Pep:

This Friday would have been my mom's 52nd birthday. Instead, it's the first anniversary of her death. I know you lost your mom this year as well, and as I was popping about the internet, I happened to think that perhaps you could use a little <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> First holiday season without your Mom, and all, same as me.

So I will lift my imaginary glass of eggnog (spiked with bourbon, of course, since it's imaginary anyway) to you and yours this season, when maybe awkwardness and grief is replacing familiarity and tradition. May we keep what was passed to us as a recipe for a happy holiday, add our own special ingredients, and pass that on to others in time.

Like wine made from sweet grapes, it takes time for the bitterness to pass and mellow into something finer. But I'm trying to remember that todays bitterness doesn't mean the batch is ruined for good. It's just not ready to be sweet again --yet.

--Kat

How <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" /> is this ?

Thanks ... much appreciated !

Pep <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />