EMBARRASSING WORLD WAR 2 BLUNDERS: 1. The first German serviceman killed in the war was killed by the Japanese (China, 1937), the first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians (Finland 1940), the highest ranking American killed was Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, killed by the US Army Air Corps. So much for allies. 2. The youngest US serviceman was 12 year old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded and given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his age. (His benefits were later restored by act of Congress) 3. At the time of Pearl Harbor the top US Navy command was Called CINCUS (pronounced "sink us"), the shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th. Infantry division was the Swastika, and Hitler's private train was named "Amerika". All three were soon changed for PR purposes. 4. More US servicemen died in the Air Corps than the Marine Corps. While completing the required 30 missions your chance of being killed was 71%. 5. Generally speaking there was no such thing as an average fighter pilot. You were either an ace or a target. For instance Japanese ace Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80 planes. He died while a passenger on a cargo plane. 6. It was a common practice on fighter planes to load every 5th round with a tracer round to aid in aiming. This was a mistake. Tracers had different ballistics so (at long range) if your tracers were hitting the target 80% of your rounds were missing. Worse yet tracers instantly told your enemy he was under fire and from which direction. Worst of all was the practice of loading a string of tracers at the end of the belt to tell you that you were out of ammo. This was definitely not something you wanted to tell the enemy. Units that stopped using tracers saw their success rate nearly double and their loss rate go down. YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE THIS ONE... 7. When allied armies reached the Rhine the first thing men did was pee in it. This was pretty universal from the lowest private to Winston Churchill (who made a big show of it) and Gen. Patton (who had himself photographed in the act). 8. German Me-264 bombers were capable of bombing New York City but it wasn't worth the effort. 9. German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet. 10. Among the first "Germans" captured at Normandy were several Koreans. They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until they were captured by the Russians and forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and forced to fight for the German Army until they were captured by the US Army. AND I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST... 11. Following a massive naval bombardment 35, 000 US and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska. 21 troops were killed in the firefight. It would have been worse if there had been any Japanese on the island. BIZARRE MILITARY MISHAPS: Two U.S. Air Force F-15s shoot down two U.S. Army helicopters on a diplomatic mission over Iraq, mistaking them for hostile aircraft in the "no-fly zone, " killing 26 people. No one was found criminally responsible. A "siesta" ordered by Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to his troops during a conflict between the Mexicans and Texans caused the infantry to be overtaken in just 18 minutes. Fort Douaumont at Verdun in France was captured in 1916 by a single German soldier after French General Chretien forgot to pass on orders to defend the fort to the last man to his successor. The Russians tried to wreak havoc on German Panzer divisions during the WWII by strapping bombs to the backs of dogs and teaching them to associate food with the underneath of their enemies' tanks. Unfortunately, the dogs only associated food with their own tanks and forced an entire Soviet division to retreat. Japanese soldier Hiroo Onodo refused to stop fighting long after WWII was over, claiming that stories of the war's ending were mere propaganda. It wasn't until his commanding officer flew out to the remote Pacific island where Onoda was holed up and ordered him to lay down his arms that he finally complied. Probably the most famous mistake in U.S. military history occurred in the Civil War, when Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson was mistakenly shot by one of his own troops after the Confederate triumph at Chancellorsville.

<A HREF="http://knitting.about.com/library/weekly/aa060197.htm?PM=n17110801b">Guide To Free Knitting Patterns</A> http://knitting.about.com/gi/ads/sprunder.htm?ref=sprunder <A HREF="http://knitting.about.com/msubmenu14.htm">Vintage Knitting Patterns</A> http://knitting.about.com/gi/ads/sprunder.htm?ref=sprunder

Well you have to use a piece of steel wool on the pans to get the rust off. Too keep the pots and pans from rusting you need to treat them with vegetable oil. After putting the vegetable oil on them you heat them on the stove just a minute. This helps protect. Also when you wash the cast iron be sure to reheat them on the stove to dry them. This keeps about 99 percent of the rust away from them. I used have a cast iron set that belonged to my grandmother and now my son has them, as they use them for campfire cooking and they look as good as the day my grandmother bought them. She bought this set in 1920's. They do last a very long time when taken care of. Another thing you can do is sand the rust off with a sander/buffer. It is much quicker and less hard on the elbows. Jean ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 26, 2001 10:04 PM Subject: Re: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] [EasyMeals] Misc. Tips (Nov. 26) > How do you clean cast iron cookwear that is rusted? > > > ==== FOLKLORE Mailing List ==== > "Folklore Family" Listresses > Missi [email protected] & Kath [email protected] > »§«:*´`³¤³´´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« > >

HO HO Hold Your Voice Down! November 26, 2001 9:22 am EST WELLINGTON (Reuters) - 'Tis the season to be jolly but "Ho Ho Ho" looks to be a no-go for some New Zealand Santas this Christmas. Recruitment company Westaff NZ Ltd has advised its Santas to avoid Ho-Ho-ing when close to children to avoid scaring them, Wellington branch manager Sian Barber told Reuters. "When dealing with children one-on-one obviously the child sits on Santa's knee, they are right close to them and imagine a child just having 'Ho! Ho! Ho!' yelled down its ear -- it doesn't sound very approachable," she said. The eleven Santas recruited by Westaff this year are being encouraged to keep their bellowing ho-hos for striding through shopping malls at a safe distance from children, Barber said. Christmas is widely celebrated in New Zealand with Santa Claus donning the traditional red suit with white fur trim despite mid-summer temperatures.

If you are crafty, (or shifty like me !!) here is a follow up site to add some pizaaz to your glass jars, for the cookies - in - a -jar. Enjoy !! Cece http://www.aokcorral.com/how2dec.htm

How do you clean cast iron cookwear that is rusted?

This is cool Erick. :-) Thanks HUGS, kath > > QUAIL EGGS TO PROVIDE CLUES TO EFFECTS OF MICROGRAVITY > >>>> The ADF will house 36 Japanese quail eggs in egg holders, which are > designed to isolate the eggs from vibration, to minimize any effects > of launch and re-entry on the developing embryos. The egg holders are > mounted on two rotating centrifuges that will provide either exposure > to microgravity or to a gravity force equivalent to that found on > Earth.

Ann Hutchison Nov. 26, 2001 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Release: 01-91AR QUAIL EGGS TO PROVIDE CLUES TO EFFECTS OF MICROGRAVITY Hardware that will help scientists better understand the effects of microgravity on avian development is set to fly into space later this week. Launch of the STS-108 mission on space shuttle Endeavour is set for Nov. 29 from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The Avian Development Facility (ADF) is designed to support space experiments that use Japanese quail eggs. The primary objective of flying the ADF on the upcoming mission is to validate its subsystems and reduce the risk in developing a possible next generation of avian development hardware. "The Avian Development Facility provides optimal incubation conditions for embryo development during flight," said Randy Berthold, Ph.D., ADF project manager at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. "It also minimizes crew time and improves the science return by using advanced telerobotics and teleoperations." Secondary objectives of this flight will be support of two peer-reviewed experiments that will study how the lack of gravity affects the development of avian embryos. Stephen Doty, Ph.D., of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, will study the effects of space flight on embryonic skeletal development. The development and function of the avian vestibular system will be the focus of a study by David Dickman, Ph.D., of the Central Institute of the Deaf, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. The ADF is a fully automated avian egg incubator that requires no crew interaction with the eggs. Avian eggs are ideally suited for microgravity research because they are self-contained and self-sustaining. "The ADF provides a snapshot of embryogenesis in space using the avian embryos as a biological model," Berthold added. The ADF will house 36 Japanese quail eggs in egg holders, which are designed to isolate the eggs from vibration, to minimize any effects of launch and re-entry on the developing embryos. The egg holders are mounted on two rotating centrifuges that will provide either exposure to microgravity or to a gravity force equivalent to that found on Earth. Interior environmental temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration can be pre-programmed to provide optimal incubation conditions for embryo development. The ADF also has an automated fixative-injection system that can be programmed to fix, or preserve, the embryos at specific times during incubation. The egg holder is designed with a secondary containment system to prevent leaking of injected fixative into the incubator. The ADF rotates the eggs 180 degrees every hour, similar to turning in a natural environment. The facility fits into a space shuttle middeck locker location. The ADF is one of several research habitats being developed by the Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP) at NASA Ames. SSBRP is responsible for managing the development of several habitats that provide life support, environmental control, and monitoring systems for various research subjects and specimens. The habitats are being developed to operate with three major host systems: the variable-gravity, 2.5-meter centrifuge; the microgravity holding racks; and the Life Sciences Glovebox. In addition, SSBRP will manage the development of various laboratory equipment items needed for science operations. More information about the Space Station Biological Research Project is available at: http://brp.arc.nasa.gov/ Additional details about Ames' life sciences research can be found at: http://lifesci.arc.nasa.gov/ Space Hardware Optimization Technology, Inc. (SHOT), of Greenville, Ind., developed the ADF for NASA Ames. SHOT's previous avian development hardware flew on the space shuttle in 1986 and 1989. Information about SHOT is available at: http://www.shot.com. The two ADF experiments are supported by NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research, which promotes basic and applied research to support human exploration of space and to take advantage of the space environment as a laboratory. More information is available at: http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/ "The ADF provides a unique opportunity to study fundamental biological processes in ways that cannot be done here on Earth." said SHOT project engineer Rachel Ormsby. "The information collected from this mission is expected to help Earth-based biotechnology and health care research leap forward toward cures or treatments that may otherwise not have been realized." -end- To receive Ames news releases via -email, send an -email with the word "subscribe" in the subject line to: [email protected] To unsubscribe, send an -email to the same address with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Also, the NASA Ames News Home Page at URL, http://amesnews.arc.nasa.gov includes news releases and JPEG images in AP Leaf Desk format minus embedded captions

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05 Title: GRAMP'S MICROWAVE PEANUT BRITTLE Categories: Candies, Mw Yield: 1 Servings -JOYCE BURTON 1 c Sugar 1/2 c White Karo syrup 2 c Peanuts 1 tb Margarine; or butter 1 ts Vanilla 1 ts Soda 1/8 ts Salt; optional Combine sugar and syrup in a quart microwave container and microwave on high for five minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in peanuts. Microwave on high for two minutes; stir and microwave for two minutes; stir and microwave for one minute. Remove from microwave. Stir in margarine, vanilla, salt and soda. Pour onto a buttered cookie sheet and let cool. When hardened, break into pieces. Recipe from my father, Sam Criswell, who

Not sure if this is the one you wanted, there are a few others out in cyber-land. * Exported from MasterCook * BARB'S OHIO BUCKEYES Recipe By : Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Candies Chocolate Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 12 oz Jar creamy peanut butter 2/3 c Softened margarine 1 t Vanilla 1 lb Confectioner's sugar 6 oz Package semi-sweet chocolate Chips 6 oz Package milk chocolate chips -or, use 1 package chocolate -made for candy making 3 tb Melted paraffin From: Bill Jernigan, COOKING echo Mix together. Use hands to make into smooth 1 inch balls. Chill. With toothpick, dip all but the very top of balls into melted warm mixture-- Drop onto wax paper to harden. Chill. no rice krispies in this one, but i don't see why you couldn't add them to stretch it a bit, or to cut the incredible bliss of peanut butter and chocolate (chortle)... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

~*~ Pie Crust To keep pie crust from absorbing juices from pie fillings and avoiding a uncooked crust: Brush a egg yoke wash on the top of bottom layer of crust prior to filling and baking. ~*~ Peeling a hard boiled egg Keep the hard boiled egg in the refrigerator until ready to use. Roll it on the counter to crush the shell into small sections all around. Peel it carefully and the membrane will come off with all the shell fragments. Running it under the faucet may loosen it faster. ~*~ A Better Measure For Flour Because flour settles and compacts in storage, fluff if up before you measure. Then, gently sprinkle it into your measuring cup and scrape the excess off with the back of a knife. This will insure a 4 ounce cup of flour rather than the 5 ounces you would have if you scooped it out with your cup. ~*~ Want a fluffier cake or biscuit? For lighter and fluffier Cakes and biscuits, try replacing water with club soda. ~*~ Better Lasagna Add 8oz cream cheese to the ricotta cheese and process both to combine. Really makes a big difference. ~*~ If your guacamole comes out too thin after making...add some instant potato flakes to thicken..it wont affect the flavor...and can be used to thicken deviled eggs if you should make a mistake and get them to thin also. ~*~ Freezing When freezing fish or seafood. Add 1/4 cup of sour juice such as lemon or lime to the bag of water. When thawed fish will tastes as fresh as the day someone caught the them. ~*~ Mushroom de-stemming Use a grapefruit knife to gently run around stems. When stems are loosened, gently rock back and forth. Stems should come out easily. Use tip of knife to scrape any remaining stem. ~*~ Coffee Pot To clean your coffee pot add salt and ice cubes and swirl around. Sparkling clean every time. ~*~ Easy clean-up spray a little PAM or other nonstick spray on the outside of pyrex before baking so overspill won't stick to outside of dish. Clean up will be a breeze ~*~ Gravy tip If your gravy is not a deep rich brown, try adding a teaspoon or two of instant coffee crystals..it makes it nicely brown and enhances the flavor of any gravy. ~*~ Tuna Fish Add a little lemon and lime to tuna to add zest and flavor to tuna sandwiches. Use cumbers soaked in vinegar and pepper in sandwiches instead of tomatoes. Use mustard instead of mayo to cut the fat and add a tang. ~*~ Cast Iron To season new cast iron. Rub interior with oil , and place in 250 degree oven for 3 hours. Wipe off oily film and store. ~*~ Peanutbutter brownies For a change of pace, next time you make brownies substitute peanut butter for the oil. Soften the peanut butter in the microwave and stir it in Yummmm. ~*~ Meatloaf When making Meatloaf, place several slices of bread underneath prior to cooking to absorb the fat that cooks out of the meatloaf. ~*~ Baking with applesauce When a recipe calls for vegetable oil, substitute applesauce. It tastes great and makes your recipe moist. ~*~ Low Calorie White Sauce Instead of making your sauce with butter and flour add your flour directly to the milk and mix well. Then heat the milk and it will thicken normally. You can then add cheese or whatever. ~*~ Cookie/Cake/Brownie Crumbs When you are making any cake-like item you will cut out shapes from save the trimmings. They are great additions to ice cream, garnishes for other snacks & puddings. And crumbled together with a T. of melted butter and pressed into the bottom of a pie plate make a great crust for a pudding pie. They freeze well for later use. ~*~ Zippy grilled cheese put mustard and garlic powder inside grilled cheese sandwich before cooking. YUMMY! ~*~ Quick Ground Beef When browning ground meat, brown several pounds and drain. Divide evenly in freezer containers and freeze. Unthaw in microwave for quick fixing next time. ~*~ Cakes whip the egg whites separately from the cake recipe then fold into batter comes out lots lighter!!!!! major difference in cakes!!!!!! ~*~ Fresh Smelling Fridge/Freezer To keep your fridge/freezer smelling the freshest: squeeze the juice of lemon on cotton balls. Toss and divide in 1/2. Place in veggie baggies with the tiny holes and place one in fridge & freezer. Keeps them smelling their best. ~*~ Low-Fat Spreads/Dips To make lowfat cream cheese & dips add non-fat yogurt with other dip ingredients & cheese. For flavored cheeses soften no fat cheese & blend with 1/2 the quantity of yogurt and 1/2 flavored fruit spread or honey. ~*~ If you live in a humid area break off a couple of mint sprigs and chop. Add to water in an old "Glass Plus" sprayer and mist the air and furniture. May also be used to lightly dust and clean counters. Blends well with a couple of lemon "end" pieces! ~*~ When cooking rice, in order to save energy, do the following: Bring water to a boil--dump in the rice--bring water back to a boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Cover the pot and turn off the burner. Wait 45 minutes without taking the lid off the pot and your Rice will be perfect. ~~*~~ "Those who get to big for their britches, are sure to be exposed in the end" ~~*~~ Sally Jo

CHRISTMAS POTPOURRI Ingredients: To 1 quart of fir needles, ADD: 1 cup dried mixed citrus peels; grapefruit, lemon, orange, lime, coarsely broken (whirl in blender). 1 cup whole rosemary 1/2 cup dried whole basil 2 to 4 whole bay leaves, coarsely crumbled 2 cups coarse (not iodized) salt Preparation: Mix all ingredients together and use to stuff fabric tree ornaments. Warmth brings out the fragrance. If fir needles are not available, the potpourri will be deliciously fragrant in any case! To prepare citrus peels, remove membrane, cut into strips, dry in a warm place till very crisp and brittle.. Break into small pieces and store in plastic bags tightly sealed. Coarse salt is a fixative to help hold fragrance

Edible Holiday Wreath This makes a wonderful centerpiece for your holiday buffet or dinner and best of all, "You Can Eat It". Ingredients: 30 marshmallows 1/2 c. butter 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. green food coloring 3 1/2 cups of corn flakes Instructions: 1. Combine marshmallows, butter, vanilla and food coloring in top of double boiler. Heat over water until marshmallows and butter are melted, stirring frequently. Gradually stir in cornflakes. 2. Drop from spoon onto waxed paper; with hands, shape into a 9" wreath. 3. If you wish, decorate with red candied cherries and other edible garnishes. Place a candle in the center for a centerpiece.

Spicy Kitchen Wreath What you need: 1 Styrofoam ring (6" diameter, 1" wide, 1/2" thick) whole cloves (enough to cover outside rim of wreath) Bay Leaves (whole) glue gun/glue sticks Cinnamon sticks small acorns spice seeds (sesame, cumin, poppy, dill, ,coriander, mustard or any type you like) 1" wide gingham ribbon (for bow) What to do: 1. Glue the whole cloves to outside and inside rim of wreath (inside is optional) in rows all around. 2. Glue bay leaves onto front of wreath to create background. 3. Break cinnamon sticks into 1 1/2" to 2" pieces and glue 3 together for small bunches. Glue bunches randomly around wreath. 4. Remove the acorns from their caps. 5. Pour some seeds onto a work area. Glue the bottoms of the acorns and quickly dip the bottoms into the seeds. This creates a flower type effect. When dry, glue acorns with seed base randomly around wreath. 6. Glue more seeds inside the acorn caps and glue them around wreath. 7. If desired, you may place a few small red chili peppers around for color. 8. Make a bow from ribbon and place where desired on wreath. Make a wire loop for hanging.

I am looking for a recipe for Buckeyes, sugar cookies made with powdered sugar, white sugar, butter, oil, etc., and microwave peanut brittle. Can anyone help me out? Thanks Pat

NASA Science News for November 26, 2001 For centuries scientists have regarded reports of sounds from meteors with skepticism. Edmund Halley himself in the 18th century said they were little more than "pure fantasy." Yet earlier this month plenty of sky watchers heard strange hissing and sizzling noises during the Leonid meteor storm. Was it a hallucination? Read this story and find out! FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast26nov_1.htm?list489379 ---

> > The Forgotten Friend > By Judith Burnett Schneider > > It was my tenth birthday - double digits - and I would > have the biggest party ever. The guest list, which I kept > at the back of my homework assignment folder, began with a > few close friends. But in the two weeks before that > special Friday night, it had quickly grown from seven girls > to a whopping total of seventeen. Nearly every girl in my > fifth-grade class had been invited to sleep over at my > house for a big celebration. I was especially happy when > each guest I invited excitedly accepted the invitation. It > would be a night of scary stories, pizza and lots of > presents. But as I later realized, I would truly treasure > only one gift I received that night. > The family room was a flurry of shouts and bursts of > laughter. We had just finished a game of Twister and were > lining up for the limbo when the doorbell rang. I hardly > paid attention to who might be at the door. What did it > matter, really? Everyone I liked from school was there, in > my family room, preparing to lean under the stick held by > my two sisters. > "Judy, come here for a minute," Mom called from the > front door. > I rolled my eyes and shrugged to my friends as if to > say, 'Now who would dare bother me at a time like this?' > What I really wanted to say was, 'It's tough being > popular!' > I rounded the bend toward the front door, then > stopped. I know my mouth dropped open and I could feel my > face turning red, for there on the front porch stood Sarah > Westly - the quiet girl who sat next to me in music class - > and she was holding a gift. > I thought about the growing list in the back of my > assignment folder. How had I forgotten to invite Sarah? > I remembered that I only added a name to the list when > someone had shown an interest in me (like kids do when they > know someone is having a party and they don't want to be > left out). But Sarah had never done that. Never once had > she asked me about my birthday party. Never once did she > squeeze into the kids surrounding me at lunch time. And > once she even helped me carry my backpack while I lugged my > science project to our third-floor classroom. > I guess I had forgotten to invite her simply because > she wasn't pushing to be invited. I accepted the gift from > Sarah and asked her to join the party. > "I can't stay," she said, looking down. "My dad's > waiting in the car." > "Can you come in for a little while?" I nearly begged. > By now I felt pretty bad about forgetting to invite her and > really did want her to stay. > "Thanks, but I have to go," she said, turning toward > the door. "See you Monday." > I stood in the foyer with Sarah's gift in my hands and > an empty feeling in my heart. > I didn't open the gift until hours after the party had > ended. Hours after the games, the food, the ghost stories, > the pillow fights, the pranks on those first to fall asleep > and the snores. > Inside the small box was a ceramic tabby cat about > three inches tall with its tail in the air. In my mind, it > was the best gift I had received, even though I was never > really into cats. I later found out that the figurine > looked exactly like Sarah's cat, Seymour. > I didn't know it then, but now I realize that Sarah > was my one true childhood friend. While the other girls > drifted away, Sarah was always there for me, ever loyal and > supportive. She was an unconditional friend who stood by > me, always encouraging and understanding me. > Although I'll always feel bad about forgetting her, I > also realize that I might not have discovered Sarah as a > friend had I remembered to invite her to that unforgettable > tenth birthday party. > > «:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«^i^MISSI ^i^«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« Richiele Marie [email protected] (Missi) I disbelieved in reincarnation in my last life, too. »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

Don't Let Go, Dad! By Richard H. Lomax It's been more than a dozen years. Sometimes it seems like yesterday; sometimes it seems like a lifetime ago. My little girl finally had her own bicycle. Not a trike, but a real two-wheeler. The bike was the product of a successful visit to a nearby garage sale. It was the perfect pink, little-girl bicycle. My daughter loved it at once. I struck a bargain, stored our new treasure in the trunk and drove home. I couldn't unload the new prize fast enough. My little girl wanted her bike on the road now! It was a warm, sunny day, ideal for learning to ride a bicycle. Parenthood is a long series of events, each of which falls on one side or the other of a basic parental dichotomy: We want our children to grow up to be independent, yet we want our children to depend on us. We seem reluctant to accept that the love our children have for us is based on what they feel, not what we do for them. I can see my little girl sitting atop her new bike. She is so small, yet so eager. Her husky voice begs me, "Don't let go, Dad!" Her teeth are clenched. The dimpled pink hands display white knuckles. I keep one hand on the seat and the other on a handlebar. I jog slowly alongside the bike and rider. Occasionally, I remove one hand, but I hear, "Don't let go, Dad!" Even allowing for the inaccuracies of my memory, she seems to have mastered this complex activity as she would later learn other skills and knowledge - quickly, but only after some frustration over her lack of instant expertise. She executed her characteristic, methodical attack on the challenge with a strong, almost heartbreaking, desire for success. Tentatively, I again removed my hand. "Don't let go, Dad!" She bubbles with excited anticipation over her lunchtime sandwich. We rush back outside to the sidewalk test track. In spite of her anxiety about falling, the wobbling front wheel is beginning to stabilize. It won't be long now. I can feel her growing confidence. I have to jog a little faster. Her legs pump with newfound strength and confidence. What event in child rearing presents a more poignant picture of growing independence? Learning to walk is a beginning of independence. Learning to talk and express original thought is also a step along that road. But these steps are gradual, and allow for some adjustment time for the parents. Learning to ride a bike is learning to fly - an experience that almost instantly gives the recipient a new, permanent and irrevocable freedom. The moment has come. I've known for several minutes that she has acquired the magic "it" that makes this improbable form of transport possible. My daughter finally realizes it, too. Now, my hand no longer steadies her efforts; it is holding her back. My body lumbering alongside is not comforting - it is distracting. "Let go, Dad!" She takes off like a shot! Little pigtails flying in the air. She goes at least fifty feet before coming to a gentle stop in the grass adjacent to the sidewalk. She beams. She glows. She has a grin that could only have come from self- satisfaction. I smile, too. Not just because I share her sense of accomplishment, but because I realize that she has begun a journey. She's on it, still. Parenthood harbors sorrows and joys. Some events, inexplicably, bring both simultaneously. A holding on and a letting go. A little push on a bike. A hug and a blessing at the door before school. We are bound, as parents, to do both: hold and release, each in its own time. I willingly release my children to their futures. I encourage their independence to discover their strengths and talents. But let go? Never. «:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«^i^MISSI ^i^«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« Richiele Marie [email protected] (Missi) I disbelieved in reincarnation in my last life, too. »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«

To My Child By Heather James I can feel you eagerly kick and move side to side. I cannot see you or even know your thoughts. When I go to sleep, walk around or when I wake you are there. You must wonder why this capsule you are in has so much turbulence. It must sound like a rainstorm to you when the beads of water from the shower are pounding on my belly. I do know that you are aware of my emotions. When I am calm, you too seem calm. When I am crying or am terribly fatigued from stress, your kicks and ungraceful movements seem stronger than ever. It is as if you're saying, "Come on, Mom, hang in there, because if you don't, I can't." To be very honest, I did not know that you were going to happen; you surprised me. However, you are a very loved and accepted person by me, and many other people. I guess you are used to my voice by now. They tell me that you can hear things in your little gestation capsule. Can you? You haven't heard your father's voice. Do you wonder why? Just know that he also loves you. When I awoke this morning I lay there with my tummy bare and watched you push my stomach up with your feet. I wish I could have shared this unforgettable experience with someone. God was smiling down at you; remember he creates no accidents. My desire to have conceived you in the right marriage situation is very strong, yet that makes you no less of a person, nor does it take from the incredible love and bond I have with you. I apologize if some of the foods I eat for both of us aren't what you like. If I knew what your favorite food was, I swear that I would eat it. Oh yes, and my music: I know you must hear it. I love music as I'm sure you already are aware. Are you a Bing Crosby fan or are you a rhythm-and-blues baby? I know that after you are born and I hold you and nurse you, I will be even more in love. When I see that you resemble myself, my parents or even your father, that bond will be intensified. That is why when I hand you to your new parents, it will without a doubt be the most difficult and painful thing I'll ever have to do. I know that in my head and in God's eyes it is the right thing to do for you. If I kept you for my own it would be selfish. Everything I do, I am doing because I love you with all my heart. I will always be your birth mother and you will always be my biological child, although I may never see you again. And if I did, I would never reject you. I love you. O * O *O * O O * * O <º)(((((~((((((>>>< * <º)((((~((((>< missi

Mrs. B's Thanksgiving Surprise By Suzanne L. Helminski Todd Zimmerman was not altogether happy to be working on Thanksgiving Day. As one of a skeleton staff of five manning the State of Maryland's EBT Help Desk (the state's alternative to food stamps), the morning seemed to stretch on. As lunchtime approached, it was hard not to fantasize about the feast his family was preparing, and the laughter and stories that would be told. Before his lunch break, a call came in from an elderly woman who was obviously distressed. "I was at the grocery store buying food, but my purchase didn't go through!" she said. "The clerk said the transaction was denied." Todd knew the questions to ask, and it wasn't long before he diagnosed the problem: the woman's temporary card had expired. Apparently she hadn't understood that she needed to obtain a permanent card. "Oh, but...but I hadn't collected my $10 from October either! I purposefully left it on account to put together with this $10 for a Thanksgiving dinner." "I'm sorry," Todd said sympathetically. "Do you have any food in the house?" "No...not really, I was saving up for today, you see. My family thought they were going to be able to come, and I wanted to have a nice meal for them. But something came up, and they can't make it." There was a catch in her voice. "I guess it's just as well." After she hung up, Todd couldn't get her off his mind. He realized that because of the error this woman, whom he knew only as "Mrs. B," would not only be alone, she'd also go hungry on Thanksgiving Day, all for want of $20. Determinedly, Todd called the grocery store where the woman's transaction had been denied, his own credit card at the ready. Sorry, they said, no phone orders. And they didn't deliver, and couldn't make an exception today of all days. They also had a skeleton crew and more customers than they could handle. Lunchtime came. Todd suddenly didn't care that he was eating cafeteria food. Two of his coworkers, Kim Twito and I, took lunch with him, and together we vowed to do whatever we could to solve Mrs. B's problem. Back at the help desk, we let our compatriots, Julie Simon and Mark Liessmann, in on the dilemma. Working together, we felt we could surely staff the phones while finding a Thanksgiving dinner for Mrs. B. Unfortunately, by then, virtually every grocery store in Mrs. B's county was closed or closing. None would deliver. Exhausting the Yellow Pages, one of our coworkers thought of Chesapeake Beef, a grocery store with which EBT had a high volume of business and a good relationship. Chesapeake Beef was closed for Thanksgiving. "The owners, Stas and Mary Witezak, are very nice people," I said. "They might know of a local store that's open. I bet they wouldn't mind if I called them at home, even if it is a holiday." "I'm sorry," said Mary, "I can't think of any open stores. But you know what? I have a better idea. It sounds like Mrs. B lives about 15 miles from here. We've finished our dinner, but we still have plenty left! Let us bring Thanksgiving to her. I'll put the kids to work making a special card while Stas and I get together a meal. Oh - but please let her know someone is coming. We're unexpected strangers, and we don't want to frighten her." This was easier asked than accomplished. EBT didn't have Mrs. B's phone number, which was unlisted. However, the telephone operator was willing to call Mrs. B and ask her to return a call to Todd at the Helpline. When a confused Mrs. B called back, Todd simply told her that friends were coming with a surprise. Several hours later, Stas Witezak called in. "Thanks so much for giving our family the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life," he said. "Mrs. B very much appreciated the food, but what really touched her were the cards the children made. She nearly cried when she read them. Her response was to ask if she could hug them - and they happily let her." Mrs. B called back, too. She thanked everyone involved in her Thanksgiving surprise. When our shift ended, the five of us who had reluctantly come to work that Thanksgiving bade each other farewell with a smile. Though we didn't say it, we were all recalling Mrs. B's words: "I've always been a Christian - but now I know for sure there is a God!" "Happy Thanksgiving!" said Todd as we parted ways. And in fact, it had been the happiest Thanksgiving of all. «:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«^i^MISSI ^i^«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« Richiele Marie [email protected] (Missi) I disbelieved in reincarnation in my last life, too. »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«