Linda Z

Happy birthday, Foggie, to someone born on a great day to be born!! Don't eat too much cake!

Oeno, I'll have a glass of wine in your honor. And WG, I'll do a b'day dance, too. act2, I smile every time I see your picture in one of your special hats. Belle, how well I remember your kindness toward me when you were still an "innie." coolchef, I wish you were here to make me a scrumptious b'day dinner, but I'll settle for the one I'll enjoy tonight with my son. :) Likeaneagle, I hope to laugh that many times before the day is through. Topsie, we share a special bond, both having survived "almost heaven"...thanks for the cake! George St G, thanks...I enjoy seeing yours. I'll have to play movie and tv trivia when I have a bit more time. Last but not least... Tommy S., how did you know red SnoCones were my fave??? I feel like a bit of a rat for having missed so many of yours, unless you saw my "happy birthday, everyone" post a while back. But thanks, everyone, for your b'day wishes! I do appreciate them.

Just when I think I'm "over it," I see something like that letter from HA to Bo and my blood begins to boil all over again. When I think of the collective heart and soul that so many poured into twi and how casually and coldly we were all brushed aside, whether we walked or got the boot, it just realy, really, really pi$$es me off. But back to the "zero" Corps. My God, were all the "women" in that group like 15 years old, max? Glenda Sue and Nancy B especially--heck, they look 13 to me.

I'm late to the party on this one, but congrats!! What great news and so well deserved! Let us know how it goes!

Exsie, I so understand. Many moons ago, pre-twi for me, I cried out to God for help one day, and God sent someone knocking at my door--like within minutes. This guy, a hippie Christian neighbor, helped...a lot. Then, a couple years later, he helped himself to my heart and stomped all over it. Years later when I spoke to him on the phone, he didn't even believe in God anymore. I believe that God sent someone who was nearby and willing and able to help me. I believe the guy was listening and did the right thing at that particular time. I believe God was at work within him. Then, later, I think he got sidetracked by the lusts and cares of this world and ceased to be listening to God or working for Him. I'm thankful for what the guy did for me--I can't deny that he helped. And I figure he'll have to answer to God for the crappy stuff he did to me...not my problem to deal with it. I feel exactly the same way about twi. It "came along" just at the right time in my life. It was the right thing at that time for me. Then it wasn't what I needed anymore and, in fact, had become hurtful/detrimental, so I left. I don't know what's next on my spiritual journey. Maybe nothing new. Maybe just processing what's happened so far and doing my best to be loving and kind.

Dooj, great party ideas! I agree...breaking bread together is a good thing. Mstar, you reminded me of something from my distant past that I haven't thought about in years. Back in the mid-70s I took a job as a water meter reader in Berea, a small city near Cleveland. I was the first woman meter reader in Berea and, in fact, the first woman employee in the water treatment plant we worked out of. I didn't make the guys put lacy curtains on the windows or anything, but I did suggest that we have a cookout every other Friday and that everyone bring something. The idea was a big hit. At one end of the big old building was a garage that we used for shelter in bad weather, so we could cook there even in the winter with the garage door open. I have such fond memories of those days. We didn't have such exotic fare as Mstar describes, because this was something we did on our lunch hour, but we really did bond over our burgers and hot dogs and other goodies. As far as I know, the tradition continued for years after I left there. Even longer ago, when I worked on the L.A. Free Press, the staff would get together every week after we "put the paper to bed" and either go out to eat Chinese or go to one of our houses and cook a huge pot of spaghetti or something. It was always a great time. Funny, I can even remember conversations I had with people over those meals, and we're talking more than 35 years ago! Good idea for a thread, Chas. Food really is interwoven into our lives and relationships, isn't it?

Waysider, yes, I must have left before the clam bakes because I don't remember those. Our branch prepared a "roast beast" on a spit in the Metroparks one of the years Steve Stri** was here, but that's the only other big food-centered gathering I can remember. Chas, what a great story, and so well told. Thanks for sharing it.

Congrats, OFM, and I'm glad Dana is getting what she needs. If you're in touch, tell her we've been thinking about and praying for her.

Some twi old-timers who lived in Ohio might remember the annual pig roasts at Ray and Vera K***le's. It was always such a family gathering, and the food was unbelievable. All the women in the fellowship (which was huge, btw) baked homemade pies, and they roasted the pig in a spit for hours and hours. That, to me, is a prime example of a tradition centered around food and fellowship.

Thanks for all your input, everyone. When I have time to play with it a little, I think I'll give Firefox a spin.

Oops, correction. It will be released on Nov. 17th but apparently will be shown on PBS at some point after that.

It says on the Web site that it will be released on PBS Nov. 17th.

Big herd of elephants on Pete's Pond--several little ones. I wish the camera person would quit leaving them to look at birds, though! hehehee

I understand the anger and pain that come from a bad experience with long-term care. I've had those bad experiences with loved ones in nursing homes, too. As I said before, there are some poorly run nursing homes out there to be sure. But to portray them all as bad and greedy is unfair, especially to the people who work their butts off for low wages to provide good care. I've been in a lot of nursing homes, both as a family member of someone living in one, and as a journalist. Some of these places were horrid, but in recent years, most have been excellent. Given the financial difficulties they face, I'm surprised any nursing home can stay in business for long. They're extremely heavily regulated by gov't at all levels, and compliance with all those regs is costly. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement frequently falls way short of what it costs to deliver care. Contrary to popular belief, the person in charge (CEO or whatever the title) is unlikely to be making big bucks. And, unlike the facility where WG had the misfortune to place her mother, many nursing homes are nonprofits. They're not padding the wallets of owners like that doctor who referred her, either. When nursing homes look for nurses' aides, who are the heart and soul of any long-term care facility, the wages they can afford to pay are on par with what McDonald's or Burger King pays. And these people work 10 times harder than they'd ever have to work at McDonald's. I've interviewed certified nursing assistants who've been on the job 20, 30 years. Not for the big bucks, but because they love it and because they worked for someone who treated them with respect. Appreciation by management goes a long way in easing the pain of a pitiful paycheck. God bless 'em. I couldn't do it. Heavy lifting, poopy pants, dementia, disgruntled family members. It takes a special kind of person to do it right. By the way, the same pi$$-poor care that some of you have described goes on in hospitals, too. I've seen it on several occasions when my loved ones have been hospitalized. Hospitals are understaffed and the staffs are overworked. In short, our healthcare system's broken and, IMO, needs a complete overhaul. Back to nursing homes. There is some help available for those who face the difficult decision of having to place someone in a skilled nursing facility. The Web site at the link below gives a lot of good info about choosing a facility. There are other online resources for helping families choose, as well. http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Home.asp...bledStatus=True And here's another tip: Don't just take someone's word for it. If you're looking for a nursing home for a loved one, you need to visit several, unannounced, and ask someone to show you around. If the staff look totally stressed out and miserable, that's a bad sign. If residents are strapped into wheelchairs lined up in hallways, forget it. If it smells, leave. Bottom line is keep your eyes and ears open and trust your instincts. There are some great facilities out there. Settle for nothing less.

*blink* *blink* Could it really be??? Welcome back, Rocky! 'bout time you showed up.

Vegan, you're correct. I should have caught that but posted in a hurry. These cruise ships are touted as an alternative to assisted living. Nursing homes today are for those needing a much higher level of care than they could receive on a cruise ship. watersedge, it's absolutely false that most nursing homes are corrupt and most assisted living facilities want your assets. There are some that would fall into that category to be sure, but there are also many excellent facilities (a good deal of them nonprofits), staffed by people who care about and are constantly looking for better ways to care for the frail elderly among us.

It's absolutely true. I read about cruise lines promoting this a few years ago. I'd be a little concerned about what hospital I might end up in if an emergency health situation were to arise, but if it's too late for that, the dumping-you-over-the-side part sounds pretty good...MUCH cheaper than a funeral! :D

Kit, I think some are bats, but some are birds--you can tell by their long tail feathers. Bowtwi: I had a heck of a time with Real Player on my old computer. I'm just knocking on wood that it works on the new one. They're showing a REALLY close up shot of a croc in the pond at Pete's right no0w, for those who can get there (sorry bout that for those who can't). Right now they're so close you can barely tell what it is. Before they zoomed in so close you could see the reflection of the moon in the water, near the croc. Coolness. Earlier there were some elands getting a drink. Oooh there's the croc's big ol' eyeball. This is reminding me of Peter Pan. :D

Kit, I'm glad you mentioned that the leopard was there. That's the first of the big cats I've seen on either site. It left shortly after I logged on, but it was gorgeous while it lasted. The people might be tourists, because they're being driven around in two big open touring-car type vehicles (like jeeps but with what looks like a couple extra rows of seats) and stopping along the way to shine spotlights into the bush. It is a safari resort, so I guess sometimes they do nighttime safaris. This morning I saw the strangest looking birds at Pete's--a pair of them. They're called "Secretary Birds." They're birds of prey, about 4 feet tall, black and white with reddish orange eyes and a funny plume of feathers coming off their heads. These sites have been quite an education. Thanks again, GreasyTech!

DMiller mentioned in another thread how much better he likes Firefox than Internet Explorer, and I've heard Firefox mentioned by others. I am not that crazy about changing from one software or technology to another, but it sounds like there might be benefits to doing so in this case. So my questions are: Why do you like it so much? (Be specific, please.) And, how big a pain is it to switch? (Keep in mind that we're not all computer geniuses!) To the mods: I know this probably belongs in Computer Questions, but could you leave it here for a couple days at least, so people who don't usually venture to that forum will have a chance to see it? If Firefox is as great as I'm hearing it is, maybe lots of GS folks could benefit from reading about it. Thanks.

A la, I saw the little baby nursing and falling asleep, too. I think there were both baboons and monkeys hanging out at that time. Yesterday morning before work I saw three warthogs rolling in the mud at the edge of the watering hole and splashing in the water. Sooooooo cute! I haven't had much time to peek in there this week. Hopefully this weekend I will.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice, and thanks to Paw for offering to talk me thru it on the phone....I just ran out of time Sunday, and before I knew it it was too late at night to call. I did appreciate the offer, though. My problem seems to be resolved. I just went into Programs and clicked on my faithful old Outlook Express icon and it opened up and worked fine, and I've had no problems since. In fact, whatever I did fixed a conflict between Norton Security and OE. Go figure. I'm smarter than I thought I was (hahahah such a laugh...I had no idea what I was doing). I have MS Office 2003 at work. I like good ol' OE better for my simple e-mail purposes. All I care is that I can send and receive mail, store a few e-mails in folders, and keep track of people's e-mail addresses. Any bells and whistles beyond that are wasted on me. And you boys quit snipin' at each other, for goodness sakes. You're all great, but don't make me stop this car!

I'm thrilled for you. This isn't trivial, it's HUGE!!

Abi, that happened to me, too, both today and yesterday. It seems fine now. Quiet evening on the old game preserve. This morning I saw zebras and blue wildebeests, but this afternoon I've only seen one bunny, a small deer-like critter, and now a couple geese.

If it's not too late... I thought about what the sailors on the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria might have done for recreaction on their long journey. Best I can tell, draughts (checkers) were played then, along with card and dice games. On more of a sports note, there was archery and (yes, even back then) there was bocce. These last two probabl;y weren't played on the ships....but they were played in those days.