What a wonderful surprise! I hadn't been at the Party for a couple of days (I do read most days), so this was lovely to open up this morning! Thank you for all your lovely and generous words. The boat? Ah, the boat. Well, we have finally accepted it's a bit more than we can manage on our own, and when we started out the step-offspring joined in, but now one has a Small Person, and the other is about to have a Small Person, and their time is understandably used up. Himself decided to start a whole new career and we've had hardly any time on the boat this summer at all. So we decided to put her up for sale: BUT it takes years for something this size to sell, so we're confidently still planning improvements, and anticipating next summer's plans. But, with luck, the work we've put it will mean we will make a bit of money (and maybe buy something a BIT more manageable!).

LOL, all! He does have toys/plushies that have lasted forever. He just hasn't had anything new for a long time. :) He's got a Kong he loves and thank goodness for Nylabone, LOL! He's running around with his squirrel pelt tonight and keeps trying to get me to throw it. Doofy dog. : D You know what really weirds me out though? When I was getting it out of the bag, I didn't look at him or even squeak it. He came RUNNING and kept pawing at me to hurry up and cut off the tags. How did he know it was HIS and not for the kids? Did the same thing with his toy yesterday. Sometimes I think he can read my mind, LOL. Blessings, Haley

Hi clink - I'm happy that you are able to do as you wish with your laundry and don't have the potential issues that I mentioned. Wonderful that you are happy with your own way. I am fine with what works for me. Ain't life grand? I sort of envy you operating an organic flower farm, therefore "working from home" and being able to be there, in that lovely area, all day long. I would imagine that the "chore" (if one is to call it that) of hanging and taking down laundry is one that you enjoy as a leisurely activity. Unfortunately for me, I'm not able to look at laundry as a leisurely activity given my work schedule, commute, and other life obligations outside of my home. If you're surrounded by corn fields and soybean fields, that sounds to me as though there are more fields than trees around your clothesline. Is that true or am I misreading? I'm completely surrounded by trees, birdfeeders, birdhouses, bushes, etc. No place for a clothesline that's not right in the middle of all of this. Sounds like you have a lot of acreage - how lucky! I've only an acre (again, all treed with just a little area for a shaded patio). Someday I hope to graduate/move up to what you have described your home/land to be. Weighing all things, hanging laundry outside or smelling sheets in the nano-second before I go to sleep isn't at the top of my important-things list (heck - it's not even on the list). Even if I had more time, I still don't think I'd care. I'm willing to indulge in the convenience of a dryer (I know you and many would not consider that an indulgence, because you love the air-dried laundry). And, perhaps you'll allege that I don't live right, because I do get bird droppings, pollen, and other such natural stuff on anything outside. Regarding economics, which is the nature of this forum, I am frugal in many, many areas and watch my behavior. I also try to be "green". I decided long ago that I can't do it all, but I can do what I can, and frankly, that's quite a bit. Now, my neighbor across the street hangs her laundry quite often. She's home herself quite often, and has a good spot for her line. I actually like to see it, as it reminds me of my mom's clothesline when I was a kid. Kind of "country". But I also see that sometimes the same laundry is on the line for a few days because we've had a shower on the day she put it out and before it was fully dry, so it had to re-dry, then another shower, re-dry, etc. I don't care from looks-viewpoint, but what a hassle for her! I do know that she often ends up just taking down wet or damp laundry and putting it in the dryer. She also told me that sometimes she just puts it back into the washing machine to wash again because it started to smell musty. Sounds to me like you're doing much more than I am - my hat's off to you.

A good lamington is my fave! I have baked hundreds in my time :-) Often they are sold in bakeries split through the middle and filled with red jam (usually raspberry) and whipped cream, or just the whipped cream but I prefer mine plain. Pink lamingtons are made by dipping the sponge in raspberry jelly (US jello) that has been made with a little less water and allowed to get to the thickening up stage of setting before rolling in the coconut.