Ann

Southern Baptist Lady The lady was a Southern Baptist who attended services and taught Sunday School every week. On one Sunday, an out of town acquaintance, a gentleman, was in the pew right behind her. He noted what a fine looking woman she was. While they were taking up the collection, the man leaned forward and said, 'Hey, how about you and I having dinner on Tuesday?' 'Why yes, that would be nice,' the lady responded. Well, the gentleman couldn't believe his luck. On Tuesday he picked the lady up and took her to the finest restaurant in that part of South Carolina . When they sat down, the gentleman looked over at her and suggested, 'Would you like a cocktail before dinner?' 'Oh, no,' said our circumspect fine example of southern womanhood, 'What ever would I tell my Sunday School class?' Well, our gentleman was set back a bit, so he didn't say much until after dinner, when he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and asked, 'Would you like a smoke?' 'Oh my goodness no,' said the woman. 'I couldn't face my Sunday School class if I did?' Well, our boy felt pretty low after that, so they left, got in his car and as he was driving the lady home, they passed the local Holiday Inn. He'd been morally rebuffed twice already, so he figured he had nothing to lose so he ventured forth with, 'Ahhh .. mmmm how would you like to stop at this motel?' 'Sure, that would be nice,' she said in anticipation. The gentleman couldn't believe his ears, and did a fast u-turn right then and there, and drove back to the motel and checked in. The next morning, after a wild and passionate night of the most incredible sex and perversions imaginable, the gentleman awoke first. He looked at the lovely Southern Belle lying there in the bed and with remorse thought, 'What the hell have I done? He shook her awake and pleaded, 'I've got to ask you one thing, what ever are you going to tell your Sunday School class?' The lady said, 'The same thing I always tell them, 'You don't have to smoke and drink to have a good time.'

Well, I definitely have a great answer for this question!!! About a week ago, I decided to try and get myself familiar with Facebook, since everyone I know seems to be talking about how great it is. I had created an account a long time ago but had never been active. To my delight, I was able to connect with my BFF ....from over 40 years ago. As teenagers, she and I were more like sisters than friends. I thought she was always the greatest thing since sliced bread. She was pretty, smart and witty. She was always everything that I admired and wanted to be! She got married and we lost touch. Through the years, I've thought of her at least a million times and wondered where she was and how she was doing. There were so many times in my life that I would have loved to have her love and support!!! But...everything is wonderful now!!! We email every day and I we've talked on the phone twice. Next year, we will be having our 40th reunion and we're all excited.....it's as if not even a day has passed since the last time we saw each other!!!

Great ideas are flowing here. Please, keep 'em coming!!! Lil...Recipes sound great, since you're such a wonderful cook. Dana....I thought of a Kissin' Booth but I hadn't thought about the Dollar Dance. I love it!!! That will definitely be a go!!!!

Share something with us, that has happened to you in the past month, that has really made a difference in the way you look at life.

Many of you read about 8 people being killed in a NY accident because a woman was driving the wrong way on the taconic state parkway everyone was thinking blood sugar or something since she called her brother saying she was having trouble seeing some killed were children of the driver, and three nieces were killed --wiped out her brothers entire family--plus the family that she killed, father, brother and family friend It turns out she was drunk and high on pot god bless that poor family what do they do--Brother lost three kids--father of her kids lost two of them-- You cannot hate her as we do not know her circumstances this just so adds to the tragedy

I think the official word of the day here on Florida's Space Coast is MUGGY. Muggy....such a strange word. I wonder where and how that word originated? But, regardless ofhow it got started, it's a fitting word today. As soon as I opened my front door this morning, it hit me. So, I guess you can say I was hit with an instant case of mugginess...lol. They say the unemployment rate is rising daily in Florida but I can tell you that the lawn/landscaping people seem to be doing very well. It's raining so much that the grass needs to be mowed at least once a week and some people are mowing twice a week. When I came into work this morning, I tried to convince my co-worker, Nick, to tell me it was Friday but he just kept saying....a"almost." I just thought if someone actually said it, it might be so. I know that I don't have to remind any of you that Friday is my very favorite day of the week. So, I need all of your help with a project I'm in charge of and I know I'll get some good feedback from you all!!! We're having a Sock Hop to raise money for St. Jude's. We did this last year but we just need more ideas to make more money. We're having a great band and lots of food. I just need ideas for money making things that can go on during the dance. I'm working on donations to be auctioned off but I just need some new ideas. I'm even going to share a picture of me in my poodle skirt from last year's Sock Hop. So, hope everyone is bee-boppin' along today in your little corner of the world!!! Ann PS.....WELCOME HOME, JUDY!!!!

Subject: Great Dog Story and well worth the reading!!!!! To my dog loving friends- a must read, a slight tear jerker though. They told me the big black Lab's name was Reggie as I looked at him lying in his pen. the shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. I'd only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street. But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn't hurt. Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie's advertisement on the local news. The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn't look like "Lab people," whatever that meant. They must've thought I did. But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes, and a sealed letter from his previous owner. See, Reggie and I didn't really hit it off when we got home. We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too. Maybe we were too much alike. For some reason, his stuff (except for the tennis balls - he wouldn't go anywhere without two stuffed in his mouth) got tossed in with all of my other unpacked boxes. I guess I didn't really think he'd need all his old stuff, that I'd get him new things once he settled in. but it became pretty clear pretty soon that he wasn't going to. I tried the normal commands the shelter told me he knew, ones like "sit" and "stay" and "come" and "heel," and he'd follow them - when he felt like it. He never really seemed to listen when I called his name - sure, he'd look in my direction after the fourth of fifth time I said it, but then he'd just go back to doing whatever. When I'd ask again, you could almost see him sigh and then grudgingly obey. This just wasn't going to work. He chewed a couple shoes and some unpacked boxes. I was a little too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell. The friction got so bad that I couldn't wait for the two weeks to be up, and when it was, I was in full-on search mode for my cellphone amid all of my unpacked stuff. I remembered leaving it on the stack of boxes for the guest room, but I also mumbled, rather cynically, that the "damn dog probably hid it on me." Finally I found it, but before I could punch up the shelter's number, I also found his pad and other toys from the shelter.. I tossed the pad in Reggie's direction and he snuffed it and wagged, some of the most enthusiasm I'd seen since bringing him home. But then I called, "Hey, Reggie, you like that? Come here and I'll give you a treat." Instead, he sort of glanced in my direction - maybe "glared" is more accurate - and then gave a discontented sigh and flopped down. With his back to me. Well, that's not going to do it either, I thought. And I punched the shelter phone number. But I hung up when I saw the sealed envelope. I had completely forgotten about that, too. "Okay, Reggie," I said out loud, "let's see if your previous owner has any advice."......... _______________________________________ To Whoever Gets My Dog: Well, I can't say that I'm happy you're reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie's new owner. I'm not even happy writing it. If you're reading this, it means I just got back from my last car ride with my Lab after dropping him off at the shelter. He knew something was different. I have packed up his pad and toys before and set them by the back door before a trip, but this time... it's like he knew something was wrong. And something is wrong... which is why I have to go to try to make it right. So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you. First, he loves tennis balls. the more the merrier. Sometimes I think he's part squirrel, the way he hordes them. He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there. Hasn't done it yet. Doesn't matter where you throw them, he'll bound after it, so be careful - really don't do it by any roads. I made that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly. Next, commands. Maybe the shelter staff already told you, but I'll go over them again: Reggie knows the obvious ones - "sit," "stay," "come," "heel." He knows hand signals: "back" to turn around and go back when you put your hand straight up; and "over" if you put your hand out right or left. "Shake" for shaking water off, and "paw" for a high-five. He does "down" when he feels like lying down - I bet you could work on that with him some more. He knows "ball" and "food" and "bone" and "treat" like nobody's business. I trained Reggie with small food treats. Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog. Feeding schedule: twice a day, once about seven in the morning, and again at six in the evening. Regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand. He's up on his shots. Call the clinic on 9th Street and update his info with yours; they'll make sure to send you reminders for when he's due. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet. Good luck getting him in the car - I don't know how he knkows when it's time to go to the vet, but he knows. Finally, give him some time. I've never been married, so it's only been Reggie and me for his whole life. He's gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn't bark or complain. He just loves to be around people, and me most especially. Which means that this transition is going to be hard, with him going to live with someone new. And that's why I need to share one more bit of info with you.... His name's not Reggie. I don't know what made me do it, but when I dropped him off at the shelter, I told them his name was Reggie. He's a smart dog, he'll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. but I just couldn't bear to give them his real name. For me to do that, it seemed so final, that handing him over to the shelter was as good as me admitting that I'd never see him again. And if I end up coming back, getting him, and tearing up this letter, it means everything's fine. But if someone else is reading it, well... well it means that his new owner should know his real name. It'll help you bond with him. Who knows, maybe you'll even notice a change in his demeanor if he's been giving you problems. His real name is Tank. Because that is what I drive. Again, if you're reading this and you're from the area, maybe my name has been on the news. I told the shelter that they couldn't make "Reggie" available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. See, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could've left Tank with... and it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone call the the shelter... in the "event"... to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he'd do it personally. And if you're reading this, then he made good on his word. Well, this letter is getting to downright depressing, even though, frankly, I'm just writing it for my dog. I couldn't imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids and family. but still, Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family. And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he loved me. That unconditional love from a dog is what I took with me to Iraq as an inspiration to do something selfless, to protect innocent people from those who would do terrible things... and to keep those terrible people from coming over here. If I had to give up Tank in order to do it, I am glad to have done so. He was my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades. All right, that's enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. I don't think I'll say another good-bye to Tank, though. I cried too much the first time. Maybe I'll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth. Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me. Thank you, Paul Mallory _____________________________________ I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope. Sure I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver Star when he gave his life to save three buddies. Flags had been at half-mast all summer. I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog. "Hey, Tank," I said quietly. The dog's head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright. "C'mere boy." He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn't heard in months. "Tank," I whispered. His tail swished. I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my face into his scruff and hugged him. "It's me now, Tank, just you and me. Your old pal gave you to me." Tank reached up and licked my cheek. "So whatdaya say we play some ball? His ears perked again. "Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?" Tank tore from my hands and disappeared in the next room. And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth. -

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32279584/

Judy, I'm so glad your home, even if it's only for a few days. For some reason, I just don't pick up a "gypsy soul" in you...lol! It's another hot summer day here on Florida's Space Coast. Of course, the rain will come later in the day, as it has been doing every day. But, I'm not complaining. As I have said many times here, I prefer to garb an umbrella (aka Florida lightning rod) that fight smoke and flames. I had to chuckle last weekend when my neighbor was trying to replace a section of his wooden privacy fence. He was all prepped to get the job done.....old fence down, new fence, new fence bought and delivered. When he started digging, he found that he hit water almost immediately because our water table is so high from all the rain we've been getting for the past couple of months. So, everything is on hold. I have been having the time of my life after finding my BFF from high school days on Facebook. I have thought about her a million times and always hoped we would somehow reconnect. She was (and is) a wonderful friend and she definitely makes my heart smile!!! If any of you are on FB and see Emma Lynn give her a shout. So, the week is approaching the half way point for me and you all know what that means.....it's getting neared to Friday....ny favorite day of the week. Oh...I need a favor. My Ladies Auxiliary is having a Sock Hop next month to benefit St. Jude's. Anyone have any good ideas for activities we can do at the Sock Hop to raise more money??? Please,,,,I need your ideas!!! So, hope everyone is peachy keen in your little corner of the world!!! Ann

Randy.....We're waiting to see a picture of Marvin. I'm just wondering if he looks anything like his wonderfully witty mentor, Maxine.

Val, thanks for posting this article. I think grieving is a life long process for some of us. I don't necessarily consider it a "disability" but I do know that grieving can definitely transform a person. When I look back to find the person that used to be, before cancer, loss and grieving, I sometimes find I'm no where in sight. Who I used to be was forever changed in February, 2002, when Dennis was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Honestly, I don't think that person will ever reappear. Am I happy? At times. Am I depressed? At times. The one thing that I miss the most about myself is being carefree. Don't misunderstand, I've had a lot of problems in my life but a part of me was still carefree. I miss that! Did grieving for the love of my life cause me to have a mental disability....not sure.

I was watching Sesame Street with Ella and Jude a couple of weeks ago, so I had a good refresher course on these characters. Like Ginny, I can definitely relate to Cookie Monster but I think I'm really more like Big Bird. He just sorta strolls around and seems to always know the scoop.

Yes, Peggy. I'm thinking of you, also.

OK gang.....Let's talk muppets!!! Which muppet are you most like: Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Grover, Kermit or Big Bird ? Why?

Here in Palm Bay, we had one heck of a thunderstorm last night. I had a city meeting and these huge raindrops were just beginning to fall as I walked to my car. The storm came so fast and there was so much rain and wind that driving home was a real challenge. According to last night's news, there are about a kazillion tropical waves hanging out in the Atlantic right now. So, although hurricane season has been here for a couple of months already, it looks like we're now in the thick of it. Things in my office have been a bit slow lately and with this economy, slow isn't good. I'm just saying prayers that things will pick up and the job situation will remain stable. I had to run an errand yesterday and passed by our local job link office. The parking lot was overflowing and there were people lined up outside, waiting to get in. Everything you hear on the nightly news about unemployment can't bring the message home like seeing it for yourself. We have one guy just north of here that sits up on the sidewalk every morning and gives away free coffee and donuts to anyone that will take his resume. Judy, I'm glad you caught the tire problem before it caused you problems. So very nice of the people to warn you about it. I can only imagine how anxious you are to be home, if only for a few weeks. Hope the "Air" is great in your little corner of the world today. Ann

THE OLDER CROWD: An elderly gent was invited to an old friends home for dinner one evening. He was impressed by the way his buddy preceded every request to his wife with endearing terms such as: Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, Pumpkin, etc. The couple had been married almost 70 years and, clearly, they were still very much in love. While the wife was in the kitchen , the man leaned over to his host, 'I think it's wonderful that, after all these years, you still call your wife those loving pet names.The old man hung his head. 'I have to tell you the truth,' he said, 'Her name slipped my mind about 10 years ago, and I'm scared to death to ask the cranky old witch what her name is

MARTHA STEWART: Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. MAXINE: Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink! All your pains go away!

Only a Texas man can make you feel like a woman. A plane passed through a severe storm. The turbulence was awful, and things went from bad to worse when one wing was struck by lightning. One woman lost it completely. She stood up in the front of the plane and screamed, "I'm too young to die," she cried.. Then she yelled, "If I'm going to die, I want my last minutes on earth to be memorable! Is there anyone on this plane who can make me feel like a WOMAN?" For a moment, there was silence. Everyone stared at the desperate woman in the front of the plane. Then a man from Texas stood up in the rear of the plane. He was handsome, tall, well built, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Slowly, he started to walk up the aisle, unbuttoning his shirt as he went, one button at a time. No one moved. He removed his shirt.. Muscles rippled across his chest. She gasped... Then, he spoke... "Iron this -- and then get me a beer."

I know that Judy is at MD Anderson today, so I thought I'd start up an "Air" post for her today, even if it's not early in the day. Well, today is probably my least favorite day of the week, as I always find it hard to hear that terrible sound my alarm clock makes on Monday morning, after being silenced for two mornings in a row. It's now 2:30 and I guess I can sigh a bit, knowing that the work day will soon be over. We have actually gone the entire weekend without any rain. I do believe the great state of Florida is welcoming Judy home with lots of sunny skies......and temperatures so hot you could grill a thick steak on the hood of your car!!! Someone mentioned today that it's only 145 days until Christmas. Can you believe that??? Time is flying by way too fast. It seems that Christmas 2008 was no more that two...maybe three...months ago. Wow...I hope things slow down a little, as I'm just not ready for all of the holiday hustle-bustle so soon. Hope everything is cool, calm and collected in your little corner of the world. Ann

Wow....I guess I'm not the only one with great clothesline memories. It seems that one of the first chores my mom had me help her with was hanging clothes on the line. I would stand beside her and reach into that big laundry basket and hand her the clothes, one at a time. Now, I know that sounds easy but my mom was very finicky about the way clothes were hung on the line. All of the pants (my dad's of course, as my mom only wore dresses) were hung together, as were all the shirts, undies....you get the picture. The clothes, especially the sheets, had such a wonderful smell after drying outside in that fresh mountain air. Getting the clothes washed was also an interesting experience, as my mom's clothes washer was a Maytag....wringer style. I don't know if any of you are old enough....or were poor enough.....to depend on a wringer style washer but that's what I remember us having until I was in high school. What a scary thing that old Maytag wringer was!!! I remember my mom telling stories about someone she knew getting their arm caught in a wringer machine and ending up an amputee. That would have made the washing machine the second most feared thing my mother owned. She was terrified of her old pressure cooker but would use it anyway when she was canning....lol Up until a few years ago, I still had a clothesline. It wasn't a nice, long line with wooden poles, like the one my dear sweet dad had made. IT was one of those little compact jobs that fold up, yet have about four little lines. You know, after this post, I think I'm going out and buy me another clothesline, even if it is a modern little cheapie. Maybe I can take my grandchildren outside with me and teach them that clothes don't always require electricity to dry. If they have half the great memories about my clothesline that I have about my mom's...then I will have made some smiles for the future!!!

Hope this doesn't offend anyone..... You can retire to Phoenix , Arizona where 1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade. 2. You've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl. 3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town. 4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food. 5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door. 6. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! You can retire to California where 1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house. 2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway. 3. You know how to eat an artichoke. 4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party. 5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is. 6. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought. You can retire to New York City where 1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan. 2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map. 3. You think Central Park is "nature." 4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual. 5. You've worn out a car horn. (ed note: if you have a car) 6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression. You can retire to Maine where 1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco . 2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas. 3. You have more than one recipe for moose. 4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons. 5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction. You can retire to the Deep South where 1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store. 2. "Y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural. 3. "He needed killin'" is a valid defense. 4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, Mary Beth, etc. 5. Everything is either "in yonder," "over yonder" or "out yonder." It's important to know the difference, too. You can retire to Colorado where 1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car 2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and so he stops at the day care center. 3. A pass does not involve a football or dating. 4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail. You can retire to the Midwest where 1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name. 2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor. 3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day. 4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?" 5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!" AND You can retire to Florida where 1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon. 2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars. 3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist. 4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state. 5. Cars in front of you often appear to be driven by headless people.

I just made my first batch of homemade laundry detergent and I have to tell you that I absolutely love it!!! Clothes smell so fresh and clean and it's so economical and easy!!! I've also dumper fabric softener and instead use 1/2 cup white vinegar per large rinse load. There's absolutely no vinegar odor and the clothes are soft, bright and fresh smelling. Anyway, all of this made me want to put my clothesline back up and ask this question...... What memories do you have of a clothesline and do you still use one?

Paula, I am so very sorry for your loss. Please know that we are always here for you.

I also posted this in the Inspirational forum but thought it was very pertinent to this discussion...... Very beautiful...... http://danceintherainmovie.com