NHSuzanne - I usually poke the h*ll out my baked potatoes, because the exact same thing happened to me once, only it exploded in the microwave! Hope Sweet Pea continues to improve. Is your electric back on? I just bought some peanut butter and jelly to have on hand. I started eating the Smuckers natural peanut butter and now I can't eat any other kind. I love peanut butter on apples, bananas or English muffins. I just read that the tsunami missed Hawaii. Thank goodness. Those poor people in Chile. I have a cold and my back is aching for various reasons. So I confess that I slid off the wagon (felt sorry for myself) and ate some junk this week. I will have to start over with the stars. :~( At least I refrained from buying anything junky at the store today. We got another 6 inches yesterday and it has been snowing all day. But at least the snow today isn't sticking to the roads. February 2010 is now officially the snowiest February in Pennsylvania since they started keeping track of the weather. Marci Marci

Hi! Congrats Suzanne on that terrific total on the yard sale! What was the fund raiser for? Carolyn, I feel your pain re the heat! Hotter than heck here too... I think most of us are catching up on FB, but I find this to be so much more private, a safe place where we can bare our souls. This group is amazing, even if I haven't been checking in so often! Just wanted to say thank you for all of the prayers and good wishes, good thoughts from you guys after my accident. I am completely recovered from that nasty concussion, jaw is all healed and i have been back to work for the past 2 1/2 weeks! You might have seen that I have already been deep sea fishing and this Sunday I am taking my kayak out on Newport Bay. Can't wait! Can't find too many friends or family who enjoy kayaking as much as I do, so I went to meetup.com and found some new friends who DO! Ha! There is group at that link for EVERY interest. So Carolyn, go find 'em! You might suddenly find yourself with TOO much to do! : ) tikanis

QOD: Youngest DD went to a friend's house to spend the night. 2nd youngest DD had a summer slumber party here-I don't know why they call it that; no one sleeps and she has a party to go to today! 15 y.o DD was out last night with 18 y.o. BF - he now has his own apartment whcih she likes to visit. She starts pilot ground school today 8-6 for the next few Saturdays and Sundays. Oldest DD got a job running projectors at the local movie house, so she was working the last couple nights till 3 a.m. w/ the "Pirates" openings? I haven't yet. Me, I'm walking dogs, watering lawns, studying philosophy, ethics, and moral obligations, topped off with a load of meteorology and LOTS of laundry and weeding! I am going to spend an hour in my office as well--cleaning! DH is taking the bar study course 24/7, so things are running smoothly around here, really. GOOD LUCK, ERICA!!! Pictures, please! You are our "SS Daily Queen" mascot EVERY DAY! Zig~ Hope the funeral was okay for you. Those things are tough, but bring people together---and that's a good thing. Dee- Good to hear you're continuing the walking, but sorry about the pain of all. Syill thinking of your co-worker and her DH... Donna~ Did you get to go out to dinner? Raeanne: The questions on the body shape quiz didn't give many options for answers. I was an hourglass too, but have never thought of myself this way---I really think I have a boy's shape, sort of squarish w/ large shoulders. I was wondering how much stock to put in that quiz. Work-outs with enough weight to cause a fair amount of resistance is a great way to prevent bone disease and just plain be healthier---so I'm foregoing the femmy looks for that. Besides, as I get older, I sort of want to look like I can kick some @ss---lol!!! As well, I have really enjoyed increasing the weight at the gym from time to time--POWER! John-cats yet? Besh-CONGRATS on the 2.6 at WW Friday!!!!!!!!! I read about you unpacking your canvas bags and had to laugh---I have the same deal after an outting! Sounds like your weekend is FULLLLLLLLL! Be good! Milkdud~ What kind of swimming do you do? I've been hitting the pool for low key water walking twice a week. It's just a nice way for me to mellow out really. Maddie! Let us know how the Tedster's concert is. We are going to see Kenny Loggins in August at Saint Michelle Winery--1/2 hour from our house--so beautiful out there. Good luck on Monday's interview---I didn't catch what kind of business you're interviewing for... NHSuzanne~ You are so lucky to live where you do. Haven't heard you talking about DH and his sons lately...how's that going? Marci~ Cookie Lady! Good luck--taste and walk, taste and walk! It's sunny here---RARE, so I better finish my indoor stuff so I can get outdoors! Make this weekend a good one! Has anyone seen "The Inconvenient Truth?" (The Al Gore movie) and Has anyone seen "Pirates of the Carribean?" I haven't seen either but want to.

Hi Everyone! I've been MIA. My laptop died, got another one and managed to spill and entire cup of fresh coffee all over it, soaking the keyboard....talk about getting depressed. Really could not afford the laptop to begin with but hubby said it's our only real form of entertainment and he insisted. We don't have cable or satellite or antenna out here. I wanted to use an older laptop of his but apparently it's dying too. He's working on removing all data now before it shuts down for the last time. I left the laptop to dry for a couple of days....fired it up and the keyboard still did not work. Major depressive. So I hooked up a keyboard. I did not feel like talking much because the laptop was the icing on our financial cake...we're fine at the moment but still watching our pennies. It just got to us. Dave was even looking to spend a further $200 to get/replace the keyboard. I said no. I'll use the keyboard. Today I tried the laptop keyboard and it is working completely fine. It apparently needed more time to dry out. Thank you Toshiba for continuing to build better and better laptops! So I'm back. Emotionally it's been a rough week but I'm snapping out of it now. Dave just installed our first piece of kitchen yesterday - the sink unit with 3 drawers on the side. It's beautiful. 6 ft long with the second piece to be built as a mirrored image on the other side of the stove. First he's taking a break from cabinet making to make some storage shelves for his shop. It desperately needs to get stuff off the floor properly and room to sort his small stuff better. Safer working environment. It's late and I'll be off to bed in a few minutes. Tonight I watched Joan Crawford's 1945 Mildred Pierce online. WOW - what a great girly movie. I love black and white movies. She was fabulous in this movie. We're hitting a 5 day run of hot weather (by my standards) - 86F or 30C. Tomorrow morning I'll be watering my gardens and again in the evening. I don't care to lose my started tomatoes and peppers that are finally appearing. Socially this week has been very good. Finally got to spend decent time with our neighbour/friends across the road. They had us over a few times last summer/fall for proper dinners when we were living in the trailer. I was able to do something nice for Gail - I made her bedroom curtains which she loves. I was pretty pleased the way they turned out considering we went to a major charity shop and got a beautiful large silky looking table cloth in a purple/burgundy and a lavender/gray heavy curtain for the backing to add weight and keep the light out at night. We also had great girly time and got together here for a card night. Much needed. Very much needed. I'm back - I'm sure BJ will be back soon too! Still maintaining my weight, drinking water or heavily watered down ginger ale. I'm not nuts on pop, just bored with water sometimes. I only use part of a can. The rest goes back in the fridge for another day. Sweet dreams everyone - will be in touch tomorrow! LOL Peggy