I have to agree on the fondue posts. Takes a while to do, can do by soft lighting (if you're careful). Start with a luscious cheese fondue and a crisp wine, followed by a meat and veggie orgie, and follow up with sinful strawberries dipped in warm chocolate with kirsch. Then, put in the movie "Chocolat" and you're all set! Don't forget the tawny port with the chocolate course.

Good Saturday morning! It's 89 F. and partly sunny here today, and I don't have a thing on my agenda (well, except for trying find that darned passport!!!). I loved reading so many posts from everyone! What a great start to my day seeing Marci, Suzanne, Dee, and Jan back and busy writing. It feels like home now! I chatted with Patti on FB the other night. She returned from her Texas vacation last Saturday and said to tell y'all 'hello'. My wrist is no longer swollen, but it's still tender and needs TLC for a while yet. I'm still wearing the bandage when I'm doing anything, and that's helping. The Divas event by the Chamber of Commerce was last night, and it seemed to be a big success. Big crowd, lots of smiling faces from the attendees, the pamperers, and the vendors, so I take that as a success. I got home a little after 11 last night as cleanup went very quickly. I'm hoarse today because the music was a little loud, and I had to talk over it to answer questions all evening. I had something nice happen last night: the chairman of the event recommended me to the principal of the local high school when she asked for advice on how to do a 'Divas' event for high school girls. We'll be getting together within the next month to begin brainstorming. Today is my oldest Dson's 32nd birthday. His dad and wife are there today, so I'd asked him to call me when it was a good time to talk, and he did a bit ago. I got to wish him a 'happy 32 years and 6 hours old birthday'. I could imagine a smile in his voice when he thanked me. :) QOD: I intend to rest my voice, my wrist, my feet, and my back today and do as little as possible. I do have to go into the depths of my messy closet and locate my passport, but dh is going to help me with that because of my wrist. Dinner tonight will be southwestern chicken in the crockpot and more doing nothing but lying around and watching movies. Church tomorrow. Jan, I WISH I'd stuck with my WOE back in January like you have. I've lost nothing. I'm praying for motivation to get serious once again and start losing like you. You're just doing so great! Dee, happy new car! I'd love one, but unless I want to get a job, that won't happen here. Marci, it's great catching up with you as always. Suzanne, hope the chick/hen party goes well this weekend! Raeanne, wishing you all the best if this is the weekend for your big show! Hope everyone's day is everything you need it to be!

Ok, I'm laughing my socks off. At the question and the responses, and the repeated references to loos! Such a very British term. . . I don't have magazine racks or bookcases in my bathrooms today (they are very tiny) but we have been known to read in them. FYI, My best buy ever (20 years ago) was a huge wall mounted crossword puzzle in the guest bathroom. So funny to see which clues had been filled in after a dinner party -- I so wish I could find another one! I'm guessing that there are many "closet" readers out there! Nah, it isn't tacky, per se, but it is probably an unsanitary "intellectual" kind of thing . . . So funny!

I had about 110 kids, The night was beautiful and not too cool so all the neighborhood came out in droves. With help/advice of DD I even bought special non-allergenic organic candy and raisins and put a sign out saying for people to ask for them. Not one person did. I ended up just adding it all to the basket at the end. Around 8 p.m. the outsiders started coming in and were not happy that I didn't have real candy. After the third snarky kid walked away I turned off the lights. It was still fun to see all the kids dressed in costumes - especially the little ones. And, everyone from the neighborhood is always so polite. The teenage boy who wished me a Merry Christmas was delighted when I wished him a Happy New Year.