Nothing says it's time to head home
like an empty 16oz.
Dr. Bronner's soap bottle.
I've been on the road
over a month now
and it's starting to show.







I met my new pal Kennedy
at IHOP for breakfast
a few days after our magical meeting.
Howard the bear ordered the chocolate chip pancakes.


He's living happily
and huggfully
with a marvelous gal
who's given me
gift upon gift!

I just about fell apart
when she asked what was next for me.
Where will I live?
How will I earn a living?
What's the plan for getting SEND-A-HUG to take off.
YIKES!
She was friend enough to challenge me
and share her thoughts.
And as if that wasn't a priceless present
in and of itself
she gave me one of her beautiful
and I mean WOW!
STUNNING bracelets that retail
for more than any piece of jewelry I've ever owned.
I burst into tears!
What a gift --
the bracelet,
but even more
I know we'll keep in touch for life.

I've had moments delivering hugs
that have touched me forever.

Lester is another such moment
Lester is one of the lovely folks I met at Pearlington.
What a fellow, made me misty actually.
Thanked me but I feel that the debt of gratitude was mine.
He shared so much of himself
the pain of losing everything, the difficutly of having his family in Florida
while trying to rebuild their home in Mississippi.
In the photo above
Lester was wisking past me
and beamed when sharing that
all was looking up.
Couldn't happen to a lovlier fellow.
Strangely, coming across Lester
felt like running into family.

This young man was darling.
He's a little Teddy Bear himself.
It broke my heart when he asked me
to pose in his polaroid with him
so as not to frighten the child
who would be receiving the photo.











This sweet couple
made me feel special!
They wanted to keep a photo of
ME for themselves.









We're not the same age
but this little cutie pie and I
share the same birthday!
Hurray for Sagies!








And these little fellows are just plain darling!

A date for your calendars!
No, not my birthday sillies,
although...

December 1st -- the day the final HUG from the
SEND-A-HUGS maiden voyage was delivered!

Rather momentous my friends!

I was in search of a shelter or other such place
and was directed to a Methodist Church
who connected me to their Angel Program.

They have an Alzheimer's group, and Genie,
the gal who runs it
very sweetly pitched her folks
"We're really good huggers
and love to write notes.
Won't you please come?"

Can you imagine...
"Hmmmm, lemme think about it...
nope."



Of course I went.

I had 12 hugs left.
There were 7 folks in their group
although, John, the only man,
very adamantly passed.

No prob.

After all, if it's forced it's not a hug.
Then it's just alarming.



(but he did startle me)


Well, one of the gals who worked with the program perked up
after seeing I still had hugs left.
"I wanna hug."

They were all affected by the hurricane in some way or other

at the very least

the Angel Group could no longer meet 5 days of week
due to storm repercussions.

The other two nice ladies received their hugs
and just as I was out the door with my last three hugs
in walk two High school girls who volunteer their afternoons.

One hug left, and TWO more girls walked in.



Uh oh!
How the heck did I work that out?
Aha!
You're gonna have to stay tuned and find out.
Riveting, no?!!

=)







All this hugging's exhausting, I can't go on."






"What? We're going home? Hold on Grandma, I'm coming!
Heck, throw in a greenie and I'LL drive!"