A Day to Celebrate

[Chris Jones]

Hello everyone,

Believe it or not, it is once again July 14th, coming up on 7:58 am.

Last September I was diagnosed with Stage 3 malignant melanoma. After a couple of surgeries, including one to remove all the lymph nodes from under my left arm, and some excellent treatment at a place called the Moffitt Cancer Center here in Tampa, I am now what they call NED (No Evidence of Disease). I am still being scanned regularly, of course, but all is well for me.

Obviously, this experience put a lot of things in perspective for me. So, I wanted to send my one yearly post this year just to tell everyone that here on these boards (and elsewhere in life) they should relax a bit when things get ugly and remember to be decent to one another and treat each other with some care whenever possible. Lord knows, I was not the shining example of that when I was here regularly. But I wanted to offer the sentiment anyway. Have your fun, even your "mean" fun if it's all just playing. But remember there are real humans on the other side of that screen and keyboard.

Have a great DiTA day. I'll check back once in a while to see if anything ever happens with the diary, but now I'm off to live the rest of my life.

All the best to everyone,

--John

Hi John,

Glad to hear that you are well and that hopefuly your medical issues are behind you. I agree very much with the sentiment that you express in your message. I lost my father early this year to cancer and I understand the point that you make - life is too short to waste in bitter debates.

It is my understanding that a lot of work/research is still taking place in the Maybrick/Diary world. I am more interested in the former rather than the latter and I have found out quite a lot of new material on James and Florence's life in America. I have to say that the help and support I have received from some of the libraries/universities/government departments in your country is absolutely fantastic. I recently received 300 pages detailing Captain DuBarry's (Florence's mother second husband) Confederate war record!

I think the truth about the Diary will emerge in the near future. Like you, I would like to know the full facts behind the statement that Keith Skinner made in Liverpool a couple of years ago.

Maybe in the future DiTA may come to stand for "Diary - Truth At-last."

Best wishes, Chris Jones

[Soothsayer]

Hello everyone,

Believe it or not, it is once again July 14th, coming up on 7:58 am.

All the best to everyone,

--John

Hi John,

You've maybe gone off into the ether now to enjoy the rest of your life, and I've therefore missed you.

If I haven't, I just wanted to say thanks for the sport - the site was never quite the same without you.

Mrs Soothsayer and I (and Susie Soothsayer, obviously) are relocating down south next month away from our beloved heather and the get-your-money-back weather, so this is a timely moment to say Slainte Mhath.

[Brenda]

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Mr. Omlor,
I am for the most part just a Casebook lurker, but I have always enjoyed your posts through the years. I hope your health continues to improve.