A lot has happened around here in a short time. Wodka - ((((HUGS)))) to you and your sister. I think of you often. Dee - ((((HUGS)))) you have been through way too much lately. In September I am going to NJ and will try to hook up with you at some point - so I can give you a hug in person. Marci - ((((HUGS)))) to you as well. I had to redo my pap once and it is unnerving. When will you have the results? I hope you have fun with your friend at the Shaker Woods fair today. Besh - thank you for your kind words. I do enjoy painting, as frustrating as it can be at times LOL. I just sold the one you like, Wednesday night. It was my largest piece to date. I also sold the boat on Saturday. Both of my top money pieces - now I need to paint more LOL. We have the fly problem on the boat as well. My family thought I had lost it the other day. I was all set for a nice peaceful time on the lake with a book in hand and those little buggers just appeared from nowhere. I got up with a towel and just started swatting and screaming. Like you said, you take off and they stay right with you. We have had them before, but they are relentless this year. Sorry to hear about DIL grandmother, but glad they will be with you. Milkdud - I am so happy that things are working out with you in your new neighborhood. It sounds like you are going to be very involved socially very soon. My daughter has been using the TX mug you sent me. I hope it isn't missing when she leaves LOL. Patti - Blueberry muffins sound great - my DH can BBQ and reheat food (and sometimes that is questionable) but he really can't cook at all. Which is fine for me, since I like to cook - he gets clean-up duty. BJ - come out, come out, wherever you are.... Suzanne - enjoy your time out on the high seas. I love our lake and it is plenty big (32 miles long), but there is something about being out on the ocean that is so special and I know you are going out there in style. Donna - Are you still working out? I am down to twice a week, but do try to get cardio in on most of the other days - I have to admit I haven't been living up to my expectations lately. I did get it in today and I moved it up on my priority list. McPeg - Marci was nice enough to post some of my paintings on her photo site. If you need the address let me know. I will have to privately email it to you. QOD #1 - I'm with Marci. I always thought how cool it would be to be Samantha from Bewitched. QOD #2 - Busy with DD's visit, hope to get a little lake time in and a nice dinner tonight to celebrate DH birthday. Hugs to all that need them and even if you don't. Make the best of today.

Hi, I'm back. I have been MIA due to the wedding planning and bringing DH to Dr. appointments. I think I told you about his thyroid. After the CT scan we were told that everything looked ok, probably a goiter, but they wanted to do an ultrasound. We got a phone call from his Dr. saying come in so we could review his options. The ultrasound showed a huge mass in his thyroid, a nodule, but very large and it could start obstructing things. They also can not rule out cancer because of some other findings. He is having a biopsy in two weeks and then an appt. with a surgeon. Either way it has to come out. They just need to determine if part of his thryroid, or all of it will come out. Thyroid cancer is 100% curable so we feel good about the outcome. It has just been so upsetting and nervewracking. We did go to the Jimmy Buffett concert last night. It helped to take our mind off of things. It downpoured in the middle of the concert and ofcourse we had lawn seats so just go wet. What are you going to do? We still had a blast and he never disappoints. He performed for over 3 hours. It was a great time. QOD: My oldest DS started working when he was 15 for a Marina/Engine repair place. It lead to him going to school to because a certified marine technician and he is still currently employed by them. Prior to that he was always busy with scouts and band. He spent one summer coordinating and carrying out his Eagle project. He always seemed to keep busy. My youngest worked last summer when he was 14 for my brother's appliance business, but not this year (medical conditions forced DB not to work this summer). This summer he has been hanging out with his friends. He lifts weights and does power training for football conditioning. He has been starting to plan his Eagle project, but is basically dragging his feet and making me crazy. Next summer this boy will be working! My oldest DS informed us that he has been offered a job in Virginia at a marina and probably will be moving there the beginning of October, just after the wedding. :-( I understand it is a good opportunity for him and he has a better chance of buying a home there than he does up here, but it brakes my heart. Nobody in my entire family has ever moved away. We all live within an hour of one another, so this is very hard for me. Other than the Buffett concert last night, this week has basically s*cked! Love, Besh

Hi Raeanne - Sorry, I am not doing laundry today. I am trying to recover from yesterday's garage sale. It was a major disappointment. We didn't get the crowds that we usually do and I blame the extreme heat. It was miserably hot and humid and I know that kept people away. We were actually giving stuff away at the end of the day, just so we didn't have to pack it back up. I only made $34.20! :~( I usually make around $75 when I just have junk and more when I have big ticket items like furniture. Oh well, there is always next year. Sorry to hear you still aren't feeling better. But I give you permission to drag out your "woe is me" plan of inaction as long as your DH will put up with it! LOL Tikanas - I could get into a whole lot of trouble if I had a week to myself. But it would be a costly week! LOL On the other hand, I can think of some great things that don't cost too much money. Breakfast with a friend, long walks first thing in the AM, hours browsing in my favorite stores, no cooking, watching chick flicks, hours talking on the phone, just to name a few. Have fun and give BJ a great big hug from all of us. Hope NHSuzanne is having a great time in Nantucket. MagicKitty - Glad to hear you had a nice vacation too. I bought a new desk chair today and it is SO comfortable. No wonder my b*tt fell asleep in that other thing! LOL I ordered a turntable for the TV and a chenille throw for the couch. I am still looking for an ottoman and an area rug but those will have to wait until I get back to work and start getting paychecks again! lol Once the desk and hutch get here, I can decide what I want to put on the walls. I will post a picture when it is all done. I like the feeling that this is my space. I guess some good came of DS moving out. Better go find something for dinner. Marci

Good morning from waiting SE Texas! It's 82 and mostly cloudy so far. It took forever for me to fall into a good sleep last night, so I slept in late. Woke up to hearing hubby outside the bedroom window running tape on them. Coffee and computer, then breathing treatment, then getting dressed for whatever this day may bring! I received the most comforting prayer from a 'net friend when I got up today. It just relaxed me to my toes when I read it. Isn't it strange that we each possess the ability to alter another person's way of feeling by a few chosen words? Dee, TGIF! What did you think of BB last night? All regular shows were pre-empted here for weather news, of course, but I stayed up to watch the beginning of BBAD and figured out very quickly that somebody left (YEA!) and my faves stayed. THank goodness for modern technology so that I can keep up when need be. It looks like Ike made another little change during the night and he's not weakening as I'd heard before bedtime. We're in as good a shape as we can be, so I'm confident that we'll be safe. Yes, I wish we had plywood on the windows, but we don't - this time! We have plenty of food, water, cooking methods (propane grill and Coleman stove), flashlights, fresh batteries, candles and matches, and I can't think what else right now. It's having so much time to prepare that's a blessing and a curse though. I keep thinking we're ready, then I think of something else to be done. If and when we lose power, know that I'm here in spirit because y'all are very special to me. Post interesting things so that when I do check in, I'll have good things to read! Have a great weekend!