Oh, thank you

You have all been so incredibly kind and loving and supportive.

Betty and I have been so warmed and touched by all the sweet notes and incredibly lovely sentiments sent our way. Most of you don't actually know me, and none of you have even met Betty, and yet you've sent such love and hugs and support.

And then yesterday, as we were staggering around answering the phone and trying to turn our attention to breakfast, a perky man from Balducci's appeared. With an enormous tray of treats. And a card that said it was from my Blogging Family: Arjewtino, Dagny, FreckledK, I-66, Jo, Kris, Lexa, LiLu, mysterygirl!, Ryane, Restaurant Refugee, Slightly Disorganized, VVK, and Work in Blogress.

Some of them blog more than others, and a couple of them have stopped entirely, but they are, to the last, good writers and, more importantly, fantastic human beings.

On the note, they used their real names. So Betty had me go through each and tell her the blogger names people use to comment. She recognizes those - she loves to read the comments.

And we, who both feel sick to our stomachs when we're upset, who have been picking and picking at food, both sat down and started our day with Rice Krispy treats and chocolate rugelach (a word I can never spell, delicious as it is). We plied one visitor after another with cookies, brownies, treats. And still have some left.

Sugar may be the devil, but it certainly helps things go down.

But a lot of you don't have blogs, and are spread far and wide in this vast world. And still, you have reached out through cyberspace, through the fact that we are virtual strangers, to offer condolences, love, wishes to be able to bear some of our grief for us.

Offers of cookies, of grocery shopping, of casseroles (which, my parents being from the Midwest, we'd call Minnesota Hot Dish. Unless it's cold. Then it's Minnesota Cold Dish.) Offers even of lodging out-of-town guests, should we need it.

Offers of anything - just ask, just name it. And I know the people who say this genuinely and truly mean it.

It's extraordinary. It's a reminder that people are extraordinary. Really.

I just want you to know, it makes a huge difference to us. It helps. We are grateful.

Hugs to all of you.