"that say something to the affect that the product is a known carcinogen in California. I'm always relieved to be using the product in another state, because I sure wouldn't want to get cancer! ;o)" First belly laugh of the day! My mother's new physician (she never had a regular one until she reached Medicare age) told her way back when she was in her mid sixties to switch from butter to a 'healthy' spread. She was as healthy as an ox, but I think he felt like he needed to give her something for her money, so he gave her some advise. My poor father faced an icebox in it with some pale yellow health spread instead of his butter and he was not a happy camper. I was nursing back then and told her about some new data on transfats (long before it was a popular and well-known word) and that spread had to have been hydrogenated. Their taste buds won out and it wasn't long before she went back to butter. After a life of eating butter, bacon, and other traditional foods, another physical involved a carotid doppler to see if she had any signs of plaque, typical in the elderly. The tech said she had garden hoses for arteries. LOLOL. To be fair, my parents also consumed things like fruits, and nuts, and vegetables, and grains. IOW just a well rounded diet and nothing was 'forbidden'. It served them well. They both lived long past their life expectancy based on life insurance tables, and enjoyed food every step of the way.

My box arrived today. Hubby took it down the basement until I got home and things were nice and cool when I opened it. Darrin packed his box FULL. I couldn't believe how much he was able to put into that box. Amazing!! Keep in mind he went with a patriotic theme beginning with a nice note that included a poem he wrote. Job well done too. centranthus alba Iris (All night long?) rain lilies ranunculus anemone orange trumpet vine, (I have always wanted one of these and although I discovered one along the side of the ditch this year, I want one by the house.) Gladiolas, red and yellow Horseradish, can't wait to read up on this and get it growing. Along with the plants was Bag of tootsie rolls Hand sanitizer Strawberry marshmallow cream lip balm 2 notepads with flowers on the front notepad with a bluebird on the front, (I use a lot of notepads) 2 packages of Jobes fertilizer spikes, one for flowers and one for vegies Patriotic cushie for my cans two small keychain flashlights, handy!! Seed baggies Lady bug magnets a two pack of lipbalm Blue dolphin windchime Pocket phillips screwdriver, (keeping this away from hubby) Squirrel pot hugger, cute Plant markers AND a crocheted patriotic butterfly pin, (I am sure this is another one of Elly's creations. Be sure to tell her thanks for me Darrin) Thanks for the wonderful, wonderful box. I am going to keep it all wet and get it in the ground on the weekend. The temperature is supposed to reach 102 tomorrow so there is no way I am planting these lovely things now just for them to cook out there. Dan, I had one of the best times in this swap. Thanks again for hosting it. You did a super job. Margo

Wow, Suzanne, what beautiful photos! What kind of camera is it? I need a new camera soon. Just ordered a new computer from Dell, though. I'm glad it's on it's way. I think about you all every day, so I don't know why I don't come by more. I guess I keep intending to write more and end up writing none because I don't take the time to write more, whatever sense that makes. Dear BJ, thanks so much for thinking of me and sending me a family update and pics! I was happy to hear from you! I even got so far as writing a note back and then I wasn't sure about the address, so here it still sits. I'm making progress in Second Life, and Myst Online - Uru is ending again. Guess they still couldn't make the finances stretch. Today a couple of Uru refugees came and visited me at my SL island. I was going to wait to post til I could post some pics, but it doesn't seem to be happening, so here I am without pics. My younger son is getting into virtual world programming and just took a job with a company called Soul Star or Soulstar, not sure which. They have a tool for creating virtual worlds and he is going to help them debug it. Part of my problem with posting is that I try to do more than I realistically can, and then things don't get done. I guess I've pretty much always been like that. Still staying as much as I can with low carb. It seems the way for me, and lots of vegies, like spinach, lettuch, parsley, zucchini, etc. Money still is short, especially since I spend it on paints, books, music, second life, etc. instead of clothes and food :) At least I pay rent, utilities, phone and internet, lol. I hope everyone is doing okay. Dave's been telling me how cold it's been in WI. Strange that isn't a part of my life anymore. I'll try to come back soon and post pics so y'all will know what I do with my days. I'm exhibiting in SL now and hoping to make enough money to at least cover what I'm spending. That's about what I do in FL, too. Oddly, I tend to stay away from people, even though I like people. I guess we all have some conflicting characteristics in us. Take care and I'll be back. :) Amy

Good Friday morning all, What a week! Two Mondays - two Fridays!! I really dislike a holiday in the middle of the week. Next year I will have to pay more attention and book off! Maddie, I did not watch the concert for Diana but I watched the interview with her two boys beforehand. I find them interesting and really feel for the fishbowl they live in - like their mother. I don't know what it was about Diana but I found her very interesting and could never understand what she saw in dorky Charles. She has two handsome boys though and I believe she was a good mother. What a life to live in a fishbowl for all of them. The weather here is awful. Humid and hot and my animals are all miserable. The biting flies are so bad that they cannot stand being out in the pasture for more than 20 minutes - they come galloping in because the bugs are so bad. I wonder how I ended up in the bug Mecca of the universe. The horse flies, deer flies and barn flies are horrible this year as are the mosquitos and gnats! Even early morning the gnats are so bad they can't stand it. So now they are standing in front of thier fans where they will stay all day. Poor things are so bitten up and itchy that they just hand me thier heads to help scratch thier ears. UGH Dee, only four ribs.........I could not resist! Sounds like you did well for yourself. Donna, good for you for joining WW. I joined WW on line and it's a good program. Now for some reason I can't use the program at home where I really need it. My computer won't let me download the most recent version of Flash which is required to use the point counter!! I have to try to figure this out over the weekend. QOD: What are you all doing this weekend? Saturday is my 17th anniversary and DH and I will be going out to dinner somewhere.