Thanks y'all! I am very happy about it. I knew I would have a really hard time with tonight's class, so I was getting fired up. Good thing I did. After driving there, every memory of the past 25 years or so got touched tonight. My first "real" boyfriend's home had 50 year old trees downed. My first home with a husband, the place where we turned to go there, the landmark businesses I used to drive by are leveled (nothing stands in a 100 foot radius there), a friend I haven't seen in about five years lives down Tomahawk Trace, the street we like to drive down at Christmas time to see the lights decimated.... the list goes on. Twisted poles, destroyed buildings, tarps on every other home, railroad track uprooted, I just couldn't be believe what I was seeing. It is horrible. I cried all the way to class. Just when I calmed down, my classmate tells me all about the two who died... well, let's just say, that family is the greatest thing since sliced bread, so in love with each other, so so so in love with their new child... he was clinging to her and the baby when they were ripped from his arms. I mean could it be any worse? He's either in too much pain (broken ribs and back) or too shocked to understand they're really gone. Every classmate had a story. I vied with dump trucks filled with the remnants of homes all the way there. Our teacher is a major in the police department. I wish I'd had a recorder to catch all his numbers. 62 injured, 7 admitted, 1 lifeflighted to VUH. Search and Rescue from LaVergne, Smyrna, and Nashville all came. The police are being augmented by LaVergne and Smyrna. County. THP has a command post on the south end of town. The most amazing part of the foces,every last one of them showed up before being called. Volunteers continue to clean it up; it's in the millions worth of damage. The National Weather Service upgraded it finally to an EF4. Here is a link that might be useful: Kori Bryant's story

You all have been so great and such a comfort. Thanks for all your good thoughts and sunflowers. Since I haven't been at work and don't have a 'puter at home, I have been posting from the Hope Lodge when I'm here. Have the pre-op exam tomorrow and will (hopefully) get the surgery date then. I'll try to go to work a few hours next week and will check back then. Have the tree up and some decorating done. Radiation went very well until the last two days of it, then the side-effects really settled in. After having 51 years of a VERY VERY full head of hair, I can now wash it with a washcloth! Wasn't prepared for that since even with brain radiation, you don't always lose your hair. But I was given a nice wig and it has an upside - the clerk at the store I usually shop at didn't know who I was, the manager at Hope Lodge didn't know who I was, and one of the guests here thought I was my daughter! Should have shaved my head and gotten a wig years ago. To all the "old-timers" and the newcomers, happy holidays!!!

Went to the ER and it is broke. Doctor was very nice and told me I did the right thing attempting to tape them together. X-ray showed it is broke and because of where the break is the doctor wants me to wear one of those lovely "shoes" for a couple weeks. That way my foot will sit right and hopefully the break will heal properly. They all know me in the ER and know what I am dealing with so all were very nice and got me taken care of right away. Now, on the way in the door of the ER my dad stepped the wrong way and pulled a muscle in his calf! I ran in to a PT guy we know and he said that if it continues to bother him I should get him checked out because of his age but more than likely it is just a pull so he showed me some exercises he can do to make it better. Dear Lord I hope this is it for a while! We did go see mom and she is being released back to the nursing home today. The doctor called me this morning and said her liver and kidney functions, still has "rattle" in her chest but that is better also. She looks and sounds much better. Doctor said he thinks some of the throwing up comes from her shoving too much food in her mouth at one time, so he is ordering speech therapy to work with her more at the home so she gets in the habit of smaller bites. Dad and I just came home as there was no need for us to sit there and wait for transport for her. Mom was not too happy but that is just too bad, my toe hurts right now and is all swollen. I know in a day or so it will not be so tender but right now I am going to baby ME! How's that for a self centered attitude? LOL!

Sheila, thank you for responding.Your loyalties to Justice and kindness etc. are for me included under the heading of God, that is, Justice and kindness/charity. Yet I don't doubt that there are some differences in the details of our thinking. Paul, I had expected the dialog to be political. That it has become, in part, a question of religion was a surprise. Ingrid, anyone who has ever worked for the federal government knows that what Hillary did with her Email server brings jail time. No excuses. The reason for such a severe penalty is because of the severe damage such behavior causes, that is, the death of American military and intelligence members as well as revealing classified state secrets. She was handling material of the highest classification. In addition there is sufficient evidence that her Email was indeed hacked. That she was exonerated by a politicized Justice Department does not rectify the situation. The most generous argument for not prosecuting her is that it could have destabilized the American electoral process, a significant consideration. In other, words her exoneration was not based on her innocence (because she was not innocent) but rather on practical considerations. Many of the men who wrote the Constitution were deists and the document reflects that. The framers of the Constitution were opposed to an established state religion, not opposed to God. The Constitution has provided wide enough scope for both atheists and those who believe in God to flourish. And now I will stop posting on this topic as I have said what I have to say. Cath