog. I'm sure you're always very cautious but it's crazy drivers that you have to worry about!!! I wish I had the ambition and energy to ride a bike to work. Maybe I need to think about that. Michelle...sorry you're still on the 2 am cycle. After you start work that should get better. I'm glad you're cooking on Thursday. I'm going to cook but other than the day that I lost Dennis, Thanksgiving is the hardest day of the year for me to deal with. So, we'll all pull each other through that day. Still no rain for us here on the Space Coast but people in parts of central Florida did get some rain yesterday. Maybe Muriel was one of the lucky ones. There's supposed to be a nice, strong cold front headed this way and expected to move through here on Wednesday. The weekend is supposed to be great, with highs in the mid 60's. I can't wait. For the last 7 years, it's really taken a lot to get me motivated at this time of year and I just know the cool weather will help. Hope everyone has a great day!!! Ann

Thanks for this post, Connie. I think there is much that we can all learn from this.

(((((((((((((((((((((Lil))))))))))))))))))))) It's that terrible time of the year for me, too. I understand most of what you are going through, although our circumstances are somewhat different. I thought that losing Dennis would get easier as time rolled on. There are times that I've been able to adjust well to the "new normal" but, on certain dates and times of the year I just can't deal with losing him....although it's been 7 years now. I'm so thankful that we have the love and support from friends here that know what we are going through and understand.

Judy...thanks for the TGIF !!! I definitely need that, especially after this week. It's just been one of those weeks, topped off by my depression and sadness during this time of year. I hope you're enjoying this time with your grandson. Wow...these guys sure do like to start smelling nice at an early age! I couldn't believe that my favorite radio station started playing Christmas music already. I leave this station on all day at the office and I guess this morning they started with the all day Christmas mode. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas music but for the past 7 years, since losing Dennis at this time of year, it's been a very sad time for me. I'm doing good to make it through the month leading up to Christmas and now it seems that everywhere you look, the Christmas season is being extended. It just seems to smother me. OK....I have to remember I'm in the JFF forum and not the grieving forum, so let me try and switch modes here, Our weather has been great here, with the high around 80 and the lows in the 60's at night. We are very dry and desperately need some good down pours, as small brush fires have been breaking out all over the place during the past week or so. The last time we had a measurable amount of rainfall was October 11th and with the heat we've had, we need much more rain. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!! Ann

Good to see you were here bright and early, Judy. Hope you have a smooth day and things get less chaotic for you. As for me, I'm just glad that tomorrow is Friday and then next week will be a three day work week for me. If you didn't know better, you might think I hate my job but I really do love it. It's just that I always have so much to catch up on and so little time, so I live for those weekends. Since losing Dennis on December 15, 2002, I have had such a tough time getting through this time of the year in one piece. Every time that I look at the calendar, I am reminded of what was happening in my life seven years ago. Today is really a nice day here on Florida's Space Coast. The high is supposed to be 80 and the sun is shining. I haven't had my A/C on for over a week now and all of my windows are open. I love it when that fresh air can come inside. We're supposed to have a couple of cold fronts come through in the next few days, so weather should be even nicer. We are very dry and in desperate need of rain. So, I hope that everyone has a peaceful and fulfilling day! Ann

Saying prayers for your friend's daughter., Michelle