OK, I'm back and can't help myself, I've got to get into this grits discussion. I spent my childhood eating cornmeal mush, I liked it best poured into a loaf pan, left to set, then sliced and fried in butter and topped with maple syrup. Polenta is acceptable, depending on the additions. I've never met a grit I actually liked, including those in various establishments through out the south. The worst were in Georgia. (shudder) As for dinner, it's still the noontime meal for the old farmers here in Michigan too. Dinner here is always the biggest meal of the day, regardless of time. Supper is the smaller meal you have at day's end, dinner is the big meal at mid-day, while you still need the fuel to work for the second half of the day. As for canning disasters, KatieC and I just gave some "classes" to Cooking Forum members on various canning recipes. We made Habanero Gold, two batches. Same recipe, same cooks, same ingredients, same day. One batch set, one didn't. (shrug) Katie's been canning 30 years, I've been canning over 40. With a combined 70 years of canning experience, that jelly still is syrup. It happens. Annie

happyintexas, that is a very important reminder. I'm so glad you did get it diagnosed correctly. I've put off going to the doctor for months because I read online if it wasn't like a hard lemon seed it probably wasn't cancerous. Well, on further reflection, I decided this was not something to take chances on. Even doctor phobic me figured I should get my self down there and have it checked out - if only for the peace of mind. I haven't been to see my doctor in almost 2 years and yet I worry about wasting her time on something that is probably nothing. How stupid is that logic? While I know everyone is being reassuring by letting me know it is likely nothing, I know they are not suggesting I ignore it either. So much good advice. We really do learn so much from each others experiences.

As time goes forward, it will get easier but you will always miss her. I lost my grandma that was like my mother when I was 14 years old, I'm now 24. Even after 10 years, I still constantly think about her and miss her very much. However, it is now much easier to think about her 10 years later than it was when she first passed. I've been telling everyone about the memorial I created for her that helps me to honor her life and I want to tell you as well. You can visit the memorial of my beautiful grandma at this link http://never-gone.com/memorials/hazel You can also create one for your mother completely free by going straight to the website at http://www.never-gone.com. Good luck to you and God bless. Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.never-gone.com

Rose.....keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Life is difficult at times. In 1994 both my kids called within a week of each other to tell me they were moving far away. DD was moving to Oahu and DS was moving to Tokyo. They left within a month of each other. It was so hard but knowing I had raised them to be independent adults helped. My son moved back to NYC in 2000 and DD moved back to California the year before. Then DS and wife moved back to Tokyo. We recently got together in Oahu for a week. It was so good to see him and to meet our granddaughter for the first time. Seeing DDIL again made me appreciate her even more. My grandson, whom I hadn't seen for a year, was a delight and we had so much fun. They are moving back to NYC within the next month or two. I am happy for me but sad for DDIL who has family in Japan but will be far away from both families in NYC. Life is filled with challenges and facing them will make us stronger, even though it is painful to endure. Look for the rainbow thru your tears.