I can't complain but sometimes I still do - Life's been good to me so far.

Back in the Day, originally uploaded by Sandra Maynard.

Last week was Thanksgiving and I skipped the obligatory "what I'm thankful for" post. I guess I'll do it now, because I've been thinking a lot lately about some things I take for granted. Most of those things are my friends and family. I have good friends and a great family and I'm lucky because I think I ignore them too much. Ever since I was diagnosed with breast cancer everyone's well-wishes and sympathy have been a source of strength. I keep wondering how I would be handling all this if I were still single, and not making the feeble attempts I make now to keep the friends I have?

Poor Brenden is probably wondering if his mom is trying to hug him to death.

Speaking of friends, this photo is of me, Fred Stucky, and Alton Ricketsen from 1985 or so. Fred had an apartment with his girlfriend in downtown Statesboro, where we all attended college. Georgia Southern College, mind you - it wasn't a university at the time.

I don't know why, but Jon had insomnia last week and went digging for photos to scan. He placed this one up on Flickr, which Alan saw and commented on. (Helly's husband). He started ruminating about Fred and behold the power of Google: Fred's still playing music. Alan and Fred exchanged emails, then I wrote him.

Alan is another old college friend, and Fred, Alan, and I were all disk jockeys at the college radio station (WVGS, all 10 watts of power!). Fred and I (and later Alton) formed a band. I hope Fred doesn't mind but I'll quote an email he sent me:

To see you and Alton smiling and young on that hot Ga rooftop with the theater behind is just such a beautiful snapshot of a wonderful youth in a great time. I think of you every so often and how you taught me some chords and were so kind to take on bass instead of guitar. How you donated your amp so I could by a fender twin reverb. How we switched off when we played "shadowplay" and I played bass and you guitar. You had that solo down note for note. Such deep impressions these musical memories were for me. To date the only band I've been in that went from Joy Division to Elvis and Gene Vincent in the same set.

Thank you, guys, for everything. I'll have Jon post for me if I can't get internet access from the hospital (or I'm enjoying the Demerol too much).