Hi All,

Recently it was brought to my attention that some people are getting the wrong impression about Don in Hollister and me too. I thought since Sunday is usually a slow day in earthquakes I'd try to clear this up. Of course this Sunday isn't as slow as it usually is. Go figure.

I guess I should clear up the matter regarding him drinking beer. While he may have the occasional Corona Beer with his onion and garlic sandwich as he labors over making his predictions, that may be the only beer he drinks all week, or maybe two weeks. The exotic beers I've given him from time to time like Flat Tire, Double Bastard and Moose Drool are interesting, but he only ever drinks one and sometimes we share a bottle so he doesn't even drink a whole one. Someone said I was poisoning him with these types of products. I doubt that would be true unless he drank one or more a day or one a day for weeks.

Don isn't really an excessive personality. He rarely even drinks wine as it's not his favorite and he hates Hard Lemonade which is my favorite. He doesn't over eat, he's not a gambler, but he is excessive when it comes to taking care of his friends. If someone has to go to the hospital or needs a ride to the bus at the wee hours of the morning, he'll be there. Many of his friends he has known since childhood. He and his best buddy help their other friend who owns a ranch by cutting down the ground squirrel population. He likes to do that, not just to kill small furry things, but because he has quality time to pass with people he likes. He also loves to ride Ole Reno a cow horse. He goes out to his friends place early in the morning and saddles him up and off they go up into the hills to see the sunrise. I think that's probably one of his favorite things to do. We've never been horseback riding together because I'm afraid of horses. He's tried to get me up close to them and once I did pet one on the nose. I think that was in Parkfield, but that's as close as I'm gonna get. I have a fear of any animal with large teeth, but Don says that's not the end I should be concerned with. I don't know he means by that.

We've known each other for seven years. He isn't my husband and thank goodness for that. Honestly, we can only get along for a maximum of four days and by then it's real testy. I know he feels the same way. He really likes good jokes though. We have a personal rating system as to what is the funniest thing. If you don't wet your pants laughing its not number one. We laugh a lot about stupid stuff. He also likes to sing weird little songs. I don't know where that stuff comes from, but he loves to sing them to people. His singing is ok too. Unlike mine, he says he can't stand to hear me sing. I thought it was good, but who knows, we all hear different tones.

I got a new computer yesterday and have been ill as well with a serious gum infection and he's been here taking of the computer and me. Did you notice that I said the computer first? Yep, he loves the computer. I couldn't run my Hazus program on my current computer, so next week maybe we'll shake up Catalina Island once and for all. Though he is better at understanding what a computer will and won't do and seeing to the spyware and that kind of thing, I told him I just need it to run without any effort on my part and the CD player has to work.

So Don isn't an alcoholic and I'm not poisoning him with weird beer or my cooking either, I know for a fact that if you are his friend you will probably be so for the rest of your days or his, whatever comes first. To me he is the value of ten men and probably three women. Believe me he is far smarter than most people think and very good with a gun too. And he has refused to teach me how to shoot one. I wonder why? He is always nice no matter what and a perfect gentleman as well.

I'd say more, but I don't feel that good. In a couple of weeks he'll tell you some kind of tale about getting me home from the oral surgeons office after they knock me out and it will probably be all true too. I can't wait to see if I remember any of it. The last time he had to get me home loosy goosey from the hospital he had a he.l of a time getting me into the house. I don't remember much about that, but from his perspective it was hugely funny. Ah well, all in day spent with the best friend anyone, especially a woman could have.

I hope he lives forever,

Petra