Thanks for thinking of me Clouds (and everyone else). I've been quiet because I'm so tired of being sick, and I'm not looking forward to being cold and cooped up in this house until spring. Then again, I dread the spring season because that will be when my son goes overseas. He'll get a week at home with us over Christmas. All I can say is it BETTER NOT be the last time I see my son! How I wish I could return to that day three years ago and say to him "Don't go - we'll find another way for you to go to college."

My husband took me out to dinner at Pappadeaux for our anniversary (Oct 12). We decided to splurge and order the most expensive meals. I had lobster, and he had mahi mahi. We were finishing up our meal when the woman next to us started screaming "Call 911 - My husband is choking!"

At that moment the man passed out on the table, so my husband jumped up and gave him the Heimlich maneuver. The food came out, and the man regained consciousness. The woman told me he has a problem with low blood pressure. He choked on his food while he was passing out. I didn't tell her I have the same problem, but fainting during a meal never occurred to me - small and careful bites from now on.

After the paramedics took him away, the waitress came up to us and said "Your meal has already been paid for." That was a very nice, thoughtful and expensive gesture on their part.

How have you been? Anything exciting happening in your life?