A yearly anticipated small town pleasure is the annual Christmas Breakfast our church has held for over thirty years. It is a well coordinated, festive and colorful all-family event with a caloric wallop: fruit, ham, scrambled eggs, pancakes and hash browns. In addition, there is a sumptuous bake sale. I've spent the last year, at the urging of my back, knees and hips, slowly easing toward the distant "ideal" weight matching my current height (I've shrunk five inches). For the Christmas Breakfast, however, I planned to forgo all discipline and do my bit to support the church in its money raising effort. Of course, I could have just given them the money, but that didn't enter my mind. The week before the anticipated date, I developed a migraine headache which moved in to stay awhile. On the morning of the breakfast I realized the confusion and expected noise level (Christmas music, overlapping conversations, and tableware clatter) would be more than I was ready to face. I consoled myself that, should I feel well enough to attend church the next morning, there were always leftover sinful sweets from the bake sale available, so all was not lost. Wrong! There wasn't a crumb. O.K. The coffee hour after church was bound to offer cake or cookies. Wrong again. The hostesses had supplied healthy vegetables, dips and apple slices. I'd hate to make the accusation that my plans to overindulge were sabotaged, but, Lord, did you have to be so vigilant on that "Lead us not into temptation" thing?

Then came the Imodium, the Depends and the Proctologist. I am very sure none of them were included in my letter to Santa. I'm now seeing a Colo/Rectal surgeon. He is attractive and personable, and although we have a date, I don't think it will feature candlelight and flowers. In the intervening time, my sitting is severely limited. That almost eliminates the computer and reading, which certainly changes my lifestyle.

I did go to Redding for Thanksgiving...my first venture out of town in four years. I had seen several TV news articles about their new Sundial bridge across the Sacramento River. It is a pedestrian bridge with cables which all soar to a high concrete needle. The needle actually is a working sundial. The bridge deck is glass. It has become quite a tourist attraction. It would be a greater physical challenge than I could meet these days, but the kids suggested they take my wheelchair (now used as a handy office chair). I was telling my best phone pal that we were taking my wheelchair to Redding, and she asked, "Where will they put it? " I said, "On the bike rack." She gasped, "Oh. NO!" Then I realized that she thought I was going to ride enroute in the wheelchair...outside, on the bike rack. And my wheelchair doesn't have a seat belt.

The hotel room was too deluxe for this old lady. I had two queen size beds, a bathroom larger than my kitchen, a powder room with another sink and mirror, a desk, a table and chairs, and flat screen TV four times the size of my adequate home model. I was there overnight, slept on 1/3 of one bed, used one wash basin (and toilet, of course) and made a cup of coffee. For that, I paid more than we spent on a month's rent when we were first married.

The family gathering was well worth the trip. There were twenty two present, representing four and 2/3 generation. The 2/3 is due in March. Ed's family has always been welcoming to me and it is a pleasure to see how they enjoy each other.

Friend, Vera, who is my age, recently went to her dermatologist for removal of a small lesion on her face. In the parking lot, she noticed a red light on her dashboard and realized the radiator was out of water, As she signed in at the Dr.'s she asked to use the phone to call her mechanic, explaining the problem. The office nurse offered to put water in the radiator. That way, Vera could see if all was well when she was ready to go. After the procedure, she drove home, but later that afternoon, the wound began to bleed profusely. Instead of telling her to get right back to the office, the nurse came to her home and stayed until she could get the bleeding stopped, then drove Vera back to the Dr., who was working late. When Vera told me this, she was still marveling at that kind of caring and attention in today's world. Small towns, they're wonderful!

I'd like to share this: A wise old Cherokee is telling his grandson about a fight that is going on inside himself. He says it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil: envy, regret, greed, self-pity, pride. One wolf is good: love, humility, truth, hope, compassion. The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked the grandfather, "Which wolf wins the fight?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one I feed."

I have always tried to answer personal letters and to send thank-you notes. Many of each are due now, but will have to wait until I get back on my feet (or, to be more accurate, on my seat). My great niece Lisa wrote, when I told her I was facing surgery (or to be more accurate, backing into surgery), "All's well that 'Ends' well." You'll hear from me again when my end is well.

            Love,    Darlys

The foregoing was written and ready to go as soon as I got my remodeling date. Today (12/27), I saw the surgeon and I have been given a reprieve. In the two weeks since I was diagnosed, I have improved unbelievably. I go back in a month, with the promise that if I continue to manage diet and care as I have been, he and I may part company. Never underestimate the power of prayer. There have been many prayers, but I could use yours as well. I will not be writing personal notes for awhile, not for lack of appreciation, but due to need for more "down" time.

While you're praying, don't forget the pressing need for Peace.

            God Bless,    Darlys
           ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    (True Story) Scientists at NASA built a gun specifically to launch standard four-pound dead chickens at the windshields of airliners, military jets and the space shuttle, all traveling at maximum velocity. The idea is to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields. British engineers heard about the gun and were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high speed trains. Arrangements were made, and a gun was sent to the British engineers. When the gun was fired, the engineers stood shocked as the chicken hurled out of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashed it to smithereens, blasted through the control console, snapped the engineer's back-rest in two, and embedded itself in the back wall of the cabin, like an arrow shot from a bow. The horrified Brits sent NASA the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the designs of the windshield and begged the US scientists for suggestions. You're going to love this.... NASA responded with a one-line memo. "Defrost the chicken."

    Grandpa was always going on about the good old days, and the lower cost of living, in particular... "When I was a kid, my mom could send me to the store, and I'd get a salami, two pints of milk, 6 oranges, 2 loaves o' bread, and a magazine, some new blue jeans... all for a dollar!! Then Grandpa said sadly ..."You can't DO that any more...they got those darn video cameras everywhere you look......"

    An Irishman had been greeting the New Year at his favorite pub. The bartender finally announced the pub was closing, so the Irishman stood up to leave, but fell flat on his face. He tried again to stand; same result. He figured he'd crawl outside and get some fresh air...maybe that would sober him up. Once outside, he stood up, and fell on his face again. So he decided to crawl the four blocks home. He eventually managed to reach his front step, crawl through the door and into his bedroom. When he reached his bed he tried once more to stand up. This time he managed to pull himself upright, but fell right into the bed and was sound asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He was awakened the next morning by his wife standing over him, shouting, "SO YOU'VE BEEN DRINKING AGAIN!!!" Putting on an innocent look and intent on bluffing it out, he said, "What makes you say that?" Her reply...
"The pub just called. You left your wheelchair there again."

    A man, exiting a grocery store, was very surprised when a rather good-looking and perky young lady greeted him cheerfully by saying, "Good evening!" Her face was beaming. At least she was smiling until he gave her that "Who are you?" look. He couldn't remember having ever seen her before. Then, she obviously realized that a mistake had been made and apologized. She explained, "Oh, I'm so sorry. When I first saw you I thought you were the father of one of my children." She walked on her way into the store. The man was left staring dumbfounded after her. More than a bit puzzled, he thought to himself, "What is the world coming to, an attractive woman who doesn't even keep track of what the father of her children looks like?" However, he was also a bit flattered that he might resemble one of her former suitors. But, he also hoped nobody had overheard her saying she mistook him for being the father of one of her children. A bit panicked, he then thought, "Could I possibly have forgotten a relationship?" "Could it be that I really fathered a child?" Still worried he walked to his car. He did not realize, of course, that she was a fifth-grade teacher at a local elementary school.

    Two doctors opened an office in a small town and put up a sign reading "Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones, Psychiatry and Proctology." The town council was not happy with the sign, so the doctors changed it to "Hysterias and Posteriors." This was not acceptable either, so in an effort to satisfy the council they changed the sign to "Schizoids and Hemorrhoids." No go. Next, they tried "Catatonics and High Colonics." Thumbs down again. Then came "Manic Depressives and Anal Retentives." Still not good. Another attempt resulted in "Minds and Behinds." Unacceptable again. "Analysis and Anal Cysts?" Nope. "Nuts and Butts?" Uh uh. "Freaks and Cheeks?" Still no go." Loons and Moons?" Forget it. Almost at their wit's end, the doctors finally came up with "Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones, Odds and Ends." Approved.

2005 2nd Wind Issue Index