#40: He simply makes me smile when I see him.

[Claymatron]

Adding my wishes for everyone in Ike's path to stay safe! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Echoing this and remembering the horror of 9/11/01. Be safe, people!

OK, which one of you Ontario fans has a little red car with a bumper sticker that just says "CLAY"? My co-worker thought it was me....except my car is not red. Has a couple of Clay stickers, though!

I have a red van and a window sticker that says "I'd rather be at a Clay Aiken concert", but unless your co-worker has been in Stratford lately, it's not likely me.

[FromClaygary]

OK, which one of you Ontario fans has a little red car with a bumper sticker that just says "CLAY"? My co-worker thought it was me....except my car is not red. Has a couple of Clay stickers, though!

Not me, as you know! Oooooohhhhh.....fresh meat??

Hugs to all those in the path of Ike....and those who had a personal experience with 9/11. It changed the world forever.

[annabear]

*Totally off topic, personal post!*

I have a personal connection to Sept. 11, 2001, but thankfully not because I lost someone. My mom and I were watching the horror unfold on TV, much like everyone else. Except we were watching it in the waiting room of a doctor's office. She was there to see her oncologist for the first time after having been diagnosed with stage iv breast cancer and undergoing a double mastectomy. We both decided then and there, although we didn't speak about it until much later, that no matter what the doctor told us about her prognosis, it would be ok. Even if he said she only had a few weeks to live, it would be more time than those poor people in NY, DC and PA on that awful morning.

Seven years later, my mom is still here, cancer-free and one of my best Clay buds. I sent her flowers today. We'll never forget about all those who lost their lives, but it's nice to have something hopeful come out of that day.

[luckiest1]

I have a red van and a window sticker that says "I'd rather be at a Clay Aiken concert", but unless your co-worker has been in Stratford lately, it's not likely me.

Hee, no, he was quite adamant that it only said the one word, "CLAY" and of course, he thinks it doesn't refer to Clay Aiken, since there are so many others Clays who are more famous than ours. Poor man is deluded, obviously. Or in denial. I offered to bring him to lunch next Tuesday, Claymatron, to introduce him to some more Claymates, but he declined! Can you imagine?

ETA: Hugs to you and your mom, annabear. Thanks for sharing that story. Hugs to everyone, because as FromClaygary said, the world changed forever on 9/11.

[merryclay]

annabear- What a story! Thanks for sharing. Very inspiring. My mother had cancer, also.

[cindilu2]

*Totally off topic, personal post!*

I have a personal connection to Sept. 11, 2001, but thankfully not because I lost someone. My mom and I were watching the horror unfold on TV, much like everyone else. Except we were watching it in the waiting room of a doctor's office. She was there to see her oncologist for the first time after having been diagnosed with stage iv breast cancer and undergoing a double mastectomy. We both decided then and there, although we didn't speak about it until much later, that no matter what the doctor told us about her prognosis, it would be ok. Even if he said she only had a few weeks to live, it would be more time than those poor people in NY, DC and PA on that awful morning.

Seven years later, my mom is still here, cancer-free and one of my best Clay buds. I sent her flowers today. We'll never forget about all those who lost their lives, but it's nice to have something hopeful come out of that day.

What a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing it

[FromClaygary]

Hee, no, he was quite adamant that it only said the one word, "CLAY" and of course, he thinks it doesn't refer to Clay Aiken, since there are so many others Clays who are more famous than ours. Poor man is deluded, obviously. Or in denial. I offered to bring him to lunch next Tuesday, Claymatron, to introduce him to some more Claymates, but he declined! Can you imagine?

Oh, puh-LEEZ!! He thinks they are so in love with pottery that they need to announce it on their car? :lmaosmiley-1:

There IS no other Clay.....is there? :013085001176249046:

annabear, what a wonderful story!

[FearofH2O]

I'll be sending good thoughts to all of you in the path of Ike. Take care and be safe.

Thanks again playbiller for the fudge. It's delicious and yes it is three pounds. I thought of you as I was jumping up and down at the gym this morning.

Thinking sadly of all those who were affected by 9-11.

[muskifest]

annabear..thank you for sharing that story....it's a wonderful one.

All you Texas women---BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! I've never experienced a major natural disaster (have somehow survived multiple ones of my own making, however :glare:) but I'm really going to send some serious mojo your way since I'm sure you won't be able to find any virgins for sacrifice.

Have a good day, all! :me0:

[luckiest1]

Thanks again playbiller for the fudge. It's delicious and yes it is three pounds. I thought of you as I was jumping up and down at the gym this morning.

OMG, fudge. *drools* It's so hard kicking the sugar habit!

Some speculation from crafty55 at RHT via laughn at CH:

Seems Imforunow posted about an article on EW online about the Scrubs series finale.

Exclusive: NBC Talent Banned from 'Scrubs' finale

For the death-defying comedy's likely series finale on ABC, which was shot last week for a probable spring airing, series creator Bill Lawrence gathered all of the significant guest stars from the past eight years for a jaw-dropping scene that'll rival the mass reunion in Seinfeld's sendoff. But two actors currently appearing on NBC programs -- Heroes' Masi Oka and Chuck's Sarah Lancaster -- weren't permitted to participate.

crafty55 posted:

actually i cant say how, i know, but clay was seen flying back from la recently, but i think it might of been the week before? but i am so bad with remembering dates and weeks as of late. geeze. but they would probably have only needed to be here for one day, so there would have been nothing for still flying back out for just that day.

Keep your salt licks handy! But it would be cool if it were true.

ETA: I saw a child wearing mittens this morning. Eeep! It sure is starting to feel like fall. We went down to 8 degrees Celsius last night (about 48 F).

[heinz]

ETA: I saw a child wearing mittens this morning. Eeep! It sure is starting to feel like fall. We went down to 8 degrees Celsius last night (about 48 F).

LOL I sent my daughter to school in a sundress and crocs!

[playbiller]

I think I will skip the service tonight, it is being held down the block for the 4 people we lost in this town. I knew two of them sort of,. One person worked in a store and the other person volunteered in the emergency squad and always stopped to pet my dog when we passed, he just really liked her personality, he rushed in to help when the first plane hit.

[keepingfaith]

Okay, being two miles from water we're told to leave. The essentials are packed and we're heading out to my sister's house in River Plantation this afternoon. Don't know how long it will take. My neighbor said the Beltway is backed up at 45, so it's the backroads today all the way. I think my son and his family are headed for Dallas this evening to stay with family there -- we have big dogs and the Dallas relatives have a few acres.

My next door neighbor is boarding up and staying. Says he'd rather suffer at home than on the road again. Residual "damage" from "Highway Rita" is rampant in the minds of many here. People died, animals died, but I guess everyone knows that sad story. Neighbor says he thinks we won't get more than 3-4 feet from the tidal surge here, but I'm not into sitting around hoping for the best like he is, especially since the winds freak me out anyway.

eHP, I'll try to stay in touch by phone, but it's getting harder to get through -- so don't be surprised if I just show up, merrieeee. However, since I heard that winds could be 115 mph up in Montgomery County, I don't know if any of us are safe. All those trees could be a problem. Not to mention the San Jacinto River. Oh well, it's Houston.

Solo, I hope you're on the way to Louisiana by now! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

ETA: Mittens? I'm melting from the heat.

[lizzybutts]

wow....as I read this I can only imagine what you are living...keep safe everyone

[Cotton]

Hugs for positive vibes for all the folks on the Gulf. A week ago, I thought Ike would be head for us.

I'm sure KF is gone now, but wishing her safe travels anyway! :thbighug-1:

[Lotus]

Keep safe all you brave Texans. I have never had to live thru this kind of weather threat so can only imagine what it must be like for you. I hope that Ike loses some of its strength before making landfall.

[Cotton]

Hurricane Hazel hit when I was a kid. We lived 48 miles inland but still had flooding and trees down.

After the storm we road down to the beach to see how things looked.

One image that will remain stuck in my mind til the day I die - or dementia steals my memories . . .

A grand piano - at an odd angel - surrounded by sand and water - all alone - as if its beautiful music had been stolen away from it by the terrible winds.

I wish I were an artist so I could paint that memory.

[playbiller]

I remember being at the beach during a hurricane as a child and running around with pots catching water dripping into the house and people wading in the street - sometimes I wonder about my parents decisions, we were on vacation and they were determined not to leavethe rental house that was put together with spit and cardboard. Then again, the same things happened when we were home, we got home from vacation to a flooded basement a ruined family bible and one of those huge jukebox sized radios floating around. Or when a hurricane hit while we were in school (why were we in school? and they let us out to walk home when the eye was there - so while walkingthe 1/2 mile home, the eye passes and we are holding on to each other ducking trees. my mother drove out to get us, but she couldn't because there were tree limbs all over the road. Luckily we have not had a hurricane like that in the NE since I was small, hurricanes where hundreds died. I guess it just seems like nature is so unforgiving.

So take care, leave early - a job is just a job, but a life is yours.

Seems like you painted a picture with words very nicely, Cotton

[cindilu2]

Ack!!! the worst I have braved is The Storm of the Century (March 1993) - but we were in a fifth-wheel travel trailer in Naples, FL - so it was pretty scary.

Take care everybody, and safe travels to those who must!!!

[muskifest]

On another shallow note....

I just got some pictures in the mail---of the family during the wedding in which my older daughter was a bridesmaid. Both daughters look amazing...

But in the picture of hubby, the girls and me....well, let's just say that as I walk around and live my life the image of myself in my mind does NOT resemble what I see in that picture.

whoa.

I feel like someone just took my magical glasses off.

[Lotus]

Hurricane Hazel hit when I was a kid. We lived 48 miles inland but still had flooding and trees down.

After the storm we road down to the beach to see how things looked.

One image that will remain stuck in my mind til the day I die - or dementia steals my memories . . .

A grand piano - at an odd angel - surrounded by sand and water - all alone - as if its beautiful music had been stolen away from it by the terrible winds.

I wish I were an artist so I could paint that memory.

I was 11 when Hurricane Hazel hit Southern Ontario. We lived about 25 miles away from Toronto and because we had no electricity for 3 days had no idea that there had been such severe flooding of the Don River or that people had drowned. It was pre-transistor battery radios. A large maple tree fell across the road bringing down the power lines.

My memories of that time are of the thrill of standing out in the wind and later of reading Tom Sawyer by the light of a candle.

[jmh123]

I remember Hazel too. Very little detail, though. Just that my mother was very frightened, and it had to do with my brother getting home from school. Maybe she didn't have a car to go get him, and he was walking home, and she thought he should be home already?? School was only 4 or 5 blocks away, and we kids all walked on our own every day. (I remember being afraid wild animals would get me on the way. ) I should've been in school that day as well--don't know what the story was there. Maybe younger kids were sent home earlier?

Fran was the hurricane that affected me personally the most, as an adult. No damage, but the power was off at my place for 8 days. At the time I had a gas stove and gas water heater, and I got a lot of company that week. I remember that the thing I missed most was a cold drink. I had to make three trips to town before I finally was able to find some, in a big truck that someone had brought to a parking lot. My first cold coke was so goooood. I had batteries for a portable radio, and the radio station gave constant updates on where to find things and kept people connected in various ways--it was a godsend. The whole area looked like godzilla had walked through it; there were patches everywhere where there had been very isolated tornadic wind events and all the trees were downed in those spots, in small circular areas. As for the storm itself, I slept through it. I had stayed up until 2 am or so watching the TV and trying to decide whether to take my cat and head for a shelter, but at the time I went to bed, it looked like my area would be safe. My friend said you could hear trees coming down all night long--I missed the whole thing.

[luckiest1]

Hee, to be that sound a sleeper!

I have never been in a hurricane, but a small tornado passed about a mile from our house once, and I remember hearing a sound like a freight train was coming through the back yard. I took the kids down to sleep in the basement and I remember that we were without electricity (and therefore water since we had a well) for a day or two. I discovered how hard it was to cook on top of a wood burning stove!

[lizzybutts]

I was 11 when Hurricane Hazel hit Southern Ontario. We lived about 25 miles away from Toronto and because we had no electricity for 3 days had no idea that there had been such severe flooding of the Don River or that people had drowned. It was pre-transistor battery radios. A large maple tree fell across the road bringing down the power lines.

My memories of that time are of the thrill of standing out in the wind and later of reading Tom Sawyer by the light of a candle.

I was about 6 when it hit. I remember because my dad put a piece of board on our kitchen window and then left to pick my sister up in "hogs hollow" from a dancing class...almost didn't make it home...geez, I had forgotten that memory...it was a looooong time ago Lordy

[wandacleo]

Keeping positive thoughts for those in the hurricane path.

Thank God I live in CA. I'll take an earthquake anyday.

A few seconds of shaking and you know if you're alive or dead.

You don't have to hunker down and pray and worry and worry and worry.