So let's go !

Though you have tried to make your point
And continue to try to make your point
And you will forever continue to try
To make your point

It was
It is
And it will forever continue to remain
Unclear to me

Handy messages flew the sky
When life took back love in a romantic play
Living it up to luck
For a brand new try
And easy come was rife

No sooner I thank it a lot
Than it slipped away
Bestowing the second
That would make my life

Mae Linat © 2008

"So, like this dude had, like, a big cool kingdom and people liked him. But, like, his step-mom, or something, was kind of a selfish, and she forced her husband to, like, send this cool-dude, he was Rama, to some national forest or something... since he was going, for like, something like more than 10 years or so. He decided to get his wife and his bro. along...you know...so that they could all chill out together. But DUDE, the forest was reeeeal scary ...really man...they had monkeys and devils and like that. But this dude, Rama, kicked foughy with darts and bows and arrows... so it was Fine. But then some bad gangsta boys, some jerk called Ravana, picks up his babe (Sita) and lures her away to his hood. And boy, was our man, and also his bro., Lakshmana, pissed... And you DON't piss this son-of-a-gun cuz, he's a great warrior... all the gods were with him. So anyways, you don't mess with gods. SO, Rama, and his bro. get an army of monkeys... Dude, don't ask me how they trained the damn monkeys... just go along with me, ok... so, Rama, Laksh. And their monkeys beat up this gangsta in his ownhood. Anyways, by this time, their time's up in the forest...And anyways...it gets kinda boring, you know... no TV or malls like that. So, they decided to hitch a ride back home...and when the people realize that our dude, his bro. And the wife are back home... they thought, well, you know, at least they deserve something nice... and they didn't have any bars or clubs in those days...so they couldn't take them out for a drink, so they, like, decided to smoke ...and since they also had some lamps, they lit the lamps also... so it was pretty cooool...you know with all those fireworks...Really, they even had some local band play along with the fireworks..And you know, what, dude, that was the very first, no kidding..,that was the very first music-synchronised fireworks... you know, like the 4th of July stuff, but just, more cooler and stuff, you know. And, so dude, THAT was how, like, this festival started. Cool! Diwali rocks......

By: Rajani Sharma, for www.whereincity.com

I've learned -
It’s hard to say hello because I’m afraid to ever say goodbye. It’s hard to say I’m okay because sometimes I’m not.

I've learned -
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that’s been opened for us.

I've learned -
In life there isn't a rewind button to fix mistakes, you can only improve yourself and learn from them.

I've learned -
Love is an adventure, it's not a decision you make… it's a feeling, a connection made between two people that will ignite your desire to live an adventure together.

I've learned -
That you cannot make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned -
That no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.

I've learned -
That it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life is what truly matters.

I've learned -
That you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned -
That you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do but to do the best you can do.

I've learned -
That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned -
That no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.

I've learned -
That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned -
That it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.

I've learned -
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words because it may be the last time you’ll see them.

I've learned -
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned -
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned -
That regardless of how great a relationship is at first, the passion will fade and there better be something else to take its place or it will all come to an end.

I've learned -
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned -
That learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned -
That there are people who love you dearly but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned -
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned -
That my “best friend”, can do anything or nothing and have the BEST time…

I've learned -
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned -
That true friendship continues to grow, IF the work is done. Same goes for true love.

I've learned -
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned -
That you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I've learned -
That your parents won't always be there for you, but people who aren't related to you may take care, love and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't always biological.

I've learned -
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you. Forgiving them will proof how strong your friendship is and how good of a friend you are.

I've learned -
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned -
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned -
That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned -
That sometimes you have to put the individual ahead of their actions.

I've learned -
That we don't have to change friends, if we understand that friends change.

I've learned -
That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something completely different.

I've learned -
That there are many ways of falling in love… life would be meaningless without it.

I've learned -
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned -
That writing, as well as talking, can ease emotional pains.

I've learned -
That the paradigm we live in, is not all that is offered to us.

I've learned -
That the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon.

I've learned -
That although the word "love" can have many different meanings and it loses value when overly used.

I've learned -
That it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.

I've learned -
That silent company is often more healing than words of advice.

I've learned -
That if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your loved ones, the needs of others, your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I've learned -
That regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them terribly after they die.

I've learned -
That life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned -
That if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up.

I've learned -
That although it's hard to admit it, I'm secretly glad my parents were strict with me.

I've learned -
That if you want to do something positive for your children, try improving your marriage first.

I've learned -
That making a living is not the same thing as making a life.

I've learned -
That everything will always be ok in the end, so if everything isn't ok, then stay hopeful because it's not the end.

I've learned -
People are going to talk about you, especially when they envy you and the life you live. Let them, you affected their lives; they didn't affect yours.

I've learned -
You can close your eyes to things you don't want to see, but you can't close your heart to things you don't want to feel.

I've learned -
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartbreaks.

I've learned -
The greatest grieves are usually the ones we cause ourselves.

I've learned -
A friend is someone who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.

I've learned -
Life is a song ~ sing it. Life is a game ~ play it. Life is a challenge ~ meet it. Life is a dream ~ realize it. Life is a sacrifice ~ offer it. Life is love ~ enjoy it .

I've learned -
Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

I've learned -
You need to love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

I've learned -
That great loves and great achievements involve great risk.

I've learned -
Listen to a woman when she looks at you, not when she speaks to you.

I've learned -
We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.

I've learned -
The only normal people are the one's you don't know very well.

I've learned -
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

I've learned -
It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.

I've learned -
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

I've learned -
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached - do not adjust the goals adjust the action steps.

I've learned -
That I still have a lot to LEARN…

Fuck thinking you can't make it. It looks grim, life isn't fair, it wasn't meant to be. Fuck letting the devil win. Stop letting that nigga speak for you, stop letting him live for you. Stop living in that fear of trying and it fail. You gone fall a lot in your life time, just get your ass back up and keep pushing. I'm more motivated than ever. Don't let your mind blur your best judgment. Wake the hell up, you're not getting younger, shits gone be hard. IF I CAN MAKE IT, SO CAN YOU! I wasn't suppose to be alive when I was born, but I'M HERE! Scarred and battered, emotionally unstable. I'm still living life, with my flaws, I look in the mirror now and not give A FUCK of what others think of me. They can't pay for my medical bills they can't do shit for me but be a distraction that I refuse to pay attention to. Live life you only have one. Fuck anyone who tell you different. Babies are dying so you know your life isn't promised.

-N-

...to face your fears.  You have to do scary things, so you won't be afraid anymore.

~Daughter, 12

She asked me to blog these words.  Me, Son, and Daughter were walking from the food court back to our car.  I dunno.  I guess it just hit her, and I get this wide-eyed "ooh, Ma, I got a good one for you!" LOL.  You know the drill.  I can't even remember what we were talking about.  All I know is...when little teacher asks if I completed my assignment (posting this blog), I want to get a big, red happy face on my paper (nose and teeth included lol)  :-).

Hmm....scary things.  I reeeally could go down the street with this one.  But I'll just cover her words, and let them simmer after a high boil.  Marinating my fears in this Truth will do me some good....how 'bout you?  Got some scary things you need to do (or keep on doing)....to grow, get over it, succeed, BE?

I jotted down a few of my scary things....things I do, or want to do more often.  Looks like they 'boil down' to "just being Me" regardless.  Love, accept, approve...ME!

-  Letting go of the familiar/safe, to make room for the new/unknown
-  Doing things that show my weakness/vulnerability
-  Speak my Truth, no matter how others take it
-  Blogging about my fears *wink*

Your turn...if it's not too scary :).

]]> http://missaddicted.wordpress.com/?p=33 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:58:07 +0000 missaddicted http://missaddicted.pt-br.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/hope/ There's something to be said about a glass half full. About knowing when to say when. I think it's a floating line. A barometer of need and desire. It's entirely up to the individual. And depends on what's being poured. Sometimes all we want is a taste. Other times there's no such thing as enough, the glass is bottomless. And all we want, is more.

Most of our fantasies resolve when we wake, vanished to the back of our mind, but sometimes we're sure that if we try hard enough-we can live the dream....even though we know there's no such thing as 'happily ever after' or 'happy ending'...even though we don't believe any more..we still have hope..too much hope...where does it all come from?

Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be a new subject for a cookbook, Ljubomir Erovic is going to prove you wrong, with his new tome The Testicle Cookbook: Cooking with Balls .

Not content with pushing the subject matter, The Testicle Cookbook is " a multimedia cookbook complete with how-to videos on cooking testicle dishes. And most handy is the peeling of the testicle video. Including Testicle Pizza, Testicle Goulash and White Wine Testicles." The book is available to buy on Yudu in both English and Serbian.

Ljubomir is also the founder, organiser and driving force behind The World Testicle Cooking Championship. For more on this competitive cooking ~ Hey, the gals in the competitive eating stakes could get behind it (not just ball breakers, but ball eaters into the bargain ~ visit Ballcup, the championship website , which has been held annually in Serbia since 2004.

Nuts are good for us, are they not? We should be eating more legumes, should we not? (It is a legume, not a nut)

Here's a new take on the humble boiled peanut ~ add some flavourings to the boiling water. Ginger, star anise, chillis. Try cinnamom, nutmeg. Whatever flavours YOU want go with this friendly legume.

You have to use fresh unroasted peanuts in their shells. Cover them with water, put your flavourings in the pot and boil gently for about an hour. Eat when cool.

Which brings me to peanut butter. It must be one of the remaining unflavoured foodstuffs of our age. Maybe it too could do with a little added pep in its jar. Thai Peanut Butter, Vietnamese peanut butter, Peruvian Peanut Butter. I can feel a product range coming on.

Until then.... Game on!

-GameZo

Se funziona scriverò un post apposta per come "installarlo"

[audio http://www.federicoboni.altervista.org/mp3/music.mp3]

Prova mp3: Juve storia di un grande amore.mp3

siete pregati di dirmi se funziona grazie

{This is a re-post from Mike On The Road To Being A Writer blog}

When does is happen?

I am tired of dreaming. Knowing writing chose me and I seek to ignore it because of fear.  It tortured me everyday not to be writing and sending out my gift to the world and I could not figure out why.

I knew when I wrote for myself it made me feel like there was an amazing groundswell of emotions around me. Really. It is like that first love we all have. Remember that moment. Yes!!! Remember it. That was the first moment that you felt such emotion that you thought you would die if you didn’t see each other or talk to each other every minute of the day. That is what writing feels like for me and that is the joy I get from writing. And this joy must be shared with the world.

I want to live it. I feel it in the morning when the sun greets me. I see it in the faces of people and in the texture of nature, and then the words flow through me. I can reach out and touch with my imagination anything and put it into words that sometimes move me to tears. But tonight, tonight, something far more magical than seeing a fairy with wings or a doves sitting outside my window in the middle of winter happened. There was this certainty which clearly made itself known to me. Yes, to the life that is mine for the taking. Yes to writing and no to suffering behind the veil of illness, or depression, or whatever rock gets in my way of me sharing it with the world.

How can I write such beautiful stories and not share them with the world?

This is not right. I have been suffering far too long. I let fear stop me from being touched by God's voice. His voice comes to me and I can barely keep up with the words.

Be gone all of it now is what I say. And I am singing as I write, actually humming a lullaby I sang to my children when they were born when I took each one of them and bathed them in water. To see there blue eyes wide open, and I know some will say this is not so, but I swear that in those moments it was as if they were happy and they heard my song and it touched them. I knew it as sure as I know what I am saying in this letter.

'Yes Michael," my God says.

"You have waited lovingly for me to find my way," I say.

I know I can write a thousand pages of what was and another thousand pages of what might be, but I'll never know if I don't try.

Yes courage has found me now. The suffering over and over again has gone.

Oh I have been blessed and I always have known this, but I sought the safety of my little miserable existence because I was afraid.

I can't imagine doing anything else but write. There I said it. Write for God's sake.

Like a hundred splendid moons thousands have seen as I have, and I saw something in the moon's face just for me, while everyone else went about their lives. That is why I write and that is why I am going to begin. Yes I have written 11 books but you know what, they were practice. I never really began because I never really believed it mattered to anyone but me. If you want to really know what I think I believe it was my angels of my childhood who sent me the stories to write over and over to get it through my thick frozen skull that I could write and that I must write. I know this tonight.

This is the moment I have been waiting for all my life and its so ironic because that moment found me when I began my life. How ironic it took so long to realize it.

The art of writing finds you and that is what I know for sure and to deny this and to be afraid of this is absolutely ridiculous, but oh, it was very real to me.

Yes my friends I have opened the doors to my writing table for the first time without fear, and I have come home. My hands have put pen to paper to tell you about this joyous occasion. The next time they will begin a story and another and another until my last breath.

The birth of a writer begins now!!!!

With love and kindness and thanks,
Michael

When does is happen?

I am tired of dreaming. Knowing writing chose me and I seek to ignore it because of fear.  It tortured me everyday not to be writing and sending out my gift to the world and I could not figure out why.

I knew when I wrote for myself it made me feel like there was an amazing groundswell of emotions around me. Really. It is like that first love we all have. Remember that moment. Yes!!! Remember it. That was the first moment that you felt such emotion that you thought you would die if you didn’t see each other or talk to each other every minute of the day. That is what writing feels like for me and that is the joy I get from writing. And this joy must be shared with the world.

I want to live it. I feel it in the morning when the sun greets me. I see it in the faces of people and in the texture of nature, and then the words flow through me. I can reach out and touch with my imagination anything and put it into words that sometimes move me to tears. But tonight, tonight, something far more magical than seeing a fairy with wings or a doves sitting outside my window in the middle of winter happened. There was this certainty which clearly made itself known to me. Yes, to the life that is mine for the taking. Yes to writing and no to suffering behind the veil of illness, or depression, or whatever rock gets in my way of me sharing it with the world.

How can I write such beautiful stories and not share them with the world?

This is not right. I have been suffering far too long. I let fear stop me from being touched by God's voice. His voice comes to me and I can barely keep up with the words.

Be gone all of it now is what I say. And I am singing as I write, actually humming a lullaby I sang to my children when they were born when I took each one of them and bathed them in water. To see there blue eyes wide open, and I know some will say this is not so, but I swear that in those moments it was as if they were happy and they heard my song and it touched them. I knew it as sure as I know what I am saying in this letter.

'Yes Michael," my God says.

"You have waited lovingly for me to find my way," I say.

I know I can write a thousand pages of what was and another thousand pages of what might be, but I'll never know if I don't try.

Yes courage has found me now. The suffering over and over again has gone.

Oh I have been blessed and I always have known this, but I sought the safety of my little miserable existence because I was afraid.

I can't imagine doing anything else but write. There I said it. Write for God's sake.

Like a hundred splendid moons thousands have seen as I have, and I saw something in the moon's face just for me, while everyone else went about their lives. That is why I write and that is why I am going to begin. Yes I have written 11 books but you know what, they were practice. I never really began because I never really believed it mattered to anyone but me. If you want to really know what I think I believe it was my angels of my childhood who sent me the stories to write over and over to get it through my thick frozen skull that I could write and that I must write. I know this tonight.

This is the moment I have been waiting for all my life and its so ironic because that moment found me when I began my life. How ironic it took so long to realize it.

The art of writing finds you and that is what I know for sure and to deny this and to be afraid of this is absolutely ridiculous, but oh, it was very real to me.

Yes my friends I have opened the doors to my writing table for the first time without fear, and I have come home. My hands have put pen to paper to tell you about this joyous occasion. The next time they will begin a story and another and another until my last breath.

The birth of a writer begins now!!!!

With love and kindness and thanks,
Michael

{posted also on Cafe Crem where I happily devote some of my energy to my friends there.}

There are plenty of crazy ways to risk your life - driving a motorbike at top speed into a parked van, lying pink-faced while a truck drives over your stomach, and allowing yourself to be trapped and handcuffed in a spinning washing machine - but while most people wouldnt entertain such foolishness, stuntmen are queueing up to sample them all.

Check it:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1061431/Do-try-home-From-wing-walking-granny-washing-machine-Houdini-worlds-craziest-stunts.html

WASHINGTON - President Bush and the two men running to succeed him raised the political stakes dramatically Wednesday in the great bailout debate of 2008, effectively stamping a "too big to fail" sign on congressional efforts to pass a pre-election economic rescue plan.

With the outcome all but assured, details and a timetable for passage of an unprecedented federal intervention in the capital markets remain to be settled. And both John McCain and Barack Obama will be able to claim credit for winning changes in the administration's original plan — some of which the White House has already accepted.

"The whole world is watching to see if we can act quickly," President Bush said early in the week, before his proposal ran into criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike.

So, too, the American electorate, six weeks before choosing between two presidential candidates, now staging side-by-side auditions for the job of national crisis manager-in-chief.

With Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke issuing dire warnings daily, Bush arranged a prime time address to the nation. It was designed to rescue the rescue plan that Bush sent to Congress less than a week ago after he was told that earlier, piecemeal bailouts had not restored confidence to the markets.

Alternative Student Loans Filling an Ever-Widening Gap

Student Loan Interest Rates to Reach Record Lows

Mortgage Loan Search Announces New Low Rate Loan Finding Tool

Loosening The Grip Of Student Loan Debt

With less than four months remaining in office and approval ratings in the 30 percent range, Bush's persuasive powers are as uncertain in Congress as they are with the public.

It was a point some Republicans were willing to make, uncharitably at times.

"It's a tough sell to most of our members," said Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., after a closed-door meeting with Paulson and Bernanke. "It's a terrible plan, but I haven't heard anything better."

"They sold the war, they sold the stimulus package and some other things. It's the 'wolf at the door'" argument, said Davis, who is retiring at the end of the year.

If Republicans weren't exactly clamoring for Bush to show them the way, Democrats insisted the president step up, for reasons of their own.

"It is time for him to explain why his administration sat on its hands for months and only now has come to realize the need for immediate and unprecedented government action," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

"It is time for him to explain how he could tell our country for months that our economy was fine, yet overnight declare that if American taxpayers don't accept his bailout bill, our country will face an economic disaster."

Translation: Neither Reid nor House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intended to put their rank and file in the position of voting for legislation that Republicans could oppose and then use as a campaign issue against them. But if many Republicans were planning to vote for the measure eventually, they were quiet about it on Wednesday.

While Bush was exercising his presidential powers, would-be successors McCain, the Republican, and Obama, the Democrat, were trying out for his job.

grants to pay off student loan default
aes student loans
grants to pay off student loans gov

McCain, trailing once more in the race for the White House, announced he would return to Washington to help work on legislation. He suggested he and Obama hold around-the-clock meetings with congressional leaders and administration officials until they had reached an agreement, and he said this Friday's presidential debate should be rescheduled in deference to the crisis.

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It's about striving to reach someone, or touch someones feelings.

It's about understanding and being understood instead of judged.

This is my wish for the new Jewish year...

Oh, what rain! The clouds had opened wide and raindrops danced down on the Wood for ten days and nights. Now, the grownups knew this would mean lots of plants and berries for them to eat in the summer, but for the little ones, it meant lots of days with nothing to do. They had colored and cut and pasted until they could simply do no more. They were all so bored, and their parents were even running out of ideas to keep them busy. But finally, the rain was over!

Bitsy Bunny was fast asleep when she felt something shining in her eyes. She opened one eye and peeked out.

"Could it be? Could it really be?" she thought, as she jumped out of bed and ran to the window.

"The sun! The sun!" she shouted, jumping up and down. "I didn't think we would ever see you again! Why did you let it rain for so long? Well, never mind. I'm just so glad you're back. I must go tell Mama.

Bitsy quickly ran to tell Mama the good news. "Mama, Mama! Isn't it wonderful? It's just the best thing that could happen, don't you think?" Bitsy asked excitedly. She was running and jumping from window to window waving her paws and looking so happy!

Mama laughed and said," Gracious Bitsy, I guess you've seen the sun this morning!"

"Oh yes, Mama! May I go outside and play?" Bitsy asked.

"First, I think you should have some breakfast and give the sun a chance to dry up the ground a little, OK?" Mama said.

Bitsy nodded and they walked into the kitchen together.

While Bitsy was finishing up her breakfast, she kept staring out the window. She wanted to make sure the sun wasn't going to let those nasty rain clouds chase him away again.

As she watched outside, she saw the little chipmunks. They seemed to be heading for her house.

Bitsy ran to the front door and opened it just as the bell rang. "Hi gang!" said Bitsy, "Isn't it a wonderful day?"

"We were so happy to see Mr. Sun," one little chipmunk answered, "But we think our Mama was even happier. She thought we should get some fresh air so she could get some rest, so, here we are!"

Bitsy's Mama had come over to the door and chuckled a bit. "Well," Mama said with a wide grin, "I guess you kept your mama pretty busy during the past ten days!" Then, turning to Bitsy, she said," You may go out and play, but please, try not to get into any mischief."

"Let's go!" Bitsy shouted, and she hopped out the door just as fast as she could, with her little playmates happily scurrying close behind.

The sun was drying up the Wood very nicely, and Bitsy and the Chipmunks were having a wonderful time playing tag and chasing butterflies.

Finally, Bitsy sat down next to a very large puddle to rest. Suddenly, Bitsy heard a voice! "Hello", someone said.

"Hello to you, too", Bitsy replied, but when she looked around, she didn't see anyone but the Chipmunks, and they were still playing tag over by the trees.

"Gosh, that's funny," Bitsy thought, and began to playfully splash the water in the puddle with her little paws.

"Please don't hit me!", cried the voice.

Bitsy jumped back, very frightened. She called to the Chipmunks, and, slowly, they all walked back to the puddle.

Suddenly, there was a little splash in the water! It was a fish! A little fish!

"My goodness," said Bitsy, "What are you doing in there, little fish?" The little Chipmunks were amazed to see the little fish in the puddle and thought Bitsy was very brave to speak to him.

"My name is Walter," replied the little fish."The stream where I live overflowed its banks, so I've been doing some exploring. I feel like I'm swimming on land! Boy this rain was great! By the way, who are you?"

"My name is Bitsy. Bitsy Bunny," said the little bunny, "And these are my friends, the Chipmunks. It's very nice to meet you."

Bitsy looked around and suddenly seemed very serious. Then she asked little Walter, "How are you going to get back to your stream?"

"Well, I'm going to swim back, of course," he replied very matter-of-factly.

Bitsy looked around again, and in a low, worried voice, she said, "I don't think so Walter. You see, you're not in a little stream any more. You're in a puddle! I guess the sun has dried up the little stream you used to get here."

Walter gulped. "Uh oh", he said worriedly, "I'm in a lot of trouble, aren't I?"

"I think you're right," Bitsy answered.

Bitsy and the Chipmunks were sitting by the puddle trying to decide how to help poor Walter when another little friend came over to join them.

Tommy Raccoon walked over and sat down next to them. He looked into the puddle and jumped up! "Let's go fishing!" he shouted excitedly, and he jumped right into the puddle!

"Tommy, get out of there!" Bitsy yelled. " Walter is our friend. He is in trouble and we're trying to figure out how to help him!"

Tommy jumped out of the water, shook himself off and said, " Gosh, Bitsy, I didn't know he was your friend. I'm sorry."

"Walter has a problem, a big problem" Bitsy began. "We must find a way to get him back to his stream before this puddle dries up. Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Well," one of the Chipmunks said, "Couldn't we just carry him to the stream? After all, it's not very far."

"No," Bitsy replied, shaking her head. "Walter has to stay in water. Somehow, we have to change this puddle back into a little stream so Walter can swim home."

Bitsy stood up. "Come on, gang. Let's go get some help. Now, Walter, you stay here, okay?"

"I don't think I can go very far in this puddle," he replied, trying to smile.

The friends trotted down to the pond, hoping someone there might be able to help them with their problem. But when they got there, no one was about except the Beavers. The Beavers were always so busy!

As Bitsy watched the Beavers, she thought very hard about how to help Walter. Slowly, she stood up and began to smile.

"If the Beavers can turn part of a stream into a pond, by making a beaver dam, couldn't they just sort of do it backwards, and turn Walter's puddle into a stream?" Bitsy asked.

"That's a great idea, Bitsy," exclaimed Tommy. "But the Beavers are always busy working! Do you think they would have time to help?"

"There's only one way to find out!" called Bitsy as she began to race around to the other side of the beaver pond to find help.

By the time the others ran around the pond, Bitsy had already explained her problem to Mr. Beaver.

"Well, Bitsy," said Mr. Beaver, "Making ponds from streams is not quite as easy as it looks, and making a puddle flow back into a stream could be even harder, but why don't you take me to the puddle and I'll see if I can help."
"Hurray!" shouted the friends and they all quickly scurried back to Walter's puddle.

Mr. Beaver looked things over very carefully. He scratched his head and then walked over to the edge of the stream. He saw where the nearby stream cascaded down the rocks and how, with all the rain, it had overflowed to form what was now Walter's puddle. "Hmmmm", said Mr. Beaver, then he walked back to take another look at the puddle. Finally, he told Bitsy he could indeed get Walter back into his stream, and everyone cheered! "We're going to have to all work together though", he told them.

Starting at the cascading stream, on a rise just a little bit above Walter's puddle, Mr. Beaver, Bitsy, the Chipmunks, and Tommy all began digging a trench. They scratched and pawed at the damp ground until the small trench stretched from the splashing stream, all the way back to Walter's puddle.

Sure enough, the little trench began to divert a small flow of water from the stream. The first trickle of water in the trench quickly became wider and deeper, and the water began to run faster and faster. When the flow of water finally reached the puddle, Walter was free! He could swim his way back through the water-filled trench and safely reach the bubbling stream.

"Oh, thank you all so much!" said a very happy little Walter. "You're the best friends anyone could ever have!"

"Mr. Beaver showed us what to do, and working together made it easy!" Bitsy said to Walter.

Then she continued, "Walter, why don't you come back and visit us again? If you swim up the stream and wait under the bridge, we'll know where to find you."

Then, looking at Tommy, (who had on his best "Who, ME?" face), she continued, "No one ever goes fishing under that bridge!"

"That would be great!" replied Walter. "But right now I'd better get home. Everyone is probably worried about me. 'Bye everyone! Thanks again!". And with a splash, Walter was gone!

Bitsy, feeling quite content with herself, raced Tommy Raccoon and the Chipmunks back to her home for a mid-morning snack of carrot cookies and milk.

"Boy", Bitsy thought with a smile,"Helping others sure makes you hungry!"