Happy Tuesday, everyone.  I hope all of you are having a terrific Tuesday.

We’re now counting down to our launch to HDTV.  The transition takes place on Saturday.  We won’t have any newscasts on Saturday evening.  Sunday’s newscasts will be our first shows in high definition.  Hope you can tune in!

I’ve had other reporters ask me if I’m ready for the transition.  I don’t really have a plan, so to speak.  I have heard that less is better when it comes to makeup, so I’ll have to ease up a bit with the makeup brush.  You may have noticed that Paul is experimenting a bit with his hair.  I like it.  It’s a fresh, “hip” look.  I’m sure with HD every hair that’s out of place will look like a long, black wire sticking out of my head.  While I’m going lighter on the makeup, I may need some extra help from the hair gel.  I’ll just play it by ear.  If something is really wrong, I know my faithful audience will give me an earful.

I’ll never forget the one day I decided to experiment with a different face powder.  I looked at the preview monitor and noticed that the shade really wasn’t working for me.  I just shrugged it off and decided I’d go back to my previous shade the next day.  I didn’t think anyone would say anything.  Low and behold I had a voice mail message waiting for me right after the show.  A viewer went on and on about how she has watched me for years and my makeup shade was all wrong.  I wanted to call her back and assure her that I was going back to my previous shade, but she didn’t leave her number.

Hopefully viewers won’t leave us once they see us in HD.  Our weather and traffic graphics will really be something to see, especially if you have a high definition television.  Stay tuned!

It’s a somber day here at RTV-6.  I know I’ve been talking quite a bit about our friend Don Foss.  He was such a positive force here at the station.  In my blog I try to talk about what’s important to the GMI staff on any given day, and on this day we remember and reflect on Don’s life.

Today is Don’s funeral.  I like to think of it as a celebration of his life.  I plan to leave the station after my last Good Morning America newsbreak, head home and help my husband with the kids, and then head to the funeral.  While some people can’t get away from the station today, many of us plan to attend the service.  Members of the RTV-6 are pallbearers, including Todd Wallace.  After the funeral, I’ll come back to the station to anchor the Noon Show.  I believe Paul is planning to do the same.

Many of you probably noticed we’re wearing darker colors today and we’re not quite as perky as usual.  It’s all out of respect for our friend.  If I know Don, he’s looking down from Heaven and saying… “Guys, snap out of it.  I’m fine.”  We not only miss our friend, however.  We mourn for his wife and his two beautiful children.  Many people at the station have offered to help, but Don can never be replaced.

Those of us who knew him can just thank God we had the pleasure to know him.  We can celebrate his life by trying to be the kind of Christian he was.  Don’s wife says he had almost had a child-like faith.  Don’s faith was inspiring and knowing him has made me want to be a better person.

And so Don, I won’t say goodbye.  I’ll just say… see ya on the other side.  We’ll miss you.

I hope all you have a wonderful weekend ahead of you.  It’s been a week of blessings for me.

First of all, my father-in-law is doing very well.  A few blogs ago I told all of you about his fall from a roof.  His recovery has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.  I’m so thrilled to report that he’s on the upswing and making a remarkable recovery.  I’m not at all surprised.  My father-in-law is a strong, determined man.  My husband, kids and I plan to spend part of the weekend with him.  The children have plenty of art work they want to share with Pop.  Needless to say, our prayers have been answered.

I got a nice surprise from my wonderful co-workers.  Much to my surprise, I was named Employee of the Month.  All of my colleagues work so hard.  I’m honored and humbled.  One of the perks of receiving this recognition is a prime parking spot.  My general manager had to kind of laugh about it, though.  I get here so early in the morning that I usually end up parking right next to the Employee of the Month’s spot.  Oh well.  It’s the thought that counts and I can’t believe my workers thought about me for this recognition.  Thank you!  I always prayed I would work with nice people.  My prayers have been answered.

This morning we received word that our dear friend and co-worker Don Foss passed away.  We knew it was coming soon.  As I mentioned a few days ago, his wife was preparing for Don’s journey to heaven.  Don suffered a great deal in his final days.  Don was such a great person.  We all hated to hear about his pain.  At his wife’s request, he prayed that God would take him home peacefully.  Our prayer was answered.

I hope all of you are blessed this weekend.  Enjoy the weather… enjoy your family… and never take any of it for granted.

Today we made Paul very happy by supplying many oo’s and ah’s about his new weather graphics.  Tom started using his new traffic maps a few days ago.  (I think the flashing lights are pretty impressive.)  Paul’s weather maps are also very nice.  I especially liked the leaf background he used for one of the forecast.  The new graphics will really pop once we go to HD.  Stay tuned.

It is pretty exciting for us when we get something new.  We’re kind of like kids at Christmas.  Paul is especially creative when it comes to using new graphics.  I kind of miss the Poteet Consolidated School Bus, though.  Apparently it was time for the bus to ride off into the sunset.  (And won’t that sunset look great in HD?)

The big transition to HD takes place Sunday, October 12.  To get ready, the production staff has been doing mock newscasts.  It’s pretty fun to watch because various people in the station have been sitting in at the anchor desk.  Chris Adam, who many of you know from Off The Cuff, has anchored a few of the mock newscasts.  He’s so versatile.  Next week, Dan and I will rehearse with the production crew.  It’ll be a busy week, but it should be worth it.  We’ll let you, the viewer, be the judge.  Hopefully the audience will also go gah-gah over our new graphics and our new look.

I hope all of you are doing well this morning.

It’s a tough morning for those of us here at RTV-6.  As many of you know, our dear friend and co-worker Don Foss has been fighting a tough battle with cancer.  This morning we received an email from his incredibly strong wife, Susan.  According to Susan, the family is now trying to make Don as comfortable as possible as he gets ready for his journey to Heaven. 

Everyone should be lucky enough to know someone like Don.  He’s the guy who’s always smiling when you see him in the hallway.  He’s the guy who’s always making jokes and having fun when you’re working together on a project.  He’s the guy who inspires you and makes you want to be a better person.

The last time Don came by the station he stopped by my desk to talk.  We had a wonderful chat about family and faith.  Even though he was frightened about his cancer diagnosis, Don kept saying that God had a plan for him and he was ready to accept it.  He even joked and said he hoped God’s plan included a little more time on this earth, but he’d accept the plan regardless. 

Don’s wife is as incredible as he is.  Even in her email, she talked about God’s plan and she asked for prayers to help Don make his way home to Heaven.  Don and Susan have two wonderful children.  I would ask all of our blog readers to pray for all of them.  Tom Davis and I were talking about the sadness we feel and Tom said, “It’s just too much.”  It is an incredible burden.  But I believe that God never gives us more than we can handle.  I pray that Don and his family feel the love of family, friends and even strangers right now.

It seems that whenever we hear of such a sad story, we’re reminded about how precious life is and how quickly it can change.  I think the challenge for all of us is to never forget that fact.  Today is here but tomorrow is not promised to us.  Hug your children… hug your spouse… forgive a friend.  Live each day to its fullest… like my friend Don.