Ann

(((((((((((((((((((((Michelle))))))))))))))))))))))) I always feel better after a good cry, so I don't think it's a sign of weakness. I like to think of it as a way to gently wash a way some of the pain. You are so blessed to have found the locket. It's great when our loved ones find little ways to remind us of their love. Yes...I think that's just what Donald was trying to do. I'm trying to keep busy today, as the 15th will mark 8 years since Dennis passed. Funny how it all feels like yesterday. I almost feel like life is happening in slow motion and I can remember every second of this week, 8 years ago. We just have to remember the love and know that it can never be taken from our hearts!

People can be so damned insensitive!!! Why in the world would someone be that inconsiderate of your feelings. And yes, I agree...when you damn well please if the correct answer. When I remarried, I took off the wedding rings that Dennis had placed on my finger. But....I still have them and keep them in a place where I can look at them often. I hope to pass my rings on to my grandaughter someday and share a long story with her about true love and how it really never dies!

Bud....you're having a heat wave!!! I always love to read your weather posts because I know that's a sure sign of what's headed in our direction as it pushes off the coast. I had to laugh when the weatherman said it's supposed to be 78 here over the weekend. I laughed because I was wearing my warm jammies and fuzzy socks while watching the weather forecast. When I got home last night, my lawn looked like Motel 6. Every unused sheet and bed cover was covering a plant or a palm tree. I store all of my old bedding in the attic so I can cover my plants when cold temps come through. It sounds like a lot of Florida's crops took a heavy hit last night. Looks like the orange crops fared OK but green beans and tomatoes took a real beating. If we have to have this cold weather, I only hope we get some of it on Christmas Day. Since I have lived in Florida, it seems that Christmas is usually warm and sunny and I want cold and cloudy. I'm trying to keep really busy today so that my mind doesn't have time to wander back to 8 years ago today. You all know where I'm going with this, so please send good thoughts. Judy..take care of that tummy. Like Annette said, keep the stress down and remember that she and I are both worrying for you so that you don't have to. Glad to hear Annette got to work safely! Judy....enjoy your Christmas party tonight. Hope everyone has a great day!!! Ann

I know....I'm not allowed to complain about Florida's temperature since it's so much warmer than most of you but......IT'S COLD!!! Our high today is supposed to be 48 and that's just too cold for Florida. The wind is howling here and even with the heat on, there's a chill in the air. We're supposed to hit the 20's tonight, so I've already covered up some of my plants and I've taken extra blankets out of my space bag in the attic. Just to think....it's not even winter yet!!! Bud...you stay warm! I know you want to accumulate those miles but that's really a cold ride. Annette...it's very nice of you to worry for everyone. So, I'll pay it forward and worry for you until Friday!!! I'm sure your results are going to be fine but my boys always tell me I have to have something to worry about!!! KW Judy... Since Annette is worrying for you, I'll just send good vibes in your direction. I know how you hate this cold weather, so I know you're all bundled up. What a terrible day to be out in this cold! Hope everyone has a nice day and stays all bundled up!!! Ann

The room was full of pregnant women with their partners. The class was in full swing. The instructor was teaching the women how to breathe properly and was telling the men how to give the necessary assurance to their partners at this stage of the pregnancy. She said "Ladies, remember that exercise is good for you. Walking is especially beneficial. It strengthens the pelvic muscles and will make delivery that much easier. Just take several stops and stay on a soft surface like grass or a path." She looked at the men in the room, "and Gentlemen, remember -- You're in this together -- It wouldn't hurt you to go walking with her." The room suddenly got very quiet as the men absorbed this information. Then a man at the back of the room slowly raised his hand. "Yes", answered the Instructor. "I was just wondering if it would be all right if she carries a golf bag while we walk?" ---- This kind of sensitivity just can't be taught.

Happy Friday.....my very favorite day of the week!!! Annette, glad to see you opened up the window and got the "air" flowing through! Yes, there are usually people here by 9:00 am. I guess this means that some of our early birds got some well needed sleep, which is a very good thing. Bud, we're just a day or so behind you on the cold front. It's supposed to be nice here tomorrow, mid-70's - and then we're supposed to get some well needed rain. The cold is following the rain and out high on Monday is supposed to be 52!!! That's insane for Florida! So, I guess these sweaters of mine that I rarely get to wear will be put to good use this winter. After 2 weeks of fighting this cold, I finally broke down this morning and went to the doctor. My cold symptoms are practically gone but I have still been feeling a lot of pressure around my left ear. The doctor said the inner ear and tubes is really inflamed. So, I left with two prescriptions and lots of follow up appointments for various tests. You know, I compared my visit to the doctor with a dinner out. It seems he's always trying to up sell something, just as a good waiter tries to sell you dessert after a meal. I'm planning on having the luxury of a nice, relaxing weekend. I do have a little shopping to do but that's something I consider fun. I'm going to do some baking and make a big pot of soup...maybe broccoli cheddar. So....what do all of you have planned?

Good morning, Friends. Eric, it sounds like the weather has really caused things to slow down in your corner of the world. It sounds like a lot of people are going to miss their fresh baked bread today. I heard about this Artic blast that's headed toward us. It's a mild morning here today with temps near 50. We're supposed to be in the mid 70's on Saturday but then the rain moves in and our HIGH for Monday is going to be 50. I just hope the cold is here for Christmas. I am so happy that I have absolutely nothing to do after I get off work today. I'm just going to rush home, have dinner and absolutely relax. I'm already thinking that tomorrow is my favorite day of the week, so that just makes things even better. Next week will be a full week of work but the week before Christmas will be great, as we're only working 3 days that week!!! Yippee!!! I hope everyone has a great day and I hope we have a lot of friends show up to share the AIR with us!

Yes, Ginny...that thin blood thing is for real...lol! I used to think it was merely a myth but now I know differently! The other thing that cold weather seems to do to us Floridians is to make our bones ache. Normally, I don't have a lot of aches and pains but when it gets cold, I'm a wreck! But, I do love a nice chilly day! When I let a meeting last night at about 9:15, the temperature was 38 and it felt really cold. I had on a sweater and a jacket but I was still cold. I keep a huge beach towel in the back seat to keep golden retriever hair off when Tanner rides in the car. You should have seen me grabbing that towel and wrapping up in it in an effort to warm up. The Christmas rush hit me head on this morning and I realized that shopping is getting to that frantic stage....at least in Toys R Us. Do any of you remember the Lite Brite toys? They were popular years ago and this year there seems to have been a demand for the Lite Brite Cube. Just my luck that my Ella had this at the top of her list. I had tried to find one online but everyone said none were in stock. When I checked online this morning, Toys R Us said there were some in the Melbourne store. I shot out of the office in a flash, got the last one and then stood in line for over a half hour. The lines were so long and it seemed that every single cashier had her light flashing, waiting for a price check. But....Ella will be happy on Christmas morning, so this Nana is thrilled and considers all the headache well worth it. It's been so great to see the Air so active! I look forward to making a daily visit. Hope everyone has a great night.

It was a chilly 32 degrees this morning on Florida's Space Coast. When the wind chill was factored in, it felt like 29 degrees. Although I love the cooler weather, I can definitely tell you that Florida folks aren't ever prepared for these temperatures. Last night I turned my heat on for the first time this year and it really felt good. There are a lot of the older Florida homes that don't even have heat, so I feel really bad for those guys! I just seem to have more energy when it's cooler. Plus, you have no idea what great hair days I've been having with no humidity...lol!!! I'm almost two weeks into this cold of mine. I haven't been running a fever for days but the head and chest congestion is really hanging on. I called my doctor's office today to see if I should come in but was told I should avoid that unless I got worse. They told me that there are about 4 really nasty bugs circulating right now and they're advising patients to steer clear of the office if at all possible. So, I'll just keep investing in tissue unless it gets unbearable. I did feel like decorating the tree and getting most of my little gingerbread people in place all over my house over the weekend. I love coming home and seeing the lights on the tree. It makes things seem warm and cozy. Hope everyone keeps warm and has a great evening! Ann

Good afternoon everyone. Only one and a half hours until my weekend officially begins. I'm feeling much better again today, although I still have quite a bit of congestion. I can actually breathe through my nose and I think I slept through the night without waking myself up couching. Our Auxiliary is hosting its annual craft show tomorrow, so I'll be busier than a bee with that. But...there's nothing like a good craft show to get me in the holiday spirit. At this time of year, I always need to keep busy so my mind has less time to remember. On Sunday, we'll be rolling the Harley out of the garage for the annual Toy Run. That's always a great time and for a good cause. Ginny, I'm so glad to see that you're having a good time!!! Don't ya love it when you can get a lot of use out of one outfit? Make sure and kick up those heels this weekend!!! Judy...keep warm!!! I know Ginny said we can't complain about 65 degree weather but she just doesn't understand. When you hear those stories about your blood getting "thin" after living in Florida, it's hard to believe. But...it's true!!! Hope you have fun shopping and please do give us a review of the movie. Bud...you are truly amazing. All the riding you do makes me want to buy a bike. Hope everyone has a great weekend doing something they really love!!!!

So, who wants to join me on the Friday countdown team? I am really looking forward to the weekend! LOL....I always say that so I'm sure you're all tired of hearing it from me. But....we only go around once and one can never have too many Fridays!!! My body and this cold are really struggling. My body is trying its best to send this cold packing but the cold seems to like it here and wants to stay. So....the battle continues. If my stuffies and coughing haven't improved by tomorrow, I may be off to see the doctor. Bud, thanks for thinking of me. Judy....get some sleep! You need to bundle up tonight and sleep late in the morning. There's nothing like a nice warm blanket to keep you in bed on a chilly morning. The news last night said that another cold front is supposed to hit us just as this one begins to move out, so it may be chilly here for a couple of weeks. So great to read everyone's posts today! I love it when we fling open all the windows and shout out through the cool AIR. Ann

My dear friend, Lillian. These days and this time of year bond us together so strongly. I know how terribly hard this time of year is for you...and for me. Sometimes, I can easily say that time helps to heal the woulds and then, there are times when I believe that time makes the wounds more painful. Every year seems to push us even further away from the days we spend with Johnny and Dennis...days we can never recapture. Two weeks from today will mark eight long years since I lost Dennis. Please know that I am keeping you in my thoughts and in my heart.

Hey everyone! The temperature is definitely dropping here and our high for tomorrow is only supposed to hit the mid 60's. This weather always makes me realize what I miss about Tennessee life. I love the changing of the seasons and the colder weather. Days like this bring back memories of going to a UT football game and stopping by a Smoky Mountain Market for a full house. A full house is a hot tamale covered in chili. Yum!!!! Unfortunately, you can't find this in Florida. Today is day # 8 of the cold from hell!!! I developed a sore throat on Thanksgiving and have been sick for every day since then. I was still running a temp last night but I think the fever is all gone and I'm actually feeling like a human today. There are several people here in my office that are sick with this thingie, so I hope it doesn't come knocking at my door twice. Hopefully I will have some immunity after all this. Glad to see that everyone is doing well. Ann

I am so very sorry to read of Lillian's passing.

Good morning, friends. KW Judy....glad to hear you had a nice evening. So sorry you have to cross pot stickers off your food list for a brief time. I love them but always seem to miss ordering them when I'm out. Glad you'll be seeing that handsome grandson of yours soon. What a great kid he is! So glad I have him as a FB friend. Bud, sorry to her your crappie is wasting away. Sounds like a classic fish tale to me...lol Two more workdays until Friday. Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow. Many people are off for Veterans Day and I'm going to have to miss carrying our huge flag in the parade. But, on the upside, things will be very slow tomorrow and maybe I can get some work caught up. On a sad note, my DIL miscarried yesterday. Hard news to cope with but I do believe that God knows best in a lot of situations. It's going to be very hard for Ella and Jude to understand this. Please say prayers for my grandbabies. Ann

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Good morning friends. It's a nice, cool, sweater weather kind of morning here on Florida's Space Coast. Judy's temps are just a bit warmer than mine, since she's a few hours south. I love this weather and I love the fact that Monday has passed. I have a few really slammed work days ahead, so I'm hoping the work days will speed by. I actually made it through the first work day of the new time change without the usual difficulty. Hope it continues. Judy, how many crappies did you count before you gave up? Just wondering how many people we can invite to your virtual fish fry in Key West? Sounds like fun to me. I do like the idea of crappie counting. I never could get into counting sheep...too easily distracted by all that baaaaaaaaaahing noise. Who else is watching Dancing with the Stars this season? I didn't watch last season, as I just couldn't seem to connect with any of the stars but this season, I'm glued to the tv. When the competition began, I was a 100% Kurt Warner fan but after a couple of nights, my loyalty swung to Jennifer Gray and Derrick. Poor Kurt, I still love him (he's a hunk) but he's not going to make it to the finals, unless he has a HUGE football fan base that are voting. I think it's going to be a Jennifer vs Brandy final. What does everyone think? I just hope that poor Bristol Palin heads back to Alaska tonight. She is obviously very uncomfortable in this role and I feel very bad for her. I read on Facebook that Lillian is now in Louisiana with her family. Here's hoping spend many happy hours with your wonderful family, Lil. Speaking of Facebook, how many of you are on Facebook?

WHAT COMES TO MIND? I will say a word... You say the first word that comes to mind... Then the next person will use that word for the first to come to their mind..And so on and so on.. Example: If I said free.. next person might say bird then next might say Crow. There are no wrong answers. First word is RELAX

Good morning friends. KW Judy, so very sorry you haven't been feeling well. Just keep focusing on the good things that the meds are doing and know that you and that pill are kicking butt!!! It sounds like you have a lovely day planned with your friend. I'm envious, as my day consists of being back in the old grind at work. I'm sending good vibes your way today! The wind is blowing in the right direction to get them there fast!!! I had a nice, cool, relaxing weekend. There was nothing I "had" to do so the lack of pressure made life really nice. On Saturday, I shopped for Ella's birthday gifts. She's totally into Fancy Nancy and she loves books, so that's what she's getting from Nana. There were about 7 of the Fancy Nancy books that she doesn't already have, so shopping was easy. I still have to pick up a toy for Jude, so that my little guy doesn't feel left out while his big sister is opening her gifts. Yesterday was a wonderful day. I was home by myself most of the day, so I cranked up the music and got some chores completed. My fridge is all cleaned and my pantry is completely organized. Between those two tasks, I did some laundry and made a huge pot of nice, spicy chili. The weather here was definitely a chili sort of day. I can't believe it's Monday already....where do the weekends go? I'm already hating this time change. My body and I always fight when there is a time change. I guess I'm a creature of habit. IT will be really hard this afternoon, when my body is telling me it's time to go home but the clock is telling me I have another hour to go! Hope everyone's Monday isn't manic.

It is so strange how certain little things can trigger a flood of memories and can cause us to remember things that we would never think about. I had that happen to me this morning. As some of you know, I was a manager at Target when Dennis was diagnosed. Some of my hardest days were spent in that store and many tears were shed there. I was shopping at "my" Target this morning and on the way out, I thought I should make a stop at the restroom as I had had way too much coffee this morning. As soon as I opened the door, a flood of memories about Dennis hit me. I remembered all the times that I ran to that restroom , often just to wash my face after breaking down. I remember times when that was the only place I could go and find a little bit of quiet time to think about what was happening to my life. While there this morning, I felt as if I couldn't breathe. It was all so real....as if 2002 was only yesterday.

Way to go, Bud!!! They made a great choice in selecting you to do an interview! I'm so proud of you!!!!

Well, since this is my favorite day of the week, I thought I'd jump in, open the windows and let the "AIR" begin to flow. The fiasco at the hospital ended late yesterday afternoon after police found that the gunman had killed himself. Other than the gunman, no one was injured. This guy had worked in the cafeteria for a couple of years and had recently been terminated. He was having a multitude of problems....behind on rent....apartment flooded last week....illness in family....so he just lost it. Apparently he had a breakdown in the property manager's office and from there he got his gun and went to the hospital. His targeted victim was the cafeteria manager that fired him. Apparently he fired two shots at him but attempted to harm no one else. Funny thing was that I recognized the guy from the news photos. He worked the grill and I've ordered from him several times. He was always nice and friendly but very he seemed quiet and reserved. What I had to tell you from yesterday was this. Not sure if I told you this before...can't remember. Some of you may remember that my middle son, Matt, had an accident several months ago and fractured his hand very badly. He had surgery and had a slow, yet successful, recovery. Well, his ortho surgeon has an office in the PB Hospital. One morning, before an appointment, I received a frantic call from a friend. She's a really neat person that I have known for over 20 years now and she is very "special" and "blessed" in her ability to see and know things some of us don't. She told me that she has only had about three "visions" during her life and they all came true...just as she had "seen" them. She asked me to be very cautious while I was around the hospital, as she had a vision of a gunman at the the hospital. You can believe that I took her seriously. I can remember staring out the window of that 2nd floor office, watching for any sign of movement on the roof. Of course, she also told me that she had no sense of time as to when this might happen. Well, when this happened yesterday, I almost fell out of my chair. He first call I made was to her. She hadn't heard the news and she started to cry, saying the ability to sometimes foresee these things is not a fun thing. Funny thing is that she had told the police about her vision....wonder if they remember? OK...back to normal life....whatever that is. It's FRIDAY and it's so nice and cool here. No rain today and the high is supposed to be 69....YooHoo!!! I actually wore a sweater to work this morning. Tonight, we'll go to the Post for a nice meatloaf dinner and then tomorrow it's shopping for Ella's 4th birthday party on the 13th. I also have to practice making a three tiered Fancy Nancy cake. Ella is so into Fancy Nancy this year. If any of you don't know who she is, do a google search for her and I think you'll get a smile. Hope everyone is having a great day!!! Ann

If any of you watch CNN, catch the story about the gunman in the Palm Bay Community Hospital. That hospital is just a couple of blocks from my office. The area has been crazy since about 2:30 this afternoon. We're accustomed to hearing sirens here, as ambulances head for the hospital. But today, the sirens were non-stop. We were thinking that there must have been a horrific traffic accident. Finally, we were able to get some news and find out there was a shooter barricaded inside the hospital. We still have few details and police have Malabar Road blocked off just outside my office window. People have been using our parking lot all afternoon for a cut through between streets. There is something really weird with all of this and I think I posted about it before. I am going back to search my posts before I go into the details but will share with you tomorrow. Funny, I go to the hospital about once a week for lunch and I almost went today. But, it's raining and I thought I'd get soaked walking the distance from where I have to park, so I threw some lunch together here at the office. God is good!!! Well, I'm on my Friday countdown and am looking so forward to a nice, cool weekend. I love wearing sweaters and I think I'm going to get the opportunity to wear one on Saturday!!! KW Judy, we got some of your rain yesterday afternoon. It rained a lot during the night and it's been raining off and on all day. Judy, so very sorry you're still having sleeping problems. Next time, try tuning in to QVC or HSN...that always puts me to sleep and gives me a few laughs as well. I love listening to the people that call in and rave about all of the products they have purchased. I really love it when some of the ladies call in that have all the make up from a show!!! I really think people become addicted to buying these things. Muriel...so relieved to hear from you. I have thought of you many times but by the time I get ready to shoot you an email, the phone rings and I get distracted. Please keep us updated on how you're doing! Well, gotta run and try to find a file. See you tomorrow....my favorite day of the week!!! PS...watch CNN and you'll see just where I am!!!

Good afternoon to everyone. Hope everyone is having a great day and enjoying the fall weather. It's still warm here today but the rain is supposed to move in later this evening and bring some lower temperatures our way. Although I will be welcoming the cooler weather with open arms, I'm even more excited about the prospect of getting some rain. It only rained once here during the entire month of October and that was just a wee little shower. Our high for Saturday is supposed to be 69!!! I love that weather. I'm hoping to find some outdoor things to do Saturday so that I can really take in the weather. Well, tomorrow I can begin my official Friday countdown. It seems this week has gone by fairly quickly, although this morning got off to a really rough start. We have an office meeting every Wednesday morning and normally, they're light and informative. This morning was an exception to that rule and it was a disaster. Lots of harsh words and hurt feelings. So...tomorrow is another day and one day closer to the weekend. I can't believe that the stores are filled with Christmas decorations and are playing holiday music. I know it's that time of year but I'm still about six months behind and am not at all ready for all the hustle and bustle. It looks like Florida finally has a newly elected governor. I fell asleep last night waiting for the outcome of that election. When I woke up this morning there was still no definitive answer. But, it looks like my candidate threw in the towel and conceded to Rick Scott. This should be a very interesting four years.....not pleasant but very interesting.

Good afternoon everyone. It seems like I've been arriving in the afternoon lately and everyone has already been here for the day. Judy, so sorry to hear you had a rough night. I hate it when I can't fall asleep. The absolute worst is when I have to get up the next morning and I keep looking at the clock to see how long it is before I have to get up without having any sleep. Usually, the television is a great key to helping me fall asleep. Either it's a case of something too boring to watch or it's something really good. If it's something good that I want to watch, I always seem to fall asleep. The infomercials are great sleep aids. Bud, you take care of yourself!!! Well, I had a great birthday Saturday and I got the best present ever!!! I'm going to be a grandma tor the third time in May!!! I love my grandchildren so much and the thought of having a brand new baby in the family has really got me smiling...even on a Monday!!! Hope everyone is having a great day!!!