ncgrrl, you got it!! I would be very happy to take them to the airport. I'll even buy them drinks at the airport bar.

Please keep us informed.

ncgrrl, I'm sure you've already spent a lot of time surfing the safe lists, but here's one, just in case you haven't seen it yet.

http://hurricanekatrinainformation.com/database.html

My thoughts and prayers go out to all.

Rave: Labor Day weekend in Burlington, VT with DH was a great break, what a pretty city. Good food, views, weather and margarita's.

Rave: Arizona in Nov. - maybe a quick trip to Sedona.

Rave: Counting my blessings every day!

Remembering those brave 9/11 victims and their loved ones on this sad upcoming anniversary. Condolences to those who are suffering from the effects of Katrina. Kudos to all of the wonderful people opening their hearts and wallets to help them.

ncgrrl,

Actually this one looks more comprehensive.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/hurricanes/list/

Well wishes and contratulations to all the bad news/good news today!

P_M, good luck with the job search. I'm sure there will be a better offer than the one you received.

Rant: My 11 year old DD had an emergency appendectomy Friday night and had to stay in the hospital for 5 nights to get all the antibiotics (it was gangrenous).

Rave: She's doing fine now but must miss another week of school.

Rave: Hospital chair/beds for moms and dads to spend the night are much better than they were in the past! They even gave us clean linens every day for the chair/bed.

Rant: We took our 8 year old DS to a pediatric cardiologist on a whim/feeling we had been having and they did find a hole in his heart that does need surgery for repair. Second opinion appt set up for 9-22. The hole does not cause any symptoms at this age so we still don't have an explanation for the little pains he was having other than "maybe it was growing pains".

Rave: At work I "passed" the IRS audit. He said he'd overlook the only (small) irregularity he found if it was okay with me. OK WITH ME!!

Rave: Less than 3 weeks until I leave on a 3 week trip to Botswana.

Rant/Rave: All the losses suffered by the victims of Katrina and the fact that there is no end in sight because they must rebuild their lives, many from nothing. And a rave to all those supporting the victims, whether they are physically rescuing, helping and volunteering or donating money to help get these people back on their feet.

Best wishes to all who are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and whatnot.

LoveItaly, I'm praying for you and your friend, and for CAPH52's fil.

Minor Rant: both kids have colds. Will they be well enough to go to our church picnic tomorrow? We've having a pie contest and I'm going to fiddle with my chocolate chile truffle recipe and convert it to a pie filling.

Minor Rave: The kids are very quiet, allowing me to be online right now.

Another Minor Rave: If we can't go to the church picnic, I won't have to share my pie with others...

Rave: Dd's first college class is going well.

Rave: The New Mexico State Fair starts today! I need to check the date for the bread contest.

Rave: We've decided to take a trip to Carlsbad Caverns in November - it's been six or seven years since we've been there - stopping at an old pueblo and visiting Capitan and Lincoln on the way. Our 10yo is old enough to handle the walking and it will be good to have family time with our 17yo before she graduates this year.

Lee Ann

Happy Friday to all and best wishes to anyone having a special weekend or are hurting in any way.

RAVE: 3 weeks until Kauai--I need it!

RANT: After 4 root canals in the past two weeks, my mouth is still in pain and the dentist has put me on steriods for a week to calm the inflammation.

RANT: Over $7000 on my damn mouth and I am still in pain?

RAVE: I am heathly, have a lovely home and a wonderful DH. And no right to complain.

CAPH- God Bless you all.

Patrick- I hear you. I have an appointment Oct 17 for a colonoscopy and not looking forward to it. Congrats on your good report.

mms - Happy Anniversary!

Ah Belle, I wish I could be with the group in Atlanta!

Aside from the fact that it is a long drive from Demopolis, we are just so busy here right now! (Local food pantry work, volunteering with evacuee shelter, babysitting trips to Birmingham, watching football games).

And of course, we're in the midst of the last-minute plans for our trip next month.

Our group loves to get together, so this is a great excuse to gather at one of our homes and make such vital decisions as which day to schedule the Segway Tour of Paris(from which the rues of Paris may never recover).

But I will be thinking of you all, and will certainly sip a toast to Fodorville on the 17th!

Byrd

Clifton-hope you love Vietnam and Cambodia as much as I did on my visit there!

Sundowner-Botswana sounds exciting too! Please post a trip report on Fodors when you get back!

Rant: Ophelia is still a threat to land
Rave: First week of regular season NFL
Football---Go Buc's!!
Let me also give congrats to Patrick (and others on this topic)on his good health report. I am having my next colonoscopy in a month. Had my first one done about 5 yrs. ago and everything was fine but Dr. found a couple benign polyps and advised another in 5 years which is coming up. From what I've read, Colon cancer is almost entirely preventable with proper screening so everyone out there who is over 50 please have it done!

Ugh ugh ugh...I know I need to get that done too. Congrats Patrick and I know that wonderful weightless feeling with a good report!

We've had Rx's for a colonoscopy the last couple of years and I had the best intentions, but darn, never got to it. Now here we are in a brand new city and I have yet to find a new primary care, let alone a dermatologist (and I've had skin cancer), or an OB/GYN or someone to do a colonoscopy. Lawsy I hate moving!!

P_M...it'll happen, it'll happen. You've got time to wait for just the right job. We are off for next weekend by the way--DH is going out of town.

Rant: our little 7 week old grandson in hospital in Dallas for surgery on bi-lateral hernias. Poor little thing, and POOR parents!!!

Rave: He should be getting out today and all went well, though his parents report it's hard to pick up and comfort a crying baby with 6 tubes coming into and out of various parts of his body. I asked about bp-- picture a teeny little blood pressure cuff that goes around his calf!

To all needing a hug, {{{here's mine}}}. Amazing how we are mostly just names to each other, but there is so much genuine caring!

Don't you think we can make up a song for Jorr's brand new door? Sounds as if there should be one.

Jorr's got a brand new door...
Need we say more?
(say more, say more)
'bout jorr's...brand new door.

OO-Please do not put off getting a colonoscopy. My father died from colon cancer. It is a heartbreaking disease. I have been scoped, the worst part is the stuff they make you drink beforehand to clean out your plumbing. I stood over the sink and chugged the stuff. The procedure itself is a piece of cake, a little liquid valium and you don't feel a thing.

cmc-Great news about your dog! I have a therapy dog also, we go to nursing homes and rehab centers.

Rave-Human kindness!

Rant-Sliced my finger pretty badly trying to be a "domestic diva." Don't ask, it's too embarrassing. 4 stitches and a trip to urgent care.

Rave-At least it wasn't my right hand!

Rave-Tickets to Ohio State-Texas Game. Go Bucks.

Rave-Tailgating!

Rant-Scalpers selling fake tickets.

Rave-School is back, weather has been great, new house is wonderful, I am very blessed!

Have a great weekend everyone!

buckeymom, my DH can't wait for that football game.

Hook 'em Horns!!

Well I have to admit I was overdue. Doctors have been trying to get me to have a colonoscopy for years. It took a real scare of symptoms to make me do it. The $2000 plus out of my checking account was a major deterrent too -- thanks to a $2500 deductible policy. But finally I decided it needed to be done.

And by the way, I only had to drink 3 oz of a saline solution, mixed with apple juice, and then two tablets at bedtime. Did the juice/stuff in two stages 2 PM and 8 PM. Just a sort of salty apple juice. Really not that bad. My doctor says they've switched to this system in the past 6 months and it is not only more pleasant You can't stray far from the bathroom for about 20 hours though.

That's good news, Patrick!

I think I will have to blind-fold and hand-cuff my husband (sort of lead him to think it's just a kinky game, lol) and whisk him away for a colonoscopy. He's just being a big subborn baby - just what I need, a 50 year old baby

OO, I am wise to your comments about me and the door. I read your post three times before deciding to write this. Read through it again yourself OO then think about how your last comments sarcasticly put me down. Since you want to tell us about Your personal probems and then make my comments look trivial here goes...

I am living with Malignant melanoma and it scares the HELL out of me every time I get CT scans, x-rays, and blood tests. I have gotten medical equipment shoved up and down every hole in my body. I've watched as a pick was hammered through my nose into my nasal cavity with a hammer. My mother is in failing health. My brother is a raging alcoholic. My girl friend died last February of ovarian cancer. I have been car-jacked at gunpoint and threatened with Death.

You are not the only person with problems and you don't have to put me down because you think a damn door is the only thing I have to talk about.

Huh?

I really do not think that's what OO meant.

"Huh?" from me too.

Perhaps I have missed something this week, but I didn't read sarcasm, I read light-heartedness. I've had the theme from "Three's Company" running through my head ever since I read the poem.

Smile