and lurkers. If Hollywood ever makes a movie about my life. This month will be entitled Four Graduations and a Funeral. The most touching graduation will be tomorrow morning. My younger, long time friend that lost her husband in October will see her first child graduate from the DeBakey High School for the Medical Professions. She is with the wonderful Italian family that I always spend Thanksgiving with. Her son wants to build and design better prosthetics for people. He is very bright, responsible, and really could do anything he wants...and he chose this. In fact, he has the personality and manual dexterity more fitting a reconstructive plastic surgeon. We are so proud of him. He will go to UT-Dallas. We have him all set up so Mom will not have to worry about him.

Last night was the most difficult and emotionally wrenching thing I have done in a long time. A former co-worker and friend lost her only daughter to spinal cancer several days ago and the wake was last night. My co-worker is the sweetest and most creative person I know. Her daughter was in her early 30's and just really getting started. My friend and I would always talk and laugh at the crazy things our daughters would do. Her daughter complained about headaches and had some trouble walking. They went to the ER just thinking she maybe had migraines. It was advanced spinal cancer diagnosed in the ER. She was given 4-6 months at that time. Well, my friend took a leave and spent most of the time battling Docs that basically wanted to to use Cassandra as a guinea pig. My friend and her daughter accepted the eventual outcome and wanted to make her time as pleasant as possible. She lived almost 2 years after the diagnosis. During that time, there wasn't but a few days that I didn't think about or pray for my friend and her daughter. My friend, who is Cajun, told me that she didn't have time to cry while her daughter was alive, but that she would have plenty of time for tears later. Well, the dam bust last night. I know now even more so what the inconsolable cries of grief sound like. It just makes your blood chill.

I will wait a few days but I will visit my friend through out the summer. A strong pot of coffee and a sympathetic ear goes a long way to help mend a broken heart

So my dear Marketeers, our treasure is not only measured in money but in friend ships too. In really difficult times, I personally would rather have a few good friends than a pocket full of gold. Just something to think about.

Happy hunting and watch out for the bears.