Dan and Paula, I will continue to keep you in my prayers and meditations. I know that you don't hold faith in prayer, but positive energy is coming your way in waves. I know it is a very difficult time, and one that you are not in the mood to speak of much. I know what you two are going through. Shortly after the birth of my next to youngest son, my stepmother was diagnosed. Hers had already spread too far before being diagnosed. When my youngest son was a year old, my favorite uncle passed after a 15 year remission. Even my stepmother had several years to enjoy life after her diagnosis, even with it having spread so far there wasn't much that could be done to treat it. If you can have faith in nothing else, have faith in the fact that you are a strong individual who has much left to share with the world. Have faith in the woman at your side who loves you, and your family who does as well. Have faith in the doctors who found this quickly. I had not left off of my prayers and meditations for both of you. In addition to healing and strength (light blue and red), I will also be lighting a pure white beeswax candle, one of the few left to me by my mentor, which holds her blessings and meditations for purity, faith and energy. I hope you feel well enough to join us and just hang out and talk. About anything. Gardening is a way of cleansing the soul and mind. And your friends here love you and hold faith for you that this will be well. Kathy

Oh, that's bad, Trina! Poor Fox! We haven't had to deal with that here, thank goodness!!! Okay, and those of you saying to talk to the doctor, well, that is what I am pretty sure the email he read was about. He had gone to the doctor, and while he was there, joked around with his doctor that his wife thought he needs the blue pill. The doctor asked if we were trying to have any more kids, and when he said no, the doctor I guess told him that if he keeps losing weight I'll think he's a new man! And I was SO pissed that the doctor didn't take his joking seriously!!! Isn't a doctor supposed to dig when someone mentions something like that lightheartedly??? But, please don't think I'm not getting any - it's not that bad - it just doesn't last! But, he certainly makes up for it, so I'm not complaining too badly! ; ) As far as childbirth, I've been both ways. I didn't want to have drugs with any of them, but I have trouble going into labor on my own. So, I have had 3 births with a pitocin drip. Yuck!! Once it starts working, it makes it fast and hard. With all three of them, I had some painkiller, something they put in the IV, to take the edge off - I don't remember what it's called. With William though, I did go into labor on my own. (Though the doctor says it was because he had checked my cervix that morning.) So, no pitocin, no pain meds. And he was almost 9 lbs. - 8 lbs. 15 oz. And I have to say - that was my easiest labor! Incredibly painful, but maneagable. OMG - when I had William, I have this funny memory! I tore like crazy when I had him. The next day when I went to go pee, I used the little squirt bottle that they tell you to use to clean yourself afterwards, and I accidentally touched myself. It felt like there was a ball down there - I was swelled up so huge!! That was one of the weirdest feelings ever!!! Melissa - I don't know how you did that at home! We talked to a midwife when I was pregnant with Lily, but decided to stick with my doctor. But, on our own???? Scary! My mom said that her mom gave birth on their kitchen table - all 8 kids. And most of the time, the midwife didn't make it in time. She remembers her dad delivering her younger brothers and sisters. Wow - that is so cool Melissa!

Fun indeed! I've read most of the blogger's list of food micro-histories, so it's not virtual to me. I've done the same thing, however, with books about islands, ill-fated explorers, the world's biggest hoaxes, etc., etc.

I can't really picture the finished look you're after so I can't help there. But 4x2 is awful tight, especially because you'd better be doing some sort of an insulating "liner" inside the firepit (fire brick is better than a steel liner, and you can find black firebrick) or else you risk cracking your concrete slab. Regular concrete and late night wood fires aren't best buds. Killer views, and I think the firepit helps lead the eye to them. But the expansive views make the 2 ft width feel all the more dinky and undersized. Go bigger. As long as I've been at this no one has ever said "dang Dave I wish we went smaller". Not for nothing but you could also really play up the view to the distant horizon by making the far edge slightly narrower than the one closest to the house, really force the perspective. At first that's what I thought you did, but I think it's an optical illusion caused by the patio shape.