Stick to your guns Susie. I can feel your tension and hope you take good care of yourself. You will never be there for mom if you don't attend to your needs first. Being healthy and strong allows you to give more with less effort. Sounds like your mom is throwing a guilt trip at you so shrug it off. So hard when you want to help someone and they turn good intentions against you. Moms good luck with all those children... hope the sicky ones recover, those to be come healthy, and those that hope find their dreams. I didn't post yesterday as I was on the road for hours. My alma matter had invited me to attend a lunch/lecture/ and what was probably a wake. A dear departed "sociological technologist" was appreciated with a presentation of his final study given by one of his associates. Lunch was steak strips with a fancy peppery sauce. My table was joined by three beautiful current students happy to enjoy a free lunch. I couldn't hear those across the table from me but the young lady next to me was excited about pursuing a career in enviromental law. We had an alumni at the table currently working in that field so the talk was hot and heavy about what law school might be a good choice. The study was presented after lunch and was about the Internet habits of young people. It looked at the integration of technology into the social lives of high school students... facebook, my space, and creative outlets. Later we met in a quiet room of mostly faculty and memories of the late 60's and 70's and the school's founding were shared by those who were at the scene of the crime. Then we got down to business with cocktails and a connection time. I was a bit of an oddity because most students are fairly wealthy and go on to graduate programs and fancy careers. The college has some intest in using me as an example of what can be done with a liberal arts education without law school. They like that I was able to reinvent myself over and over to meet the challenges of my life. For awhile I sat with the Dean and drunkenly bent his ear about skills I've found critical but aquired after school. I stopped for a burger at a the Harrison Roadhouse which is just off campus and sobered up for the long drive home. For me drunk is about three drinks these days so an hour and food was plenty to get me on my way. I so needed that touching back with a place and people that gave me my adult life. Back to work today. A pocket full of business cards and head full of projects. : ) lyra

TGIF y'all! Welcome to the newbies and my old friends. Happy Thanksgiving to those up north! Houseguests were last weekend and it was wonderful! They were fabulous and helpful guests, we had a blast! It was good to have the house full again! Tomorrow I've got a chiro session scheduled, a haircut and then the wedding of a co-worker. It should be a nice event. Sunday we're taking MIL out to brunch and then marketing. She's the one who lost her license in August and has gotten a learner's permit (at 90!) to try and retake the test after driving lessons. She's a sharp cookie, she might just be able to do it. If not, we'll have to consider the alternative sources of transportation. The taxi coupons are a joke, everything around here is a $25+ plus fare--one way!! Sunday later afternoon and eve we've got plans with friends and hopefully an activity. We'll see... Happy Birthday Susie! Nancy, I'd love to be in Traverse City this weekend for the festival! Have fun! Maggie- good luck on the sale! Stacy- thanks for reposting the garage sale info, that's good to know! Seagrass- welcome back!!! Crafty/Diane-- where have you been? Enjoying the summer? Glad to see you back here! Annie- enjoy the munchkins, how did the auction go? I hope Amanda feels better quickly! Sharon/chase...who's jason? Sharon/cb--enjoy your paradise! Theresa- photos please to share your beautiful work with us! Pat- enjoy your company! Lorri- cauliflower pasta? Recipe please! velodoug, duane, michael, and anyone else that I missed, take it easy and have a good one!

Linda, Time is marching on for me too although I caught myself saying dogs instead of dog the other day and broke down, Other than that I've been staying strong. I really like your spooky village! Did you get it at Michaels?? I have 2 buildings from the Michaels line but I don't really decorate for halloween so much. We don't get too many kids here anymore...mostly big obnoxious kids who barely wear a costume LOL!! Annie, Happy Birthday to Amanda and The Princess!! I love the ketchup/mustard idea!! Too cute!! Giane, I love apple butter with pretzels! Enjoy the craft fair-didn't you say there were several craft fairs over the next couple weekends?? Katie, OUCH!! Poor hubby-Poor you!! I will send extra healing thoughts your way!! Rhome, Sorry about your friend...I will join you with that cider! Shaun, every year sometime between Christmas and New Years my friend host a "bring all your grub" party where everyone bring all those little bits of cheese trays, lunch meats, casseroles, sweets ectleft over from Christmas...its really a lot of fun!! Barnmom, Costume changes?? LOL What fun!! Hope you have fun dishing out treats to the wee ones at your friends house!! Sharon, Have fun at the pub...I already made soup so I am staying in!! Gina...that is some devil dog LOL!! Today was fun fun fun!! I took Helenes advice and went over to our target area very early to see what the traffic was like. It took me 19 minutes to get there from my job!! Of course there was NO TRAFFIC since EVERYBODY and their brother was heading INTO Philly for the parade LOL!!! My target area is nearby NJ. So I did see the house from the outside. Very cute!! We'll see if we like it from the inside when we tour it on Sunday. I walked around a bit...even took my mail to the post office there in town and mailed some cards LOL! Then I drove to the battlefield on the river, which is now a National Park (hence the town name National Park). I sat there and read thru some home books. Its really nice to have such a lovely park right there in town!! Tonight I am having one special trick or treater stopping by...dear great neice Alexia!! I don't know what they are dressing her as so it should be fun!! I got her some books and animal crackers!! She is 10 months now and just starting to walk/wobble!! Drew is still at the parade with his girlfriend and her family. Both of us have to work tomorrow-jeez its funny saying that LOL! Sunday we are going on house tours. I hope everyone has a fun Halloween!! Cheers! Susie

Happy Friday to you too Susie! Sounds like a great start to the weekend - friends, happy hour and shopping - that is a trifecta if I've ever heard of one. Good luck chari shopping there is a lot of carp out there in the stores. We have a comparatively quiet weekend. We are getting together with a couple of friends for a pot luck happy hour - everyone brings an app and a bottle of wine and we all share. The kids all get along really well so they will probably be shooting baskets, playing football or generally running amuck. Add in the 2 Labs that belong to one of the guys and it becomes quite the crowd. Tomorrow I am going to do a little garden cleanup. Not a lot to do, but I want to bring in a few sedum and hydrangea flower heads for fall/winter arrangements. I think the menfolk will be splitting and stacking some firewood. We only got 1 cord this year since we had a bit leftover from last year. Sunday I may try mixing up some cookie dough for the freezer and finally make a fruit cake. I can't believe I haven't gotten to that yet. We have settled on a cherry pecan bourbon deal that is just fantastic. Have a happy and safe weekend... clinking with a cup of coffee for now and something much more interesting later! Alexa