Will I lose my mate?

Your best mate is making big changes in their life - is there still going to be room for you in their busy schedule? That depends on how good your relationship is, what the changes are, and how much you both want it to work out.

They're moving away

If they're moving to another part of the country, or even overseas, it isn't the end of the world. You can still stay in touch by phone, email, letter and so on, no matter how far away you are from one another. Yes, you will probably miss those regular nights out, but that doesn't mean you can't meet up for weekends or holidays.

Who knows, maybe they'll end up somewhere interesting or exotic and it'll be an excellent excuse for a trip to see them. As a goodbye present, you could get them a phonecard or some stationery with stamps and your address already on them, to show that you want to stay friends. Even if they're out of contact for a while, they'll get back to you eventually if the friendship is still strong.

They're changing jobs

Going up the career ladder means that there may be less time for your friend to hang out with you, or they might be under stress or change due to different experiences that they're going through. Put the emphasis on quality rather than quantity, plan ahead with that precious leisure time and do something you both enjoy rather than staying in and ordering yet another pizza in front of the telly.

They're getting married/moving in

Newlyweds and otherwise loved-up pals are notorious for dropping off the social map for months on end after they've got it together. But it's healthy to keep friendships going from before you got coupled up, so remind your mate of this, and don't be scared to ring them up and arrange to do something. Be persistent, they may be stuck in a boring staying-in rut and need a little bit of a shake-up. If you're coupled up too, and you all get on well, have a double date.

They're having a baby

This one needs a bit more tact. The baby is likely to be the most important thing in your friend's life so far, so you can't start whinging that you're not getting enough attention. Having a little 'un also means your mate is going to be exhausted and sleep deprived too. They will need a good friend though, so you can help out in practical ways, offering to look after the baby while they have a well earned sleep, or taking your pal out for a night on the town while their partner or another mate babysits.

When the newborn arrives, don't automatically rush out to get something for the baby like everyone else will do. Treat your mate to something just for them, to say 'well done', and remind them that their identity is more than just 'Mum' or 'Dad'.

So what now?

If you make the effort, and have realistic expectations, then you'll probably stay in touch with your friends for years and years. It's just that the dynamics of the relationship might be a little different, that's all. Unless they're slack as hell, going off to join a monastery that has no contact with the outside world, or they've changed their number and address and told you to stop calling, you'll still be mates for a long time to come.

Single and happy

Who says single has to mean sad? If you're sick of the associations, start holding your head up high - right now it's great to be single.

However, until relatively recently being single held a certain amount of stigma, and in some quarters it still does. Women who did not marry were dubbed spinsters, and were described as 'left-on-the-shelf' if they hadn't entered wedlock by their early twenties, implying that they were unwanted. You never hear of eligible spinsters, do you? Men fared slightly better as bachelors. This sounded like much more fun, and implied a carefree lifestyle, but even they were looked at as strange if they hadn't settled down by their mid thirties.

Successfully single

Today it's becoming more and more common for both sexes to wait longer before settling down, caused partly by wanting to play the field, and concentrating on a career over a relationship. This is more likely to be down to a conscious decision to be single, rather than an inability to find a partner. While your Gran may be pestering you on when you're going to settle down, if you're happy with your life then don't go changing.

Even if you are single because you've split up with your last partner, it doesn't mean that life has to be an ordeal. It hasn't suddenly transformed you into half a person, lacking something essential. Think of it as a wealth of new opportunities instead.

Making the most of singledom:

• It's different for everyone. Try making a long list of all the things that make you happy, and make sure that you do at least some of them regularly.
• Stay in touch with your friends, keep all your lines of communication open, and get out and about.
• Don't rush into looking for someone new, most people can smell desperation a mile off, and it isn't attractive.

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Whatever your cross, Whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, After the rain

Whatever your cross, Whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, After the rain ....
Perhaps you may stumble, Perhaps even fall, But God's always ready, To answer your call ...
He knows every heartache, Sees every tear, A word from His lips, Can calm every fear ...
Your sorrows may linger,Throughout the night, But suddenly vanish, Dawns early light ...
The Savior is waiting, Somewhere above, To give you His grace,
And send you His love ..
Whatever your cross, Whatever your pain, "God always sends rainbows ....
After the rain ... "

100-year-old celebrates her birthday by smoking 170,000th cigarette

Winnie Langley celebrated her 100th birthday by lighting her 170,000th cigarette from a candle on her birthday cake.

An iron-lunged pensioner has celebrated her 100th birthday by lighting up her 170,000th cigerette from a candle on her birthday cake.

Winnie Langley started smoking only days after the First World War broke out in June 1914 when she was just seven-years-old - and has got through five a day ever since.

She has no intention of quitting, even after the nationwide ban forced tobacco-lovers outside.

Speaking at her 100th birthday party Winnie said: "I have smoked ever since infant school and I have never thought about quitting.

"There were not all the the health warnings like there are today when I started. It was the done thing."

Winnie, from Croydon, South London, claims tobacco has never made her ill.

She has outlived a husband, Robert, and son, Donald, who died two years ago aged 72.

The former launderette worker said she started the habit in 1914 - just weeks after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28 - which sparked the First World War.

The 100-year-old, who is awaiting her telegram from the Queen today, said smoking helped calm her nerves during the two World Wars.

She said: "A lot of people smoked during the war. It helped steady the nerves."

Despite the numerous health warnings, Mrs Langley insists she's never suffered because of the habit as she "has never inhaled".