Skyler loves performing, Eden, not working though. He belongs to a choir and loves singing. DD finds that he can learn anything if your set it to music. :) I've bought some drum sticks for him to play with while he's here. He worked a bit with drums at his camp. They work with batteries and play different songs that you tap to the beat with. I figure DH will play along with his guitar too and have some fun. DD will have to set up the rules though when he takes them back home. (Revenge of the grandmother!!! Hehehehe) I also have a drum for Reed that lights up when you tap it. That toy can be turned off though. DSIL has been tinkering with a banjo, so maybe there'll be a whole band one day! DD can do a bit of whatever: piano, trombone, guitar, flute, voice...

Punk, hope you got rested up a bit last night. You sure are one busy lady/ Love the treasures you found at the church sale. Those rw&b pieces will be great for Memorial Day which is coming up really quick. Love the basket too. I really don't know what to tell you about your beautiful owl. I am like you; it is too nice to put out , unless you can find a protected spot for him. I can't put anything outside that isn't really heavy (like made of cement) or can be permanetly fastened down because of the wind. We live in a vally with mountains on all sides and the wind gets pretty bad here.We went out to eat last night and I stopped by GW and did pretty good. I spent $22 and came home with 7 cut crystal champane flutes (we don't drink alchol, but sparkling juices work) for TSing,2 crystal wine glases that match the others, a service for 6+ extra knives and forks of clear handled with a red centered silverware. 3 sets of 4 placemars,6 clear salad bowels (The design matches a salad bowl that I have had for years), 4 small desert sized brandy sniffer bowels,A large new baige bath towel, 1 new green dish towel and 6 new dish cloths and a baseball and bat for DGS. I went in hoping to find a cheese dome for a set of petastal dishes that I made using candle sticks, glue and the clear salad plates from Wallyworld. I had bought 2 small cloches a couple of weeks ago to use, but then decided that the one clear cheese dome fit the size better. I only had one, so now I have an excuse to keep going back+ I am looking for smaller, coaster or maybe clear ashtray sized pieces that I can use for the smaller cloches. When I went to the Dr last week, she doubled the amt of antidepresent that I had taken for years, because of the stress with Dh and It must be helping. The last few days I have been wanting to do fun things again like making crafty things, which I really hadn't wanted to do in months. Maybe...just maybe, I"m starting to emerge from my long funk. Thanks you all for being there for me when I need a quiet place to escape. You are the best! Janet

Sigh, the only gift card I received was from my brother for Home Depot - and he put it in a three dimensional maze I had to solve before I could get to it. come to think of it they do have lots of gardening and how-to books. I only gave books to a teenage first cousin, once removed. He has started reading science fiction so I gave him two Heinleins -- Red Planet, a juvenile, and The Door into Summer which the grandfather he never knew loaned to me when I was a kid. And Bester's The Stars My Destination which is currently my "best science fiction book ever written." We will see how he likes the classics. Woodnymph, sorry to say L'Engle's Certain Women has been completely forgotten by me except for the title -- and that is probably from seeing it on the shelf. Rosefolly, I'd love that Edith Head book myself. I remember reading a fascinating bio of her decades ago. Have I ever mentioned to you that the dvd of Double Indemnity has some extras about the costume design. Apparently Stanwyck had a broad behind that Head had to design for. Who knew?

OK folks, I have packed way too much! I also went a little food crazy. My car will be full to the brim. But never fear, I will get the homemade 3-layer Italian Cream Cake in the car. Now lets just hope it doesn't suffer the same fate as my cupcakes from last year... I guess if it does, we can always turn it upside down and eat it out of the lid like a salad. :)