I'll be adding these later Bigack. (Susan). fran1523 Fran from Massachusetts. Gadgets Shirley/Ohio Hayjud_MN Central Minnesota itsmesuzq (Susan) from Palm Desert, California linda_6 Linda from PA maxmom (Nancy) from Tuscaloosa, Alabama renee_b RosemaryT from Norfolk, VA. secsteve from Dover, DE susan_on Susan from Southern Ontario. Whidbey Kathy/ Whidbey Island WA

Well reading this thread has made me both giggle and cry. A lot of memories, a lot of missing friends. And surprises, hello to Ginger, has been a long time since I've seen you post anywhere. You sound happy with your life. Good for you, and welcome back. Thanks to all who have brought us up to date on some that are missing. I can do some fill ins.................................. Damon is now in Memphis (I think) TN, divorced from his wife who was a KTer too. He is a graphic artist. Tammi & Joyce opened a forum..Our Humble Home (I think) Liz GA is busy with a new granddaughter who is cute as a button. I see her on FB. I miss so very many, glad to see some came back to post on this thread. Haven't heard anything from BenCA, or Mushy from Fresno, Ginnia, Thornbird. I just heard from Kathy-Lees son, he gave her my contact info, she said she would reach out to me. I sooooo hope so, but nuttin yet. I keep up with several at the Treehouse forum, JayJay, Spunky, SteveFL, Bump, KBB, Marty. Others I see on FB. But it's not like the KT was back in the day.

Looks like I'm late seeing and responding to this. But then, running late is a bad habit of mine. --------------------------------- I'm Carol (Caroline on my forums) and am currently living in North Dakota. I've thoroughly enjoyed the Kitchen Table and all the assorted forums since 1998/1999. In my real life I was a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. The years I spent in active duty were, and always will be, the best part of my life. I was a Public Affairs Specialist. I worked in Community Relations and Media Relations most of the time. Occassionaly I'd edit the base paper. I love travel and moving around. I've been fortunate to have lived in California, Delaware, Spain, England, Indiana, Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and now ND. I was born and raised in northern Arkansas. I graduated with a class of 17 in 1974. Before joining the Air Force I worked as a secretary for a couple of firms, a book keeper, and estate agent. While in California I worked for seven years in a 1,200-inmate jail faciltiy. Now that was a strange job! I worked a security job for a while here, but I've not worked in the past three years, except for helping put the house back together. No children. By choice. I could never "see" myself as a mom. I was single for most of my 20s and 30s. I didn't want to make the life-style changes a child would have needed. I married Wes when I was 36; he's a rabid hunter and fisherman and we enjoy our quiet life. My passions include gardening, birding in general and purple martins in particular, quilting, sewing, reading, beadwork...anything fussy and/or sparkly. I'm a total Anglophile and afternoon tea is a way-of-life for me. Anyone who knows me knows that Harry (love wrapped in a dog-suit) is my heart. He makes my days, keeps me happy, and adds joy to everything. And then, there's Sam (strangeness in a dog suit). He's a hoot, and for some bizarre reason he's decided I'm the "Best Human on Earth. Harry's my heart; Sam's my pancreas; (I have diabetes!) Sam is loved and well cared for, and spoiled and pampered. He's just so incredibly weird. See? I could never have children; I'm afraid I'd "play favorites." I just can't feel for Sam what I feel for Harry. It's not there. Hi! I'm Caroline, and I, too, am weird!

Many of us feel that we should be kind and generous, and we make a substantial effort to be so ... as someone said, even to the point of not doing things for ourselves. It is good to be kind and helpful, but it is well to accept kindnesses, as well. Some of us give generously, but find it hard to receive gifts gracefully. I am sorry that some of you have had the pain and suffering to endure that has hapened. Also, I think that, especially in earlier generations, women were taught to serve others, to put their families ahead of themselves, and many did that almost exclusively, not doing things for themselves. There's a time to give ... and to love ... and there's a time to receive gifts and love. Also, regarding the love issue ... it seems to me that if we can't love ourselves, we're going to do a poor job of loving others. I don't mean by this people who are selfish, or who think too well of themselves, more or less making themselves king (or even queen) of the world. I feel that if God can put up with me, I can put up with myself: if God can love me, with all of my imperfections ... I can not only out up with myself, but love myself, as well. What's keeping me from enjoying life? Nothing. I'm a happy old retiree, enjoying good health, with some loved ones (kids, but no grandkids) and friends, enough to keep this frugal old character going even though the pensions died, and with things to do and people to see. And give the folks on the KT a hard time, at times. I was looking for my Memeber of Parliament's office this afternoon, and while asking directions had some playful banter with someone in an office ... and they said that they couldn't believe that I was 60, let along 80+. (But don't ask Iva Mae, Dances, Anne, Caroline, Monica, Pooh Bear or Danielle or their families - they've seen me). Hope you all have a great weekend. ole joyfilled P.S. To the lady who was in the car crash as a child, Have you ever talked this situation over with a trained counsellor, clergyperson, etc.? Perhaps they could help you see this in it's true light, to realize that, though you've travelled in a car thousands of times, in only one did you have such a close call. It has been etched on your mind, as with acid, and it will be hard to put it behind you, but I hope that you will make real effort, for it is a shame to be so discombobulated that you can't enjoy the pleaures of a simple car ride after so many years by that one frightful experience. o j