Things to Cherish

• Falling in love.
• Laughing so hard your face hurts.
• A hot shower.
• No lines at the Super Walmart.
• A special glance.
• Getting mail.
• Taking a drive on a pretty road.
• Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
• Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
• Hot towels out of the dryer.
• Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half price.
• Chocolate milkshake.
• A long distance phone call.
• A bubble bath.
• Giggling.
• A good conversation.
• The beach.
• Finding a $20 bill in your coat from last winter.
• Laughing at yourself.
• Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
• Running through sprinklers.
• Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
• Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
• Laughing at an inside joke.
• Friends.
• Falling in love for the first time.
• Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
• Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
• Your first kiss.
• Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
• Playing with a new puppy.
• Late night talks with your roommate that keep you from sleeping.
• Having someone play with your hair.
• Sweet dreams.
• Hot chocolate.
• Road trips with friends.
• Swinging on swings.
• Watching a good movie cuddled up on a couch with someone you love.
• Wrapping presents under the Christmas tree while eating cookies and drinking eggnog.
• Song lyrics printed inside your new CD so you can sing along without feeling stupid.
• Going to a really good concert.
• Getting butterflies in your stomach every time you see that one person.
• Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
• Winning a really competitive game.
• Making chocolate chip cookies.
• Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
• Spending time with close friends.
• Seeing smiles and hearing laughter from your friends.
• Holding hands with someone you care about.
• Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
• Discovering that love is unconditional and stronger than time.
• Riding the best roller coasters over and over.
• Hugging the person you love.
• Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much-desired present from you.
• Watching the sunrise.
• Getting out of bed every morning and thanking God for another beautiful day.

What I cherish most: Hearing G say, "I love you, Mama."

The Italian Tomato Garden

An Old Italian man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his tomato garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.

Dear Vincent,

I am feeling pretty badly because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me.

Love, Dad

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Dad,

Don't dig up that garden. That's where I buried the bodies.

Love, Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. The next day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Dad,

Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances to help out.

Love you, Vinnie

Surely I Can't Look That Old?

Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, "Surely I can't look that old???"

Well... You'll love this one.

My name is Alice Smith and I was sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist.

I noticed his DDS diploma, which bore his full name. Suddenly, I remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in my high school class some 30-odd years ago. Could he be the same guy that I had a secret crush on, way back then?

Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such thought.

This balding, grey-haired man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate. After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he attended Morgan Park High School.

"Yes. Yes, I did. I'm a Mustang," he gleamed with pride.

"When did you graduate?" I asked.

He answered, "In 1975. Why do you ask?"

"You were in my class!" I exclaimed.

Then...

THAT UGLY

OLD, BALD, WRINKLED,

FAT ASS, GREY-HAIRED, DECREPIT

SON-OF-A-BITCH ASKED:

"What did you teach?"