Our anniversary is January 15th, so we try to head someplace warm and beachy whenever we can. One year we stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, which is a drop-dead gorgeous resort. We had an oceanfront room with a huge balcony and it was so romantic! We took a private helicopter tour of the island and saw the famous waterfall shown in the Jurassic Park movies. The diving trip along the Napali Coast was a awesome, too. We LOVE Kauai! Another year we flew to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. We loved the wonderful boutique hotel and restaurant there, The Sugarmill. The food there is fabulous. There wasn't a traffic light on the island, just roundabouts, and a rain forest and mountain in the middle of the island The diving off Tortola was excellent. Road Town got boring after one day, but the miles of beautiful beaches more than make up for it. A couple of years ago, we rented a villa overlooking Magen's Bay on St.Thomas. We lucked out, as 95% of the available parking on that island seems to be on a 90-degree incline, either up or down . . . but, thankfully, our villa in Peterborg Estates has a large flat parking area! It also had an infinity pool overlooking the bay, huge gourmet kitchen and 6 different patios. The diving there was just ok, so we took the car ferry over to St. John to dive. Shopping and dining were great. We loved that place and definitely want to back again. Last year, we spent our anniversary at a wonderful B&B in Santa Fe . . . which was close to home, fun, but definitely not warm! Lynn

Her last post on Rose forum Nov 6 - so you don't have to go to link and scroll down (hope you don't mind) "It's been a rough few weeks. After the surgery & healing he was feeling better and probably could have gone to work for a week but couldn't due to the disability paperwork. It was a lot of stressful waiting to see if he was going to do a clinical trial; a drug I wished he'd get but the computer ended up putting him in the group that didn't get the drug :( The drug has been used on other cancers with good results but it wasn't meant to be & I'm sure there was a reason. He originally did not want to do the trial but changed his mind at the last minute. I know that things happen for a reason & feel that his dad who passed after my dad probably had something to do with it. We found out Friday about the trial; lady emailed me and told me they would set his chemo & radiation Monday when he went. I let him go alone Monday because me being there with him is making him feel like he's "sick". When he went Monday he found out he'd get admitted on Wednesday. Tuesday came, the gal I email told me that they were having insurance issues and we might not have a time until the next morning. At 8am she called and said to be there by 10:30. He was admitted, given a room then told he'd also have radiation that day (which we didn't know). I ended up leaving right before they took him for radiation. Mass transit was on strike & if I didn't leave I'd be stuck in traffic all night since most people had to drive into the city. After radiation he had lots of pre-chemo meds through the IV; chemo at 8pm which took 2 hours. Of course he didn't sleep much that night due to all the liquids they gave him. We timed his release so that I was pulling up when he walked out. We did this because he was feeling ok & I'm trying to give him a little space. The parking charge is also outrageous; why pay $10 to run in and get him? So, he had to go back in today for radiation and a taste bud study; he was up to driving there so he drove in; I then went back home and picked him up a few hours later when he was done. He's exhausted & has been sleeping since we got home. Thankfully we don't have to go back to Philly until Monday which his son will take him; my daughter has a Dr appointment I have to be there for. Tuesday will be a long day. In addition to radiation he has the oncologist. The next chemo will be November 25, another over night stay with the last being December 16th. Thankfully he's only having 3 chemo treatments but there are large doses. Please say a prayer for my neighbors mother in law. I found out a few weeks ago that she was diagnosed with Lung Cancer; and found out yesterday that they want to remove her lung. I feel helpless. She's not in NJ, I can't give her advice on where she should go." Update us when you can!

Stringweaver, thanks so much for the info on the streamlined refrigerators! When I save up enough to remodel the kitchen in a few years, I definitely want to consider smaller appliances, both to gain counter space and to save energy. I'm afraid my picture was a bit misleading, though. Joy and I had actually pulled the refrigerator out a few feet when the circuit blew and we had to access the plug so we could plug it into an extension cord in a working outlet. Then we left it out so we could paint. It's now back in its designated space. Kathy, I hear you about being strategic with small cabinet space. I have ONE lower cabinet that has to hold my steamer, electric skillet, mixing and serving bowls, baking dishes, cutting boards, and colanders/strainer. Right now everything's in there and juuuuust barely fits, but I know I've got a set of Pyrex mixing/storage bowls I haven't yet unpacked. And I've missed them because I can't microwave or bake or freeze anything in the Chefmate melamine bowls...so even though I love them, I'm probably going to toss them. I like your idea of keeping seldom used appliances out of the kitchen. I think Shades does that too. Speaking of Shades, thanks Chris, for the pic of the built-in around a low window. I love that! It really frames the window beautifully! Also, THANK YOU for measuring your suitcases!! That is so kind of you! I'm guessing your hunch is right, and those were standard sizes. Missouribound, no, the minisplit will go on the main (only) living room wall. Smaller units in the bedrooms. What is above the ceiling in the pop out? The sky, lol. :-) A pop out in an old manufactured home is like ones you may have seen in RVs or travel trailers. The RV is driven to its camping spot and then, like an accordion, the owner pulls out (pops out) another little section from its side. If I ever moved this MH, they would literally fold it back into the house in order to be able to drive it without wind sheer. I'll try to remember to take some pics of the outside and post them. It's an inexpensive way of giving people a little more square footage, in my case 35 more sq ft makes a big difference. By the way, I really love your basket idea! I'm going to try that! Time for bed. Goodnight everyone! :-)

Rob, great to see you! Your life sounds full, hectic, but gratifying. I second everyone's kudos in the mom department for you! We seem to have a lot in common. I'm a researcher/writer/editor/teacher/historian by profession (it's so hard to explain what I do, haha!). And music is a HUGE part of my life. I worked for 12 years as a professional musician before going back to college to do whatever it is I do now. My parents were so supportive of me and my music growing up. I didn't realize until I was at least in my 30's how exceptional they were. I cannot remember one single time them asking me to stop practicing or even goofing off with my friends on the piano, drums, guitar, trumpet, whatever...and I didn't know for a long time that other kids' parents weren't like that. Lass--we are lucky here in Washington (state) to have several excellent writing grants available to us. Think positive! If you don't get it this year, write and ask them how you could strengthen your writing to be competitive for next year. Then follow up and apply again! Also, check out Jack Straw. It's an amazing fellowship where they have you share your work on NPR and other venues. IIRC, the deadline is usually in October. And thanks for the encouragement! I'm celebrating small successes. If I do a little each day, it will eventually get done. :-) I'mhappy--have you tried opening your printer on your hard drive and making sure it's properly installed? Sometimes a printer can go offline even after it's been fine before. One easy check would be to uninstall it from your computer and then reinstall it. llucy-- I'm glad things are OK with your mom, but sad that you have been experiencing anxiety. I don't have first hand experience with that, but definitely second hand, as my daughter Joy has a lot of anxiety issues and full on panic attacks. I understand how frightening it must be. You're in my prayers. Steph--so very sorry you've been sick!! This heat sure doesn't help! I know you feel internal pressure to get stuff done every day, but remember your health is job #1 and getting the rest you need to get better IS doing something! Laundry and dishes aren't going anywhere. They'll wait until you're feeling up to it. :-) Audrey--that cake looks amazing, just like your name, lol! I swear if I didn't have diabetes I'd bake, then eat, that entire cake, hahaha! murraysmom--how cool is it that you have such wonderful friends to vacation with!! That sounds delightful!! And YAY for recycling! Shades, if you ever line your entire yard with empty wine bottles, I'm driving over the state line to have a serious chat with you, hahaha!! ;-) Schoolhouse, let us know if you try the tea again and how it turns out. Maybe it was just something different about your digestive system at the time and it will go down like it's supposed to now.