Love and hope in the face of devastating illness
PATRICIA A. MILLER Ocean View
      At first, Avery Lubrecht's parents thought their 4-year-old daughter had a stubborn stomach flu. The little girl had been vomiting and suffering from headaches off and on for several weeks. Her pediatrician said she was dehydrated and sent them to Community Medical Center's emergency room for intravenous fluids. Avery's eyes were slightly crossed.
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Hot summer dreams keep rolling through my mind
GREG BEAN Coda
      I'm sitting out on the deck looking over my backyard in the dark of a hot summer night. The air is thick and close, and if I close my eyes, I can almost imagine I've been transported to an earlier, almost antediluvian time. The canopy of leaves on the big trees in the yard is foreboding, the branches hanging low with the weight and humidity.
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She's giving it her awl for a pair of shutters
LORI CLINCH Are We There Yet?
      My husband is a building contractor. With construction as his name and fortitude as his game, he can build a home that mere mortals only dream of. His tools are shiny, his speed square is superb, and with enough knowledge to rival Bob Vila, his walls are to die for.
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