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Online Newsletter
- How are you?
- Everything all right?
- Like to hear from you.
- Love to see you soon.
- Obviously I miss you.
I would like to start this week's edition off by sharing this email from Charla from Florida:
Hello all, I want to share our day out for lunch. Mom (fl marie), Aunt Peachy, Uncle Garnet, and I went to Homosassa to meet and have lunch with Bea and JB. We met at Cinnamon Stiks but first, as usual, I had to get a disposable camera. So we went past Bea and Jay sitting on the bench in front of the restaurant. Now I had to go to Winn Dixie so I could have lot's of pictures too. We went back and when I met Bea it was as if I had known her all my life. We all hugged and then went into the Cinnamon Sticks. I had never been there before but this is where all of them had met the last time....I was the NEW one in the crowd. We were all seated and we talked and laughed and everyone ordered their food.
Aunt Marie (peachy) had brought a bracelet (charms) and a WWWCOF pin for Bea. She pinned Bea and Bea had tears...(I saw them Bea). Then she gave her the bracelet. I showed Jay how to put new charms on as Uncle Garnett was already doing it. He had brought a tool that makes it easier. Bea again had a huge smile on her face but hidden tears of joy. Mom & I also had to fight back the raindrops. We ate, talked and took pictures there. They just couldn't get "BIG SMILES" from Mom & Aunt Marie so as usual I cracked one of my wisecracks and there they went, smiles ear to ear. See there was a joke going around about glue so I knew if I mentioned it they would crack up. We went over to Bea and Jay's after lunch and visited. Their place is "WONDERFUL!"
I must say Bea has a great talent for decorating. It was wonderful touring their place and them telling us what it had been like when they bought it. Bea even has a garden with tomatoes in it. We got to see Bea's craft shop and of course Jay's work shed. Bea brought out her quilts and let us each pick whichever one we wanted to take home. Well now my rain was about to fall. They were all so wonderful it was a hard decision except...the "Serenity Prayer," one. No more deciding for me. That was mine. Mom chose the Panda Bears and of course Aunt Marie the sunflowers. All so precious. Well after chatting and sharing and touring, Bea comes out with a scrumptious "CAKE!" GLUE for sure! It was pineapple with cool whip & crushed pineapple topping. YUMMY! Certainly was worth the drive! I could barely walk for the glue on my butt!! Well it hadn't gotten there yet but soon would! We took pictures with the 2004 banner and we all give a BIG THANKS to Uncle Garnett and JB. They were the Photographers. And I must say they did a great job. This about wraps it up except Mom & I have decided we are going to try & see Bea more often and maybe they can come here sometime. As Aunt Marie & Uncle Garnett will be going home soon. Oh just to tell secrets...we got a bit lost going home but certainly had some exciting sites! Our Thanks to you, Bea and Jay for making us feel so at home and your gift, the lap quilts, but most of all, "YOUR FRIENDSHIP."
Love Charla, Marie, Garnett and Peachy
Click here to see all the wonderful pictures sent in by Bea.
What happening in your corner of the globe that you would like to share with us. Send it to me and I will be happy to publish it in the newsletter.
A Cat Diary
submitted by Susan from Ontario, Canada
- DAY 659 My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
- DAY 662 Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair... must try this on their bed.
- DAY 669 Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was... Hmmm Not working according to plan
- DAY 681 Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with sleep depriving, incessant pleas for food at ungodly hours of the night.
- DAY 688 I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid? My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.
- DAY 690 There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer." More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
- DAY 699 I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and may be snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The Bird on the other hand has got to be an informant. He has mastered their frightful tongue something akin to mole speak) and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time.
Crafts
Be sure to check out all the wonderful craft ideas in the WWWCOF Craft Site and add your own favourites or email Crafty Jayne from Kansas, USA, who will be happy to add them to our ever growing collection.
A Woman's PoemHe didn't like the casserole
And he didn't like my cake.
My biscuits were too hard...
Not like his mother used to make.I didn't perk the coffee right
He didn't like the stew,
I didn't mend his socks
The way his mother used to do.I pondered for an answer
I was looking for a clue.
Then I turned around and smacked him...
Like his Mother used to do.submitted by Loretta from Texas.
GardeningOne of the World Wide Web Circle of Friends' best kept secrets is Jeanette's Garden Room. Jeanette from the Land Down Under has set up this site for all of those who love gardening - like she does, and loves to be creative in making garden junk. Do take some time to visit and join her site and share ideas, seeds, photos of your garden and plants, laughter and great sites to visit.
Spring Fling SwapOur swap for the month of April and May is going to be:
SPRING FLING SWAPThe deadline for sign up is fast approaching - April 30 so be sure to sign up today! Mail out deadline will be May 15, 2005.
This spring fling swap will be on the theme of Spring and it is a swap that any thing go for spring. Such as spring poetry, butterflies, birds, silk flowers, garden gloves, garden ornaments and such. Please spend as much as you like but usually we put $5.00 as cost for your items as you have cost of mailing. I would love to say include seeds, BUT PLEASE NO SEEDS. We have people who have the problem of getting seeds through custom so it is better if we don't include seeds in our spring fling. I hope to see a lot sign up and lets have a great time with this swap.
Special thanks to Daphne for helping me for put together this swap. Thanks Daphne.
Love the Swap Queen Ruth
Recommended Websites
Maxine from Ontario, Canada would like to share these sites with us:
Original Graphic Design by Bigsis Pat from Ontario, Canada KITCHEN HINTS FOR TEA:
- Begin with cold water when brewing tea.
- Never boil tea.
- To prevent bitter tasting tea, remove tea bags after tea has steeped.
- Use simple syrup to sweeten large quantities of tea.
- When preparing iced tea for a crowd, vary the flavor by adding 6 ounces of frozen lemonade to 1 gallon of tea.
- Make ice cubes with leftover tea. These cubes added to a drink will not dilute the beverage. You can do this with ice coffee, soda, lemonade, all juices and even make cider ice cubes.
- Freeze fruit juice for ice cubes-add to tea ad garnish with springs of fresh mint.
- Ice tea requires half as much sugar if sweetened hot, rather than cold.
- Flavor sugar lumps for tea. Drop tiny bits of lemon juice on the sugar cubs to be used in the tea. Be careful not to dissolve the sugar. You can also try orange or lime juice.
- For extra flavor, store tea bags in a jar with a citrus peel, vanilla bean or cinnamon sticks.
- For varied punch flavors, try using decaf teas.
Check out all the wonderful recipes being collected in the WWWCOF Cookbook Cooking Around the World
Bragging Rights
Thought it might be nice to have a well deserved bragging rights section included in our newsletter so if something special is happening with your family do be sure to let us know about it so we can celebrate right along with you.
Let me tell you what our daughter Kendra has been up to. She successfully complete her Level One First Aid Training and soon will receive her certificate to add to her ever growing collection. Kendra has a family awards wall directly in front of her computer where she proudly displays awards of any sort that have been presented to any member of our family. She has also been selected by a member of the staff at her school to attend a leadership retreat day in May at Camp Qwanoes. This is an outdoor adventure program/course which helps work on team-work, problem solving and communication; all very important skills as children develop into young adults. Needless to say we are very proud of Kendra.
In this issue...
- Ruby
- Pet Corner
- Announcements
- Spring Fling Swap
- Cooking Around the World
- Crafts
- Meet the Members
- Department of Vital Statistics
- Planet Kryzys
- Messages from Members
- Gardening
- Bragging Rights
- Geeks' Corner
- Just For Fun
- Fun Tests & Quizzes
- Recommended Websites
Planet Kryzys
10 WAYS TO MAKE EVERY DAY EARTH DAY - April 22 is Earth Day!
submitted by Bigsis Pat Eastern Canada CoordinatorCheck to see what events are planned in your community.
- 1. Each Canadian consumes the products of one 30-metre tree every year. Why not head out and replace what you have taken by joining a local community group at a tree planting event? One large tree provides up to four people with a day’s worth of oxygen, clean and cool air, and offers shelter for Earth’s other creatures.
- 2. Canadians generate 2.2 kilograms of waste per day. Think about your garbage and where it goes after you toss it out. Reusing materials is as easy as taking cloth bags to the store or sending your old magazines to the local walk-in clinic. Recycle, using the guidelines provided by your city or town. Composting reduces the garbage that makes it to the curb by 30-50 per cent.
- 3. Canada is third largest producers of greenhouse gases per capital, after the United States and Australia. The daily activities of each Canadian are responsible for 28 per cent of Canada’s GHG emissions. By reducing energy consumption at home and on the road, you can do your part in helping Canada meet its Kyoto goal of reducing GHG emissions by six percent of what they were in 1990.
- 4. Save four percent of your heating costs by turning your thermostat down just one degree Celsius. Make a habit of turning it down before you go to bed pr going on vacation. Another effective action is to properly seal your windows and doors. Combined, the area of the average home subjected to the outdoor air, is equal to a 2.3 square foot hole.
- 5. Only once percent of the Earth’s water is available to support all our needs. Keeping that in mind it’s astonishing to realize that a five-minute shower with a standard shower head uses 100 litres of water! By comparison, a five minute shower with a low flow aerated showerhead will use only 35 litres of water.
- 6. In 1999 the world’s population reached over 6-billion people. The ecological footprint of the average Canadian is 7.8 hectares. That means it takes 7.8 hectares of land and water to support one person’s food, energy, water and space requirements. If the productive land on Earth were to be divided equally between all of its individuals, your share would be about 2.1 hectares. What can you cut down on?
- 7. You have 7 days each week in which to enjoy the outdoors. Hike a trail, take a walk on the beach, strap on some snowshoes, and paddle down the river, sketch a bird, visit a provincial par, or organize a community picnic.
- 8. Each day 8 million kilograms of greenhouse gasses are released into the air by idling vehicles. Break free from idling habits to reduce personal GHG emissions and save money. Remember 10 seconds of idling uses more fuels that turning off your engine, and excessive idling can harm engine components.
- 9. Producing aluminum from recycled can rather than from “scratch’ saves 95 percent of energy. Shopping strategies to reduce environmental impacts include choosing recycled products, products with less packaging, and reusable items, rather that single use items.
- 10. By installing compact florescent light bulbs (CFL) which last 10 percent longer and use 75 percent less energy than the standard light bulb you could save $35 in energy costs over the lifetime of your CFL. When you consider the average home has 41 light bulbs, the savings add up quickly.
Raising awareness is always the first step to action. Join our Planet Kryzys" (Crisis) Team today and come forward with things about your own area. We start off with awareness, and follow up with what we can do about it.
Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have. ~ Norman Vincent Peale PLANET KRYZYS TEAM MEMBERS: - Site manager, Daphne (BA, Argentina)
- Western Canada Coordinator, Sharon (BC, Canada)
- Eastern Canada Coordinator, Pat (Ontario, Canada)
- Eastern US Coordinator, Becky (Maryland, US)
- US Coordinator, Claudia (Chester, IL)
The Planet Kryzys" (Crisis)site has been updated. Check out the latest news!
Meet the MembersPlease say hello to Becky, from Live Oak, California
who came across the WWWCOF by accident and is happy that she found us as she feels like she has discovered a treasure of friends. Becky is married with three children and she has two Siamese cats, Cleo and Kira, and a rabbit named Napoleon. She collects Christian Music CD's and her hobbies include Quilting, dollmaking, cross-stitch, crafting, beading and reading. Her short term goal is to start taking walks every morning and her long term goal is to be there for her family and to be successful at whatever she does. Do be sure to visit her website Mosaics-S-More
Do take a moment to visit all the wonderful member profiles and if you have not completed your survey yet do be sure to do so now -- you never know you may be the next one to be featured in Global Express!
Messages from Members
- I would like to thank all for their thoughts and prayers when Shirley
(DEE) was in the hospital with blood clots and pneumonia. She is home now
and doing well. Again thanks. Marie aka Peachy
- They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-three students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.
Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and moms freely brushed away tears.
This class would not pray during the commencements ----- not by choice but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.
The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.
The speeches were nice, but they were routine ...... until the final speech received a standing ovation.
A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened. All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!
The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said," GOD BLESS YOU, each and every one of you!" And he walked off stage.
The audience exploded into applause The graduating class found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.
Isn't this a wonderful story? Pass it on to all your friends ......... and GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
OOPPPS! FORGOT SOMETHING ..... TAKE CARE, Jami from Maryland, USA
AnnouncementsI am so excited. I got my GED. I am so happy I passed the test. Now I am ready to go to college. Love Crystal from Kansas.
Hello Everyone! Soon I will be heading off to Ruth & George's home in Michigan. I am so excited!!
I made some jigsaw puzzles, tic tac toe, hangman, word search ........... and I am working on others. This is called "The Chocolate Milkshake Breaktime Fun Page" (you didn't think I'd have a coffee break did you?)
My job, and I love it, is to travel for you, to meet up with all the Circle members. I have just heard the next draw to see where I go and who I will visit will probable be 16 or 17 April. I double-dog dare you to put your name on the list because I sure do want to go and see you, in what ever far flung, or just up the road from here, corner of the world you happen to be in. Its the only requirment I need, ..... for your name to be on the list!! Do I have your name on the list?? Email Daphne today, and she will make sure you are added
Look forward to hearing from you all.
Follow up my travels so far here.
Every act of conscious learning requires a small sacrifice of ego. That is why children, who have yet to discover their self-importance, learn so easily; and why adults, with ego in full bloom, pretend to know more than they do. ~ Alice Ruddy 
NOTICE!!! Check out the April report and the new addition to the Vital Statistics web sites, called The Leisure Time Page.
To find all the interesting and exciting news and information all you have to do is go to the Vital Stats Department where you will find all the links you need.
To check on the latest report from your Department of Vital Statistics Director BigSisPat click on the logo below:
Fun Birth Test
submitted by Vicki from Vancouver Island, Canada
(Birth #8)To figure out your Birth Number, add all the numbers in the birth date together, like in the example, until there is only one digit. A fun test to give you a little insight but remember everyone is responsible for their own destiny! Okay hope this is not too complicated for us 'math challenged' individuals.
Example - March 20, 1950= March is 3rd month, 20th day and year
- 3 + 20 + 1950 = 1973
- 1 + 9 + 7 + 3 = 20
- 2 + 0 = 2
- #1 THE ORIGINATOR
- #2 THE PEACEMAKER
- #3 THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
- #4 THE CONSERVATIVE
- #5 THE NONCONFORMIST
- #6 THE ROMANTIC
- #7 THE INTELLECTUAL
- #8 THE BIG SHOT
- #9 THE PERFORMER
- # 1 - THE ORIGINATOR 1 's are naturals Coming up with new ideas and executing them is natural.
Having things their own way is another trait that sometimes makes
them
be
labelled being stubborn. They are extremely honest.
They like to take the initiative and are often leaders or
bosses, as they like to be the best. Being self-employed is
definitely helpful for them.
Lesson to learn: others' ideas might be just as good or
better, and to stay open minded.
Famous 1's: Tom Hanks, Robert Redford, Hulk Hogan, Carol Burnett, Wynona Judd, Nancy Reagan, Raquel Welch.
- #2 - THE PEACEMAKER 2's are the born diplomats.
They are aware of others' needs and moods and often think of others
before themselves. They are very loyal friends, naturally
analytical and very intuitive. Friendship and companionship is very
important and can lead them to be successful in life, but on the
other
hand they'd rather be alone than in an uncomfortable relationship.
Sometimes shy and don't recognize their own accomplishments as put
others first. They should learn to boost their self-esteem and
express
themselves freely, seize the moment and not put things off.
Famous 2's: Madonna, Whoopee Goldberg, Thomas Edison,Mozart.
- # 3 - THE LIFE OF THE PARTY 3's are idealists.
They are very creative, social, charming, romantic, and
easygoing. They start many things, but don't always see them through.
They
like others to be happy and go to great lengths to achieve it. They
are
very
idealistic. They should learn to see the world from a more realistic
point of view.
Famous 3's: Alan Alda, Ann Landers, Bill Cosby, Melanie Griffith, Salvador Dali, Jodi Foster
- # 4 - THE CONSERVATIVE 4's are sensible and traditional.
They like order and routine. They only act when they fully
Understand what they are expected to do. They like and don't hesitate
to work hard. They are attracted to the outdoors and feel an affinity
with nature. They are prepared to wait; can be stubborn and
persistent. Goal is for them to learn to be more flexible
and to be nice to themselves; taking care of self.
Famous 4's: Neil Diamond, Margaret Thatcher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tina Turner, Paul Hogan, Oprah Winfrey
- # 5 - THE NONCONFORMIST 5's are the explorers.
Their natural curiosity, risk taking, and enthusiasm often
land them in hot water. They need diversity, and don't like to be
stuck
in a rut. The whole world is their school and they see a learning
possibility in every situation. The questions never stop. They are
well
advised to look before they take action and make sure they have all
the
facts before jumping to conclusions.
Famous 5's: Abraham Lincoln, Charlotte Bronte, Jessica Walter, Vincent Van Gogh, Bette Midler, Helen Keller and Mark Hamil.
- # 6 - THE ROMANTIC 6's are idealistic and need to feel useful to be
happy.
A strong family connection is important to them. Their
actions influence their decisions. They have a strong urge to take
care
of
others and to help. They are very loyal and make great teachers. They
like art or music. They make loyal friends who take the friendship
seriously.
6's should learn to differentiate between what they can change and
what they cannot.
Famous 6's: Albert Einstein, Jane Seymour, John Denver, Meryl Streep,Christopher Columbus, Goldie Hawn
- #7 - THE INTELLECTUAL 7's are the searchers.
Always probing for hidden information, they find it difficult to
accept
things at face value. Emotions don't sway their decisions.
Questioning everything in life, they don't like to be questioned
themselves. Their motto is slow and steady wins the race. They come
across as philosophers and being very knowledgeable, and sometimes as
loners. They are technically inclined andmake great researchers
uncovering information. They like secrets. They live in their own
world
and should learn what is acceptable and what not in the world at
large.
Famous 7's: William Shakespeare, Lucille Ball, MichaelJackson, Joan Baez, Princess Diana
- # 8 - THE BIG SHOT 8's are the problem solvers.
They are professional, blunt and to the point, have good
judgment and are decisive. They have grand plans and like to live the
good life. They take charge of people. They view people objectively.
They
let you know in no uncertain terms that they are the boss.
Famous 8's: Edgar Cayce, Barbra Streisand, George Harrison, Jane Fonda, Pablo Picasso, Aretha Franklin, Nostrodamus
- #9 - THE PERFORMER 9's are natural entertainers
They are very caring and generous, giving away their last
dollar to help. With their charm, they have no problem making friends
and nobody is a stranger to them. They have so many different
personalities
that people around them have a hard time understanding them. They are
like chameleons, ever changing and blending in. They have tremendous
luck, but also can suffer from extremes in fortune and mood. To be
successful, they need to build a loving foundation.
Famous 9's: Albert Schweitzer, Shirley MacLaine, Harrison Ford, JimmyCarter, Elvis Presley
Geek's CornerEmail Etiquette
sumbitted by TerryLynn from Nanaimo, BC, CanadaIn the early days of the Internet, harmless fun could be had passing along a fun joke but these days it is generally considered a nuisance. And it can be more than a nuisance.
Part of the problem is that the ‘jokes’ are often forwarded without any editing. There’s often many, nested quote marks from having been forwarded so many times. This makes the humor content much harder to read.
Worse still, each forwarding often includes the email addresses of all the previous recipients. If this message is seen on an infected computer all those addresses can be ‘farmed’ and become targets for virus infection.
A sure sign of a novice email user is the unedited subject line that has lots of Re: and Fw: tags in the front.
If you do send on jokes via email, be considerate to your fellow emailers.
- Change the subject line to just the original heading.
- Consider prefacing the subject with a word like JOKE: or FUNNY: some companies insist on staff doing this for non-business related messages and it seems a good way to distinguish these messages from ‘normal’ email.
- Edit the message down so only the main text of the joke remains.
- Remove all quote marks > etc
- Remove all mentions of previous senders and receivers.
- Use Bcc (blind copy) when sending to keep your list of receipients confidential.
- And finally, be aware that some of these jokes are less than tasteful and might not be appreciated by some people who get your forwarded attempt at humor.
- After hitting reply, the edit window appears with the message. Then you can not only add your own text but trim the rest of text in the window.
- Scroll down the old message text to the place where you want to delete from. That can be anywhere you like – say, half way down a long set of messages (look on the scroll bar as a guide).
- From the point you choose, select from there to the end of the message (ie you select the oldest parts of the message thread) then hit the delete button. Presto! now you can reply with a much shorter message containing only the most recent exchanges as a reference.
I hope you have enjoyed this week's issue which I would like to close by sharing this email from Florida Marie:
HOW TRUE IT IS
Another year has passed and we're all a little older.
Last summer felt hotter and winter seems much colder.There was a time not long ago when life was quite a blast.
Now I fully understand about "Living in the Past"We used to go to weddings, football games and lunches.
Now we go to funeral homes, and after-funeral brunches.We used to have hangovers, from parties that were gay.
Now we suffer body aches and while the night away.We used to go out dining, and couldn't get our fill.
Now we ask for doggie bags, come home and take a pill.We used to often travel to places near and far.
Now we get sore asses from riding in the car.We used to go to nightclubs and drink a little booze.
Now we stay home at night and watch the evening news.That, my friend is how life is, and now my tale is told.
So, enjoy each day and live it up...
before you're too damned old!HAVE A GREAT WEEK
ORLD
IRCLE
OF 
RIENDS
