I had a girl make my heart go pitter patter. Here is Sheba making herself at home. I am going to hate to give her up but she will be better off with someone that doesn't have other dogs. She is a people person. Hope I can find an older person to take her. She would love them to pieces and protect them very well. She tried to sleep beside my bed but wouldn't fit, lol.

The pies were GREAT, so I guess it was worth it, now that it's over, lol! You're absolutely right, it beats the alternative - I just turned 70 too, and finally retired, am loving every minute. Texas Harvest Pies is just inside Keller (which isn't large), in an old house. Isn't the rain wonderful?? We sure need it...

"B & M Sterling" has quite a few hits on google ... it's maybe the BALDWIN & MILLER company. (many Baldwins in the silver business) "Baldwin & Miller Inc. also manufactured in Newark, NJ. This company originated in the 1920's supplying retail stores with sterling and pewter holloware. " also "Baldwin, Miller Co., Inc. (Indianapolis, Indiana) was established in 1883, also no relation to the other "Baldwins" At last check, they are still in business. Their mark is B.M.Co. or B&M." "Reproduction" - perhaps the pieces were reproductions of some historic piece. They look like "sanders" to me, that were part of a writing set. You sprinkled sand onto wet ink to soak up the excess. It's not Jensen, but it is sitll sterling. Here is a link that might be useful: American Silver Marks

Katie Kitty is safely back home! My neighbor was so upset (she is in her 70's) and she cried when she asked me to send out a mass email to everyone asking them to help find her cat, so I'm very happy to report that Katie Kitty found her way home! Cyn, my husband is a federal type as well and won't get any snow days because he telecommutes so they don't get to take snow days. He doesn't mind though, he'd rather be able to work from home most days then to get a snow day. Are you a teacher? We know several teachers in NoVa, one in Centreville and one out in Haymarket. Our schools are canceled for the week also! LOL Newhomebuilder, I feel like that often with my posts, I wish there was an edit feature on here! The couple who showed up said they thought about calling us to see if the party was canceled but I guess they just decided to forge ahead! I sent them an email apologizing again for making them come out in the cold and ice and they said they had a wonderful time, so it all worked out in the end. I sent them back home with their fruitcake and plate and they said they had a meatloaf in the oven for their daughter and grandson who live with them, so they were fine. Cooperbailey, we have not one but two 95+ year olds on our street! They are both in great shape. The 95 year old woman lives with her daughter, SIL, and grandchildren but she still comes to every event and is just a little hard of hearing, but otherwise doing really well. The other 96 year old is a man and lives on his own, but right next door to his son and his family. He is truly amazing! He still drives, and seems to be fine, has a beautiful garden which he dutifully tends and I think he even has a computer! He also takes his Dachshund to obedience training!!! I hope I'm just like him as I continue to get older, I'm 46 now. A funny story about him when we first moved in and he was a mere 94. One day we drove past and he was laying on his side in the ditch near his mailbox. We drove past and I said to my husband "GO BACK George has fallen!!!" and my husband said that he thought George was just pulling weeds or something. I said "honey, clearly he has fallen, look at him he's on his side, you don't pull weeds like that!" so he agreed and began backing up. When we got beside him I rolled down the window and said are you ok George? He looked puzzled, he didn't really know us since we'd just moved in, and said "I'm fine, I'm trimming" and sure enough he had those old handheld trimming shears that everyone used to have that looked like giant scissors! We left and he went back to trimming. My guess is that one day George will be helping us up rather than the other way around, he's my hero! Here are some pictures of our pups playing in the snow. They look so fierce when they play, yet they love one another dearly! Quinn, he's fast, but not quite as fast as our nearly 10 yr old BC, she is still faster! Quinn giving his "mom" some love! Kat :)