ALS-Despair and Hope

The Nightmare

The Dream

Grandchildren Updated

Once again it's time to brag about my incredible grandchildren. They never cease to amaze me with their talents and capabilities, their bright intelligence and their warm compassion. They are fun, funny, interested in the world around them and interesting in their own right. They care deeply about the environment and human rights and I am immensely proud of them all!



This is Paige, almost 15 and getting ready to enter high school. She is dressed here for her first semiformal dance; I'm sure her date was as knocked out when he saw her as I was. She has finished 20 chapters of the book she is writing and even an unprejudiced reader would be impressed. She will be on the honors program in high school and has some ideas of what she would like to do with her life.

Sarah will be 14 this fall, excels in school and is an avid reader. Most of the jewelry she wears she has designed and created and each piece is a beautiful work of art. She comes to visit me every week and helps care for me without reservation. She is full of imagination and life and shines with a very bright light.

Here we have Emily and Ryan. Emily is 9 and also loves to read. She is an excellent student, has a very outgoing personality and a nurturing and caring temperament. She and her brother live down the lane from Camp and I always look forward to her visits and her lively conversation. Ryan is 4 and is the resident superhero. He is a love bug and you can always count on a big hug

after a sound pouncing. They live in a home with one dog, two cats, one rabbit, and they are raising chickens.

And Alex, almost 17, is the family musician. He is the very excellent drummer in his band and they have done concerts to raise money for the people in Darfur. Although I am too old to totally understand or appreciate his music, I certainly appreciate the talent and hard work involved. They are very good and do well. He does well in school and will be expanding his endeavors to courses in art.

I love them all fiercely and I'm proud to call them mine.

On the Road Again

For those of you who read my blog back at the beginning, you may recall a story about my famous car, the U.S.S. Tin Can. It served my grandchildren and me well and everyone knew, when they saw it, that Spike (that was my nick name) and the gang were tooling around town. There is now a new vehicle in town, the Tin Can II. I am the proud owner of a beautiful ' 96 van, thanks to a benefit held in my behalf. A ramp has been ordered and before you know it, I will be back on the road again.

The benefit was an extraordinary happening and by way of explanation, I am going to post the letter of thanks I wrote for the local paper.

THANK YOU!


On Friday night, the 30th of last month, friends held a benefit for me at the Elks club in Springfield. Because of my illness I was not able to attend but have been told that it was a huge success. Everyone tells me the food was excellent, the auction fun and that they enjoyed themselves very much, which makes me very happy for, if you know me, you know I have always appreciated a good bash.

I wish to thank, with all of my heart, the people responsible for such an incredible happening. Thanks to Donna Mae Peck and Pat Barton for getting it all off the ground, for their hard work and determination, and for caring enough to make it all come together. Thanks to them both for the delicious buffet you all enjoyed and for their work in the kitchen. Thanks go to Marry Cross for baking scads of scrumptious cookies and for her assistance at the benefit. And thanks to Carol Peck and Kathy Chase for their help and to the other Mrs. Antonivich for digging into the dishes at the end of the evening. I know there were others who came in and out of the kitchen to help and I wish to thank them, also. Kudos to Rod Crandall, I hear he did an excellent job running the auction. And of course, thanks to the people of the Elks for letting the ladies use their club.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank everyone who donated to the auction, all of you who gave donations to the cause and everyone who came to the benefit and bid on the terrific items from stores and businesses in the area. Your generosity and kindness have touched me deeply; I am, in a word, overwhelmed. My heart is full, my spirit intact and with people like you in my corner, I will find it easier to fight for life. Bless you all!

Peace

We have been experiencing humid, heavy air in our neck of the woods and it makes it difficult for me to talk into my dragon software. As soon as the air clears some and I catch my wind, I will be able to catch up with my friends and leave comments on the blogs that, for now, I can only read. You are all with me everyday and I am looking forward to reentering land of blogging.