elcome to our first issue of December, 2004 (Bigsis Original Design) Online Newsletter <bgsound src="jinglebellrock.mid"> Hello everyone! Loneliness and isolation affects our health in several ways including the likelihood of disease and premature death. Anything the promotes connection and community is healing. An open heart in relationships is so important to having a joyful life as well as to survival. When you feel supported you are more likely to be happy and healthy. I have learned in life that sacred is found not just in churches and synagogues, not just by looking for the extraordinary, but rather by finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Our Circle of Friends which began back in March 2001 proudly boasts the most elite group of everyday people doing extraordinary things on an International Scale. What has proven so important with the COF Community is not only how much you receive from it, but also how much you contribute. The success of our group is a direct result of the never ending support continuously being offered by our membership. It appears that the more we give the more we benefit. What do you think? One of our tools of communication is the weekly newsletter which I love putting together. It consists of news, humour, all sorts of things that have been sent to me from our membership. If you like what you see or you want to contact a member about what they have submitted or if you just want to pick someone (or everyone) and email them to say hello just click on their name and a message box will pop up and you are all set to send some joy! Everyone is welcome to send me "things" for the newsletter and I will do my very best to get them published. Another way we communicate with each other throughout the day is MSN Messenger and I have great news! There is a new Beta Version out - Version 7.0. Download it here today and join us for coffee. If you like I would be happy to put together a contact list consisting of members who currently use MSN Messenger. Messages from Members This morning (November 28/04) when I said about the rain fall that temporarily flooded my garden. It was indeed a freak storm. Agos came with her mum a few minutes after it had finished, I made some comment about them waiting for the the storm to pass, they both looked at me strangely. Then as each of the family came in from other parts of the city, I asked had they had got on with the rain. They all thought I had gone nuts. But the rain had been like a sheet off the gutters in the roof and the rain drains hadn't been able to cope. Today Sunday, in the paper, there is a report from one of their offices a few blocks from me. They saw the rain, and described it as coming with such intensity that they could not see across the street. They were all set to send teams out "to cover the flood" but all the reports said not a drop had fallen elsewhere. Apparently it had been a case of two blocks from me this way,a couple of blocks each side and no more than ten inland, less than a KM square!! bye for now Daphnefrom Argentina Hi Everyone! Here is the picture of Anita and I. I am on the left and she the right. Sharon asked me to write about my "Best Friend" Anita. and share with you the last three years of her /my life together. Three years ago, Anita was diagnosed with Lung Cancer, which also spread to her Lymphnodes. When she got the news she was already in Stage 3. She underwent many Chemo and Radiation treatments, which was very hard on her and all of us who loved her. After doing this for over a year and 1/2, The Cancer Metstized to her brain, causing many memory lapses. She underwent A type of Lazer surgery to the brain to shrink the cancer cells (which was a very painful procedure) only to not do any good. All this she did for the sake of her Son and grandchildren. She had her up days and down days, mostly very depressed all the time. I moved in with her and her mom to help out financially and moral support, But between my fulltime job and trying to help her through all this, I was getting totally wore down emotionally and physically. Then along came this stranger who moved in the neighborhood. He introduced himself and immediately was telling me about how he had cancer and how he was dealing with it, and he just seemed so positive. I was very impressed and was convinced he was sent by God as "OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL" Someone who would give her some hope and make her laugh again, and live what life she had left to the fullest. He gained her confidence, and she turned to him, She finally had someone who she could really relate and understand what she was feeling and going through. I was feeling a sense of relief of the pressures I was under and blinded myself to what this man was really doing. You see he conned her into letting him handle all her affairs, monies and whole life. I didnt even see it coming. But after all she went through with the cancer, treatments , Falling and breaking her Pelvis, she had a Massive Stroke. Which left her paralysed, and in and out of conciousness. She fought and fought to stay alive. (she was a very strong willed woman) once she had exhausted her stay in the hospital she had to be put into a nursing home. (at the age of 49) and this is when we found out that our guardian angel was indeed not, but the devil himself. He had cashed in her insurance policies, spent all of her monies, maxed out all her credit cards and had her in a total state of Poverty.( Now this is a woman who worked 12 hrs a day factory work, had also held two and three jobs just to keep a spotless financial record, and took pride in supporting her son and herself alone.) I felt I had let her down, I am the one who introduced them and left her wide open for ruin. Besides all that she wanted to go home to die, and I tried every way I could think of short of just quitting my job to bring her home. But I just could not do it. Once I finally accepted defeat, I went to her bedside, and told her, Anita I know why your still holding on, but I cant do it. Your family and the Drs. will not allow me to bring you home. Go my dear friend, the angels are waiting to take you home. Quit fighting , go with God and be at peace finally. I am going to take a vacation to see my family on Friday, You have been trying to get me to reunite with them for years. now it is time. It is ok for you to go you have fought a long hard battle . I want you to finally find peace. As I put my head on her chest and sobbed she put her hand on my head. (she had not been able to move that hand from the paralysis until then.) and then I knew she understood, and this would be my last time I would ever see her. I flew out for Chicago on Friday July 28th, and she passed away the next day July 29th. I was sitting out on my Uncles carport and there was absolutely no wind blowing at all, but the windchimes sounded the bells, and I knew she had gotten her wings! Sure enough an hour later I recieved a call that she was gone. She was not only my "best Friend" but also a very major part of my extended family. By my not coming back home for her Memorial service I feel as though I can have more closure. As she will never be gone in my heart. But as the holidays get closer and the memories flood back I am finding it harder to put any closure, there will not be My Anita here. No more arguing over not putting too much out or getting a big christmas tree. ( never was big on decorating for christmas she only gave in for me.)I will really be a lost soul this year. But I will have all the great memories of christmas' past. Please friends, Be sure and treasure what you still have, no matter how hard it is some times. never let your guard down on strangers who seem too good to be true. and most of all, be willing to do the most impossible, unselfish act. Tell them NOT TO HOLD ON....... it just puts off the inevitable, and causes more pain and suffering for your loved one. Remember, we are thinking of only ourselves when we tell them to keep fighting. It is not for them, it is for our own selfishness. In this day and age there are so many dying of cancer, and other dreadful diseases. If my story can help just one other person from going through all the hell, it will make me feel as though I have done some good in Anita's Memory. God Bless you all and have a healthy, safe and peaceful holiday season. My job, and the people I care for in my job, are my solice, and is what keeps me going strong. They are my TRUE "GUARDIAN ANGELS" GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIEND. LOVE AND PRAYERS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Your friend, Jami Erikson from Maryland. Thought I'd pop in and say "Hi." How is your Christmas shopping going? I'm proud to say I'm all done and gifts are all wrapped. Hopefully I'll be able to start my Christmas cookies next week. I know the family is expecting the tins full. With both parents working now days it's hard for them to being making anything from scratch. I'm half way done with my Sunday school classes for the craft gifts that the kids make every year for their gifts to family members. I have two teenage helpers this year, plus one mother. Thanks to one of my crafting buddies that she donated several boxes of supplies we got to continue this program again this year. Sure makes the kids happy that they can create something at no cost to them or the parents. We have a small church and tight with funds so this was a great help for us. Thanks to Jacky S. of NY for her donations. Always a great feeling to put smiles on someone's face. Hope your doing fine and enjoying the holiday season. Carol in Kenmore How ya been? Sorry I haven't been in touch in a while... my computer is down - the hard drive was going now it is completly gone so I am unable to go on line at home but I do check my emails often as i could, at work. I miss you all so much..........the bright side is I am getting it fix. It cost 100.00 just for the hard drive here and it on sale could you belive it?????????? Hope everyone is good and there families are too. Love you guys..................soon be back. You are always in my thoughts. Sheenafrom the Bahamas To the Top

In this issue... Messages from members News and Announcements Lets Do Lunch The Argentinean Chapter Ruby's Journal Tips & Recommendations Swaps Recipes Crafts Members Questions & Answers Fun Featured Sites Mystery Member Member of the Month Our Travelling Mascott Read all about our globe trotting mascot in her journal by clicking on the picture of her logo! Email Ruby and don't be surprised when you see your message in her online journal! I know she would love to hear from you. Ruby will soon be on her way to Ocean City, Maryland to spend Christmas at Becky's home. Congratulations Becky. If you want to get your name on the list for Ruby to visit you, just drop a line to Daphne from Argentina and she will add you. Who knows, yours just might be the name little Agos picks out.... as she is the one in charge of the draws. To the Top Recipes SNOWMAN PARTY STEW Youngsters will dig right into this playful potato-topped pie, loaded with ground beef and vegetables. The dashing details are easy to add after baking. 1 pound ground beef 1 package (16 ounces) frozen vegetables for stew, divided 1 can (10-1/4 ounces) beef gravy 2 cups mashed potatoes (prepared with a small amount of milk) 16 whole black peppercorns 1/4 cup ketchup In a skillet, brown beef; drain. Remove 24 peas and one carrot chunk from the stew vegetables; set aside. Add the remaining vegetables to beef. Cook until vegetables are thawed. Add gravy; mix well. Pour into an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Top with eight mashed potato snowmen, using 1 tablespoon of potatoes for each head and 3 tablespoons for each body. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, cut the reserved carrot into eight strips. Insert one strip into each snowman for a nose. Place three reserved peas on each for buttons. Add peppercorns for eyes. Drizzle ketchup between head and body to form a scarf. Yield: 6-8 servings. Note: If serving small children, remove the peppercorns. Do you have a recipe for us to enjoy? We would love for you to add it to all the wonderful recipes being collected in the WWWCOF Cookbook or email The Recipe Lady aka Claudia who will be happy to add them for you. To the Top Members Questions & Answers "How do you tickle a rich girl?" Say: "Gucci! Gucci! Gucci!" Regards, David from Jolly Old England. Kingsmere Crafts To the Top News & Announcements Just a note to say that i will be going in as out-patient to have my heart de-fibulated, they are going to get it regulated first then start working on other things next. my heart muscle had thickened and that is why i stay out of breath all the time. He wants to do this next Wednesday but might have to make it the following week due to getting my blood at the right level of Cumiden. Wish me luck, i had this done a few years ago but my heart was in a lot better condition, the chances of me to have a stroke is if i understood him right one in six, my chances of not de-fibulating (death) is one in five thousand i am scared this time. i guess the pace maker is as a last resort. Loretta Wood Christmas Wish Lists I told Woody all I wanted for Christmas was a large cutting mat and an expensive pair of pinking shears. The Wal Mart kind are not all that good ;-) Merry Christmas from Loretta Wood from the Yellow Rose State of the United States of America, TEXAS! Be sure to visit Loretta's sites; Loretta's Shoppe & Cloth Dolls For Fun On my wish list is a white Persian Kitty. I have always wanted a white Persian because the white represents, purity. The softness, represents tenderness and the purring, represents love. I would have the candles burning with soft music and reclined in my recliner with my kitty on my lap petting her and just mellow out for a while each night. Merry Christmas from Charla from Florida, USA. I want a creme brule set with the dishes and the torch to burn the sugar. I am a big fan of Creme Brule and I just hate restaurant prices and want my own set. Merry Christmas from Pami from New York, USA. (For any of you, like me, who do not know what a creme brule set is -- well I asked Pami and this is her reply: It's like a very rich custard and it then gets sugar put on it and get carmelized with a blow torch...you need to get one...they aren't that expensive and very good!! My Christmas wish really is absurd, All I really want is the means to raise the funds to give everyone I love a gift of something they need, and to be able to take part in all the Circle's fun swaps and with the security that ALL packets will be delivered. Impossible??? ah well, the impossible takes a little longer................Merry Christmas from Daphne from Argentina. For this Christmas � that has come around so fast for me (it seems that Christmas was only 3 months ago) I wish for the following: I wish for Good Health and happiness � this year has been a year for our family of sickness and to have 2005 without any illness would be wonderful � so just a prayer saying that we will get some good health in 2005 would be wonderful for us here in �The Land down under�, as for something that I want from the shop for Christmas at this stage I do not need anything. Bye for now � love Jeanette. ( a plane ticket to Canada would be nice ha ha ha ) � keep wishing. Merry Christmas from Jeanette from Australia. days 'til To the Top Mystery Member Daphne, correctly guessed Janet as our mystery member! Be sure to email each of these gals and get to know them better. Time for our next mystery member. Clue: Our Mystery Member this week is a mother of three whose favourite hobby is reading. Remember, at any time you think you know who the mystery member is please email me! The clues can be found throughout the Circle of Friends Members site and elsewhere on the many online sites. If you think it might be you..........you never know it could be!! Good Luck and......... Have Fun! If you have not completed your WWWCOF Survey yet please take a visit over to the Survey Page where you can easily complete and submit it online. To the Top Tips & Recommendations Be sure to visit this Holiday Stress Survival Guide DISCLAIMER: Tips reflect member suggestions and are not verified by the WWWCOF. To the Top Let's Do Lunch I understand that there may be a Let's Do Lunch soon taking place in Florida so be sure to watch this section for more information on that. To the Top Member of the Month Nominations Not one, or two, not even three but a whopping four way tie for our November's Member of the Month awards. Join me in congratulating our four winning members, Daphne; Pami; Bigsis Pat and Ruth. Nominations are now being accepted for the December Member of the Month so be sure to cast your ballot here today! To the Top The Argentinean Chapter Clay Oven It�s a useful piece of equipment, easy to build. This is a traditional oven, usually outdoors and complimentary to the usual cooking facilities of a home or a farm. Its origin goes back to before Roman times when it was used for baking bread. As a closed element heated by solid fuel, it was used for the first time in the Americas by the colonies in the XVII century. The taste and aroma of food cooked in one of these ovens is different, superior and almost primitive. The clay oven achieves a completely natural and tasteful cooking and the cook acquires an experience in the art of wood fire cooking which gives the meals a special country like flavour. There are many different forms of clay oven, but the one shown here is very much from the PAMPAS What things get cooked in these ovens? In different provinces of Argentina they make different style pasties (empanadas) and the traditional way of cooking them is in a clay oven, - sometimes referred to as the �devil�s cave� where they acquire the best tone on the outside, flavour and grade of juiciness on the inside.. After that comes, breads, different meats, chickens, fish, potatoes�.. In these clay ovens it works from the heat accumulated in its floor and walls once the fire has gone out. The usual measurements for a home oven is 1,00 to 1,30 meters in diameter, by 0,50 to 0,65 meters high. For years we wanted to build one of these ovens, since my husband� s speciality � pasties from his province of Salta north west Argentina, - are very popular with people he knows, but we just never got round to it. He has now installed a special gas oven which takes trays of 55 pasties at a time. Next week, a basic recipe. You can read more about Argentina, the country I adopted here Love from Daphne To the Top Swaps Keep your eye on section of the newsletter for our International Swap Information. Questions? Need additional information? Email our Swap Queen, Ruth. These exchanges are a lot of fun, they are inexpensive and are a great way to get to know the fantastic people who belong to this wonderful circle. Have a wonderful time doing these swaps!!! To the Top Newspaper Articles Tilbury Times - July/04 The Hastings Reminder

Hello everyone, Well here we are, the last month of the year. Where did it go? It certainly has been an interesting and exciting year all around the world. I invite you to visit the Vital Statistics Department December Celebrations Gallery. I acquired some neat photo imaging programs, so had a little fun creating the celebration cards for this month. Please take a moment and have a look. I think many of them are a hoot, and hope you will too. Birthdays and Anniversaries for December include: Bea Barnett on the 4th Norman Greene (Sharon�s son) on the 7th Darryl Broatch (Brit Pat�s hubby) on the 9th Peter Spanyi (Belinda�s hubby) 12th Rick Herring (our own Susie Q�s hubby) on the 14th Shadonna Ellis on the 15th Ivette Otero also on the 15th Justine Broatch (Brit Pat�s daughter) on the 25th Harve Skaines on Dec 28 Cosby Wilson on Dec 31 Kathy Newport also on Dec 31 Haley Mathena (Loretta�s granddaughter) also on Dec 31 Jayne & Darrell Melstrom will be celebrating their anniversary on the 16th Mary & Bill McWhinnie will be celebrating their anniversary on the 30th Please take a moment throughout this holiday month to send these folks your best wishes. To the Top And on the Trivia Page: Did you Know? December - the name comes from the Latin word 'decem' for ten. December was the tenth month of the year, then January and February were added at the start of the year. Charles Dickens published "A Christmas Carol" on December 19, 1843. Immaculate Conception is celebrated on Dec 8th Winter Solstice Tues., Dec. 21, 2004, marks the solstice�the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere Christmas Eve of course is on the 24th Christmas Day naturally follows on the 25th Boxing Day (is celebrated in Australia, Britain, New Zealand, and Canada )& Stephen's Day Dec 26 Kwanzaa is the African-American holiday about the festival of the first harvest of the crops. It begins on December 26, and lasts for seven days. The name Kwanzaa, sometimes spelled Kwanza, comes from a phrase which means "first fruits" in Swahili, an East African language. December 26 - January 1 New year's Eve , the last day of the year, Dec 31 From the Trivia Page you can link to the Countdown Page where I�ve included only Christmas Trivia And from there to the Holiday Recipe Page where you can find a few not so usual Holiday recipes I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and everyone one of you a Happy, Healthy and Joyous Holiday Season as well as a prosperous 2005. I hope you enjoy the December Trivia pages as much as I did putting them all together. Luv & hugs BigSisPat from Ontario, Canada Remember to take a moment to enjoy looking at some pictures Pat, aka Bigsis, from Ontario, Canada, is continually publishing online for us. You can link to it from the Vital Statistics home page More Photo Albums for your enjoyment! Member Albums To the Top FEATURED SITES Christmas Card Exchange Club The list of names and addresses of those 20 members participating in the Christmas Card Exchange has been emailed. If you have not received your list be sure to let us know. Do take a moment to visit the Christmas Card Exchange Club website. Do you have a favourite site that you would like to share with the members. Please let me know and I will be happy to put it in the newsletter. To the Top Crafts Trim Your Tree with Memories For a Christmas tree that's personal and nostalgic, deck a tabletop evergreen with photo ornaments. Start by gathering small snapshots or making color copies of your favorite pictures. Cut red, gold and green paper into mini mats with slits in the corners to hold the photos in place. Finish the ornaments with ribbon hangers (loop each one through a paper star) and enjoy your family tree. The WWWCOF Craft of the Month is coming our way January, 2005. Crafty Jayne from Kansas, USA and Loretta from Texas, USA are hard at working putting this together for us and I can't wait to see it get started. What fun we will have! Keep your eye on this section for updates. Be sure to check out all the wonderful craft ideas in the WWWCOF Craft Site and add your own favourites or email Crafty Jayne who will be happy to add them to our ever growing collection. To the Top Just for Fun Received this from Ontario Dorothy: A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary. Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said: "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior." John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in His behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?" Merry Christmas to all... and Happy Turkey Day! Be sure to visit our Computer Humour site! Email Daphne with any computer jokes you have and she will happily add them to this collection. To the Top I do hope you have enjoyed this week's issue which I would like to close with the following which I received from Melinda from Ontario, Canada: When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes". The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favourite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff". "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18 holes. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand". One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked," he said. "It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend."