How do I love Emily?

I have the best next door neighbor. Ever. Period.

How do I love Emily? Let me count the ways...

She shares her persimmons with me. She comes over for every Sunday supper and makes the most amazing desserts. She makes me laugh. She is a breast cancer survivor, a mother, a friend, a widow, and one of the coolest people I know.

She fits in with everybody and doesn't bat an eye over the random array of friends I have. In fact, she charms each and every one, and they all are proud to call her their friend, too. They all wish she lived next door to them. We have installed 2 "friendship gates" in our shared fence. One that leads to the front doors of our houses (we live on a hill and don't have to go down our steep driveways to hang out), and the other at the back of our property that leads to the kitchen doors. My dogs adore her (she always has treats in her pocket).

I got so lucky to live next door to such a special, wonderful, charming person.

I love ya, Emily!

People versus friends

A. People can be divided into 3 groups:

1. Those who make things happen
2. Those who watch things happen
3. Those who wonder what happened

B. If we delve further into that we can do another 3:

1. Those who drive slow in the fast lane
2. Those who think that turning signals on their car don't apply to them
3. Those who take two parking spaces to park

C. And another 3:

1. Those who think the world revolves around them
2. Those who think they should breed (the stupid ones mainly)
3. Those who think everybody owes them something

D. But my friends all fit into these 3 categories:

1. Those who make me laugh
2. Those who love me unconditionally (drinking or not, bald or not, fat or not, cancer or not, 40+ or not, perfect boobs or not)
3. Those who don't do anything from the subcategories B & C, but definitely are A#1

Thanks for putting up with me as I change (yet again) into a 40-something, sober, breast cancer survivor, size 8, with a ponytail, laugh lines on my face, imperfect (um) boobs, and still the same freakin' sense of humor. Thanks for encouraging me when I needed it, and knowing when to shut the f*&% up, and enjoy a comfortable silence with me.

I am blessed to have the friends I have. You know who you are. Come along with me as we boldly go where nobody has gone before! (And isn't time we start planning another vacation?)

Let's say THANKS! In support of our troops...

XEROX has done it again. This website (www.LetsSayThanks.com) gives you an opportunity to send a free printed postcard to our military personnel stationed overseas showing your support and appreciation for their service to our country.

Please take 2.2 minutes and make their day! It's easy as 1-2-3.

1. Visit the website www.LetsSayThanks.com: CLICK HERE!
2. Personalize by entering a message, your name and hometown
3. Hit Send!

Here is a photo of the one that I just sent:

God bless America!

Favorite Quote - Favorite Comedian

VOTE for MAIMAH!

This is my friend, and fellow breast cancer survivor, Maimah Karmo.

She beat breast cancer in her 30's. She's a spokesmodel for Cleavage Creek Cellars. She started her own foundation - TigerLily Foundation to help young women. She's a mom. She's a friend. She's an author. She's a speaker. She's fearless. She's passionate. She's wonderful.

Apparently, I am not the only one who thinks so!!!

L'Oreal has nominated Maimah Karmo the prestigious honor of being a Woman of Worth. Please visit the link below and place your vote for her.

She not only has my vote, but a special place in my heart.

VOTE FOR MAIMAH!

Clutter on my computer

I save stuff. Lots of stuff. Very important stuff. Okay, so you can call me a packrat. But not only in my house, but ON MY COMPUTER!

Take, for example, my RSS feed of bloggers (and this is just the top of the list):

Are you kidding me? Somebody has posted on their blog over 20 times, and I haven't read it? How can this be? Then I feel bad that I haven't read it. What if I miss something really, really important?

I've been complaining about not having time to blog for myself. Perhaps it's because I've been so worried I haven't had time to read other people's blogs, that there was something stopping me. So you know what I did? I scanned through everything on all my blogs. I have read all my favorite peeps blogs, and I have deleted some posts of other people I was following, well, because I thought I should.

My blog inbox is clean, clear, and ready for me to read your blogs, and write my blogs.

So, for those of you who have jumped off the blog wagon (um, Susan, Shannon, Margerie), please jump back on with me.

Come on. Everybody's doing it. I'll blog if you blog.

It's not about the candy.

I know I'm 42. You know I'm 42. But something changes when you put on a full body/face costume on and go trick-or treating. And then nobody knows you are 42. (Alright, almost 43).

My BFF, Julie (aka, Edna Medna Big Fat Pedna), said "Of course!" when I told her we should go trick-or-treating. One of the many reasons why I love her so. We donned Crash Test Dummy outfits, got pillow cases, and drove her Lexus to the best neighborhood in town.

The first place we stopped, the guy (who was probably 35) told us we were too old (could he see our wrinkles?) It may have been that we were just a foot taller than most of the trick-or-treaters.

We regrouped. We changed our voices to be higher pitched. We ran from house to house. We squatted down so we didn't look so tall. And nobody else even questioned us. We laughed until we cried. We had SOOOOO much fun.

We were older than the parents who were walking their kids around. And we got lots of loot. Okay. It may have been about the candy. I already ate the Almond Joys.