Hey Pat, thanks a bunch.

Debbie, You know what, I think I have forgotten to mention that hubby and I HAVE had 2 really good friends help us through hubbie's illness and these past few months. The husband is a mechanic and we drive OLD cars. He has fixed for nothing or little, we pay as we go. He takes us out on his boat, today my hubby "BROKE DOWN" in the town where I work. My friends were with their dad at radiation and came very late and he and my hubby traveled another 20 miles after the 15 they had already come to go fix the car. Well, simple, funny problem. The gas gauge is broken and he broke down at a stop and shop! They roled the car back and put gas in it and miracle of miracles, it started! It is my daughter's car so I think we will be keeping it full at all times. We laughed so hard when the boys got home and told us that!

The wife and I layed on my bed picking burs from my dogs and then changed the bed and layed down to talk.

I think that you were very kind to help people the way you have. I have to say that I am a little cautious now and I keep the door locked and the window down just a bit and ask people if they need my cell phone or I might call 911 when I see a breakdown on the highway. However, the 4 of us were out a few weeks ago and the truck ahead of us lost some big important clunky thing having to do with the drive shaft and my friend stops and hops out and fixes them up to get the last mile into town in 4 wheel drive.

It feels good to be helpful, and I am learning about balance and self care at the same time. I would not stop for a man, I would call the police to help. We do have to protect ourselves.

Happy day though because we stopped at the babie's house on the way home tonight as hubby came and got me at work as he had taken mine after daughter's broke down. We just feel good being with this family. They are good people with beautiful children who make us smile and feel good. They are a rich family indeed.

Thanks for the long post. I do get it. It is a theme in my life for some reason right now,- both sides.

One more. Hubby picked me up from a home visit in senior housing and I had some work errands I had to do so he came with me. We ended up seeing a friend whose mother died today at 1:30 and had a wonderful, meaningful visit. He had come to the building where my field office is and I was there late copying and doing last minute emergency stuff.

Also, being without a car today I bummed rides. A friend gave me a ride to one appoint and then the social worker from the first appoint gave me a ride to the second, stopping into my office first for me to get paperwork. She didn't have any clients for a while and I had gone in to do 2 client's special medicaid for medicaid waiver for them.
I was in a staff meeting till 12:30 and had my first visit at 1:00. It was a long day but I feel like I have done something.