The Quibbler: Good, Bad, and Strange News

Post your news here!

*walks in and looks around* nice! Clean and roomy!

Lets see, don't know if this is good or bad news but came home and found a phone message waiting to say to call the doctors office in regards to my x-ray. Waiting now for a nurse to call me back.......hmmmmmm.......

*Walks into room* Wow! Nice!

GN: I'm back into the writing groove and finished converting Chapter 2 from third person to first person and now onto Chapter 3.

GN:i'm going to be getting packages in the mail today and tomorrow. Birthday presents I ordered. Yay.

I really have nothing to say, I just want to make sure this thread comes up when I click on "your posts." ;-)

BN: Oh--except that it's going to be hot today. Really hot, like 90-plus degrees. And I have to go do some laundry; I have a foreboding that the laundromat will NOT be air-conditioned.

GN: My living room is air-conditioned, and I'll be scurrying back to it as quick as ever I can.

#4 -- Oh, it's supposed to be hot here, too. I am dreading going outside this afternoon.

dreading it? Thats the whole reason we moved to Florida

#6 -- and the whole reason why I do not (and probably never will) move to Florida!

#4 - Ha! You mentioned laundry and it reminded me that I had stuff in the washer and dryer...yikes better deal with that.

Florida isn't that bad...I live in Florida. I like living here because I hate being cold, and I live within a 2 hour drive of all theme parks (Busch Gardens, Sea World, Universal Studios, and Disney)

>8 Theamwriter: I'll be down to visit you and Polly, maybe in about six months when the long winter is well underway here . . . unless I actually find a way to move. Really want to move.

Laundromat had big ceiling fans and wasn't too bad--did wash and came home to dry it. Because the dryer still works.

#9 - I was thinking about seeing if anyone was interesting and could afford a trip down to go to Universal. I'm trying to get some funds together to go again. I would really like to meet some of you guys eventually. I'm trying to go late December (next year after graduation) or early January 2012.

There was a meetup at the end of last year, which I still deeply regret having to miss. Hope springs eternally, though, and my family is talking about doing a reunion in Panama City Beach in late January 2012, so maybe . . . I'm also going to try to coordinate with a friend in Miami so I can visit her, too.

My Daughter lives in Central FL - 45 min from Orlando.. We go twice a year! They all stay indoors - its crazy!

I used to live in central Florida went to the University there in Orlando before I moved.

GN: Another chapter written and another one started....Yay!

Alisha, a close friend of mine's daughter was beat up by her boyfriend and she did leave him, but still lets him take their daughters out. However, there is a restraining order on him and he can't leave the state (we rather wish he could and would). The good news is she has moved home and is getting her life in order and setting priorities. She has had counseling. Her parents were so worried about her, that she couldn't see the real side of him, but she finally has opened her eyes, but nothing her friends and family said before helped. We are so happy to have the old friend back. I hope your sister gets counseling and can see her own self worth again.

#14 - That sounds exactly like my sister. The ironic thing is that my sister this guy needs anger management and she is trying to get him the help he needs, but she also needs anger management but is denial about that. My whole family is worried about her. We just hope she opens her eyes sooner than later.

#8 -- I don't mind visiting Florida occasionally, but I guess I'm the opposite of you (and Polly) in that I don't mind getting cold so much, but I hate being too hot. And I've been to Florida in the summer -- it is too hot for me!

#10 -- I'd like to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter again, but probably won't be able to afford it for the next year or two. We'll see.

#16 - That's my problem, when we went the first time we had free admission and parking (part of hubby's extra credit assignment perk), and so now we would have to pay for it, I'm making sure that I start saving now if we plan on going next year in December.

One of my aunts used to live in Florida. I always heard family members expressing their concern over hurricanes and tornadoes when she was living there, all thinking of how horrifying they are. You have to choose your natual disaster. Only really experiencing a bad earthquake in '89, I'd take earthquakes over other natural disasters. The little earthquakes can be sort of fun.

GN: I get to work full-time next week! It's going to be a first.
More GN: Getting to save more money from the extra hours.
BN: Sadly, not for the Wizarding World just yet. I have a couple of priorities before that, as much as I want to go there.

GN: My sister's beating was her and her boyfriend having a misunderstanding and a miscommunication. But she didn't tell anyone else that until today. So because of her miscommunication our parents thought it was serious, because she failed to mention that she hit him as well. So all is right in her world again, so to speak...GRR. (She makes me peeved sometimes)

More GN: I'm getting more chapters written in my book.

BN: I lost my concentration at the moment. Just got into a texting argument with my sister.

But thank you to all of those who sent their stories and sympathy comments. My sister loves making our family look like fools without even trying or knowing she does it.

GN: Just finished A Storm of Swords and will start A Feast for Crows later tonight. Love this series and am dreading the wait for the last two books (I'll probably be able to hold on until the fifth book comes out next month, but after that . . .).

GN: Just got a voluntary job helping out at a school library :)

BN: Still not found a paid library job :(
Plus still struggling with break up, two months on! Need to get a grip.

>21 KayEluned: It takes as long as it takes. One of my least favorite things is people who tell you to stop dwelling, etc., on heartbreak.

21- Hopefully volunteering at a library will lead to a paid job at the library! That's how I got my job. Hoping for the best for you!

Good news: School is out!
Bad news: They haven't decided what is being cut for next year. I will have a job, I just hope it continues to be computers and PE.
Really Bad news: My dog Gregor has been having problems. He has been on medication, which helped for awhile, but then caused a reaction. He is very lethargic and hardly eats anything. This has been going on for two weeks now.

#24 - I'm sorry to hear about your dog, I hope he gets better soon. How old is he? I hope it's nothing serious.

#24: Oh no, comp. :o(
{{{hugs}}} and healing thoughts for Gregor. I hope he feels better soon.

#19.. I hope your sister comes to her senses soon. I have a friend who was in a similar situation, so I know how frustrating being an onlooker can be. On a side note the week between Xmas & New Year's is usually one of the busiest weeks of the year for DW & Universal.

#24.. healing thoughts for Gregor!

Zach graduates from 5th grade tomorrow! Which means I will have two middle schoolers & one in elementary school next year. Kinda makes me sad =(

#27 - Really? Ah that would explain it though because no one is in school, and people get Christmas money and they have seasonal stuff going on at the parks. Perhaps I will go in early January like someone suggested before. I don't mind the crowds that much but if I'm in a store and there's too many people I cringe. I hate small spaces with people around. But I still want to go because of all the rides that I didn't get to ride in Harry Potter like the Forbidden Journey, and the Hippogriff one.

The next time I go I will ride the rides first then shop. I will not carry a purse either. I'll wear a belly bag and carry what I need in there.

That's a good idea. Or wear one of those things around your neck.

#24 compski:
I'll be thinking of Gregor and wishing him to be much better. I'm really sorry he's not doing well. *Hugs*

BN: Some of my co-workers worked their shifts while sick versus having their shifts covered by someone else, so now others are having flu symptoms, too. This is right as we're short one manager for this new week. Now that number might be two.

GN: Because of this I'm getting the opportunity to do stuff only managers and co-managers should be doing tomorrow for my store. I'm excited to show the company what I'm capable of.

BN: I'm having an allergic reaction to walnuts. Never knew I was allergic them! My face is partially numb right now and is strongly reminding me of dental visits.

GN: I now have all of my furniture and books and stuff (well, except for some cleaning supplies and a few small things that I will pick up when I go back down to clean the old house next weekend)!

BN: I now have a million boxes to unpack. Actually, that's not really bad news, as I kind of like unpacking and putting things where they go, making everything tidy and nice.

Comes under the heading of "Strange" -- and pretty "Bad", too:

Since June 10, My password for my lifelong account isnʻt
being accepted--for no reason that I can think of. Screen name for that account: rolandperkins.

Oh wait, there IS a possible reason: I am possibly being held to my old "Public, Free" account
which began just about 2 years ago. But as I understood it
you a renʻt evicted after wo years; itʻs just that you are not allowed any futher "ADD BOOKS" after you reacha total of 200 books--ALl Collections. Anybody know if this is true?

No, it's not true.

Send us a note. Someone complained that the system is now enforcing upper and lower case. (It should have always done so.) That may explain it.

Incidentally, LibraryThing has a "forgot" feature that resets your password and sends it to your email. You have an email on file, so this shouldn't be a problem.

On 33-34:

I did send a message to the timspalding messages --I think dated June 10, which included my rolandperkins account password. (For that reason-- it has the pass word in it-- I made it private. It is to the same effect as #33 (above).
I donʻt realy care what the ruling is on a 2-year membership, because mine has not been that since about January 2010. I was just asking (33) from curiosity.

The word "rolandperkins" doesn't occur in my email at all since March 2010, when you sent an unrelated question through LT comment. Perhaps you sent it to someone else?

There's no "ruling" here. I don't really understand your 200-issue, but if you can't get into your account, you can't get into your account. That's surely the problem, no?

On 36-37:
Oh, the message of June 10 to you would be under this screen name: rolandofhawaii.

Right, I cant get into my account under the password used with the rolandperkins LT screen name.

I gather @jbd1 has responded. He handles this stuff now, so I'll let him take it from here.

On 39:

"....jbd1 has responded. . ."

Yes. Thank you. He suggested entering the rolandperkins password with an initial capital, and that did bring the
rolandperkins account on line (even though Iʻm sure I was always using entirely lower case).
Thank again fo your attention.

Compski I hope Gregor is OK
K good on you for getting more hours.

Welcome, Tim!

I'm sorry about your account troubles, Roland. I've used a combination of upper and lower caps for a password somewhere online and know some of your frustration.

#32 foggi:
Congratulations on being nearly completely moved in! I would help you unpack if I could. Have fun tidying up and finding homes for everything. :)

#41 Donna:
Thanks! Unfortunately I earned overtime today - it's going to be frowned on. But there's not much that can be done to avoid it right now.

GN: Success this morning! I was a little nervous with the work procedures. I don't particularly love math.
More GN: My face is much better now. I hate allergies.

GN: Peace and quiet at last. Now maybe I can get some writing done while I have no distractions but myself and the internet...(note to self: Must only use internet for LT and novel research)

Bad News: Gregor had to spend the night at the vet. He wasn't keeping anything down, even water.
Good News: He is home now and doing much better!

#44 - Glad to hear the Gregor is doing much better!

#34 -- Hi, Tim! Nice of you to stop by!

#40 -- Glad your issues got resolved.

#42 -- I would take you up on that offer if you were around! :-)

#44 -- So glad to hear it!

GN: I get today off! Here's hoping I can get more done today than yesterday (when I mostly sat around and bemoaned my aching muscles).

I'm so glad Gregor is feeling better, comp!

#43 Alisha:
At last, huh? I hope it lasts a for a good amount of writing time!

#44 compski:
I'm very glad he's doing better!

#46 foggi:
It's nice that you'll have your birthday off. :)

#48 - Thanks. I actually had to plan it out, make a schedule, but every day from 7:30 - noon is my writing time.

BN: Lizzie leaves for KY to spend a month with her aunt on Friday =(

GN: I will have the house to myself (except for the dogs) all weekend b/c the the boys are going with Jody to drop her off.

http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/1549-emma-watson-i-made-life-difficult-for-har...

check it out!

I read the article, but the movie clip wasn't quite working too well, so I'll go back to that later.

#51 -- It seems ironic and appropriate that Hermione would be the one demanding an education!

I wonder what her plans for the future are? Dan is obviously going to continue in the entertainment field, what about Rupert and the guy who plays Draco....hmmm

Tom Felton played Draco

I wonder what those guys are up to?

what about Rufus Scrimenger?

I like Draco a lot , especially back @ Malfoy Manor when he was reluctant to give Harry's real identity

Good News: Gregor continues to do well!
Bad News: I just got word they are canceling computers at my school. They will be transferring me to teach developmental kindergarten.
Good News: at least I have a job.
Bad News: Major mood swings right now from wallowing in self pity to wanting to go and hit something.

#58 - I'm glad to hear that Gregor is doing well. But that sucks that they are canceling the computers at school. I hope everything works out with the developmental kindergarten class. As for the mood swings I usually just play playstation that involves shooting things in the game that helps me (and I'm not a violent person usually, I'm very sweet)

GN: I'm getting more chapters in my book written at the library then I do at home.
BN: I don't think my mother-in-law is happy that I'm not at the house all day with her.
GN: I got two signed bookmarks in the mail from author Victoria Schwab for her book that comes in about 7 weeks called The Near Witch. (Her request was to keep one and either give one away or let it somewhere so someone to pick up)
More GN: I hope to have my first youtube vlog uploaded before this weekend. Just got to get hubby to help me edit the video.

#58 -- Glad to hear that Gregor continues to improve. Sorry about your job woes, though!

#49 Alisha:
You're welcome.

#58 compski:
I'm happy to hear about Gregor. So sorry about your job, though! *Hugs* I'm glad you'll at least still have one.

Good news: We saw Harry Potter: The Exhibition today in NYC.
Bad news: Very expensive souvenirs.
Good news: I had made some money last weekend, so I didn't feel bad coughing up some money for my youngest to get a wand. She picked Luna's. :o)

yes the souvenirs are very expensive the same at WWHP.

GN> I guess tis good news. I went to bed at seven thirty last night and actually slept the night away.

BN> I missed NCIS

GN- I have tickets to see How to Succeed in Business in NYC in August and hopefully Dan will still be the lead. Glad to see Mr. Larroquette took home a Tony on Sunday night.

BN - I have a dreadful headache. :(

#64 - Wow, Have fun at the show, How to Succeed in Business. I hope Dan is still playing it. Let me know what you think of the show. Sorry to hear about your headache.

GN: I'm having a productive day.
BN: I had a dentist appt. this morning, and a vet appt. this afternoon.
GN: The dentist appt. wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, just a deep cleaning on the left side of my mouth.

>63 pollysmith: Polly, NCIS is into repeats now, so you may have already seen it. If not, there will be many more opportunities, given that it's now in syndication.

No news here, just hanging out and working and realizing I've overpromised, again.

#58 Glad to hear Gregor is doing well!

BN: My daughter isn't going to my sister-in law's this weekend after all! Apparently my sister S-I-L has managed to find herself in the middle of a murder for hire trial (although no one died...yeah still trying to figure that one out?!) She's a therapist and it involves a client of hers. There is never a dull moment in her practice!

GN: Hopefully this will all be over by the time we go down to KY the end of July so she will be able to stay then for a few weeks before school starts.

BN: I don't get the house to myself this weekend after all =(

Make em all leave! tell em to go camping or something!

#62 jp:
That must have been a lot of fun!

#67 PollyAnna:
Yes, I'm still trying to figure that one out. ;) Sorry for your house not being as peaceful as you thought it would be this weekend.

GN: My sick co-workers are getting better, thus, we're not running the place on half-staff anymore.
BN: I've pulled my back again.
GN: I have today off so I'll be able to rest it.

BN: My back hasn't been good this week.
GN: My follow up with the Doctor was this morning. We're going to try some new medications.
GN: I'm going to see my sisters and meet my nephew this weekend!

#70 - I hope the new meds work out for you and your back. Hope you feel better.

GN:Getting more writing done.
BN:Feeling kind of lazy today (sigh..Friday)
GN: Getting more reading down for ARC's and other reading...I will probably have new reviews up soon.

Hello everyone.

Just want to check in. I have read everyones posts and I want to give hugs to those who need them. I miss you all very much. Hoping that you haven't forgotten me :)

GN I am almost finished the first draft of the book I have been working on.
BN: I lost another job so I am yet again on the market.
BN: I am feelin a bit depressed, dunno what to do about it. I am already takin meds.

Sorry, Bella; maybe this is the universe's way of telling you you're meant to be a writer? Good luck with the book and the job seeking--I'm doing that, too.

#72: Hugs Bella!

I have read all of the news, but I haven't replied since there isn't much going in my life...but *hugs* to all who need them, woohoo! for all the good news and sending healing vibes to all those injured!

BN: Apparently the wonderful Windows software has decided not to load on my computer at work. Sounds like it could be expensive to fix.

BN: Bib missed her bus in Philly to take her up to Mandy2's. Mutombu got lost trying to get her to 30th St. Station.

GN/BN: Bib is at her sister's, Mutombu is on his way back from driving Bib to Mandy2's. About 7 + hours of driving.

My dad once got lost for 7+ hours.... :o)
I hope your computer comes to terms with the Windows software. I have to admit, I agree with it. I really don't like Windows 7 and it's been a constant battle since my husband installed it.

Good News: A busy week is over. Yay!
Bad News: I've been so busy I forgot this is Father's Day weekend!

Bake a cake jp!

GN: Last night was last night of Vacation Bible School. We had a total of 17 children. Our mission project was Imagine No Malaria, and the kids and their parents raised nearly $100! We will pass the jar around in church tomorrow to get even more.
BN: Have to go to church in a few minutes to clean up. We've rented the fellowship hall for a birthday party this evening.

#77: A good idea, except my husband's birthday will be on the 24th, and I definitely need a cake for that! I think I just need to go to the store today. Maybe a bookstore....

Ooh I have some good news to post. I am going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with my husband, sisters, brother in law and 9 year old niece over the 4th of July. The only bad part is I will be in Florida in July.

good for u mar! just be sure to wear light clothes and a shady hat, to sure and try the butterbeer!oh and comfortable shoes

#80 - I hope you and your family have fun at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Last time when I went last July (a month after it opened) it was very crowded, so I hope that's not the case for you and our family. Make sure you try the Butterbeer it's awesome. Have loads of fun! :) Let me know the trip goes and if you liked it.

GN: Was not a software problem after all.
BN: Its the hard drive after all. Now we have decisions to make.

Good: (and a little strange, too, since it
last happened in 1972:

BOSTON B R U I N S WIN the STANLEY CUP!!
(YEA ! )

BN: My coin counter batteries died today..ugh
GN: I got more batteries for the coin counter
More GN: I have close to $100 towards the Universal Studios trip planned for next year. Yay!

GN: I feel like I got several things accomplished this evening -- made supper (rather than resorting to fast food; I'm trying to go all week without eating out once), washed the dishes, and cleared off a lot of the stuff that I had unpacked onto the kitchen table but never put away.

BN: I'm daunted by the sheer amount of unpacking that I still have to do. I haven't tackled the books yet (I have to put together another bookshelf first, but before I do that I need to clear enough floor space in the living room to work on it . . .), and while most of the kitchen stuff is unpacked, I have all of these odds and ends that I have to find paces for. *sigh* And I haven't been getting much reading done, either. You'd think that procrastinating on unpacking would mean that I was reading a lot, but you would be wrong.

#70 bib:
I hope your back's feeling better! That was nice of your dad taking you to your sister's.

#72 bella:
I'm sorry, missy. I hope things are better soon. Find something that makes you happy and go do it. Walking always improves how I feel. *Hugs*

#79 jp:
Happy birthday to your husband on Friday!

#80 Maren:
Have fun! Try to keep cool.

#86 foggi:
I haven't been able to finish reading a single book this month. It's been upsetting me, too. I'm sorry you're having trouble finding homes for everything.

GN: As with last week, I'm working a lot right now. Thankfully my boss is back from vacation now, too.
BN: All I want to do is sleep. Last night was my first night of more than four to six hours of sleep in a week.
More BN: My father who's pretty much not been in my life didn't want to talk to me with father's day and his birthday earlier this week. He's kind of upsetting me and is treating my sisters the same way.

I miss LT besides reading and am looking forward to being able to spend more time here again soon. Miss you guys!

Thanks, Alishamb, K and polly, I will be sure to post photos and report back. I have heard the butterbeer is splendid and since I am very fair I will try and keep covered up and sunscreened

Big hugs for you all! Miss you too.

I saw graffiti today that said "you are beautiful" I thought it was nice so to all my friends here today "you are beautiful!"

#81-82, 88: I preferred the Pumpkin Juice.

the pumpkin juice was good too!

#88 -- I loved the butterbeer, and am planning on trying to re-create it for the Harry Potter program I'm helping with at work this weekend. (I didn't much care for the pumpkin juice, but to each her own!)

GN: My friend is very pregnant and she's at 3cm. No sign of labor yet, but she has a spring in her step.
BN: The doctor wants to push a c-section on her even though she's sure she doesn't need one, and she criticizes her for doing research. My friend is not standing for it, of course, but she shouldn't have to deal with this. She's wondering if it's too late to get a midwife or a doula to stand between her and the doctor.

GN: Another friend of mine is a recent graduate from nursing school and he's already practicing, with some side-studies of his own. His younger sister also recently graduated from nursing school (they're both holding a BS) and she's serving with the Air Force.
BN: People have sexist minds and keep asking my one friend why he isn't becoming a doctor, but it's perfectly acceptable for his sister to be a nurse. He sort of expected it, but it's getting on his nerves. Here's where he draws the distinction: "I like working with people. Doctors only want to work on people."

I don't mean to insult any doctors around here. I'm sure not all doctors have a poor bedside manner, but I'll admit that it's been more than several years since I've seen an exception (aside from dentists and chiropractors) to this behavior.

#87 re 79: Thank you! I will pass your birthday wishes along to him.

Rozax: I would tell her to find a midwife or doula if she can. If she can't, a good friend or relative who knows her wishes and doesn't mind arguing will work. I was a rebel about the way I had my kids. I had a hospital birth the first time (because I had asthma and, as the obstetrician put it, "an untried pelvis"), birthing center the second time and home birth the third time. In any situation, you have to do your homework, but like it or not, you have the least control over what happens in a hospital setting. Good luck to her.

GN:Peace and Quiet at last to write.
BN:There was a jerk on his phone in the library yesterday so I didn't get much writing done.
GN: Going to library earlier to hopefully have better luck today in writing...that's all I want to do...I'm going to run away soon if I can't find peace and quiet. :( (Any suggestions)

#94 Alisha:
Does your library have private study rooms? I'd check to be sure. If for some reason the library you go to doesn't have private study rooms, I'd explore if the other nearest libraries local to you have them. They would probably be really good for you! Noisy people in libraries are one of my pet peeves. We're taught so young to be quiet in them.

#94/95 -- Are you writing on a library computer, or are you free to move around the building? Some libraries have quiet study areas, and even those that don't have designated quiet places sometimes have chairs or tables at different places in the building where there's not as much traffic.

#95 - Thanks Kerian! I never thought of that. I don't know if my library has a private study room, or if our local library has them either. I'll go and find out today. My other thought was my car, because it has a picnic table in the back so I figured take my laptop and the sit out in the shade on the tailgate portion of my car...lol just a thought.

#96 - It depends what my mood is, sometimes I sit at the school computer or I take my laptop (since my story is all on a jump drive). My computer at my house, well is my laptop with an extra monitor so I have two monitor to use and compare notes and everything. But sometimes home life a little louder than i like it to be.

GN: I'm finally caught up with everyone's news! I've been super busy lately, with school being out and all. Training in the mornings and VBS prep in the evenings. GN is that this week is VBS! So once this week is over I will have my evenings back for a little while.

Other GN: One week from today and I get to go meet my new nephew and see my other nephews and niece! I'm excited but have lots to do.

BN: I am still procrastinating on finishing up my essays for my application for a scholarship. I need to finish today so I can get it mailed off.
GN: I'm about half way done with it.
BN: I can't concentrate because...
1. I have a cold.
2. I'm super tired.
3. I've got tons of other things to do.

BN: Since my trip is for 2 weeks, I will have 2 days to get ready for summer school.
GN: However, since our building is the first to be waxed in the district I can get in now to work on things. Tuesday mom and I went up there for about an hour to move the big furniture in place for summer school. I'm going to use the front half of the room for teaching, and the back half of the room for getting ready for the regular school session. Mom wants to come and help, so I have an area set up for her to do that.
BN: Still have to have a meeting with the other teachers before I leave. Don't know when!

#99 - Wow Kirby sounds like you have lots going on. Congrats on the new nephew. I'm sorry to hear that you are under the weather, hope you feel better soon. I hope you can get everything done!

Alishamb, have you thought about trying to write while wearing headphones and listening to music to block out other noises? If you think you'd be distracted by lyrics, try classical or new age instrumental without words. Or maybe one of those "white noise" nature tapes that just has the sounds of waves or rain or a babbling brook.

I also can't believe how noisy some people are in libraries, as I was taught to be very quiet in them. The worst offenders in my local library are old guys who loudly discuss political stuff--worse yet, expressing opinions I completely disagree with!

My good news: better blood sugar numbers. Not all the way there yet, but steady improvement over the past few months. Yay!

#101 - Yeah I have tried headphones with music, but also with headphones with music with like ear protecting headphones you use with gun shooting over top of the music headphones. I think my problem is a huge TV and my study is in a loft type room and I'm always getting disrupted with questions. That's why I started going to the campus library. I thin I'm going to try to get one of those study rooms if my campus library has one.

Thanks Everyone for the ideas. I'm slowly getting to my wits end so hopefully one of those ideas will work. I will find out tomorrow I guess.

#70... Bib, hope the new meds work out for you!

#72...bella, Sorry about the job! (((hugs))) and good luck with the book!

#80...Maren, Have fun! Just in case the park is super busy, get there first thing in the morning and go straight to the WWHP otherwise you might have to stand in line to get into that part of the park.

#87...Kerian, (((hugs))) I'd say it is his loss.

#99... Kirby, WOW are you ever busy! Do you have time to even sleep anywhere in that crazy schedule!

#101...ejj, yay for better blood sugar numbers!

BN: Just found out Jody needs to have a vertebral fusion which is going to put him out of work for at least 6 weeks.

MBN: He's putting it off b/c we can't afford for him to be off work that long.

GN: I'm meeting with the other teachers tomorrow morning to finish up planning for summer school.

GN: I've only got 2 pages left to do for my scholarship essays!
BN: I still have 2 pages to go!
GN: I have a plan. :D
BN: Still very distracted. I don't know why people (including the 2 furry ones) can't be quiet. They know I'm on a time crunch.
N: I will get done tonight. I don't care how late I have to stay up to finish. I will also be the first one in line to mail my packet at the post office tomorrow. Two pages doesn't sound like a lot, but you have to be very careful about wording and include things the graders are looking for. Only the top 200 scores will get the scholarships.

GN: I'm done! I'm done! Now I will wait until morning to reread to make sure it makes sense before I print it and mail it off. Here's to crossing fingers that I get the scholarship!

fingers crossed for you Kirby (hard to type this way tho)

Pollyanna, I hope you find some way to work it all out. Maybe you'll win the lottery! :)

Thanks for the tip Pollyanna. Eek I hope it all works out.

Good luck kirby!

GN: Garage sale today and tomorrow! It feels so good to get stuff out of the house!!
BN: Super-cleaning is exhausting. I think I need some popcorn and a book to finish out the evening.

Actually, maybe popcorn and reading make for good news. ;)

Thanks Polly & Maren, I'm sure it will all work out in the end, the main thing holding us back are my student loan payments, I'm hoping I can get them put into deferment since that would help tremendously.

GN: It's Friday!!

GN: Glastonbury weekend! I will be glued to the radio and TV watching ALL the coverage

BN: I'm not there this year!

GN: It's a rainy, muddy year, and I have managed to avoid excessive mud so far in my Glastonbury experience so maybe it's a good thing I'm missing it this time.

#103 PollyAnna:
Thanks, PollyAnna. *Hugs* I wish the best of luck to your family and to Jody.

BN: Work stuff. ;( I'm not looking forward to tomorrow.

GN: My husband is home.
GN: I passed my National Certification Exam.
GN: I get to relax for a week.

The hairdresser once again cut my hair shorter than I wanted, but I can't think of any real bad news right now.

GN: The whales are back. I just saw my first two and they were closer in to shore than ever before :)
BN: I am totally and completely addicted to collecting pretty yarn (especially sock yarn) and knitting.
BN: I can only knit scarves still. I really need to get some lessons so I can try knitting socks, or send sock yarn to someone who can knit them.

GN: I'm finally caught up on LT threads!
GN: Despite falling in the rain last Thursday, I didn't seriously injure my foot and managed to have a very good conference in New Orleans, where I was from last Wednesday to yesterday!
GN: Rex loved the tshirt I bought him in NO. When I showed it to him yesterday, he immediately said "Ooh" followed by "On, on!" Score for Mom!
BN: Rex, who will be 2 next week (and no, I don't know how that it possible?!) decided to embrace his two-ness by taking his diaper off and peeing in his crib this morning. I walked in to get him dressed for school to find him with his pj pants around his ankles, waving his diaper in the air saying "Trash, Mama, trash." Sigh. It's good to be home...

GN: I've met my new nephew! He's just perfectly perfect and so small. I forget how small newborns are.
GN: We're here for 2 weeks!
BN: I'm exhausted.
GN: I'm going to bed right now.

MsD, so cool about the whales! If your sock yarn storage gets full, I have some room for it. ;) I'd love to coach you on sock knitting too so if you need help, let me know! There are lots of youtube videos about sock knitting too. Some that even go through the whole process, cast on to finished sock!

Grk, you are making me look forward to an older Addy! Except for the self-removal of diaper part. I'm hoping Addy doesn't figure out how to undo snaps for a LONG time.

GN: Made strawberry jam today!
GN: I'm going to do a diaper making workshop later this month! Really excited for that.

GN: Got a haircut today -- short and curly (my natural curl is at its best when my hair is short) for summer. I love it!

GN: All of my books are unpacked (well, except for a few random ones that got packed in boxes with other stuff)! They are not very well organized yet, but at least they are out of boxes and on the shelves, where I can start organizing.

BN: I was hoping to do something about my lack of a sofa today, but circumstances conspired against me.

GN: My toilet is fixed. Managed, by using an older phone book, to find a nice 78-year-old plumber to come do it, for about half what the first place I called wanted.

GN: Going to see my sister, brother-in-law, and cousin tomorrow, and we're all going to the New York Philharmonic and US Marine Corps Drum & Bugle Corps concert. With fireworks!

Jealous! Due to severe drought and wildfire concerns, all fireworks sales and city displays have been canceled for many counties. I can perhaps drive to Ft. Worth to see theirs, but probably won't as it is 90 mile trip.

yeah, stay home and watch the cpital fireworks show! Thats what I like to do!

Wow. It's a lot cooler where I am now (WA) then what it is at home. So here's for my news:
GN: I'm in WA visiting my brother and his family.
GN: My new nephew is just perfectly perfect. He's so little, and adorable!
BN: I'm exhausted! I guess 2 flights, and 2 days of 5 kids will do that to you.
GN: I've got 12 more days to get adjusted.
BN/GN?: Then it's time to go home. I'll be sad to leave, but probably happy to get home and catch up on some sleep.

GN:Finally I was able to catch up on all the posts, I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well for the most part, my hugs and prayers go out to those who need them.
BN: I need to tidy up my study..yikes
GN: I got more writing done on my novel
More GN: I decided to create my own Encyclopedia of Harry Potter. I found a website where I can get a binder with the cover made with the Harry Potter Hogwarts Crest on it. Though I'm thinking about making one of my own. I know I have my work cut out for me though.

Hope everyone is having a fun and safe 4th of July holiday weekend. I'm about to go to a Barbeque.

#122 sounds like fun :)

GN >just got back from a beautiful day at the beach!

MGN> I can go again tommorrow if I like!

#123 - Thanks! I trying to figure out how I want to do it, you know like Good vs. Evil or do an ABC order on the characters or just do sections on each thing. I'm not sure how I want to do it yet.

Does anyone have ideas?

Not sure about the Good vs. Evil, so many complicated characters Snape for a start but then also Regulus Black who turned against Voldemort, people like Dolorous Umbridge or Fudge who were bad in their own way but weren't Death Eaters, the Dursleys weren't very nice but they were completely outside the whole wizarding war.

I think if I were doing it I would go for sections on different elements, people, places, wizarding history, spells etc. with maybe some ABC within those.

#126 - That's sounds like a great idea. Thanks! It's going to take a while to get that all together. I definitely like that idea though.

BN: If I'm not on LT much, besides working a lot, one of my eyes is giving me trouble. It hurts and is a little harder to see with. Hoping nothing too wrong is going on with it. I am using eye drops. On a positive note, the eye looks perfectly normal.

#128 -- Have you gone to an eye doctor? If it doesn't stop hurting in a few days, I'd recommend it.

GN: I got a couch yesterday! It's been some time since I got rid of my old one (sold it in a yard sale last fall, vainly hoping that the house would sell quickly) and I missed it. Now, if I could just get the living room straightened up and the TV and DVD player hooked up, I could really enjoy it!

#129 foggi:
No. I don't have insurance. I have somewhere in mind to go to if it continues, though. Congrats on getting a couch! If anything, too, they're so wonderful to read on! I miss being able to read on mine. Tipi's a flying squirrel so it's not too safe to sit there. ;)

#129: Hey! That's not the couch I summoned in the "I'm new here" thread, is it? Am I sitting on the floor now? Better check...

#131 -- No, I think there is spare virtual furniture floating around LT. I think we had couches before, in a thread a few years ago, and I seem to remember hiding behind upended tables when Suge and gpwts were dueling. . . .

#132: I think you're wrong. Check the other thread. ;o)

*stubs toe* Ow!
I think I found an upended table.

Wasn't me!

Oh, and good news: Baby skunks! I know not everyone would consider this good news, but they are very cute and haven't figured out how to skunk us yet. Which is good, since we've practically stumbled over them a few times crossing our yard.

I know it wasn't you! You aren't a table!

The baby skunks are adorably small and fluffy. They are teh itteh bitteh skunk committeh. :)

GN: I'm getting my new cellphone tomorrow. Yay!

137- what kind of phone?

GN: I love my phone!

Squee skunks. I want one, can you take photos?

My youngest took pictures. I have to take them off of the camera. :o)

#138 - I got the iphone 4

My aunt and cousins have raised several litters of skunks. They actually make good pets. They had them descented before they could actually spray anyone. Last year a momma skunk abandoned her litter under their driveway (it's a mile long in the country), so my uncle would walk out each day to feed them. The would crawl up on him and eat out of his hand. One day they weren't there.

GN: I'm still in WA visiting my brother and his family.
BN: I'm exhausted! Five kids (four of them under 5) are hard to keep up with.
GN: Today we went to the beach. It was warm for here (68), but cold for mom and me.
GN: We're missing the 110 degree weather at home!
BN: Mom was washing clothes from the beach and found my brother's phone. It had a text message that said something on the lines of "I can't wait for these folks to leave" or "go home". I'm not sure. She's laying in the hotel bed crying. I know my brother is super tired and stressed. That may be the day he was extra cranky. He's "Mr. Mom" right now. Since he lost his job, he's taking care of the kiddos while his wife works. Knowing my mom, this is something she'll dwell on for a long time. She gets depressed over the littlest things, so this won't be good for her.
BN/GN: We go home the 14th! I'll be sad to leave, but happy to be home.
GN: My nephews and nieces have grown so much since last year! They're all getting so tall!
GN: My new nephew is so tiny (he's 6 weeks old) and precious!

#142 kirby:
I'm so sorry for your mom! Based on you guys not even staying at your brother's, a part of me wonders if maybe the sender of the text was referring to someone visiting them versus people visiting your brother. Or, even, if it's someone else waiting to visit your brother and SIL but isn't visiting until you guys return from your trip.

GN: My eye's much better now.
BN: My youngest sister's boyfriend got a concussion from a bike accident. I'm upset at myself for being in that neighborhood when it happened and not realizing it was him.
More BN: I'm missing one of my sisters. She's away for the summer and I usually spend a lot of time with her.

#142: I'm sorry your mom had to find that message, kirby. I agree with K though. If it was on your brother's phone, is she sure it was a message from him? It might even be a friend that wants to meet with him but can't because his visitors come first. And being the primary caretaker for three, I can say I was less than hospitable when my kids were younger, and I never had that many under the age of five. It's wearing, and usually people who visited me thought it was enough to occupy the kids, when it really would have helped to have someone do the wash or dishes or sweep the floor. I hope your mom can forgive him.

Oh, and what did your uncle feed the skunks? So far, the only thing I've seen them eat are slugs, grubs and birdseed.

141- oh thats cool. do u like it?

142- thats too bad, kirby!

#142: I'm sorry that your mom found that text, kirby!

#143: I'm glad about your eye, K! but sorry for your sister not being there and for your other sister's boyfriend's accident.

GN: I have lots of work this week which means good money.
BN: I'm exhausted and it's only the first day...
GN: Oh, well! At least I'm healthy and able to work.

#146 Ron:
Thanks. He's feeling a little better now, though still scratched up. Wishing you energy for the week ahead!

GN: With all the extra work I've been doing lately I was able to switch to a better phone service provider and get a better phone.

More GN: I can actually post on LT from my new phone! Before I could only view my cataloged books.

147- yayyyy Kerian! what kind of phone?

#148 sarahy:
It's an android. The HTC Sensation 4G. It's page is here.

ohhhh fancy! (and confusing...)

random question- how do u do that where u say the link is here and the word here is a link?

#150 sarahy:
Thanks. I agree. ;)
It's explained on our information thread. LT doesn't let me enter the formula as well as it used to, but I'll explain it here:

Type an open carrot mark
Type the following: a href
Type in an equal sign
Type an open quote mark. It should be the one with two lines, not one!
Enter the website URL address you wish to link
Type a close quote mark, again the quote mark with two lines versus one.
Type a closing carrot mark

Next, type in the words you want to be the link that transfers you to the new page. Ex: here

Now type an open carrot mark
Type a slash
Type the letter a
Type a closing carrot mark

ok cool thanks ill have to try it sometime!

#145 - yeah I love that phone, it's better then the LG env2 that I had before, not that it was a bad phone.

BN: My car battery died Monday when I was getting ready to leave for the library writing session.

GN: I finally got some peace and quiet to do my writing!! (I only had to go to my campus library on the 6th floor)

MGN: I got 2.5 chapters written in a 4-5 hour time span. (There was a break or two in there)

MGN: Going back tomorrow for more writing!

GN: Compski is coming to visit me, and we will be going to the midnight showing of DH2!

GN: Compski's impending visit has inspired me to do a lot of the unpacking, cleaning, and organizing that I had been procrastinating on for the past month. It's really starting to look like my home, instead of a jumbled pile of boxes and stuff!

BN: I think my air conditioning unit died today. Fortunately for me (and Compski!), it's supposed to be cooler this weekend, so it shouldn't be too miserable. Still, this means I have to call the apartment complex office and see if I can get them to fix it.

GN: Got a new pilot-tenant today. Love my pilot-tenants.

BN: He stopped in a local bar for a quick beverage and was hit on by my neighbor. The one who has supposedly been sober for 90-plus days. The one whose husband is going to leave her if she starts drinking again. This is bad in so many ways I can't count them all.

#147: Yay for new phones K! And it's pretty neat that you can access LT through it!

#153: Sorry for your car battery dying, I know how annoying that is. Glad for the writing done, Ali!

#154: Have fun together at the movie foggi! Give compski a big hug from me! and bah for the air conditioning.

BN: I haven't had air conditioning in my room for almost 7 months now.
GN: I finally got some money and could call the guy and he already found the part that needs replacing!
BN: I need more time to watch all of the HP movies before Friday!
GN: I think if I just time it right I may be able to watch all of them!

#88 Have you heard about this? operationbeautiful.com

#153 Congrats on getting more of your book written!

#154 I hope you and compski have a great time at the midnight showing :)

#156 Yay for having money to fix your AC!

GN: My friend who was in the car accident has been enjoying her summer. She's almost 100%, just a scar on her nose and her eyes are still red.
GN: A couple weeks ago I went on a 2 day trip to tour UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Both seemed like good schools.
GN: This week I'm on a week trip and have toured UC Davis, Humboldt, and San Francisco State. Right now I'm staying in Pacifica and listening to the ocean from my hotel room. :)
BN: I'm sore already from all the walking. Still have 3 more days!
BN: Band "camp" starts on July 27, too soon! :/
BN: I still need to work on my LA summer assignment...
GN: I have a humane society volunteer orientation on Tuesday. I can't wait! :)

Oh and...
GN: I got a 4 on my AP biology test! Now I get to have my grade changed to an A :D
BN: I got a 2 on the AP LA test (not surprising since I didn't finish it).

In a brief round up of the time Ive been AWOL...

BN: I hate my job. Well...Not really my job, but someone I work with is extremelydifficult. I'm miserable. I think it's also because I'm not really doing what I'd like to be.
BN: I'm not going to get back to Borneo this year either, which I was really hoping to do. I just don't have the money. :-(
GN: Being miserable at work has given me the motivation to change my life, so I'm looking into training as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language. Then, when I'm qualified I shall try to go somehere like Indonesia to teach, and in my spare time volunteer with the orangutan centres. Fingers crossed. It's a long term plan which still has initial costs, but if I can raise them I think it will be a good plan.
GN: Thise of you on FB may have seen photos I took going to see Take That play at Wembley stadium a couple of times. Heck, I LOVE those boys. YUM!!!
GN: My cousin and his wife had a baby in May. He's the first of a new generation of the family, and utterly beautiful. I love my cuddles :-)

I think that's about it for now.

Loads of love to you all. I'll say it again - it's good to be back :-)

#158- awww i love new babies! whats the name?

>158 LadyN: I wish you all the luck in the world in pursuing your dream. I think it's wonderful that you have a plan.

I'm trying to change my life, too, as I really don't want to be living where I am. I've applied for a couple of jobs in the Pac NW; no luck so far, but it's a step in the right direction.

#159 - He's Oli James :-) And a little stunner he is too.

#160 - Thanks ejj. I wish you all the best with your life changeing plans too. It will come xx

157: Ah, Cal Poly SLO where the men are men and so are the women. Sorry, Cal Poly was my college's rival and that was said about the women by the guys there. That was many, many, many, many years ago. Good luck in your college search, I enjoyed doing them with our daughters. Some we knew right away wasn't the right school.
I think you are looking at great schools, I had thought about Humbolt mostly for the location. Hope you find the one that fits you well.

GN: We're home! Man I've missed my bed and my puppies. I didn't, however, miss this 100 degree weather. It ranged from 41-65 degrees the entire time we were in WA.

GN: I got my scholarship! I'm very excited. It will be a lot of work over the next year, but will be worth it.

Congrats, Kirby! That's great news.

Finally baked something out of the Harry Potter cookbook I recieved from my secret santa. Missie and I made the rock cakes only we used blueberries because we didn't have raisins. they remind me of scones

165- is that good or bad?

they were delicious. next Cole wants to make the gooey chocolate cake like hagrid made for harrys 11th birthday

ohhhh u will have to tell me how that turns out!!!

Some of you may remember a few months ago I posted that a friend of mine found out his unborn baby would have heart problems and need several surgeries her first few years of life. Well, she was born Tuesday morning by C-Section. They have since found out that the original plan for fixing the problem will not be good enough and the baby will need a heart transplant. It's a truly heartbreaking situation and whatever thoughts/prayers/etc. you might have to spare for them would be greatly appreciated.

>169 biblioholic29: How sad. I suppose the good thought is that at least heart transplants are a reality, not the dream they were fifty years ago. I'll be hoping for the best for them, though my heart breaks a bit for the parents of any donor that might be found.

In completely other thoughts, I wanted to post a link to this article about college courses based on Harry Potter. I'm suddenly wanting to go back to school!

http://www.uphaa.com/blog/index.php/10-harry-potter-university-courses-you-wont-...

169- that is heartbreaking. maybe you could post it on the "wish me luck" topic.. just a thought...
my thoughts/prayers- keep me posted on how that goes, and i wish i could help in some way! :"(

okay, i've moved back to Ohio. I came without Jim. No sympathy please it will just make me cry

OK no sympathy. im confused on whats going on, so its hard to be sympathetic. :)

sarahy you are still new so you don't know. My husband and I moved from Ohio to Daytona Beach Fla in December but I've come back alone. Some people will know why.

ohhhhh that does sound sad. i wont ask why, i promise. good luck alone in ohio!

well I'm with my daughter and grandkids so thats all good :)

I'm sure MEM is happy that you are back...in her own way. ;o) She could probably use the help with the kids!

yes she is and with the new one here in a month she will be extra glad of the help

I am just bummed that I missed you Polly! I was down in your area a week ago! After all, it is all about me ;)

yes it is compski!:)

I don't know when or where, but I have a firm belief that we're going to meet sometime, somewhere, Polly. It's not even as though Ohio is all that far away from me now.

Welcome back to Ohio, Polly -- sorry it is for less-than-pleasant reasons, of course. I'm sure MEM will be glad to have you around when the baby comes, though.

I hope so ejj, I think we'd get along like gangbusters. Thanks Foggi

Ae ou
enjoying
our little Ohio tow+n>

That's what happens when the baby tries to help me type.
its supposed to say are you enjoying your little Ohio town?

#169: Sending prayers to that family, bib.

Polly, I'm glad you're back with MEM and your grandkids. *hugs*

Sending lots of love to you Polly. xxxx

thanks all. I'm depressed because I had to leave many of my favorite things behind. But I got my dog and my cat and of course My Harry Potter books and movies:)

You have my love and prayers, Polly!

Sorry to hear things are so crappy Polly xxxx

BN: A pair of flip flops that I love and have worn for three summers are today giving me a blister. Grr!
GN: I have a carpeted office and no where else to be this afternoon, so I can slip them off and give my foot a break.
GN: I also have a Dr. Pepper and M&Ms to help my foot feel better! ;o)

189- now i want M&Ms..... :/....

Do you make a paste of the Dr. Pepper and M&Ms and rub it on the blister?

bib: That is so heart breaking. My prayers are with your friend and the little one.

polly: {Hugs}

Hmm... So the Dr. (Pepper) prescribes M&M's for sore feet. I must try this.

BN: I haven't seen the new HP movie yet. I got back at midnight last Thursday and have been teaching summer school all this week.
GN: I'm going to watch it next weekend. Sort of a present to myself that I survived summer school.

GN: As you know, I got my scholarship! I am now officially a National Board Candidate.
Nervous News: It's going to be a hectic year! I've got lots of work and studying to do.

#192: Hope you enjoy the movie, kirby! and Congrats on your scholarship!

BN: Apparently Paramount Studios won't premiere any more movies at the theater in my country! That means no Captain America, Super 8, Transformers 3 at the theater for me and my friends! And the worst part is that they don't even say the reason behind this! Aggghhhh!
GN: I am going to watch DH part 2 for the third time with my mom and some friends!

((hugs)) Polly

#158 Congrats to your cousin and his wife! And good luck, I know you'll be great at whatever you choose to do. :)

#162 Haha! Thank you :) I was the least impressed with SFSU; it's a small campus for 30,000 students and it's not in a great part of SF.

#169 I truly hope your friend's baby receives a heart transplant soon. Will be thinking of her

#170 Oooo I wish a university I go to will have a course like that!

GN: I rewatched HP 7 part 1 with a few friends because one hadn't seen it and wanted to before seeing the second part. My friend also gave her the book to read.
BN: I haven't seen HP 7 part 2 yet!
GN: I should be going to see it within the next couple days. I'm a little nervous because I'm probably going to cry...I hate crying during movies.
GN: I'm rewatching the first one right now. They're so little! So many memories with this movie...and I still have the lines memorized.
BN: It's hard seeing some characters knowing they will not survive. It's like "Aww he got Hedwig! Ohhh...Hedwig!" :'(
GN: My dad brought home an Asus Eee Pad Transformer from work and it's awesome! I played Angry Birds for the first time yesterday haha

#158 LadyN:
I wish you luck for your plan and hope you may achieve it soon. *hugs*

#157 Chelsea, 163 kirby:
Congratulations!

#169 bib:
I wish your friend's daughter the best of possibilities and that she may get a new heart very shortly.

#172/186 polly:
I know what you're going through in the way of leaving most of your things behind. It's happened to me more than once, and I'm sorry you have to go through that. Just remember that you may still gain them back. MEM will surely be glad for you being there! I bet Missie is having a lot of fun baking with her grandmother. It's one of my earliest memories of my own grandmother.

GN: Between last week and this week, one of my aunts had her ankle repaired after a year's wait, another aunt had more surgery for skin cancer, and my grandmother had both her knees replaced. All seem to be doing okay. Only my grandmother's yet to return from her procedure, a day that's as of yet to be determined. She was transferred to a recovery home yesterday.

More GN: I haven't had time to post about it yet, but did get to go to a midnight release of DH part 2. Not unexpectedly, I had a great time.

More GN: I've made considerable improvement at work with my job the last few weeks. Though I've no idea how long the position will last, it's something I'm happy about and proud of lately.

BN: It's so sad that the beautiful bookstore I discovered a year ago that was once a live theater will be closing down. Whoever owns the building next will be very lucky. I only hope they don't have parts torn down.

Sorry I haven't been very active in here for a few days (to a week, maybe more). I'm glad to hear everyone is doing alright.

Congratulations to those who got good news.
Hugs and Prayers to those who need it most.

GN:I'm slowly but surely getting more writing done on my book.
BN: I may not finish the writing portion in time, I have less than a month until school starts.
GN:I had all day peace and quiet today to write, so that helped tons.
MGN: I finally saw Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2 last Saturday! It was great I loved it. I cried, I laughed, and I think they did a wonderful job in the movie. But just the thought of Deathly Hallows being a 4 hour movie, I'm glad they broke it up into 2 films.
EMGN: More peace and quiet tomorrow, so writing and cake baking for me (hubby's birthday cake, marble inside and chocolate outside).

#191 - No ejj, I didn't make a paste, as that would be wasteful of the Dr. Pepper and M&Ms! ;o) Straight consumption works best!!
#192 - It works wonders, kirby! As a teacher, you really must try it... :)

GN: We are doing Vacation Bible School (VBS) at our church this week, and because of the awful heat, the marketplace was moved inside where it's cooler. As a market stall volunteer that makes my evenings much more pleasant!
GN: We're halfway finished with VBS!! While I enjoy helping out and it's great to see so many kids having fun, there's a reason I work with adults...kids are not my forte.
VGN: We leave for a week at the beach on Saturday! Yippee!!!

Good News: My husband and I have survived twenty years married to each other. Not as easy as you might think, when we have stood on each other, thrown things at each other, and occasionally dropped things on each other. In an acrobatic, juggling kind of way. :o)

good for you JP and Mr JP

Congrats, JP! Here's to twenty more awesome years for the two of you! :)

Thanks Polly and Lefty!
Today we had a busy day driving our kids to their activities. I now know why he decided to take me away for a couple of days. Our kids drive us apart. Literally. :o)

Happy Anniversary, JP! When and where are you two getting away?

We just came back today. We went upstate to do some trail walking. Except we kind of got lost our first day. Never trust a tourist map, always get a real map. We almost found the site of Woodstock, but it started to downpour, so we headed back to the hotel where we....read books and watched TV. :o)

JP, I posted on Facebook about a week ago a picture of myself, my cousin, and my sister standing next to the monument on the original Woodstock site (note for tourists from afar: the town of Woodstock is about 50 miles from the site of the 1969 Woodstock concert, which was actually in Bethel, NY). Also, that site now contains the Bethel Woods arts complex, where one can hear concerts and visit a museum dedicated to the 60s and Woodstock.

*hopping off my tour guide box*

#205: We followed the signs to Bethel Woods from rte 55, but I think we just didn't go far enough. (Note to Upstate New York: more signs would be nice for us city folk who are used to well marked streets.) The map also confused me because it marked a "Woodstock museum" at the end of rte 55, 3 miles from where Bethel Woods was supposed to be. Or so I'm told. Maybe Woodstock is like Brigadoon. :o)

The museum is on the Bethel Woods grounds, part of the complex. Lovely virtual tour here: http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/about/itour.aspx

Not that it's the same as being there.

Next time you are headed upstate let me know: Liberty is about an hour and a half from me, and my nieces live there.

I highly recommend the venue for concerts--it's really pleasant and the acoustics are said to be excellent (I don't know enough to judge, I just like the place). We're toying with the idea of going to the New York Pops concert at the end of August.

Thanks ejj, I'll remember that. Was that one of your nieces who gave us directions when we were lost? :o) I want to bring the kids back up if only to go to Roscoe again, which might be closer to you. My husband and I found a cute little cafe called Buffalo Zach's Cafe. Food was simple, which is a plus for finicky me, but very good.

Yep, Roscoe is even closer. I'll meet you there ;-) just say the word.

Hello Everyone, I have read all of the posts but sorry if I forget one or two.

Polly, I am sorry I missed so much but I am glad you are back with MEM and the grandkids. ((Hugs))

JP, Happy belated anniversary!!!

K, Good luck with the work thing! Your such a great person you soooo deserve any promotion that comes your way.

Alisha: I am also writing a book :) I am glad you are making progress, keep pushing through!!!!

Ron, Hope you got that AC fixed ;) You gotta stay healthy and cool for your trip to the states next Hogwarts Xpress get together lol.

Sorry i haven't been around, I know I have been popping in every couple of months and saying this but I promise to check in more often, things ARE gettting less hectic :) I miss you all.

BN: I think the air conditioner here at my apartment is dying a slow and painful death. About once a week, it goes out, and I have to call the apartment office to send someone over to fix it. They do, and then it works (sort of; the upstairs never gets actually cool) for a while, then it goes out again.

GN: Mom got tired of hearing me fuss about it, so she bought me a small portable a/c unit for my bedroom. I am so looking forward to sleeping in a cool room tonight!

GN: In other news, I made some really good banana bread last night. I used the first recipe that came up when I did a web search, and it is just right -- moist, and with the right amount of sweetness -- definitely a keeper!

#211:You put me in mind of this quote from Dr. Seuss:

"And poor Mr. Bix!
Every morning at six
Poor Mr. Bix has his borfin to fix!

It just doesn't seem fair!
It just doesn't seem right!
But his borfin just seems to go shlump every night!"

I'm sorry your air conditioner is shlumping, Foggi! (Why yes, I did recite that off the top of my head. Why do you ask?)

ETA: catbastet has a wonderful recipe for banana bread from the Honest Pretzels cookbook. The cookbook is written for children, but it has a lot of simple good recipes.

Finally going to see DH2 this afternoon. Hubby has agreed to take me (his idea not mine), and he has read none of the books, and seen only one movie (GOF). Usually I go with my daughter, but since she lives 1 1/2 hours away, we couldn't make our schedules mesh. Then I planned to just go by myself and he made the offer. So I will give him a crash course in all things Potter, and commit myself to going to a movie of his choice in the near future.

We are 99% packed up and treating ourselves to an afternoon off! Movers come at 8:00 Monday morning!!

212: JP I just read that book (Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are) yesterday to my summer school kiddos.

GN: Summer school is over. Next week is our 2nd VBS. We're helping a church do their first VBS ever.
BN: My classroom is a wreck!
GN: I have now gone through everything in the room, gotten rid of lots, and am now more organized. I purged my classroom library of books that were falling apart and couldn't be repaired. I have them in 2 boxes to take off of LT soon.
BN: I still have to find places for things and get ready for school. I'm going to work a few more hours tomorrow afternoon to finish up this project. I want everything put away before I pull out beginning of the year stuff.

Kirby, it's so good to know the classics are still being read! :o)

#210 - Ms_Bella you are writing a book as well, that is so awesome. I wish you good luck in your writing. Thanks. I'm aiming to finish my book by August 20th, since my classes start on the 22nd, then I can start my editing and revising and then querying (maybe).

JP - Congratulations on 20 years of marriage! :)

BN: I had quite a scare on Tuesday night when my good friend left me a goodbye voice mail saying he was going to commit suicide. He's fine now but he's been depressed and had a recently extra depressing thing happen. I think he called several friends because he wanted them to respond so he would feel like people actually care about him.
BN: I couldn't fall asleep until 2:00 am that night and I had to wake up at 6:00 for band camp.
BN: Band camp has started...summer is ending!
GN: For 3 days of band camp, it's looking pretty good. Although we have only done forward marching.
GN: Yesterday I worked on my AP LA summer assignment and got a good portion done. :)
GN: Tomorrow is registration day for seniors! I'll get to see my schedule :)

I turned my ankle today at church. It felt fine for a couple of hours and then suddenly it started hurting like I'd twisted it badly & I can hardly walk. I took some Advil & have it iced down with a bag of vegetables right now. Jim went to the church to get a ziplock bag to make an ice pack. All of my ziplock bags are packed up, and I have no idea which box. Tomorrow is moving day, so hopefully it'll be ok by morning. Fortunately, everything here is already packed up & ready for the movers tomorrow.

Fell off my shoe (the heel was all of 1 1/2 inch). Also skinned my right knee and bruised the left. Now I remember why I always wear flats. Sigh.

#218 - Gosh I hope you are okay. I hope your ankle feels better in the morning for the moving day. I know what moving is like with obstacles in the way.

Last time I moved both my husband and I got sick, not sure what it was but we were both bed ridden for 3 days minimum each. I think it was the flu but I'm not quite sure.

wow Exlib, hope your okay,moving day or not a sprained ankle is no fun

Alisha- Yeah I am done the writing portion just working on editing and stuff now. I am giving myself til he end of September o finish editing then I am going to start querying (sp?) I can' wait til the rejection letters start rolling in lol, but i am feeling hopeful because the few that have read the manuscipt seem to really like it! so dont give up!!! PM me if you need anyone to boost your spirits or just to tell you to gert your butt moving lol.

Exlib! I hope your ankle feels better!

GN: Despite my lack of sleep and extremely early wake-up (thanks, Pottermore), I am having a great day -- stuff at work is going well, I had two (work) emails with good news about various things . . . and how could I have a bad day when I am registered for Pottermore?!?

GN Just got the notice that I got an ER book I had forgotten asking for. And (full disclosure) I still have an ER book I haven't reviewed yet.

BN: Can't sit and read books all day, as I have work to do.
GN: I have work to do.

Good News: I'm registered for Pottermore.
Good News: I want to thank Cat for registering me, since I could not be home when the clue was shown.
Bad/Strange News: I had to take my youngest to the doctor to deal with a bean in her ear. Again. *facepalm*
Bad News: It's not out yet. I guess she's gotten better at sticking beans in there. I have to go to the ENT tomorrow. *sigh*

Glad you got onto Pottermore Jugglingpaynes, me too! I can't wait for stuff to start now, I am poised with my books :)

Thanks KayE. Looks like a lot of HEers managed to do it today!

We have no hot water in this house. And even though it's 110 degrees, I do not enjoy cold showers. Hopefully someone will be fixing it soon. Still haven't found my sheets, bubble bath, or picture hooks.

#221 Ms_Bella: Thanks! I added you as friend and contact. I probably will PM you.

GN: I got registered for Pottermore today! So exciting.
BN: I didn't get any writing done today.
GN: Going to go see a family friend tomorrow, excited for that. I have seen her in years.
BN: Probably won't get much writing done tomorrow. But I'm staying optimistic for getting at least 5 pages pages done in the morning and maybe more done at night. We shall see how that goes.

GN: I got some cleaning and organizing done this evening.

BN: It seems like every time I move, it takes me longer to get settled in. I mean, I have been in this apartment for three months now, and I still have a couple of boxes that I haven't unpacked. Granted, they're mostly winter clothes, but it still feels like an uphill battle.

Oh, heck I don't want to hear about that! I have 1 1/2 weeks to get this house in order before school starts. And then, I'll be unpacking boxes there b/c a new library is being built over the summer!

GN: the gas man just came and I should have hot water soon...somebody turned off the water heater!

I still can't find bubble bath (which is a bigger deal now that I have hot water!), picture hangers and nails, or the sheets. We still don't have wireless connection, hopefully in the next few days that will happen.

Yesterday, we went shopping for bedroom furniture and came home with an 1890s oak chest of drawers. We also bought a dresser of the same vintage, and a settee. We have our eye on a sideboard as well. I'm looking for a vanity dresser too. The mirror in the bathroom is too high for me to use for putting on makeup!

The living room, dining room, and kitchen are pretty well done. When/if I find the picture hooks I can start putting things on the walls. And I'll need to go buy curtains for every room.

Put the bed up in the sewing room/guest room last night, and I'll have to tackle that mess somewhere down the line. "She who dies with the most fabric" is a great quilter's saying...except when it comes time to move all that fabric.

#199 jp:
Happy anniversary to both you and your husband! :)

#210 Bella:
It's great to see you on LT! Thank you! I'm not sure when it will end, but I'm happy.

#211 foggi:
That was nice of your mom. I'm glad you're getting some cool air. It's so hard to sleep when it's hot.

#214 kirby:
Good luck with your classroom and setting it up!

#217 Chelsea:
I wish your friend luck and help.

#218 exiledlibrarian:
Ouch! I hope it's not serious and that you're feeling well soon. Good luck with the move!

Congratulations to everyone registered for Pottermore! I'm so excited some of you got in early! :)

GN: My grandmother finally gets to come home tomorrow from having her knees replaced two weeks ago. She's walking better than in a long time and doesn't seem as though she'll need a ramp as we feared for any of the doors into the house.

GN: It's August! There are so many new books I can't wait to read this month. :)

BN/GN: Some of my youngest sister's friends are in a very difficult place. We've taken a particularly troubled one in for a few days each week the last month or so. She seems she may be doing better.

BN: I haven't gotten to see HP & the DH with LG yet. :(

BN: I didn't realize we could try to register for Pottermore yet. I have to work during time for both clues left.

More BN: I've missed the HE! It's probably going to be a bit before I can explore threads more. I'm just drained of energy after everything lately, though. *Hugs* for those who need or want them! Miss you guys!

Kerian, make sure your grandmother does her therapy, I have a friend who worked hard and was able to participate in a walk/run after 6 weeks. She didn't do the whole route, but she did do a good amount. My mother didn't do her physical therapy and it shows, she uses a walker now. We know many other success stories, all due to the work after surgery.

#232 Kasongo:
Yes! She's usually good about stuff like that, but she'll have a few people to remind her and practice with her each day. That's good news of your friend! That she had a goal like that to work toward sounds very good, too. My grandmother had already been using a walker when she wasn't at home because she took too many falls in the past. If she won't have to anymore after proper physical therapy it will be exciting! I'm sorry it didn't go as well as it could have with your mother. It's good to hear of how many good results you know of from physical therapy after this surgery. We'd only known one person to have had the surgery whose new knee didn't move very well.

GN: The boys both start football on Monday
BN: This means even less free time for me
GN: Almost done with all my summer travels, I have to pick up the girls from their Aunt on the 21st, luckily we're meeting halfway. This will be the last long car ride for the year hopefully!
Happy Friday everyone!

GN: It's the weekend! Having worked pretty hard this week (and deprived myself of a certain amount of sleep over Pottermore), I am ready to enjoy it.

GN: I got to lead a few parts of my work's all-store meeting today! I love doing that.

BN: The driver's window in our car's now stuck down, and overnight. Someone's not going to be able to work until it's fixed 'cause they work in a bad city.

GN: We had a nice beach vacation last week, despite Rex not being a fan of the beach proper (the ocean scared him). In addition to lounging on a the beach, eating fresh seafood daily and sightseeing, we also got to see a lot of family: my parents and sister; my aunt and her three kids; my in-laws; my sister-in-law, her husband and their three kids; and my husband's cousin!

BN: The laundry fairy wasn't waiting for me when we got home earlier today, so I've had to do four loads already with two more to go. Wonder where she got to... ;o)

BN: Because of my vacation, I didn't get into Pottermore. However, given how busy my schedule is for the next few months, it's probably a good thing. But I look forward to reading the Pottermore threads and hearing more from those of you who managed to get in!!

#237 grmwk:
You have a laundry fairy, too?! My family used to call me a laundry fairy. I once made a fairy from a pipecleaner, plastic flower petals, and a bead. It held a piece of clothing made from one of the flower petals and was given to someone with clean laundry. I'm also the toast master. ;)

GN: I get three days off work this week so long as no one changes that. My back needs the rest.

BN: There are dreadful riots in parts of London at the moment.
GN: They aren't anywhere near me as yet, and probably won't be.

I saw that LadyN and thought of you hoping you were safe! Please take no chances!

Thanks Polly. I'm staying safe. It's unlikely to come too near to where I live, fingers crossed.
Thankfully my good friend no longer lives in Tottenham, as she used to live just behind the high street. I do have a couple of friends who are in Brixton, bu they are also safe.

>239 LadyN: Stay safe! I had no idea this was happening and just went to see what news sites had to say. Apparently this stems from the police having shot a man?

One article said something about a further riot being "planned," which I thought a bit oxymoronic.

242 - Yes, a man was fatally shot by police last Thursday(?). At first it was reported that he had been shooting at the police, but there is now a question mark over that, and it has been reported that although he had a firearm, it may not have been used. Anyway, a peaceful protest was organised outside the the polive station on saturday, but it turned extremely violent, as you have seen, largely due to idiots who turned up looking for trouble, rather than those involved in the protest itself. Then last night there were "copycat" riots in other parts of London. Who knows if we'll see more...

ETA: Breaking news is that riots have now started in Hackney, east London. Again, not near me. I'm south east.

GN: Saw Dan Radcliff in How to Succeed in Business last Thursday and he was wonderfully funny. It was a very physical role and John Larroquette kept up with him. Yeah to both. If you can get to NYC and get tickets go by all means.
BN: I had to come back to work today.

BN: The violence has spread to my part of London.

GN: I got home safely beore they stopped the transport in my part of town, and live far enough away from the trouble to remain safe.

BN: It's awful watching the streets/shops you use being torched and trashed my mindless thugs. :-(

>245 LadyN: Please do stay safe. I'm so sad to think of this happening in London. I prefer to think of your country as more civilized than mine.

#246 - Thanks ejj. I am safe where I am. I have friends who are able to see these things happening through their windows, sadly. It's very upsetting. :'(

Stay safe, LadyN!

Thanks Foggi. I'm just waiting for my flat-mate to get home safely now. She was working a later shift, but since I've got home they've stopped a lot of the public transport coming through our part of town. I'm sure she'll be fine, but I don't envy her trying to get back right now.

LadyN, I want to to apparate yourself here right now! Right now young lady!

Oh LadyN, how awful. Adding my prayers for safety.

I'll do my best polly, but the ministry seems to have put a blanket ban on all magic, so as to prevent any dark arts prevailing. they may be a bit late on that. Croydon is in flames...

GN: I have just spoken to my flatmate. She is safe and making her way home.

ETA: BN: My friend Ben lives very, very near to one of the major fires in Croydon. :-(

Sorry for dominating the thread guys.

Thanks JP xx

its just all so frightening, Riots don't take into account race or gender or whether you were just minding your own business

how close are you ?

I'm about 2 miles away from Lewisham, in south east London. It's my nearest shopping centre, but where I live is residential rather than commercial, so shouldn't be affected. It was looking fairly bad there earlier, but I've not seen any updates since things got so much worse in other parts of London. My friends in Peckham and Croydon, which are a couple of miles further away from me are in much more danger. My friend Ben can see fires from his flat, and a couple of my other friends have joined with their neighboiurs to protect their local businesses. Every few minutes the news is reporting more looting going on in other areas. It's just non-stop.

Oh god. My flatmate has just got home. Our street has been trashed.

glad she's safe! Stay in!

I am!!

Sending good vibes to you LadyN! and to your ratties! Stay safe!

*Sends prayers and safe thoughts to Lady N*

LadyN, Wow how scary! I'm glad you and your friends are safe at the moment! And to think I thought you were talking about the weather on your FB post. I really need to watch the news more often! Sending safety vibes your way! I hope this is all resolved soon!

Praying you don't wake up to even more destruction and disruption, LadyN!

BN: One of my faculty authors seems to have been scammed by a publishing outfit that turns out not to be legit. He's young and just starting out on his tenure pursuit, and I'm worried this will negatively impact him.

LadyN,
*hugs!* I hope you and all you hold dear are safe! I'll be thinking of you.

Thanks all! My street had been completely tidied by the time I left for work this morning, but the devastation across other parts of London is just unbelievable. The city is shaken. However, there are teams of volunteers turning out everywhere to help clean up the mess, which is a good reminder that there are decent folk among us. I just wish I could help with the clean-up rather than have to be at work.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. London is sad today.

#264: *more hugs* I hope the violence has stopped. I read last night that it had spread to other cities.

LadyN: Big hugs Please, stay safe!

265 - Thanks. I'm just so sad. Yes, last night it also set off in Liverpool, Birmingham, Nottingham and Bristol.

266 - Thanks Mandy, I intend to.

We were given the opportunity to leave work early today, having been tipped off that the area immediately behind our offices was to be targeted. The train was packed with others who have been told the same. There is a noticeably larger police presence this evening. So far it all seems precautionary. Although it seems there is some violence in Brixton again, there is nothing new on the 24 hour news coverage, compared to last night when it was all already going on.

Fingers crossed.

Rioting in Manchester now, I'm supposed to be going to visit friends and go to the theatre on Friday, don't know if that will be happening now :(
Just hope my friends are going to be OK, keep checking in with people on FB, no one I know has been caught up in the violence yet thankfully

Stay safe Kay and LadyN, and any other HEers who are near the riots. May this craziness end soon.

I think Deatheaters are running amok in London town.

Nothing so sophisticated, I'd say Trolls.

LadyN & Kay, hopefully everything settles back down to normal soon! Keep safe!

Thoughts and prayers to LadyN & Kay

GN: I got two more chapters done in my book.
BN: My (personal) deadline is fast approaching.
MBN: School starts on the 22nd. (deadline is the 20th)
Gn: I think I can, I think I can..meet my deadline.

Wish me luck!

Thinking of you and yours Kay. I hope you all managed to stay safe. My sister usually lives in Manchester, but thankfully she's working in Scarborough at the moment.

These are sad times.

GN: A lot of the trouble seems to have died down with increased police presence.

GN: Communities have pulled together to clean up affected areas.

GN: I have finished my first book of 2011!! (I am amazed at how long the great reading famine of 2011 has lasted!)

BN: I didn't like the book.

GN: I've picked up another one, which I am sure I will enjoy more.

BN: Work is full of hideous atmosphere today.

GN: Not tooooooo long until the weekend!

LadyN, I'm so glad things have calmed down in London!

BN: Tuesday night I had a migraine, yesterday I felt achy all day, today I have a sore throat. Either stress over the impending semester is manifesting in odd ways (possible), or I have a summer cold (more probable).
GN: I got through the two orientation sessions I had to lead this week before the sore throat set it (which might've been contributing causes too), and they both went well.
GN: My book club met last night and we've selected some promising reads for the next few months: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, The Cypress House, Bed and Breakfast, The Winter Sea, and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. Yay reading!

Thanks grkmwk. There's a long way to go to mend the damage (morally as well as physically), all over the country as well as in London, but at least the violence seems to have stopped.

Just news: I have decided to start blogging. I've been thinking about it for a while, but this week's events finally gave me the push. http://thoughtcorridors.wordpress.com/

i read it! Its awesome writing LadyN!

>276 grkmwk: Our book club did Major Pettigrew's Last Stand; I quite enjoyed it.

GN: We also read The Help and are doing a movie outing on Tuesday (partly because hardly any of us managed to get the book we were supposed to read for August, Cutting for Stone. Another book club in our library system was doing that book so got to the copies before we could. Oops.). Looking forward to the movie, though.

BN: Jon Stewart just said that at the Iowa State Fair there's deep-fried butter on a stick. Now, I love butter as much or more than the next person, but seriously, folks, this has to stop. It's just stupid and beyond unhealthy.

JustN: Comedy Central is planning a roast of Charlie Sheen. Isn't that a bit redundant?

#278 - Thanks Polly, very kind of you to say so. Im glad you liked it.

#276 - I really enjoyed The Help(? Enjoyed is possibly the wrong word, given what an uncomfortable read it is in parts.) I am looking forward to the movie, but with trepidation, as always when a good book is given the big screen treatment.

eeeewwwwww deep fried butter!

#279 - Glad to know you enjoyed it, ejj! And I agree that deep fried butter is a step too far. So is deep fried beer, which is rumored to have cropped up at a Texas fair in the past year or so...

N: Last night we had a sparrow in our house. Fortunately we were able to catch the bird (it helped having a friend who grew up catching lizards in Florida over at the time...I owe her!), but he/she was so frightened that he/she kept flying into the ceiling and walls and lamps in panic. Although he/she flew off after my friend caught her in a towel and released him/her, I'm worried that everything won't be OK. I'm also worried that we might have sparrows nesting in our chimney, as I can't think of how else he/she got in...

Have a chimney sweep come look at your chimney but the sparrow is probably fine, they are tough little birds

#283 - Thanks for the reassurance about the sparrow, polly! And the chimney sweep is probably a good idea, even if we don't have a nest in there.

LadyN... glad things have calmed down!

grkmwk... I hope you feel better soon!

ejj... our fair had deep fried beer and deep fried bacon this year. I've heard deep fried bacon is pretty good (there's a restaurant in Texas that has DF bacon on the menu)...

I agree deep fried butter doesn't sound appetizing at all & neither does beer! yuck!

How do you deep fry butter? Isn't that redundant?

I just keep wondering how it doesn't melt.

GN: After 35 days of temps over 100 (mostly around 110-115), we are finally back in the double digits! The much needed rain has come, and we still need more.
GN: Open House is over and school starts Monday.
BN: I'm not ready! I'm sure I will be, but I'm just not ready yet. There's always too much to do at the beginning of the year.

GN: I"M ON VACATION!!!! Leaving for Minnesota today!! I'm so excited!!

Yesterday I got a call from my principal. School starts in ONE WEEK, and no one ordered shelving for the new library. I asked several times, several people (including her) last spring, did I need to order shelving, and was assured it was taken care of. Did I mention school starts IN ONE WEEK???

And this morning, I am going to the clinic, as I have an infected ingrown toenail. I looked up the treatment on Wikipedia, and it's wigging me out. Several people have told me it's no big deal, and also explained the procedure in great detail. I've birthed 2 children, had stitches in a gash, had many major operations, including hip replacement, so I've no idea why I'm so squeamish about this procedure. Ack.

290: I heard about that treatment because my 9 year old was suffering a ingrown toenail. I had her soak it in warm water and epsom salts about three times a day for a couple of weeks and let her go barefoot as much as possible, since I think the narrow toe of her shoe was making it worse. It's much better now, thanks to a barefoot summer, but I do keep an eye on it. Eventually, she's going to need to get back in her shoes.

ETA: I meant the ingrown toenail, not hangnail. Sorry, the caffeine hadn't kicked in when I wrote this. Although she has had infected hangnails as well, which caused swelling around the nail bed.

a super moisturizing cream helps as well. i het hangnails all the time and my mom always tells me to use a cream cetaphil so everything stays soft and eventually the hangnail falls off

Let me just say, ewww. I have never felt the least desire to embrace any of the medical professions, and I'm glad there are people who do.

Going back to the deep-fried butter . . . they put a stick of butter on a stick, coat it in batter, and deep-fry it. My assumption is that the butter does mostly melt, and you end up with a crispy batter that's buttered on the soft inside part. I could see that being tasty, but it's still a whole stick of butter being eaten at once, which I could also see making me sick, if not immediately, then in the fullness of time.

I love that expression, "in the fullness of time."

GN: It's cooler out, and enough so at night to make sleeping much easier.

BN: I'm already dreading the changing of the leaves and what that presages. I love autumn, but what comes after, not so much.

GN: Mutombu got a promotion.
BN: We have to relocate in Cedar Rapids, IA. Far from Mandy2 and Bib. Where we live now is the longest I have ever been in one place (19 years).
BN: I have to sell my Curves.
GN: I can get a new drivers license with a better picture (last one was from 2009 and I weighed about 90 lbs more and couldn't get a new one here until 2013).

GN: the dr did not dig around or do anything gross to it. So yay! Antibiotics and continue the epsom salts treatment, twice a day. Also, I'm to stick a small piece of cotton swab down it to encourage the nail to grow out the right way. She seemed to think it was caused by fungus, due to the fact I always wear nail polish. So now I have to forgo pretty toes for a while. Which, I confess I have a little vanity for. And after the infection is cleared, she suggests soaking my feet in bleach water to kill the fungus. Bleh. I just bought a new bottle of really pretty pink polish too. :(

293- what can i say? im a med geek :) lol

Mandy...Yay for vacation! Have a safe trip!

Exiled....I hate ingrown toenails, I used to get them all the time from cutting my nail too short. Luckily I've never had to go to the doctor for one! I hope yours is healed soon!

ejj... I definately agree with your last remark. I love the Autumn it is my favorite seaon, but I dread the impending doom that is winter!

kasongo.... Yay for Mutombu's promotion! Sorry to hear you have to move so far and sell your Curves. Are you considering starting another Curves when you are all settled?

GN: Going to see the movie The Help with a friend tomorrow, then after that I have a "good-bye" dinner for another friend. A group of us our meeting at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

#231 Kerian: Thank you :)

LadyN and KayEluned: What a scary experience. I hope things continue to get better over there.

BN: School started Wednesday.
GN: I absolutely love my schedule!
GN: It's my senior year! (Finally! But at the same time I don't feel like I could be old enough)
GN: I finished my AP LA summer assignment on time. Biblical allusions 8 pages, Paradise Lost questions 11 pages, Brave New World book report 11 pages, BNW essay 2 1/2 pages. And the essay isn't all that bad even though I wrote in only an hour and a half. So pretty successful :)
GN: I really enjoyed Brave New World.
BN: My friend's mom is really concerned about him and wants him to move to her house in Tennessee. He told everyone he's leaving in about 3 weeks. I'm not sure if that's the best thing for him and nobody is sure if he is actually going.
GN: Yesterday I officially became a volunteer at the closest non-kill animal shelter (after an application, orientation, and training classes). I can't wait to spend hours doing something I love. :)

GN: My birthday present to myself arrived today: my new elf coat!!!! Some of you may remember that I'm enamored (obsessed?) with the elf coats and sweaters made by Katwise on Etsy (www.katwise.etsy.com). I have a Katwise sweater, which I love, and really wanted a mid-length coat, but after several failed attempts to nab one (it's a firesale madhouse when she posts new items), I decided it wasn't worth the stress...or the expense. Then I decided to treat myself for my birthday (I only turn 30 once) and took up an offer from a woman who'd made her own Katwise-inspired coat to make me one. It arrived this afternoon and I LOVE IT!!!

GN: Kelly, thanks in part to making my coat, has decided to start sewing full time. You can see her site at www.upwardlycycled.com.

BN: Although we've had cooler weather this week, it'll be a while yet before I'm able to wear my elf coat for the day, so I've resorted to wearing it tonight inside my air conditioned house - ha!

grkmwk... The elf coats are neat and colorful! =)

BN: I haven't been feeling well lately. I had a Dr. appt today for my weight check so I filled my Dr. in on all my symptoms and she thinks I may have Lyme disease, problem is I haven't found any ticks anywhere one my body....anywhoo I have to take an antibiotic for 3 weeks while I'm waiting for my blood work to come back.

GN: In the past year I have lost 43 pounds total.
MGN: Tuesday I discovered a new LYS (Local Yarn Store) that is about 30 min away. So I spent several hours smooshing lovely yarns and I recieved a 50% discount on my whole purchase!

Polly - 43 pounds! you are my hero I need to lose at least 14 by Xmas (so I can eat as much Xmus pud and chocoate santas as I like without feeling guilty) and have only managed 4 so far :( need to spend more time in the gym but it's just so BORING!

grkmwk - I followed the link, nice coats! what colour is yours? I like the dark patchwork-like one the best. I have a bit of a thing for unusual knitwear, I call it Molly-Weasley-Syndrome. I have a fantastic pea green cabled cape with a hood and big wooden buttons that I wear all the time in the Winter :)

PollyA I hope you are Okay, I like the elf coat too!

PollyA: I'm so sorry. My son had Lyme and we missed it with the first symptoms because of various viruses going around at the time. Luckily, antibiotics help even if you reach stage 2. I had something tick borne last year, so make sure your doctor checks all the possibilities. If it is tick borne, the antibiotics will help pretty quickly.

Well thanks grkmwk. Now I'm obsessed with elf coats. Post a pic of yours please!

Glad so many others like elf coats!! I plan to take some photos of mine this week, and will post when I do. I love the bright colorful ones that Katwise does, but wanted something a little more neutral to match most of my other clothes, and so I can wear it more often. Mine is various shades of brown with blue. I love it!!!

Sorry I haven't been here over the past couple of days.

Hugs and Congratulations to those who had good things happen.
Hugs, prayers, and thoughts to those who need them.

GN: I'm feeling much better.
BN: Still a little shaky from the recovery of the stomach virus or slight food poisoning that I have or had.
GN: Was able to catch up on my reading while I was sick
BN: Won't finish my book by deadline (August 20th)
GN: My classes start on Monday, so I'm glad I got sick beforehand, so the school has mandatory attendance. If you don't go to class then you are removed from the class.

GN/BN: I'm moving to Huntington, WV for grad. school tomorrow. I'll be offline for a few days as I unpack and settle down.

GN: I've been applying for jobs in the Huntington area, so I can stay in school. I have an interview for one of them Monday morning at 11 (LT time).

>307 06nwingert: Good luck with the job! and also with grad school. Exciting times.

GN: Barnes and Noble has a special on Georgette Heyer eBooks. I was rereading them anyway, so downloaded These Old Shades, my favorite of hers (though I love many of them).
BN: I need more money to buy books ;-)

there's never enough money for books is there!

u can say that again! the borders in my home town is closing and its making me broke lol

Good news: I've been volunteering helping to organize book donations for my library's annual book drive.
Better news: Surrounded by books and I get to keep a lot that would have been tossed anyway (old textbooks, lost covers, torn pages, scribbled on)
Bad news: I keep saving books. What is wrong with me? I have no shelf space!

#311 -- Time to build more shelves! ;-)

Thank you all for the get well wishes.

#301 Kay.... Finding "fun" work out videos REALLY helps! My two favorites in my personal collection are Yoga Booty Ballet Burlesque Cabaret and Dancing off the Pounds. I also go to an Aqua Zumba class twice a week at my local YMCA. Also my doctor prescribed Phentermine to help suppress my appetite. (I love food! =) )Good luck!!!!

#303 JP... Does it take a while to reach stage 2 or is it different for everyone? My main sympton is just very achey muscles all over and being quite tired. I've been this way for over a month now. I've been in plenty of areas where I could possibly have "picked up" a tick, but I haven't found any and I know they don't just fall off on their own.

#307 06Wingert.... Good luck with grad school and the job interview!!!

#309 Polly.... I totally agree!!!!

#311 JP.... I have run out of bookshelves too... and walls to put them on for that matter =( But I wouldn't be able to resist free books either!!! I had to find a new hobby to curb my book buying.......but I think the new hobby is just as bad and slightly more expensive.......YARN!!!!

GN: I pick up my youngest daughter on Sunday (she's been at my SIL's for 3 weeks).

BN: It means 8 hours of driving, though I am meeting her half way, so it could be worse.

#313 re 303: At stage two, it usually settles into the joints, usually the left knee. He was complaining of knee pain one morning and by the end of the day, he could barely walk. He was also very lethargic. I didn't catch on right away that it was Lyme because I was used to him complaining loudly over every little pain, so I...um...told him to suck it up. (I know! I'm a bad mom!!!)

re 311: Let me introduce you to Cat's weakness: knitting books. ;o)

314: I had a really surreal image for a second when I read that of you sitting knitting books, then I realised you meant books about knitting, I think I need more sleep.

Please don't sleep. We're all much funnier when we're sleep deprived! Of course, it could be that we're sleep deprived because we're on LT being funny...

#314 JP....I tell my kids to suck it up all the time too, that and rub some dirt on it. In fact I told Zach that this week at football practice when he was complaining about his foot. :o)

Learning to crochet and more recently attempting to knit has opened up a whole new genre of books for me now....not necessarily a good thing. ;0)

GN: We had a wonderful Saturday! Rex and I hit up the farmers market this morning and came home with yummy food, then spent the morning playing and reading books. My husband came home from work midday (he's been picking up some weekend on-air hosting at the public radio station where he works!) and joined us for lunch, then we had family nap time, more play time, a great dinner, and at almost 8pm, the house is tidied and quiet, and I'm reading while sipping wine!!

VGN: My husband has tomorrow off, so we can go to church as a family, then my parents are picking up Rex in the afternoon to spend the night, so my husband and I can have date night!!

#294 Kasongo:
Congratulations to Mutombu! I'm sorry about your having to move and leaving Curves.

#298 Chelsea:
You're welcome. Good luck with your senior year. I'm happy to hear about your volunteer work!

#300 PollyAnna:
Wishing you better soon!

#306 Alisha:
You were working so hard to reach your goaled deadline, too. I hope you're able to find time during the semester for your writing.

BN: My grandmother has to stop physical therapy for her knee replacements because combined with her bad hips it's causing her a lot of trouble and extra pain.
BN: I finally know when my temporary promotion will end. It's very shortly.
GN: I won't feel as scatter-brained, underslept, etc and will have more time for things I enjoy.

BN: I have a "friend" who is pretty annoying, only calls to talk about herself, drama queen, liar, recovering (?) alcoholic. Finally lost it tonight and hung up on her, then refused to answer the phone. Oh--because she has a habit of telling me that I'm overweight, eat too much, etc. It's not like I don't know, and I hardly need a "friend" pointing it out to me to justify her own inability to control her craving for alcohol.

VBN: This is a small town and she lives right across the street. There's no way I'm going to be able to avoid her unless my house finally sells and I can get the heck out of here.

#320 ejj:
I think you did the right thing. Some people can be too self-obsorbed, but when a friend think's it's okay to say certain things, they're not being your friend. I wish I had the courage you did to stand up to a "friend" who has said mean and hurtful things to me, too. *Hugs*

>321 Kerian: Thanks, Carrie-Ann. I wasn't even so much hurt as just tired of listening to her go on and on and on. People who revel in drama like that just suck the life out of you.

320
Well done. I would not usually advocate being rude to someone but sometimes there is just no choice. I have a friend who I care deeply about who has bi-polar which makes her the ultimate drama queen, with no sense of boundaries, and as much as I try to be a supportive friend and be there for her there are times when i just have to not answer the phone to her, or make up an excuse not to meet her just to give myself a break! Harsh I know but I believe that if she thought I was at her beck and call all the time she would just use me like an emotional punch bag every time she needed to vent, much as your friend seems to have been doing ejj.

#319 - Thanks Kerian! I know I wanted to get it done. But it's okay I'm sure I'll have time over the semester to get it finished. I know Mondays and Wednesdays I will have some time to work on it.

>323 KayEluned: Oh, boy, do I know that routine. I had a bi-polar boss and the only thing that worked when he was manic was to be brutally direct with him. He didn't hear anything else. This woman is hopeless, though: she's now left me a message saying "I guess you still hate me" (because I didn't answer the phone when I was sleeping!) and she doesn't think she's done anything wrong. She's a total narcissist.

wow that rly sucks! lol

#323/#325 - I've been there too, I have a friend who is the same way, and she stresses me out sometimes, so I had to start limiting myself on contact with her. I know it sounds harsh but I have to keep my sanity for my writing sake. :)

GN: It's that time of year again for LimadesforLearning! Sonic will fund projects that get the most votes. You can vote once a day with every valid email address from August 29th-September 30th. Last year you guys helped me get guided reading sets of the 39 Clues. This year I'm trying to get math games, books, and software. Please help me out if you can and want to.
http://www.limeadesforlearning.com/projects/view/619698?utm_source=et&utm_me...

We have a baby! Nicole Kaitlyn was born this morning eight pounds six ounces! Lots of black hair, more later

#329 -- Congratulations to MEM and family!

thx foggi! I will tell her!

Wonderful news, Polly. Love to Mem and all the family xxx

BN: I'm exhausted!! It's been a busy few days...
GN: Our two night run of our new comedy show went pretty well. There are things I'd change, but it's a miracle we pulled it off at all given the amount of rehearsal time we had/didn't have!
GN: I think we're going to be hired by the Guardian newspaper for a charity even they are organising later in the year. (I don't have the details yet...)
GN: Now the panic of the show is over, I can relax a little...
GN: A week tomorrow I'm going to visit a friend in Sweden. I can't wait. :-)

#329 - Congratulations

College classes have started for me and in the first day I'm slapped with homework. My god, I have more reading than writing, so I hope I can still squeeze in time to work on my book to finish it by the end of the year at this rate.

This semester I'm taking:

- The Bible as Literature (it's a class that counts for 2)
- Fiction I
- Spanish II with lab
- American Literature 1860-1912

Wish me luck, back to my homework I go, then maybe squeezing in some writing before my next class at 3pm.

Congratulations Polly and MEM!
Have fun in Sweden, LadyN! Sounds like you had a great show!
Alisha: Luck, luck, luck!

Bad news: One of catbastet's classes was canceled because of lack of enrollment.
Bad news: We had already bought the book for it. Grr!
Good news: There is an online version of the class we are going to try for. *fingers crossed*

#319 I hope your grandma is in less pain soon.

#329 Congrats to you and the rest of the family! :)

#333 Good luck to your comedy group and have fun on your trip!

GN: Today was a minimum day :)
BN: Too many of my friends are moving within the span of a week. One left Sunday for college in San Diego, another is going to college in Long Beach on Saturday, a third is leaving for college in Iowa also on Saturday, and a fourth is moving to Tennessee this weekend. :(
GN: We have phones, Skype, Facebook, and that old thing called "snail mail" to keep us in touch. Plus, the ones in CA will come and visit some weekends.

#335: I never bought my books until after the first day of class when I had the syllabus in my hand for that very reason. None of my professors ever had a problem with it. Most of them expected it, and encouraged us to order them online, so were lenient about the reading for the first week or two. Something to think about for next semester!

Thanks jugglingpaynes!! So far so good, though I will be doing lots of reading and Spanish this weekend, hoping I can squeeze in writing another chapter on my book.

I did manage to finish one chapter on Monday while waiting for my 3 pm class to start, so that was good.

BN: Just had a scary experience! I decided to take Sophie for a walk, beyond the boundaries of our usual walk around the apartment complex. About two blocks down the road, Sophie decided to relieve herself, so I stopped to pick up the mess. I tucked the plastic handle of her retractable leash under my arm, cleaned up the mess, then tried to transfer the leash handle back into my free hand -- and dropped it! Because we were on the sidewalk, the clatter of the leash handle scared the already startled Sophie, having the same kind of effect as a tin can tied to a cat's tail. She started flat-out running, down the sidewalk and then across the street. I ran after her, calling to her to stop, sit, any command that I could think of that she might obey, but she was too scared to listen. You can imagine how terrified I was -- though it's not a major thoroughfare, there were a few cars on the street. Fortunately, all of them stopped when they saw what had happened, and one of them, with a couple of teenage boys in it, actually stopped close to where she was running and the guys in it chased after her on foot. I was afraid this would scare her more (strangers! chasing me!! oh, noes!!!) -- but she was running home, and they caught up with her at my apartment door, got a hold of the leash, and started trying to convince her to walk back in my direction.

GN: Sophie is fine, and though I am still a little trembly, I am fine too. In the future, for long walks, we will use an "old-fashioned" nylon leash that I can loop my arm through and not lose my grip on so easily. I am glad that her instinct is to run home, too -- I was afraid she might run out into the busier street past my apartment building, but she didn't.

BN: She now has a musky scared-dog smell to her, so it is bath time for her later this evening.

Poor Sophie and poor foggi! I'm glad it turned out well tho!

How scary foggi. I'm glad Sophie is OK.
Bib, it was my fault this time. I figured it would be easier to get the buying over with before life got too busy. At least we bought it at the college bookstore, so if nothing else, we should be able to return it since the class was canceled.

Foggi, I know the feeling of terror. Worst was one time my boy Charlie got stuck in a swamp. We both needed a bath after that traumatic experience. Glad Sophie is facing nothing worse than the bath tonight.

JP, just wanted to mention the thought of renting textbooks in case you hadn't already decided that wasn't for you (and Marina). I would have done that for everything except major courses if it had been an option back in the dark ages.

My gosh I was terrified just reading about that... but I'm glad that she is okay, and they you had some help in trying to retrieve her.

I am glad everything is okay, foggi! You have some busy streets around you!

I am glad Sophie is fine foggi! Very scary!

Polly: Congratulations! Tell MEM I'm so happy for her.

LadyN: I hope you can relax and have a nice time.

Alisha: Good Luck!

jp: That stinks! I would always buy my books the first day the list went up. I wanted to get the best used books I could. They were usually gone by the 2nd or 3rd day.

foggi: Kirby is like that too. He'll keep running and running. Well, not so much anymore that he's getting very old. Finnegan will just stand there and wonder what's taking you so long to catch up. He might even run a few zoomies around you because he's bored. I'm glad everyone is safe. Just think! You'll have a clean smelling pup when you're all done with the bath. Bath time is fun in our house! Well, at least Finnegan thinks so.

Per my previous post, #307,

I have successfully moved. I had a wonderful interview on Monday and should here about that job either today or early next week. I had 4 other interviews, all of which went well. IN fact, I was offered 2 positions on the spot!

06nwingert
Congratulations glad to hear things are going well :)

Thanks Kirby!

I'm aiming for straight A's this semester.

ETA: I received a keychain (from her leftover tour swag) and a postcard with letter and autograph by Maggie Stiefvater in the mail, how exciting!

haven't read through most of this, having a really hard time keeping up.

GN: on Monday my 12 year-old SIL will be coming to live with us for the school year.
BN: 5 people in a 780 square-foot 2 bedroom apartment.

#320... I can relate, dealing with someone who is bi-polar is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Our oldest daughter is Bi-polar and refuses to admit it. Sometimes we just have to take a step back and distance ourselves from her. It's hard but it has to be done.

#329...Congrats Polly! and Congrats to Mem & family!!!

#333...Have a wonderful trip!!

#334...Good luck!

#339...How frightening! Luckily Sophie knew her way home! I'm glad you are both safe!

#347...Good luck with all the interviews! Sounds like you are off to a great start!

#350...Sounds like pretty cramped quarters, good luck!

GN: Lab results are back...No Lyme disease
BN: still don't know why I feel so ache-y, all my blood work came out fine. My "Bad "Cholestrerol is still a little high despite losing all that weight, I have chalked it up to genetics.

Gn: Kids go back to school on Friday! I'm thrilled b/c they need a structured schedule, they are driving me bonkers.

BN: As several of you may have seen on FB, I accidentally...well, broke my face a little bit at the weekend. I fell over on the pavement in soho, and split my eyebrow. I now have quite a splendid black eye, and glue holding my eyebrow together.

GN: No lasting damage, other than a probable scar. At least I didn't need any dental work doing! (Actually, I could have done with some dental work...) In the words of the (quite dishy) nurse who put me back together, I will "just look like a bit of a moron for about a week".

GN: I go to Sweden in 2 days!

I forgot to say that of course, all of you on the East coast have been very much in my thoughts of late. xx

LadyN: Ouch!

GN: Classes start tomorrow, and I'm actually really excited about the course I'm teaching this fall. I completely revised it from the spring semester, restructuring lectures and creating new assignments, so I have high hopes!

BN: Now that students are back, parking is bad, Starbucks lines are long, and meeting schedules have increased. Sigh, such is life in higher ed.

LadyN... I saw the pics, it does look horrible but for the record I didn't think you looked like a moron!

grk...what are you teaching this fall?

#356 - ha!! Thanks, that's good to know! :-)

I'm going to the Virginia Museum of Fine arts to see the Faberge eggs on Friday!

Oh neat! I would love to see those!

Good news: I snagged another ER book! It's a math book, but still...
Better news: I managed to get to yoga today. I really needed it. It's been a long week.
Bad news: It's only Wednesday. What the heck? Am I in a time warp?

GN: I'm getting paid to provide daycare for my friend's kid
BN: that means getting up at 6 every morning (I hate mornings)

#356: I'm teaching a 1 credit hour information literacy course for undergraduates. The main focus is on research skills, from topic identification to resource selection and evaluation to citation management. We also discuss the ethics of information use, both personal and academic. It's a fun class, and we fill 15 sections each semester!

BN: My husband's uncle died yesterday. We will be leaving tomorrow for a 10 hour drive to upper Ohio for his service. We were supposed to spend this weekend in the NC mountains with my mom's extended family, but that isn't happening now.

GN: His uncle had Parkinson's but was spared much of the agony of the final months/years, as he suffered a stroke on Wednesday, and passed quickly. Since he was 84 and had Parkinson's, there's some comfort knowing that he lived a long life and could've had a much harder end.

N: I'm not really sure how the long car trip will go with Rex, but we're going to break it up over two days on the way up and back, opting to spend the money on hotels in the hope that the drive will be more pleasant. I'm now looking for fun road stops in WV and Ohio...

You will find the drive beautiful.

So I've been told, Polly. I'm looking forward to it! I've only driven through WV once, in late December, and in Ohio have only traveled the 30 miles between Columbus and Newark, so I'm excited to see more of both!

#351 - Thank you, so far I've survived the first two weeks.

In my second week of classes, I had to take a quiz in American Literature and took a test in Spanish class.

I hope all is well with everyone.

Congratulations to those need it
Hugs and Prayers to those who need it.

(I have to read some of the old posts, omg this semester is nothing but reading for me...ugh)

>364 Theamwriter: No, no, that's "this semester is nothing but reading for me . . . yay!"

(But then, I dual-degreed in English and History, so you know I had to really like to read!)

I'm feeling pretty good about life in general but have nothing specific to report. Hope all are enjoying the weekend . . . now I need to get to work.

GN: I'm back from traveling over the weekend!

BN: The drive home was exhausting -- construction, rain, and heavy traffic pretty much the whole way!

GN: Now I am home, and the weather is so nice and cool that I don't even need to turn the air conditioning back on; I can just open the windows! And it's supposed to be like this all week!

BN: My computer is making a Noise. I know I'm going to have to replace it sooner or later . . . I just keep hoping that it's "later," as I really can't afford a new computer at the moment.

GN: chocolate chip cookies, yum :)

GN: the triple digit heat was finally broken today. It was a very nice 91 degrees today.
BN: b/c of this summer's drought and winds from the hurricane, there are wildfires all across Texas. Thousands of acres.

Dang it. Now I need chocolate chip cookies.

>368 theretiredlibrarian: My former tenant, a helicopter pilot, is now with the forestry service in Texas, fighting those very fires. I'm now on my third helicopter pilot as a tenant, and I love these guys--they are just so very cool, as well as being the best tenants imaginable.

Bad, but even more weird than bad, news: I seem to have lost the new nightgown I bought earlier this year. The only explanation I can come up with is that perhaps I inadvertently left it in the laundromat. Dang. I liked it.

Very very good news: I have finally (after nearly five months unemployment) got a job! and it's in a bookshop!

Bad news: It's in a bookshop so I may find myself coming home with piles of books instead of wages, hmmm... will have to learn to exercise self control.

Also bad news: it is only a temporary contract, but you never know how these things pan out I suppose.

Congratulations, Kay! I would also have no control in a bookshop. Mmmm...new book smell!
Hoping for the best exlib. Sorry I didn't mention it before. I got distracted by the cookies.

Good news: Catbastet's online class did not get canceled.
Bad news: The college website isn't working. It keeps kicking her off. I'm thinking they need to hire some teenagers to maintain the site.

#372 -- I don't know why it is, but the programs colleges use for online classes always seem to be finicky and easily broken. The one my grad school used was like that, too.

Congrats, Kay! My dad used to joke that if I worked in a bookshop, I would just come home with piles of books, too! Congrats, again! Hope it's lots of fun!!!!!!!

BN: Was clearing some stuff out today and came across a little wooden box with some letters and pictures and other keepsakes. A note from my late sister, a long, warm, loving letter from a dead friend, and a warm, loving letter from a friend I've lost touch with and can't find even with the miracle that is the Internet.

GN: Sort of; I consoled myself in the tradition of womankind everywhere and bought myself some clothes.

School starts tomorrow. Usually I look forward to it (except the getting up early part), but since they cut elementary computers I will be teaching fourth grade. I really like that age and I have a great group, I just feel a bit overwhelmed right now. Any good thoughts, prayers, luck, and hugs sent my way would be greatly appreciated!

I'm sure you will do great compski!

{{{hugs}}} for you ejj.

((((Hugs)))) to compskibook

You'll be brilliant, compskibook! (((((((((Hugs))))))))))

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Been kind of down, and well busy as well.

GN: I got a 87% on my first Spanish test of the semester
MGN: I got a 80% on my American Literature quiz
BN: My story that I've been working on all summer, it derailed and crashed, so now I'm back tracking to find out where I went wrong.
MBN: I haven't been sleeping much the past few days.
GN: I'm ahead in my classes (reading, writing, and online workbook for Spanish)

Hope everyone is doing well.

BN: About to be evacuated because the river is going to flood. Went through this in 2006 and don't see how I can possibly survive it again.

#381 -- Sorry to hear it!

Oh no, ejj! I hope everything is OK.

sending hugs your way ejj, hope there's no damage

#370 ejj1955

Listen, you have had a sucession of tenants living in your house and now a nightgown is missing?

That is creeping me out!

Have you read the The Widows of Broom by Arthur Upfield?

Write this in a letter and seal it and give it to a friend to keep!

#381- I'm so sorry... hope that there is no damage!!!!

EJJ - Sorry to hear that, hope you are OK :(

#381 - I'm so sorry ejj. Sending you hugs and keeping you in my thoughts xxx

ejj! Oh my! please keep us informed!

HUGs and Good thoughts to ejj. Here's hoping everything turns out OK.

#329 polly:
Congratulations to MEM!

#339 foggi:
I'm really glad Sophie had the instinct to go home and that she's okay.

#371 Kay:
The bookstore job perhaps being temporary or not, I'm excited for you! I hope it works out that you may work there longer.

#376 compski:
I hope it went well!

#381 ejj:
I'll be thinking of you and hoping the river doesn't damage your home.

BN: I wrote a very long post here a not too long ago, and of course, my phone ate it. Congratulations to all who are in needs of it, and hugs for those who are needing hugs!

GN: I got two new books in the mail both signed by Richelle Mead.

More GN: My step-sister and one of my cousins are both pregnant.

Has ejj been on since the storm? I heard that many rivers in the area were finally receding, I hope the one she is near was included, but I'm sure she flooded, since the news said it was the worst flood they had. :o(

I am still trying to get into a groove for teaching. I spent 6 hours at school yesterday and I am going back today. Monday night is Parent Information Night. Maybe when I make it past that, things will be better. I love the teaching part, just not all the planning and paperwork. Thank you for all the thoughts and good wishes.

#391 Kerian - Congrats on your preggers family :)

compski it will get better. However when it does let me know. ;) I'm heading up to school in a little while to work some more. That's after staying up until 1 last night working scheduling for reading groups for our hallway.

#361 grk... I took a similar class in college and enjoyed it very much and even though I had already had a lot of experience researching for papers I still found it quite helpful. Sorry to hear about your husband's Uncle. (((hugs)))

#366 foggi... Those have got to be the worst 3 things about travelling, especially if you hit all 3 at the same time! I dread driving next to those cement wall blocks they place soooo close to the edge of the lane during construction! I white knuckle it everytime i have to drive next to them in traffic!

#371 kay...yay for the job! I think that would be a pretty fantastic job, but I would also have to learn self control, especially if i received an employee discount!!! Good luck with that!

#380 alishamb...Great job on the tests! I hope everything else sorts itself out for you!

#381 ejj...I hope the flooding doesn't cause much damage! we have just the opposite problem at the moment. Apparently a dam broke somewhere down South and our river is at an all time low. You can literally walk across it in most places.

JN: Another busy week ahead of me. The kids have four football games, plus practices, and a cross-country meet this week. Then on Saturday the hubby has his annual company picnic and golf outing (I should mention that 2 of the 4 football games also take place on Saturday).

#394 Kay:
Thanks. I can't wait until it's soon enough to get them some gifts.

I hope we hear from ejj soon. Has anyone seen her on FB?

FYI: ejj just left a note on her FB page. She is alive and well and it wasn't as bad as 2006 (You mean the news lied?!?) Her basement did flood though, and it sounds like it will take a while to clean up.

found out yesterday that I have Graves disease.

Oh Dear! How severe and does your doctor have a prognosis yet?

>399 Kasongo: Had to go straight to MayoClinic.com and was happy to see the phrase "rarely life-threatening" jump off the page. Phew. Still, anything with such a wide range of possible symptoms and effects must be worrying. Good to see a wide range of treatments. Please take care of yourself!

ejj! You're here!!! You've been missed! {{hugs}} How's the house?

Kasongo, I'm sorry about the diagnosis, but I'm also glad that it is considered rarely life-threatening. I hope it isn't making you too uncomfortable.

Thanks, JP. Could be worse--no water in the first floor. Basement flooded; it's been pumped, cleanup supposedly tomorrow morning and electrical breaker box should be installed tomorrow afternoon. It has to be inspected, then when the juice is turned on, I can go home. Still need to deal with water heater and furnace (ugh) issues. I've already been away too long and am so longing for my own chair and my own bed and a decent night's sleep . . . considering the 11 months I spent in a FEMA trailer after the 2006 flood, I ought to be overjoyed, and mostly I am, but tonight I'm feeling whiny and homesick and tired.

But I am also warmed to the core of my heart by the concern and support I've had on LT and from Facebook friends (many of whom are the same folks, happily).

Kasongo - I'm sorry to hear that. i hope it doesn't put you through the mill too much and that you are able to be well treated.

ejj - I'm so glad that there wasn't as much damage as there might have been, but also sorry that you have been uprooted from your home again.

Keeping you both in my thoughts.

The doctor told me I would be back to myself soon. I do have an eye problem from it, but will see a doctor for that next week. He took me off all my vitamins and minerals because I have too much iodine in the system and I can't exercise now. My heart rate is too high. The bummer was when he said I would gain all my weight back. I have 8 lbs to my goal. My thought was "oh, no I won't." I will accept 10 lbs but I have worked hard to get to this point, I have lost 144 lbs from my heaviest 8 years ago. He then back tracked and said what i have lost in the last 6 months. Whew, but that's still more than I want. Plus I was about to buy new clothes for the new size. It will have to wait I guess. On the whole I am good. I tire easier, but not too bad.

BN: SIL's behavior is not where I want it
GN: it has improved a ton in the two weeks since she's been living here

GN: she's exactly where we thought she was in math
BN: her reading comprehension is about 2nd or 3rd grade level (she's 7th grade)
GN: with homeschooling her we should be able to get her reading at a higher level

ETA: if anyone has some great resources or ideas for improving a kid's reading comprehension or vocabulary (besides the obvious of reading) let me know

>399 Kasongo: As I recall both George Bush, Sr. and wife Barbara have Graves disease and both are pretty healthy considering their age and one of them at least is still jumping out of airplanes.

Kasongo, I hope you are back to your old self in no time and I hope you don't gain any of the weight you work so hard to lose.

Ejj, I haven't said anything but I have kept you in my thoughts and I'm glad you get to go back home in a few days time *hugs*

GN: I have just one more payment to finish paying the car insurance! woohoo!
JN: I am going back to classes at the university tomorrow.
GN: I am going to Miami with my mom to visit my brother next year and I think I'm staying for a month over there.
BN: I don't think I will have a lot of money to spend over there.
GN: It's better to say I'm broke and in Miami that I'm broke and here in my hometown :P....

The way I look at it, the average age for a woman to get Graves is 30s to 40s. So my body is 20 years younger!

406: Play Scrabble or Bananagrams with a dictionary at hand. Traditionally, this is cheating, but my vocabulary was always above average and I think it's because my mother let us look up various letter combinations while we played Scrabble to see if they were actual words. Other than that, reading, reading, reading, especially books that pique her interest. And let me just say it is awesome of you to do this for her.

Ron, when are you going to be in Florida? I'm still hoping I can get down there early next year, despite the horrid mess my life is in now.

GN: FEMA finally declared us a disaster area and the online application for aid has been filled out. There's also a program announced by NY state Governor Cuomo that will offer rebates for appliances (e.g., water heater and furnace) that need to be replaced. So I'll almost certainly qualify for something.

BN: Stupid fickle man. Stupid ex-girlfriend that he made up with. Not that I blame her. But the timing could not be worse for him to hurt my tender, raw feelings. Wah.

aww.. too bad about your guy! men! Who needs 'em

Hope you get the aid you need!

#411: He's not worth your time, ejj! *hugs* And I'll hopefully be in Miami at the end of January and all through February, if we get the chance we can meet, that would be awesome!

411 - Hugs for you ejj. For all you're going through at the moment. and I can completely sympathise with the fickle man situation. I have fallen into the pattern of being the girl men hook up with before going back to their exes. Gah!

Adding to the ejj love. {{{hugs}}}

I just love you guys.

I'm home!! So freaking happy about that. I have electricity (except in my bathroom?) but no water (??). Will call the village about that first thing tomorrow and then work on the water heater replacement (because when I get water, I'd like the option of hot or cold) and then the furnace.

But: I get to sleep in my own bed tonight!! I have missed it soooo much.

>413 Renald128: Ron, my plans aren't set, but that's about the time I'm hoping to be down there, so if I am, we will for sure meet. That would be so awesome!

>414 LadyN: Yep, that's about it. I go back and forth between feeling stupid and feeling taken advantage of.

#416: So glad you get to sleep at home -- I know how nice that can be. Hope you get your remaining water/electricity issues sorted out soon.

The DivaCup is in the TOP 10 of Green America's People Choice Awards!

#411...ejj, Sorry about your guy troubles (((hugs))) and Yay for being back home!!!!

As opposed to my comment back at 112, I got a good haircut, yesterday. :)

I'm sorry to hear about your guy troubles, ejj. Those situations really stink. Also offering my *hugs*

Ejj- ((hug)) Sympathising greatly with you right now, am supposed to be meeting up with my ex for a drink this afternoon.... not sure if it's a good idea but we'll see.

GN: Have started my new bookshop job, its really great!

BN: 35% staff discount and I can order any book, with no extra charge, to use it on. I'm doomed.

Kay you are so lucky!
We are going to the Renaissance Fair today! Very excited as I've never been to one!

Thank you, all. I can't say I've completely given up on this guy. For one thing, he lives with me (as a tenant) roughly half the time. And where a man has once been tempted . . .

GN: Electrician came this morning; I now have electricity in my bathroom as well as everywhere else. And his bill not too bad.

GN: FEMA inspector currently inspecting. I'm not all that optimistic about getting FEMA assistance, but it doesn't hurt to apply and I could be wrong and if not FEMA, then another program will almost certainly help with my expensive basement remodel (new electrical panel, water heater, furnace, ductwork, and the ever-popular cleaning and spraying with moldicide.)

BN: The fact that I ever had to learn the word "moldicide."

GN: I spent the day cleaning, and now my carpets are clean, my bathroom is clean, Sophie is clean, my dishes are clean, my laundry is clean, and the living room and bedroom are much tidier than they were. I even did a little bit of ironing! Also, I stored some things under the bed where Sophie likes to hide -- now, she can get under the edge of the bed, but not so far under that I can't easily reach her.

BN: Sophie is much demoralized by the day's events -- the bath, the loss of her under-bed hiding place, the general cleaning and scariness. I also brushed her and trimmed her bangs so she can see out. She may never forgive me for today.

BN: I feel like most of the day's dirt is now on me.
GN: A shower is next on the agenda! And when bedtime comes . . . there are clean sheets!

Dear foggi,

If you have any cleaning energy left, please come here. You know the way.

We'll bake cookies. :o)

Good news: I survived my first ever night in a tent. This in spite of swarming mosquitoes during set-up, chilly overnight temperatures, lack of supplies (read: sleeping bags), and a blanket stealing nine-year-old. We did have fun hiking and cooking over a campfire, but I will be happy to sleep in my own bed tonight.

With my blanket stealing husband.

Blanket stealing must be hereditary!

BN: My internet wasn't working.
GN: It was just Firefox. Apparently with the last dose of Microsoft updates it blocked Firefox. I now have it figured out (after two weeks).
BN: While trying to figure it out I had deleted Firefox from my computer to restart. I don't think I saved my bookmarks. I will find them all though...eventually.

So, N: I haven't read everyone's news yet. I will! So in the mean time: {Hugs} to those who need them, and congrats to those that deserve them.

GN: I am LOVING the pirate speak on LT today!! HA!!

Me too, LadyN!!

GN: I have a wonderful loving husband.

BN: His mother is staying with us...again...and she's smoking...again...and she has no return ticket. I've decided she is the reason I have grey hairs.

BN: no sleep last night (Adara was up pucking)

GN: Pirate speak.

Hey Everyone! I hope all is well with everyone! I have to go back and read the posts though.

*Hugs and prayers out to everyone*

GN: My novel is getting back on track slowly but surely.
BN: My classes are keeping me pretty busy so I don't get much time to work on it. I just hope that I can finish it soon.
GN: I'm passing my classes, I have had 2 tests in Spanish 2 already and passed both.

Well I'll post more later after I read everyone's post. Sorry I haven't been here lately. I'm a busy busy girl.

aaarrgh me hearties! Its glad I be fer all the good tidings!

Mandy, I assume she is not smoking in your house. Want to come early?

I will be there very early Saturday morning

BN: my computer won't install anything

#436: Not even a set of bookshelves? Lazy...

#399 Kasongo:
Sending you wishes for better health. I'm really glad it's not life threatening.

ejj:
I'm happy to hear you're home! Sorry about the guy troubles. May your house be back together shortly.

#425 jp:
I can't believe you'd never slept in a tent before! Congratulations on surviving your first camping trip.

#430 Mandy:
Sorry. :(

GN: I was hand-picked by my district manager for a leader position. I get my own team of people, too!
BN: I pulled my back again, this time on rides at a fair. I guess it was a blessing that the ride I suspect to have done it broke down from a power shortage while my sisters and I were on it.

Since my first job cut my hours to mornings only I began searching for an afternoon job. I interviewed yesterday so I hope I get it as together it would be much moolah! Then today I got an offer for weekend work so whoohoo! who says the economy is bad?

GN: computer fixed
BN: had to reset to factory specs, had to re-download everything and all my settings are gone
BN: alone with 4 kids for the first time, and Adara, Isaac, and I all have colds.

GN: We're going out of town this weekend for a church retreat in the mountains!
BN: My promotion dossier is due next Friday, and because of how crazy life has been with my husband working 6 or 7 days a week for the past 7 weeks, I'm much farther behind than I'd hoped to be.
BN: Although I know I'm doing the teaching, scholarship and service to warrant promotion, I'm having a hard time figuring out how much stuff to include in my supplemental documents section to prove that I deserve promotion. I want there to be a rubric, but there isn't.
(G?)N: Regardless of how stressed I may become between now and next Friday, it will all be over by 5pm when it's due...

Good luck for Friday grkmwk :)

Congrats to Kerian and Polly on work stuff. Sorry about computer woes, Rissa. Enjoy your downtime this weekend, Grkmwk.

GN: Hot water. Ah, the bliss of a shower at home. Also, FEMA came through for me (and for my neighbors) with unbelievable speed. Less than a week after application, money in bank account. Woo hoo! Now I can splurge on that furnace I've been wanting (to replace the one that's "full of mud").

I-have-no-idea-if-this-is-GN-or-BN: Have been dipping toes into Internet dating sites. Found one interesting prospect, but the ball is in his email court.

yay for hot water and FEMA actually doing their job!

ejj1955; I will be waiting with interest to see what you think of internet dating, my sister, who met her partner on E-Harmony has been on at me to try it... still not sure about it though

GN? I purchased the bridesmaid's dress for Espy's wedding tonight. It's questionably good news, because it's good that I got it done, but I hate the whole process of buying bridesmaid's dresses, not to mention the fact that the major bridal chain in the US sells no bridesmaid's dresses with sleeves. None. Of course, they sell wraps and boleros, so they can get another $50 out of you. I'm going to stop now, before I hit my stride with this rant.

BN: I waited too long to eat supper, so now I just feel sick instead of hungry. Food sounds entirely unappealing right now, but I know that if I don't eat something soon, I will be even more miserable later.

Foggi, I feel your pain. Everything you said resonates.

>445 KayEluned: Kay, so far I'm not thrilled. Match.com seems to be a giant fraud and not worth a cent--almost all of the profiles presented to me as good matches or people who have "winked" at me disappear an hour later. Match's official line is that these people have, perhaps, taken down their profiles because they are pursuing other relationships. A blog I found when googling suggests that these are sham profiles from the start, which seems a lot more likely given the percentages. PlentyofFish.com is marginally better; at least it's free and the guys seem to be real. But if someone winks at me I just wink back and wait to see if they will bother with an email.

I've been emailing two guys the past few days; one of them has said so many inconsistent or confusing things I'm beginning to be very suspicious of him. The other seems like a fairly nice guy but I'm not sure we really would be compatible. Hmm. One guy I got excited about hasn't responded to an email several days ago; nothing I can do about that.

Still, I'm out there and looking. Met a person in real life yesterday who is intriguing but I don't yet know if he has a girlfriend or, in fact, would be interested in me. One thing I've recently learned, though, is that you never know!

#443 ejj:
Thank you. I'm happy you were able to get a furnace like you've been you wanting!

BN: I've just realized that for Thanksgiving this year my family and I will all be separated once more. Why I forget this is standard is beyond me because it just sets one's self up for disappointment.

I just ordered a few items for my halloween costume and they are cool ;)

#449 compski:
Any clues?

I can't wait to do some Halloween decorating!

BN: My previously thought-to-be pulled back isn't a pulled back muscle. It's a pinched nerve, running from my back to my right foot.

GN: Most people heal without treatment for it. Today's been much less painful.

ah, pinched nerves. I'm very prone to those, they're a b*tch and a half

Bad (or at least sad):

Oscar Handlin, great U. S. historian
died on Sept. 20 of this year.

#451 rissa:
I'm believing it. I'm sorry you're prone to them. That has to be even less fun with little ones to pick up. I hope you're all well soon.

BN: no hot water

450: Kerian: I am glad you are better. I hope to have enough time this year to do a Harry Potter graveyard again in my flower boxes. Your graveyard was my inspiration when I did one the year the last book came out.

The clue is that the items are "cool." Not temperature, but called cool in a show.

GN: after almost 24 hours the water heater is working again.

GN: I submitted my dossier for promotion yesterday!!! As a faculty member, to move from assistant to associate status, I had to submit a dossier (portfolio) that demonstrates how I've contributed the past five years in librarianship, teaching, scholarship, and service. I had to write a summary letter detailing my accomplishments to date, and stating future growth plans, as well as a CV (an academic resume) and supporting documents. All in all, mine came in at about 200 pages.
BN: I am now in the 6 month cone of silence before I hear whether or not I'm promoted.
GN: Fortunately, I've already had a very fun weekend of festivities, with more to come, to enjoy with much less stress than I've had the last few weeks!!

#457: Congrats grk! Crossing my fingers for 6 months starting now...:P

GN: I had my treatment for my Graves disease and now my thyroid is slowly dying. I was given a pill that had radioactive iodine.
BN: The moaning of a dying thyroid is keeping me awake. ; )
GN: I am not so radioactive that I can't be around pregnant women or small children after this weekend. I do have to carry a card around for a month in case I set off any alarms of being radioactive.
GN: Bib is afraid to get me angry incase I should become the the Hulk.
BN: I don't glow in the dark!

#459: LOL about the Hulk. Don't get mom angry. You wouldn't like her when she's angry. :o)
I'm sorry you don't glow in the dark. That would be cool. I'm glad you were able to treat Graves disease. I'm guessing once your thyroid is no more they will put you on Synthroid or something similar? Welcome to my world. Remembering to take it is half the battle.

I hate paying bills

>461 rissa: It's so much worse when you don't, though. Just sayin'.

yes. the sucky thing is we're waiting on Jason's financial aid check, and have no idea when it will come.

#455 compski:
Thank you. So am I! I'm glad you still put up a Harry Potter graveyard for Halloween, too. I fear this year that I may not. The front yard (and back) seems to have an alarming amount of large gardening spiders this year. They're doing a decent amount of spooking people on their own that they may just work as Halloween decorations by themselves.

#457 grkmwk:
I really hope you get it! We'll be rooting for you.

#459 Kasongo:
That silly bib! You're lucky you got a card. I was always afraid after back surgery that I would set off metal detectors. ;) May you sleep better soon!

Risa, it's good to hear your hot water's back. I hope the check comes soon.

Funny news: I woke up to my boss calling to let me know she was running late to work. It's lucky I remembered which day it was and that I'm not scheduled. There were just five minutes until I'd have been 'late,' too! ;)

459: Wait...you DON'T glow in the dark???? but that is exactly how I've been imagining you...also if you're radioactive and you bite me what kind of powers will I get?

#465: The power to put up with you for 28 years.

that's a stupid power, I put up with me everyday.

Probably should try to avoid being bitten then. Though your hubby may want to consider it. :)

but it'll only last 28 years? then he won't be able to put up with me anymore? He's already lasted 9 years...

465-469: *snicker*

Good news: This week was not as busy as the past few weeks have been.
Bad news: It's only Tuesday. This could change.
Good news: Thinking positive. I will have a less busy week.

Mandy, let me know how many times you need me to bite him.

471: LOL!

Bad news: Thinking positive does not work. I thought I was making my life easier by sending my husband to pick up Catbastet from work. She called me shortly after she got off work to ask where he was. He didn't have the cell phone. She waited with one of the librarians. I realized that he might have gone to the college, thinking he had to pick her up from a class. Tried to call Cat. Her voicemail picked up. A half hour later and two more calls to her cell, she called me back. I explained the situation. The awesome librarian offered to drive her home. She gets home, I hop in my car, drive to the campus to find my husband wandering wild-eyed and panicked. Did you know there are no public phones around anymore?

There are at walmart :)

:o) Ah, but they don't have a Walmart on campus!

There was a shooting at a cement plant today in Cupertino. 2 dead, 6 wounded. Suspect has an AK-47 and a handgun. Name Shareef Allman, is black, aged 45, works at the cement plant. Manhunt is underway.

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_19044864?nclick_check=1

#475 - That's awfull! I'm so sorry to hear about it. I hope they catch him soon.

Have to ask though, is it relevant that he's black? would you have said 'white, aged 45' if he was white, or just 'aged 45'?

476: In a news report, all pertinent identifying information is given in order to inform the public and keep them safe. In our news, it isn't really necessary. I'm happy if anyone wants to correct me, but my understanding is that HE's news thread is for friends' news, to let us know how you are doing. Of course, if Eris was in the area where this man had been shooting people, I hope Eris stayed safe.

And on that note, this thread is getting a bit long. Time to start a new one! Give me a few minutes and I'll set one up...

Here you are: http://www.librarything.com/topic/124792

Yeah, I was just posting identification information, because I live in the area and was keeping an eye out. :(

Allman was killed by the police, after violently resisting arrest, and fortunately no one else was killed. It's a sad thing all around. Allman had a son and everything. Sigh. Life is depressing.

I'm sorry if this wasn't a topic for posting on HE. Mea culpa.

It was related to you, since it was your area. I think that just wasn't clear to us. I'm sorry about all that happened. :o(

That's fine - I'm terrible at explaining myself on the Internet, especially when I just post things off without thinking!

My prayers to the families of the people died. It's truly a tragedy.

ErisofDiscord - I didn't realise you lived in the area and were giving a description of the man for identification purposes, it wasn't really clear in your comment. I'm sorry if I caused you any offence I just have a policy of challenging people I interact with on the internet if I feel they have said something I find offensive, obviously this was just a misunderstanding. No hard feelings I hope.

No hard feelings at all! The Internet is a marvelous device, but oftentimes can be so open to misinterpretation. I'm sorry for being so horrifically vague!

GN: I'm finally getting a dog :)

BN: He'll be ready to come home on MrA's birthday.

VBN: MrA is threatening to use his borthday privileges to steal him.

MBN: He's not a panda dog

GN: I can knit him a panda dog suit.

BN: My nephew;s dog is staying for a while and he is huge. At the moment he is sleeping on my legs and snoring.

MBN: His snore is identical to MrA's. I now have stereo snoring.

Aww! Congrats on the dog. What breed is he?

#483 -- So glad you're getting a dog, MsD! You do realize that we will want to see pictures, right?

GN: got to meet the founder of one of the big cloth diaper companies today.
GN: I also get a free cloth diaper from her

He's a Pomapoo, half pomm and poodle.

I just looked up images of pomapoos, and this is all I can say:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNLJDR-XbVY&feature=related

*melts*

We've continued the news on a new thread, since this one is a bit long . . .

Join us there!