Dacaf coffee? Really, Josh? ;-) I don't know... I guess I just always go for the gusto, or something... I couldn't drink decaf coffee, drink a light beer, eat an item because it was low fat, or smoke a light cigarette! If I'm going to go, I'm going to go all out!! :-) I want to really taste my food and/or beverage... and not necessarily consume it just because it's better for me! And before you say anything... ya, I know... smoking isn't good for me, either! It's the last bad habit I have, and I don't do it THAT much! I'm working on it... ;-) Chicken wings are for people who really like to work at eating... they must be, because I can't for the life of me think why else anyone would want to eat the one part of a chicken that hardly contains any meat! I like skin on, bone in chicken drumsticks and thighs, and I like them either marinated and grilled, or breaded and fried, or baked as a whole bird surrounded with vegetables! Seafood and fish are awesome... as long as they're fully cooked! I can't abide the thought that parasite eggs might lie dormant within the flesh... but that's where they might be. Fish and pigs are notorious for carrying parasites. I'd go for the cooked Japanese fish and seafood, but not the raw. Dealing with dogs so much has made me very aware of parasites. I once wrote an article for a breed specific magazine on parasites... the research I did was very eye-opening. And, yes... there are some kinds of worms that humans can get, only one of which is the tapeworm. Fish also contains a little more than trace amounts of mercury and other chemicals, thanks to industrial dumping. It seems to accumulate more in the belly fat of large fish, so be sure to trim all that off when preparing it. In other news... we got some crazy weather last night! We got hit with an ice storm, sort of. It rained or snowed a couple of inches of tiny balls of ice. It was like walking on sand. It was the strangest weather I think I've ever seen! The roads are sheets of ice with a covering of ice balls! It's very slick out there... anyone traveling in it should be very careful! Charades sounds like fun, Al! I haven't played cards or any games in a long time... not since the kids were younger. We're kind of isolated down here... all of our friends live up north. And you guys are scattered all over the country! Funny thing, though... last night, we were talking about a bulb type I want to get, and Old Guy says, "you should get a bunch and send some to your friends... they're always sending you stuff", and I said, "I should... I've got really generous friends, don't I?" And he said, "yes, they certainly are good friends!" So, there you have it... I, too, wish we all lived closer to each other. Can you imagine the fun we'd have together?! Can you imagine all we'd learn together, and what we could accomplish?!! :-) And speaking of bulbs and sending things, I will have care packages for some of you when the weather breaks. Anyway... not much on the agenda today... except hauling more water and chipping ice out of water buckets and horse troughs and poultry pans! I wish the ducks didn't have to bathe so often in winter, but it's what keeps their feathers in good condition, I think. They're incredibly messy! If I can't locate the Day Glo mantis pictures, Mike, I'll be sure to take a new batch next autumn. I noticed several new areas of the gardens that contain egg cases, so we should have quite a nice population this year! Well... it's about that time again... time to make the donuts. Chores call. Happy Continual Birthday, Josh... and a great day to everyone! :-)

Well, I just have to sing..." Happy Birthday to Me - Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday to Me - Happy Birthday!!!" Wait a minute its not my BIRTHDAY. It sure does feel like it!!! Vanessa: Thanks for all you've done!! Marcia: Thanks for picking up my babies!! Felix: Thanks for babysitting!! I'm so excited! Picture me doing the birthday dance and singing..."Happy Birthday to Me"... Priscilla

Hey Everyone! Just got home about 3:30, am totally wiped out, wanted to post about my package before I fall asleep standing up! Jayeanne sent a really nice package, two packages actually, she forgot to put the dog treats in the first one! I got what I think is a leash holder, shaped like a dog bone, with 3 hooks on it; it says "good dog" but that can easily be changed to "good Kitties"! Pink also sent a cinnamon pumpkin candle, a backpack size hand sanitizer (I use these ALOT), and a very sweet note, with baby Pugs on the front. And then there were the seeds she sent. I AM SO EXCITED! There were Coleus, sweet peas, California poppies and acorn squash. AND THEN, there was Broom Corn, Fleabane and Bishops Flower, all three of which great for attracting Butterflies!! I have one lonely little patch of Fleabane show up in a different spot every year, Now I'll have it where I want it! All three of these are new to me and I can't wait to get them planted! Jayeanne, thank you very much for a great "Dog Days" package. Loved it! If I didn't think I would wake up at 3 am and be awake for the rest of the day, I would go to bed NOW! Tabs and MyrnD were really good for me, but now I know why Chris sounds so tired sometimes, when I call. Gonna miss them, tho! Jeanne, thanks for hosting a great swap! Take care of yourself, please! Shirley!

Rosa, I'm sorry that happened to you! I should take my own advice... I wanted to sew in the living room so I could watch TV so I took the machine off the bedroom desk and put it on a table in front of the sofa... started to stitch and snap! The machine locked up and the display said "safety device activated"... at least I found the part of the needle that broke off and it didn't land inside the machine... my machine defaults to the left needle position when you turn it on, and if I'd been sewing in my normal spot I'd have remembered to change it, but with the moving to the living room bit thrown in to the mix, I simply forgot. Sometimes, mechanical machines that stay where we put them are best! I have a nice new gouge in my new quarter inch foot now... I guess it can be called a battle scar :o)