She said the big cruise ships have their advantages, but the smaller boats and fewer passengers have a lot going for them too. She is so looking forward to another river cruise. She added that her main excitement for the summer will be a Viking Riverboat cruise on the Elbe River. In a phone chat recently with Sue Smith Goodrich, with whom she shares memories of high school and college, Sue shared with Jody that she is still enjoying her beautiful home and gardens and traveling to exotic places. As she stood on the three-step utility stepladder to reach over her head and lift her suitcase down for the tripвЂ“ you see where this is going? Yup, she fell.В She had a neighbor take her to the emergency room to make sure nothing was broken and she was told she should not travel for a week.В She is fine now-nothing serious-but she missed out meeting with Pat Voelker Donnell, who came all that way at her urging, and Anne Angel McMarlin and Joyce Larrick Casey, who came together. All that hoorah about attending our 55th reunion and exhorting you to attend, and she didnвЂ™t get to go after all. Such a special spirit makes her much loved at any time and she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of concern and love from friends, family, and classmates. As usual her reports are upbeat and cheery. She has completed a successful lumpectomy and has undergone chemo and radiation treatments to be sure all possibilities are covered.

Many of you may know that our own Bonnie Davis Hall was completely blindsided recently by a surprise diagnosis of breast cancer. We send our sincere condolences to her husband, her sister, Lynne Hays, and to Sue Smith Goodrick, DianeвЂ™s college roommate who kept us in the loop.

She had been in declining health and finally succumbed to lung cancer in March after a heroic eight-year battle. It is with great regret that we report the loss of Diane Hays Neuman.

Mark carlotta and the badlands guardian