Clinton and Joanna sent this link along and it is AWESOME!!!

The song that silenced the cappuccino machine!!!!

It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.

For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing...............

To finish this wonderful story, you need to click here, and you will be glad you did!

Submitted by Paul Odle.... Yukon, OK.

A dietitian was once addressing a large audience in Chicago. "The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago.

Red meat is awful. Soft drinks erode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. Vegetables can be disastrous, and none of us realizes the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water.

But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have, or will, eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?"

A 75-year-old man in the front row stood up and said, "Wedding cake"

Rec. a note from Ward and Melanie and wanted to share it with everyone....

"How is everyone doing and we hope your winter doesn't set in too early. We made it thru the last hurricane OK. Since I was late getting home from work, and by the time I finished putting plywood up, the wind was already blowing about 25-35 mph. We decided to stick it out and not take the risk of driving in an approaching storm. Didn't get any sleep all night until about 5:30 am when it looked like the worst was over us. Fortunately in our area all the utilities are underground and we did not loose power during any of the storms. Some of our friends were without power for several weeks.

Damage on the beach side was significant and lots of places still closed or condemned. Further south was where the brunt of the storm caused real devastation. Some of our friends on the beach side lost a section of their roof on the first night and when they got back Monday it was a mess. About 16 folks went over and helped tear out their ceilings, dry wall and carpets. Only one room was still liveable. Problem here in Florida is that once moisture gets into the attic, the mildew and mold literally blooms overnight and you have a major problem on your hands. Only a few houses in our development had roof damage and they were on the east side of the development.

In just a few days the hurricane season will be over and we are so very happy for the end of this season. Lots of folks reassessing where they want to live and lots of retirees questioning if they should move a ways north.

We hope that all is going well and we send our love and prayers. So glad the election results were favorable for President Bush. It was amazing how much misinformation was posted by the large broadcasting companies. What is really amazing is that so many people still get all their news from them. Saw so much bogus info on Iraq that it was nauseating. Have several folks in our group who just came back and they said that our news doesn't accurately depict the progress and conditions overseas. Tough on our troops if they think their nation is trying to undermine their good works.

Say hi to everyone and keep in touch. Take care; Ward and Melanie"
(Shaklee,Melborne, FL., Ann's brother and sister in law)

Now if we could just get some pictures from them!! haha... maybe in a bit, huh????

It was great to get this note from them. And we all are relived they did not have much damage. We had sent several notes but knew they were busy helping others get their lives back. Ward and Melanie are true givers, always ready to help others at the drop of the hat.

Enjoy the day!!

K. Melanie sent this link along.. fun, check it out!

Don't Worry, Be Happy! Click on the link to view it.

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan.

T'was the night before .......

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL,
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Pass it on!