Diana, I’d thought maybe he was Mark Klein.

Very heartbreaking. A young woman who had everything…viciously destroyed. Her poor family and friends.

Excellent post, Phyllis. Did not know that….fascinating. Leave it to the French to get the order of biz right; homes, bakery, wine press, raid the enemies loot. Ha. Great to know!

EKA—It’ll be Skype…but from Amsterdam..unless he has taken some of his vacation to go to our friend’s in Nancy, France…he often goes there. Your menu and plans sounds good. Actually, everyone’s does. All different but good. And second you post….despite one hell of a last 7 months…and not to diminish the suffering and concerns of many—-I am very optimistic personally, for our country and the world. Good things are afoot. It’s rainy and dark here today and most Thanksgivings in CA are sunny…so we shall see if this is an exception. But rain or not…nothing stops the walk on the beach. I’ll think of all of you with a little prayer for a great, warm time.

Diana, My mother is tiny and last December she had a perforated ulcer and emergency surgery. Wound up in ICU for a month and then in a step-down unit for two months….was frail as a result and took almost the entire last year to recover, she lost a lot of weight she didn’t need to lose. The doctors said that over the age of 60-70 (she’s 78) it’s a 50-50 chance of survival. She was in very good shape before it happened, but the Prednisone she was taking was what they said caused it.

I lost it in a funny way returning from Portland to San Francisco. Had been flying up on the 6AM flight out of SFO 3 days a week to be on my project site before 9AM up there M-W-F and then would take the last flight out at night to be home and on computer by 11PM responding to emails and setting up next day. It was a time of go, go, go. The plane was late leaving Portland, the previous flight had been cancelled with equipment problems we all had to wait for a small 727 to be flown in. It was jam-packed with an odd late-night assortment of tired business commuters, young parents with screaming children with smelly diapers and a tour group of Japanese with their cameras at the ready. North of San Francisco flights were stacked-up, circling, waiting to land. We were in that holding pattern for 45 min. It was relieved by being a brilliant full moon October night, with all the lights of The City on the bridges and across the Bay in Berkeley and rimming the water and dotting the verdant hills of Sausalito, Tiburon and Belvedere. Spontaneously, started by a lively knot of college kids, everyone on the plane began to sing “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”. A truly great moment and we all landed smiling and happy to be in one of the great places on Earth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryF9p-nqsWw With odd symmetry, a week later I was in an accident in Portland that completely devastated my life. Weeks later when it was clear there would be a long recovery, I decamped to Carmel for a year. That was 8-years ago almost to the day I came back here to Carmel, almost by a fluke in scheduling and as a response to my brother’s death. He lived outside Portland in Lake Oswego. I always look at the symbols in things, eight stands for business, success, wealth, momentum and rebirth.

Nicholas—I held my breathe and got a tight stomach and chills reading this. I’m a former ‘road warrior’ having flown 150K miles a year for work. It had glamerous and educational value back then….but wouldn’t be anxious to repeat it. “Flight 255” is a reminder to everyone who reads it…the time to live and make things happen is now.

Thank you for this heads-up. I am not a TV watcher except by occasional accident or something happen to read and I also think that St. Jude C’s RH is an incredible. This and Barbara Walter’s interview tonight with the Obamas, are definitely programs to watch.

Serena, Ha. I always liked that Darla from ‘The Little Rascals” and found this.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqxAr33F-W0

I’ve never been a shopping, mall going type person, esp not when there are crowds, but did always loved to talk with my older relatives, esp my grandmother and aunt, and today with my parents often. Am always aware they won’t be here forever and ‘storing-up’ those memories. Think this is a great idea. Have been after my mother forever to ‘write it all down.’

Ms. Dee….That was so lovely to read. I love to hear the details of how people do things….you paint a wonderful picture.

Kermie, I love books and bookstores too, esp musty old used book stores. Can’t imagine that it would be an enormous shift quickly but do think we are going in that direction. There will always be plenty of us who love actual books and also picture and art books of all types…but I can go for both. Kindle would be esp great for travel. Lightweight and choices…I loathe carrying a lot of things on trips. It’s definitely a skimming back time for most.

I’m definitely not up to flying from Carmel to family out of state….time consuming/convoluted. Am going to friends on the water here….and we are making a big pot of cioppino with lots of fresh clams/shrimp/sea bass/scallops, a great salad, and excellent sour dough bread and deserts from a gourmet shop in Carmel Valley and the local Whole Foods in Monterey. We’ll walk on the beach with their dogs….it’s cold…so a fire, music, talking. It’ll be fun, cozy and with great view. The un-turkey day. My son will undoubtedly call from Europe which is always a highlight of any day when we talk.

Dora, We always had big family, fun holidays at my parents beautiful home….one year I decided wanted to be just my son and I. It did seem a little weird, and one sister was quite annoyed with me for breaking with tradition. He and I went skiing at a local resort all day from early in the AM, and then after the last run near dark went out for dinner. This was many years ago…but still remember the old mountain chalet of a restaurant, the holiday lights and sitting next to the fire, and ‘just us.’ It was great. One of my best Thanksgiving. Sometimes all the people, music, laughter, is fun. And sometimes its nice to have quiet and actual conversation. His Dad had died that summer…so it was a poignant time, but lots of fun too. Hope your night out can be that memorable and nice.

EKA. Yum! Sounds fun.