Hi folks. Many of you have or are sending me pennies from Diane Taylor, or having her send them. I have several now, waiting to be mounted and sent off. I am asking you all to please be patient with me. The first few batches flew off within days of my receiving them. These next few may take some time. My little girl, Tasha, had some minor bacterial infection, I was giving her medicine, and she was getting better, and was her happy, energetic self, until about Tuesday, when she started a downward swing. By Thursday she wasn't eating, and off to the vet she went. I was up all night Thursday doing hourly feedings and giving her as much water as I could give her. This continued into the next morning, but I could tell she was not getting better, so back to the vet at noon, and they kept her. Friday night she seemed to show improvement, I think the sub-Q fluids did her well. She was able to hold her head up, though wobbly, and look for me when I put her back in the incubator. But her body temperature was falling, instead of rising, and her liver and kidneys were working overtime. She made it through the night, and saturday morning the vet said she had improved some. I visitied her in the afternoon, sat at the incubator and petted her little head and nose, and waited for the vet to come talk to me about her progress. Shortly after I was told my file was up next, Tasha sighed and stopped breathing. The vet and tech who were back there trying to get a blood sample from a dog sped to my side and whisked her off, trying to bring her back to me, but she was gone. I am numb and literaly sick with grief, even today. I couldn't sleep last night. I am having company from out of town tonight and I have had to continue preparing my home through my tears. I am spent. So please forgive me, I do not have the will or the energy to work on your necklaces at this time. In several days, when I can think past this cloud of sadness, I will get started on them. Melissa Kuzara Mira, Robin, Samurai, O'dell and Nietzsche Missing Booboo, Cael and Tasha, my little star [Posted in FML issue 3879]