Dear Reader:

” Life Lifters” are exactly what they sound like-moments of human bonding through funny or sweet little anecdotes that leave people smiling.

I love to be able to share a witty quip or joke with my doctors, medical technicians, surgeons or those in authority outside the medical field like bankers, realtors or even tax accountants. I have discovered that a few witty remarks and/ or sincere compliments start any exchange off on a better foot.

Even something as simple as ” You have made my day” leaves both you and the other person satisfied at the conclusion of a check-up or business meeting or even medical procedure.

In other words… I was fearful or nervous coming in… but you did a great job and left me feeling relieved and happy at the conclusion.

I read a true story last week about a lady who faced surgery for breast cancer-in her own unique creative way.

Before she was wheeled into the operating room she donned a propeller beanie on her head and a large, colorful sign on her chest that said GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT!

In the operating room a nurse saw the sign and asked her what it meant. She replied ” Well, when that surgeon cuts on me today I just want him to be in a REAL GOOD MOOD! ”

In the title photo there is a bottle of homemade white wine by my friends Ed and Roz Van Alstyne! ( Philosophie Chardonnay) Roz and I taught social studies at Alston Middle until she and her husband Ed moved to Indiana.

But thank goodness they return annually for a beach vacation and we always meet at Oscars for lunch! They followed me home to see the garden and believe me seeing them again definitely ” made my day”-along with the wine! 😘

You might have also noticed a box of a dozen mini-Bundt cakes in the title photo…but true confession… not only is the box not a baker’s dozen -there are only 11 little cakes left! I had a serious sweet tooth attack yesterday!

In medieval times… if a baker gyped a customer by shortchanging the size and amount of bread they could be flogged-so bakers started adding an extra wheat item -even two sometimes-13 or 14 so as not to be surprised by law enforcement and a flogging.

* I have decided to give all the mini-Bundt cakes to the grandchildren first-so the count gets lost in the joy of wolfing them down!

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Sadly if it looks like a storm, blows like a storm, lights up the sky like a storm … doesn’t mean it will rain like a storm! Maybe I need to tell the storm a joke?