And I am late writing my column, because I am getting old, I guess. I seem to think I have this, that and other things to do, and sometimes the column gets behind. Sorry if you missed me last week.

I want to wish Berta Ownbey and Ralph Sullivan all the good luck in the world in their recent marriage. Berta worked for years at the Gentry paper, and when someone said she was getting married, I was thrilled for her. While at the store, she and her blushing groom were behind me, so I got to chat with the happy couple. They neither one looked a day over 62, so marriage at 82 must be good for them.

Happy Birthday to some who celebrated in October! Robert Martin - everybody’s boyfriend, sorry, Jane, I had to say that - Desiree Ellis, Don Gilbert, Corwyn Stabel - he must be 4 now, but he is every body’s boyfriend too - Gary Ruebush, Brien Katsuren, Samra Shedell, Peggy Still, Julie Herod, Frances Miller, Morris Herod, Brian Garbutt, Sandee Nash, and Roy Baer had birthdays last month. I almost forgot Joy and Dana Christensen, and Wildeana Smith. So many good wishes to these people! And the sad thing about birthdays is that you wake up the next day and you have to wait364 more days for another reason to party. I guess we can be thankful to God for our birthdays, and that we are alive, every day.

My condolences go out to the Norris family in the loss of Logan. My daughter said her classmates were praying for them at school. I thought that was sweet. More prayers need to be said at times like this, and less questions asked. It is so sad that people think something like a fight or break up or any thing is reason to want to die, but when a person is young, sometimes that is the case. All too often, however, it is the case when we get old, too. Thinking you are notloved is a sad thing.

November is American Diabetes Month, so it is a time to communicate the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of prevention and control of Diabetes. My mom had diabetes, as did othermembers in my mom’s family, and so last week when my mother-in-law called and said she had been prescribed a blood testing machine, I knew that was not good news. But it is good news because a person should try to keep on top of their blood sugar numbers, and this is the best way to do it. I hope that Ruth is able to take good care of herself, and manage this disease OK.

Enjoy Thanksgiving with the family, and have a wonderful start of a holiday season. Don’t over spend, but spend enough to make yourself happy.

God bless you through the rest of this year.

Opinion, Pages 7 on 11/17/2010