63002100

It's summertime again and that means freezie pops. Okay- freezie pops are an all year commodity, but the only true time to enjoy them is in the 90+ degree heat. When that cold ice hits your mouth it feels like relief. Relief from the heat and relief from whatever else is bothering you. The hot air melts the ice and allows for easy access of the popsicle. You can not just chew on the ice; instead, the ice must melt in your mouth unlocking the flavor from the pop (cherry, raspberry, lemon, pineapple, green, pink...). By far the best part of the experience is the melted juice at the end after the ice has melted. The concentrated artificial flavoring is still ice cold and as refreshing as ever. There could be no better ending to a delicious freezie pop than a gulp of liquid perfection. What is the price for this small piece of joy? About 5 cents a pop! I doubt you can find a better bang for your buck for summertime bliss.

02010106

My mother has been running our church's blood drive for the past several years. Every year she asks me to give blood, but I refused to donate because of my running. This year I could not say no to my mother's request. I drove down to Virginia Beach and signed up for a time slot. I got to wait in line for an hour while I kept getting more and more nervous. My whole family was there to support me- even my father was checking on me as he donated two times what I did. Giving blood was not a problem. My nervousness was misplaced. I will have to donate blood more often from now on. I may never catch up to one of the men at the blood drive who has given 11 gallons of blood (88 pints). If I gave one pint of blood every 8 weeks it would take me 13.5 years (that would be overdoing it I think). I hope to at least donate twice a year if I am able.