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