Some days are diamonds...

"You draw a line in the sand with this kind of a disease, a line you feel you won't cross. Then something changes, and the line moves. Something happens and you want to live even longer. On the other hand, some changes bring the line closer, forcing you to contemplate that which you do not want to see. The end of my life is a moving target, just at a closer range than most, and with a higher degree of certainty. Today that line looks distant. Yesterday it looked a lot closer. Pillar to post."
Richard McBride: Richard is Living with ALS

Well said, Richard! What I especially like about ALS bloggers is we often give words to others' feelings...we articulate what they're thinking. At least, I know they (Vivian Connell, Richard, Sarah Coglianese , Shelly Austin Hoover, Patty Blake, Rick Raker and others) speak for me. I can only hope I speak for or give comfort to others with ALS, or those who are going through hard times with other issues.

I attended a retirement reception for five MSU-Northern staff, including myself, yesterday. Also retiring was my beloved supervisor John Donaldson. He lost his wife, Kathy, to cancer earlier this year. So between his speech and mine (delivered admirably by Dolan in my stead), it was pretty tearful. We both love Northern so much. We received beautiful clocks as thanks from Northern, but the best gift was the opportunity to work with students.

My retirement clock

The SSS Gang plus Dolan and LV