Well, hard to believe December is here and the New Year is just around the corner. 2003!!!!! WOW!!

Well, I am sure many of you have been wondering where is Z? Not like her to not be in the chats especially at holiday time. Not like her to be online 24/7. Well my life has been turned upside down and will tell you I feel much like the story of The Perils of Pauline....but it would read Perils of Zilette.

So here is the tale of woe. As many of you knew I was to go on my yearly trip to Myrtle Beach to see my mother and Grams. This year not just for a visit but to help out cause my Grams is 93 and a wild woman (see - you wonder who I take after huh?) and my mother who is a young 75 was to have hip replacement. Seemed an easy task maybe six week huh? NOT! Instead they postponed mother's surgery three times. Twice because the components for the hip which did not arrive and the other for the West Nile Virus (no cure). For you that don't know what that is: well it is carried by mosquitos which South Carolina and Beach have many of - as a matter of fact they are special ones. Most of us have mosquitos that are large and fly about but not here. These mosquitos are small, black and buzzing and you can hear them coming ... buzzing on the way in saying "I am coming to suck your blood"... Nasty beasties. So not wanting to chance it the doctor wanted mother to give blood. Again NOT! Instead they sucked my brother and I for a pint for her just in case needed....So finally the surgery is done. So what next?

Well Jinna, my daughter big with child, gets into trouble. Nine days till baby Ember is due she get high blood pressure and toxemia, a dangerous thing for her and the baby. They put her in the hospital to try and get her blood pressure down and can not manage it. So here I am at MB - mother in the hospital - a 93 year old Grams that can not be left alone and my daughter and grandbaby in jeopardy. So we hire someone to watch Grams and I get on a plane back to Tennessee and go to the rescue.

Day before I had twisted my knee and it is hurting like crazy. Well everything turns out okay...she has the baby and other than a hard labor our Ember Autumn Brummit is born healthy and beautiful (only a little prejudice). Back on the plane and back to Myrtle Beach. By then my knee is useless and I am hobbling. Mother is about to get out of rehab and I have to go to the emergency room and they put me in a wheelchair. Okay so now you all know. I am still here mending but not able to go home yet. Praying for the 16th of December and returning to the bosom of my family and to full duties again.

I know you all have missed me *EG* and thank you for all the emails concern, and extra work you sent me. I am okay and Counseling Department has survived under my great staff, Zandetta and Leeta our AM's, Smile and Dracmus our TL's and all the great peeps that kept up the castle.

We will have a lot for you this month, Lord of the Rings Premier Party, Scrooge Simm, Poetry and Artists Contests, and a Christmas Staff Party but of course you are invited. So folks don't count us out, we are here and kicking and I will soon be there 24/7 again to annoy you all. Are you happy?

Seasons Greetings to All!!!!!

Commodore Zilette known as Z