More from Dottie

Here's to US!!!! No matter what our kids and the new generation think about us,

WE ARE AWESOME!!!!

OUR LIFE IS LIVING PROOF!!!!

To Those of Us Born 1924 - 1979

At the end of this email is a quote of the month by Jay Leno.. If you don't read anything else, please read what he said. Very well stated, Mr. Leno.

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight.. WHY? Because we were always outside playing...that's why!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were OKAY.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Play stations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms.

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, ping pong paddles, or just a bare hand and no one would call child services to report abuse.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

For those that prefer to think that God is not watching over us...go ahead and delete this. For the rest of us...pass this on.

Latest from Dottie

This is really special and goes out from my computer with loads of love, prayers, and positive thoughts for the blessings that we can all be grateful for in this life. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Love, Dottie

Please send her our love and good wishes too.

Ken&June

Two more gems from Dottie

Up Time...
This is a terrific message for people of any age.
This fits right in with my values....and yours too, I believe.

Love,

Dottie

and see more below:

I am not a religious zealot, but Christmas and it's meaning have worked for so many years, do we really have to "fix" it? I think not!!!! Let's celebrate Christmas and let the ACLU know that they are stepping on too many of our basic rights. Happy holidays, yes, but not at the expense of Merry Christmas!!!! Love, Dottie

----- Original Message -----

From: Joyce Grimmett

To: Chamblee, Tami

Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 12:39 AM

Subject: GREAT IDEA!!!

GREAT IDEA!!!

What a clever idea----------Christmas Cards.

This is coming early so that you can get ready to include an important address to your list.

Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD.

They are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice, card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world..

Make sure it says "Merry Christmas" on it.

Here's the address, just don't be rude or crude. (It's not the Christian way, you know.)

ACLU
125 Broad Street
18th Floor
New York , NY 10004

Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations because they wouldn't know if any were regular mail containing contributions.

So spend 44 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a " Holiday Tree". . . It's always been called a CHRISTMAS TREE!

And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU!

For those of you who aren't aware of them, the ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything religious away from us.

Pass this on to your church, co-workers, family, and friends. What do you have to lose but 44 cents?

Carolyn checks in on "Shifty" article

Hi to all that this reaches,

I took the GCT France tour including Normandy this year-was "in the trenches" 2 weeks before the 60th anniversary of D Day. What an awsome trip!!! GCT gave us flowers to place as we saw fit-there were lots of pieces of history which came alive-Bob's dad was shot down in Belgium and captured 2 weeks after D Day and my Dad was also a paratrooper who landed in Belgium-This e-mail brought it all back and made me proud to be related to two men from different countries (Canada and UK) who served over there. The stained glass in the church including paratroopers made a special impression. I too will make time to think about "Shifty"

Carolyn Starr, TX

From the Sommers

This is making another round. I don't remember if I sent it to you or not. Have a tissue handy.

Love,

Mary

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It is about learninghow to dance in the rain. This is a Memorial service for Shifty, a WWII VET This is a Memorial service for Shifty, a WWII VET I owe him and you owe him! No, he didn't sing "You ain't nuthin but aHoun' Dawg, or dance "Thriller." He did oh so much more! We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services. I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers. Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel , you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them. I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle," the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat. Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made. Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 .. . . " at which point my heart skipped.. At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped. I told him "yes, I know exactly where Normandy is, and I know what D-Day was." At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland , into Arnhem ." I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June , just after the anniversary of D-Day.. I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France , and he said "Yes. And it's real sad because, these days, so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say. I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach. He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and who still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this. Shifty died on June 17, 2009 after fighting cancer. There was no parade. No big event in Staples Center . No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage. No weeping fans on television. And that's not right. Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans. Rest in peace, Shifty.

Mark Pfiefer,
Employee Dow Jones

Latest update from Dottie

I just picked Claire up from the airport this evening. She had spent the last week in Syracuse, NY visiting Hettie, Kate, and Kathy--- all the NY gals on our New Zealand trip. They had a good time. I am so glad to hear what every one is doing, and to know that people like you all and June and her husband are staying in touch some way.

Thanks, Chuck.

Dottie

PS,

Anyone heard from Muriel?????

Thanks,

Chuck

How's the Weather

Thank you, Chuck, for sharing this message with the multitudes. I don't do "twitter" or "facebook" or 'blog' or ????? so am really happy to see something like this go out to so many.

All is well here in Eloy. We are tiny, quiet, and backward in many ways, but I love it. No, we don't even have a stop light yet, and I hope we don't get one as long as I am living here.

Bob and I are enjoying the cooler weather, but we understand we may have some heat over the weekend. Love to you and Marilyn.

Dottie

Chuck's response:

Hello again Dottie,

It's my pleasure in posting your emails and, hopefully, emails from the other tour participants. And, I am happy to report that it has rained some one to two inches in Los Angeles today. This rain storm came historically very early and was very gentle in that the rain fell throughout the day. So our fire burned areas did not suffer any mud slides. The Sierra Nevada's received up to a foot in the lower levels and 6-8 feet in the high elevations. So much for global warming this year.

Also From Dottie with follow-up comment from June

Chuck, thanks for sending this e-mail. It brought tears to my eyes that someones generousity brought more from others.

June


From Dottie

The Sack Lunches:

I put my carry-on in the luggage
compartment and sat down in my
assigned seat. It was going to be a
long flight. 'I'm glad I have a
good book to read. Perhaps I will get
a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of
soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally
surrounding me. I decided to
start a conversation.
'Where are you headed?'

I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

'Petawawa. We'll be there for two
weeks for special training, and then
we're being deployed to Afghanistan.

After flying for about an hour, an
announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five
dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached the east, and I
quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time...

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a

soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch.

'No, that seems like a lot of money for

just a sack lunch.

Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks.

I'll wait till we get to base.'

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers.

None were buying lunch. I
walked to the back of the plane and
handed the flight attendant a
fifty dollar bill.
'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.'

She grabbed my arms and squeezed
tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.

'My son was a soldier in Iraq ;

it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up
the aisle to where the soldiers
were seated. She stopped at my seat
and asked, 'Which do you like
best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why
she asked. She turned and went to
the front of plane, returning a
minute later with a dinner plate from
first class 'This is your thanks..'

After we finished eating, I went
again to the back of the plane,
heading for the rest room.
A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did.

I want to be part of it. Here, take this.'

He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I
saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers

as he walked, I hoped he was not

looking for me, but noticed he was

looking at the numbers only on
my side of the plane. When he got to

my row he stopped, smiled,

held out his hand, and said,

I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I
stood and took the Captain's hand.
With a booming voice he said, 'I was
a soldier and I was a military pilot.
Once, someone bought me a lunch.
It was an act of kindness I never forgot.'

I was embarrassedwhen applause

was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the
plane so I could stretch my legs.
A man who was seated about six rows
in front of me reached out his
hand, wanting to shake mine. He left
another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my
belongings and started to deplane.
Waiting just inside the airplane door
was a man who stopped me, put
something in my shirt pocket, turned,
and walked away without saying a
word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the
soldiers gathering for their trip to the base.

I walked over to them and handed them

seventy-five dollars.

'It will take you some time to reach the base.

It will be about time for a sandwich.
God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight
feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car,

I whispered a prayer for their safe return.
These soldiers were giving their all for our country.

I could only give them a couple of meals.
It seemed so little...



A veteran is someone who, at one
point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to 'The United States of
America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many

people in this country who no longer understand it.'

May God give you the strength and
courage to pass this along to
everyone on your email buddy list....

I JUST DID......

From Dottie

Subject: Keep Your Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things in order, she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

There's one more thing, she said excitedly.

What's that? came the Pastor's reply.

This is very important,the young woman continued. I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. That surprises you, doesn't it? the young woman asked.

Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, "Keep your fork." It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.'

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Great friends are a very rare jewel, indeed; they make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to 'Keep your fork.'

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share....

Being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND even if it means sending back to the person who sent it to you.

And keep your fork.

Marvellous (and close) MARS

This seems to me to be a major event in our lives, so I am sharing it with everyone I know. I hope that we will all get to see this happening between the first of August---- and as it develops night after night-- throughout the month of August---- so that we can have an event in common with everyone that will never be seen again in our lifetime. Pretty special, I'd say!!!!!!!

Love, Dottie

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Planet+Mars&FORM=R5FD15

A message from Claire for Muriel

This just received from Claire on her visit with Muriel last year. Click on the link below to view. Well done Claire.

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/ea5Ih4dJ

Also, note from the Sommers:

I'm glad this email is now working for you, Claire. We don't want to lose contact, right? Great picture of you and your two boyfriends, ha! Muriel is only about 30 miles east of Durango; so I expect that you will be able to see her when you are there. She has a really nice place and Nancy and I had a wonderful visit with her (did you see our blog input?) when we were there a couple weeks ago.

Chuck, thanks for "fixing" the blog addresses. Got to keep in touch .....

Nancy and I are up in Sisters, OR right now for the rest of the month. Nice up here. We'll only get as far north as Portland this trip, but all in all, we are getting to see some great country on our road trip this year. Guess we will have put about 6,000 miles on the car before all is said and done and we are back in Laguna Niguel. Love it.
Cheers, Tom

A note from Claire

I don't know what the trouble is. My address is still claired@cgmailbox.com. I put a hold on it while I took the OAT tented safari trip to Africa the first of this month. Have you done this one? Loved it. Anyhow, I got this email. Hmmm. A Gremlin!



I am glad you sent a note. I tried to send a condolence the Muriel and the email was returned. Does she have a new address? I am going to Durango on Friday for about 10 days and plan to give her a call.



Dottie is in Seattle for the month and returns on Saturday, the 25th, only to go to Colorado the next week. The heat is getting to us!



I still have fond memories of our times together. Hope you are all well and happy and seeing the world.



Love,

Claire

Condolesences to Muriel

Following up on the visit with Muriel by Tom and Nancy, we are saddened by the news of the passing of Walter Cronkite. Our thoughts are with you Muriel.

Sommers' visit Muriel

During a little five week road trip around the western part of the USA (as far east as St. Louis), Nancy and I had the chance to have a wonderful visit with Muriel Cronkhite in her "little bit of paradise" home in Pagosa Springs, CO. What a neat location in a wonderful part of our great country that is. Muriel served a superb lunch (highly recommended for those passing through, ha!) and we had a great time "remembering" our fun trip together to New Zealand. Here are a few pictures showing Muriel's home and view, and a couple of the three of us. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life to the fullest. Cheers, Tom and Nancy Sommers

Another gem from Dottie for all you grandparents

Subject: A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's restroom stall.

> By Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a
> talker. He loves to communicate and does it quite well. He
> talks to people constantly, whether we are in the library,
> the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. People often
> comment on how clearly he speaks for a
> just-turned-3-year-old. And you never have to ask him to
> turn up the volume. It's always fully cranked. There
> have been several embarrassing times that I've wished
> the meaning of his words would have been masked by a
> not-so-audible voice, but never have I wished this more than
> last week at Costco. Halfway, through our shopping trip,
> nature called, so I took Cade with me into the restroom. If
> you'd been one of the ladies in the restroom that
> evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the
> second to the last stall: ''Mommy, are you gonna
> go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the
> potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on da toiwet paper
> now? Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go
> stinkies on the potty?'' At this point I started
> mentally counting how many women had been in the bathroom
> when I walked in. Several stalls were full ... 4? 5? Maybe
> we could wait until they all left before I had to make my
> debut out of this stall and reveal my identity. Cade
> continued: ''Mommy, you ARE going stinkies
> aren't you? Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy! Are you gonna
> get some candy for going stinkies on the potty? Let me see
> doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh ... Mommy! I'm trying to see
> In dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy.
> You are gonna get some candy!'' I heard a few
> faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me.
> Where is a screaming new born when you need her? Good grief.
> This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely
> waiting a long time before exiting. Trying to divert him, I
> said, ''Why don't you look in Mommy's purse
> and see if you can find some candy. We'll both have
> some!'' ''No, I'm trying to see doze
> more stinkiesŠOh! Mommy!'' He started to gag at
> this point. ''Uh - oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna
> frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!! Dat
> is so gross!!'' As the gags became louder, so did
> the chuckles outside my stall.. I quickly flushed the toilet
> in hopes of changing the subject. I began to reason with
> myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four
> flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who
> overheard this embarrassing monologue will be long gone.
> ''Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want
> you to be done going stinkies! Get up! Get up!''
> He grunted as he tried to pull me off Now I could hear
> full-blown laughter. I bent down to count the feet outside
> my door. ''Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy?
> You wooking under da door? What were you wooking at? Mommy?
> You wooking at the wady's feet?'' More
> laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess
> the situation. ''Mommy, it's time to wash our
> hands, now. We have to go out now, Mommy.'' He
> started pounding on the door. ''Mommy, don't
> you want to wash your hands? I want to go out!!''
> I saw that my wait 'em out' plan was unraveling. I
> sheepishly opened the door, and found standing outside my
> stall, twenty to thirty ladies crowded around the stall, all
> smiling and starting to applaud. My first thought was
> complete embarrassment, then I thought, where's the fine
> print on the 'motherhood contract' where I signed
> away every bit of my dignity and privacy? But as my little
> boy gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap
> between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it
> all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this little
> fellow. (Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and mother
> of three She lives with her family in Grand Rapids ,
> Michigan , where she no longer uses public restrooms) You
> must pass this on to all the mothers who have had
> embarrassing moments with their children. Isn't it
> great to be a parent!!!

Sommers' update

Hi there everyone. Seems like more and more folks are posting as the New Year gets going so I’ll join in. Nancy and I are doing just fine and recently celebrated our 40th anniversary. Our kids put on a surprise party for us with all our dear friends in attendance --- yes, the Milams drove all the way down to Carlsbad from LA and were there with smiles. After that, Nan and I took off for a short driving trip up the CA coast to the San Simeon area (Hearst Castle). Stayed in a nice beach-front motel and did the obligatory visit to Hearst Castle (neat place, but William Hearst must have been a tad bit off center to build it in the first place), but the highlight of the vacation was watching the elephant seals do there thing right there on the beach just up the road from where we stayed. Let me tell YOU, we got the full show from these seals. Two beta males chased each other, neck wrestled, and the weaker one was finally driven out into the ocean! His pursuer was not about to give up. Then periodically we’d hear some female yelling her lungs out as some big, 5000 lb alpha galoof, with the weirdest nose, hauled ass up the beach and jumped her bones. He would pin her down with one of his front flippers and let me tell you, it was quite a show. Ha She’d screech and he’d sort of make this whinny sound (not unlike humans, ha). They’re not a very family oriented lot. The male doesn’t care who he fools around with, doesn’t know her name, wouldn’t recognize her face later. The females give the pups one month to chow down, get it together, and then hasta lavista baby, she’s off to the ocean. Pup is left to learn to swim and fend for himself. As for the pup, he’ll nurse at any port in the storm, so to speak. He’s not particular and it doesn’t seem like the mothers are, although we did watch one mother protect her pup when another female was trying to take her pup. The pups also got an up close and personal x rated movie during all of this. The pup would attempt to stay near the mother, hoping to continue nursing, but it was clear he was left out in the cold while “dad” got his jollies. They looked sort of forlorn and befuddled by the whole event. So there, have I given you enough details to satisfy your curiosity?? This is a "must see" for OATers; so be sure to plan a trip that direction one of these days. Big trip planned for us this year is not an OAT one --- we are going to do a six-week driving trip around the US, first going up north to Idaho and Montana, and then back east as far as Saint Louis before coming west via Colorado and all places in between. Should be fun. All for now. Cheers, Tom and Nancy

Hello from long lost Carolyn

Hi from Texas, India and Thunder Bay Ontario-the FROZEN NORTH!!!!!!!

Glad to see you guys are still having fun!

Bob finally got back from India - was at the Taj the week before the bombing-had moved from his hotel to an apartment because he had been saying it was just a matter of time before the big hotels were targeted.

We spent our first christmas in 3 years together but not on the same time zone!!!

are getting good at shovelling snow in tandem!!
Are off to a hockey game tonight then he gets on a plane to TX in the morning. I will head out to Vancouver to see my parents when the thaw hits there!!!

May in France is sounding very good right now!!

Take care and keep those pictures coming!!

Love,
Carolyn (& Bob)

Hey, Carolyn. It is good to hear from you via Chuck and Marilyn. I am glad that your Bob was safe wherever he was. Somehow the world is not as safe as I assumed it to be.

My Bob and I drove to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico at the bottom of the Baja peninsula for Christmas, and spent New Year's Eve in Loreto, Baja del Sur, Mexico. It was quiet in our hotel and especially in our room. I am sure we were asleep before midnight.

Happy New Year, and keep on having fun traveling. Love,

Dottie

Topical comment by Dottie via Lee Iococca's Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

This was forwarded to me by my sister-in-law in Wisconsin. Since Lee Iacocca is one of my favorite people of importance, I simply HAD to send it on to everyone on my email list. I think he's soooooo right!!!! Love,

Dottie


Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He's now 82 years old and has a new book, 'Where Have All The Leaders Gone?'.

Lee Iacocca Says:

'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course.'

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America , not the damned, 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!' You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the ' America ' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis ! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, with crisis being the first.)

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here's where we stand.

We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.

Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership.

But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.

Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?
Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope - I believe in America . In my lifetime, I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression,' 'World War II,' the 'Korean War,' the 'Kennedy Assassination,' the 'Vietnam War,' the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11.

If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a "Call to Action" for people who, like me, believe in America '. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let' s shake off the crap and go to work. Let's t ell 'em all we've had 'enough.'

Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks, and it's our future. Our future is at stake!!

Happy New Year from The Sommers and The Milams

To our fellow travellers on the OAT New Zealand Adventure trip:



HELLO TO THE FOUR OF YOU.

Happy New Year!!I just got back from an OAT trip to Egypt and Jordan. My youngest son, Andy went also and we had a wonderful time. Life is good and I thank you for your good wishes. I love to hear from you and appreciate that you include me. Love and Hugs,

Mary

What a nice toast. Here's best wishes back to you all too. Love,

Dottie Erdman in Arizona

To the crazy Californians from one New Yorker:

Happy New Year to the four of you. Nancy must be agog with the decisive USC win. I am a Florida fan (got to go to the Florida- Alabama game that sent them to the championship game) and intend to rah rah galore. Cath and Kate and Claire and I and another pal returned in mid- November from Patagonia. I recommend that trip, even though it is Grand Circle 37 fellow travelers). My best to you all in 2009. Drop by Central New York if you come this way. We all have lots of room.

Hetty

Glad you enjoyed what Chuck sent out. You’re right; we are good friends and we do always have fun together. You have to remember, we go back a loooooong way…to college days. J At this time of all of our lives it’s good to make time for as much fun as possible. We sure enjoyed the OAT trip where we got to meet YOU!! Tom and I have thought back on that trip and commented how much fun it was in good part due to the great people on the trip with us. We just had a terrific, amiable, fun loving group. Sure would be good to travel again together. Hopefully, one of these days.

Hope the new year is getting off to a good start for you. We’re in the process of having work done to replace our patio and walkways. It sure needed it and I have high hopes for the outcome. I’ll let you know! ‘til later, thanks for the note and you take good care.

Xoxo,

Nanc