Geri

Aaahhhhh, the pit stop was very welcome but I didn't want to touch anythng while I was in there........someody should tell them about toilet cleaner. That may have been awful but the greasy spoon breakfast was wonderful, crispy bacon, eggs that weren't runny and toast that was crisp. Did you cook it Randy? Please say yes as you're going to be the only one who's used to cooking for a crowd. But...... as a pastry chef you could always keep us fed on sweet offerings. So glad you're on this trip Randy and not just for your cooking skills, sounds like you're good at pumping our "fuel".

I'm here Becky, waiting in a fast food joint to stay warm. Let me know when you're near as I've arranged for a nice hot meal also for a fuel top up of their used oil. Hope you get here soon, all this fried food is calling my name and I'm weakening! Oh what the hell, I'm going on vacation and I'll behave whenever I get home. So yes, super size that please

Checked the map and Detroit seems the best place to meet, how about the intersection with the 375? Probably has those 'do not pick up or discharge passengers' signs so we'll have to make it quick, good job I'm travelling light except for that case of Bailey's.

I'll check the map Becky and see the first point that the I 75 meets up with an interstate from here. This is getting to be exciting ........except for the thought of porta-potties. Hmm I wonder how long a depends lasts.

Is Buffalo too far out of the way Becky, as you're coming from Michigan maybe Detroit would be better. Just tell me where - I'm ready! As for the Bailey's Judy I'll make it a case and that should still count as one thing, right?

If I make my way west can you pick me up? Boston's a bit out of the way so I'll come meet you with my 3 things.........My beach chair back pack, clean undies (for when we fly over the ocean) and a BIG bottle of Bailey's for the same part of the trip. Sun, sand and warm water sound wonderful right now. Geri

Congratulations my friend, I'm impressed with your new signature........Kasey, 5 year survivor etc. Be proud of your successes, there was never any doubt on my part that you had it made. I'm celebrating when I get home from the hospital (tomorrow) so I shall be a day late but I'll raise my ginger ale in the mean time. Love you old broad......isn't it nice to be a surviving old broad From another surviving old broad Geri

Rack of lamb...........yum yum, can I come to dinner next time Randy? There wasn't a turkey to be seen and as my daughter is now vegetarian I needed more vegetables to make up for the one slice of meat she used to eat! My menu here for Christmas dinner was, roast tenderloin of beef (so tender no knife needed) mashed potatoes roast potatoes, parsnips and onions carrots cauliflower green bean casserole candied yams Yorkshire pudding gravy dessert was not served as everyone was full to bursting. We'll eat it tomorrow. Merry Christmas Geri

Hi, I remember you and your Mom. I'm so pleased that Mom is doing so well - NED in residence is always something to celebrate, As for you, a mere shadow of your former self, that deserves a huge "congratulations" from me. I hope you're very proud of yourself, you've certainly got life by the tail. Enjoy life! Geri

My best wishes for you to have had the best day you possibly could. Hope the sun was shining in North Carolina. Geri

A friend of mine who's a heavy smoker had cervical cancer a few years ago. While on the phone with her one day I heard her inhale, so I asked her if she had ever been asked about her sexual history because of her cervical cancer (Well I didn't exactly word it that way ). With a very puzzled voice she answered no. My reply to that was if she ever got lung cancer she was sure to be asked if she smoked! I've never been asked why I had breast cancer but the smoking issue comes up every time. My husband has never been questioned about his prostate cancer, but he's been asked if I smoked! One answer I wish I could say more often - I usually chicken out of being as rude as them - is that if you don't know me well to already know you don't know me well enough to ask! On that note I will get off my soap box and get on with my smoke free existance Geri

Congratulations, I'm going to celebrate with you/for you which ever applies. So I'm going to break out the Mountain Dew and some Vodka and drink to your continuing good health with something I haven't had in a long time. At the same time I'll have another for my 8 year mark last month, and then I think I lay down and have a nap!! I'm so happy for you Jamie, ain't life good. Geri

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Jamie, happy birthday to you. Now be very thankful you read this and did not hear me singing it Here's to many many more, you young chick you. Love ya kiddo Geri

Rich's wife Kathy has asked me to tell everyone thank you. She has read all the wonderful tributes and is touched that Rich was so highly thought of by everyone here. Geri

Donna, you are what we all strive to be.......a double digit survivor! Congratulations, go have a party, you've earned it. 12 years, WOW!! Geri

I have just gotten home from Rich's funeral. It was a wonderful service, his brother is a priest and he said the Mass (I"m not catholic so I hope I'm using the right terms). He was piped into the church by a kilted piper and a heartfelt but uplifting funeral followed. His niece read his eulogy, which was loving and funny and showed how much his family enjoyed him and will miss him. His send off was very much for the Rich we all knew, light hearted and loving but with an air of disbelief that he's gone. Geri

Hot Spinach Dip with Parmesan Pita pieces. It's got be hot, don't like the cold version which is esxactly the same recipe but uncooked. Go figure!

Katie you have no idea what memories you have stirred. Rich and I decided to give the money to LUNGevity - I think we were still eating our burgers at that point - as long as the money was split with LCSC. (This was when you were independent and paying all the expenses yourselves.) Anyway as we had 'met' on LCSC we were determined that you would see some benefit from whatever we could raise. Rich took it from there, I can only imagine what hoops he jumped through and made everyone else jump through in our quest for your getting what we considered to be your fair share, you had after all introduced us in a manner of speaking. Our "blind date" that day at Ruby Tuesday's (we both had an avatar with which to identify the other) turned into a two or three hour lunch that turned into a friendship that will last me the rest of my lifetime, as I hope it lasted Rich through his. Thanks for the memory Katie, it was good to remember. Geri

I know we all have stories of our own relationship with Rich. They are as all-encompassing and diverse as we all are. But they all have the same underlying feeling.........he supported us, educated us and generally kept our spirits up so that we could fight the disease or support those who were fighting it. My story began when I joined this board and started reading Rich's pearls of wisdom, I was living in Vt at the time and read about Heather Saler's walk in NJ. I knew that my small town in VT could not bring in the support that we would need so Boston, where my daughter lived and I often visited, seemed like the obvious answer. Rich answered my pm imediately with his usual enthusiam. The readers digest version is that we met for lunch in Watertown and left the restaurant much later like two old friends. The seeds had been planted and before we knew it we had decided that it was quite posible to get this walk off the ground. A post here from Rich brought a few other people who were also MA residents and up for the challenge. The rest you all know. With Rich's dogged determination we got that first walk off the ground in 2006 and haven't looked back since. We have raised close to half a million dollars and Rich has left a legacy that few can lay claim to. That first year he nagged and cajoled us and we got it all done, the whole committee has a lot to be proud of but for me nothing will ever equal the feeling of pride Rich and I shared after that first walk. Like everyone here I have been forever changed by knowing Rich, he was a friend like no other I've had before and cannot envisage ever having again. So long my friend, we've had a blast! Geri

Thanks Rochelle, although this is not unexpected he still leaves a huge void. His pain has gone, he's finally not hurting. A very special man has left us a very special legacy - our Boston walk would not have gotten off the ground without him, he will be missed terribly. Godspeed my friend, you gave me more than you'll ever know. Geri.

Carrot cake lemon bars sour cream coffee cake cheese straws cheese biscuits What time should I get there to pick up my goodies?

I'm going to celebrate my 8 years survival by talking about it from the podium at the Boston Walk on November 7. Last year I spoke with a family who were, I believe heartened by the fact that I survived. Anyway this family has been on my mind all this time - I don't think I could recognize any one of them now - so I'm telling my story in the hope that survivors who come to the walk will know that it's possible to have long term survival. There may well be more survivors out there than we think, for the most part we're just out there living life as usual. I know lung cancer is not foremost in my thoughts any more. Which is something I very thankful for. I knew that lung cancer was behind me and I was really getting better when I was upset about my nails not growng properly anymore - it's so nice to be shallow and make my broken fingernail the focus. So survivors take heart, the day will come again when you WILL sweat the small stuff.............and it feels great! Take care and join me on the journey to recovery. Geri

Please don't come to my house for lunch. I don't mind making breakfast and I'll make dinner for 10 before I'll enjoy making lunch for one! Always have hated making lunch yet I enjoy cooking everything else. So Ginny, set an extra place or two because my guests and I will be dropping by for lunch. What's a good time? Geri

Eggs Benedict with home fries, fresh OJ and coffee with cream (no half and half like I usually use!) and a selection of berries. Just had lunch but this sounds good.........too bad it's of my personal menu due to the sodium content

I saw this live and also recorded it and re-watched it later, just to be sure I was remembering it right. Those women on the View are so rude. This is one of the few times that Elizabeth Hasselback has not been combative about something as "nasty" as smoking, I actually liked her for a few minutes. Kathryn Joosten seemed so frustrated that they weren't listening properly, why these people felt that they had to push the smoking angle so hard is beyond me. Maybe I picked up on it more because as an ex-smoker I too am frustrated when that question comes up yet again. The interview was certainly good from an awareness point of view, a lot of people will remember what November represents but like me they also remember how ignorant of lung cancer the panel are.....their opinions were so biased because of the smoking issue and I am amazed that Barbara Walters, who said she'd lost two cousins to lc and is a reporter, was more interested (and better informed)about Patrick Swayze's widow As annoying as I found the 'ladies' of the View - I always find them annoying anyway - it was still good from an 'advertising' point of view. gotta run now, time to exercise so I can walk on Saturday......Yeah right; I will walking but I won't be ready for it Now I'll get off my saop box, Geri