Good luck Jessy, I was just about to e-mail (still may!) you with a wish for a wonderful Bar Mitzvah for your son, beautiful speech from you, delicious food, and cooperative guests. I'm sure your son will read his part of the Torah beautifully, and you and your DH must be very proud! May the family drama recede into the background on this most special day!

Mazel Tov to you all, and please post pictures when you can. I've got two sons (ages 11 and 7) who are on their way to Bar Mitzvah as well, so I look forward to your words of wisdom:-)

Sam has a fall festival at school today, so I'm going to leave work around noon and go watch a bunch of 6th graders decorate pumpkins and consume huge amounts of candy apples and other fall treats. Tomorrow is two soccer games in the a.m., then Gator Football in the afternoon. Sunday will be a Harvest Festival complete with rides and games and all that fair food (can you say fried dough:-)going on at a local church. I'm getting dizzy just thinking about those carnival rides.

I hope everyone has a great weekend, with beautiful fall weather and filled with fun.
Clinking with a mug of tea!
DONNA

Mazel tov! All that a swap and fires - I remember the wrangling the kid to practice part. I'll think of you tomorrow in shul.

I hope the air is getting clearer there for the big day now that the fires are getting controlled.

Try to relax and enjoy the day.

I've missed seeing you Jessy. Hope your family drama calms down so you have more time to cause trouble here. Spotted a nice young buck and thought about your request for venison. Maybe if I get lucky we will get him.

Things are not going well around here. The tree buyers are all talk these days and no firm purchase agreements. Raining at the moment but if things dry up I've got to get the field ready for harvest season... just in case. Getting my truck ready for the winter by washing and waxing it last weekend. Probably do the oil, wiperblades, and other minor mechanicals this weekend. It has been on my mind to get a couple rabbits for the frying pan. There seems to be a bumper crop of them this year.

Oil changing, bunny hunting, tractor driving... looks to be a busy weekend.

: )
michael

Jessica, I've been thinking of ya! Have a great day with your son ...just think, it's your last Bar Mitzvah for your own child.

Oh yes! Please post pictures of the chocolate fountain and you taking your obligatory drink! LOL! I remember that picture from DS#1 Bar Mitzvah.

Donna, Have a wonderful Harvest festival. I used to love the school fairs when my children were young. Soooo much fun!

DH declared this to be our spring cleaning weekend...UGH! We are having glorious weather this week. Next week we will be back up in the high 80's or low 90's.

Mazel tov from me too! You're brave to have a group back at your house after, I hope you have help! I know it will be a smashing success and DS2 will do a wonderful job! Take a deep breath and relax...

Best wishes, Jessy, to you and your son, who will soon be a man. Boo hoo, sort of.

I just hope the weekend goes better than this week. On Wednesday I scraped and dented the side of my car on a Sam Adams Beer delivery truck. Oh well, I will finally get some payback from all that insurance I've been paying for years.

This morning I somehow managed to toss the lid of my beloved travel mug out the window of my car. My coffee tasted awful so I though I'd get rid of it by tossing it out the car window. I went to Starbucks, bought a latte, poured it in the travel mug to keep it warm and couldn't find the lid anywhere. Grrrrr.

Then I got to work and sent an email to one of the Board members. His response was rather nasty because I got a couple of points wrong. My mistake, but he could have been a little more understanding.

I feel so bad about losing Ginny and I also have a friend in the hospital dying of cancer. So unfair.

Anyway, the weekend has nowhere to go but up. Hope you all have a good one.

Jessica, Congratulations to your son and to you. I know how proud you are.

I'll be sending thoughts of peace and strength to Lou this weekend as I know everyone will.

It's a lovely fall weekend here, yesterday was 80, today through the weekend will be a little cooler - high 60s and low 70s with lots of sunshine. I'm glad to be home from the last biz trip until February and am actually looking forward to doing some inside and outside cleanup (and maybe even some cooking).

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Lee

Mazel tov Jessica! And here's to no more bar mitzvahs until grandchildren, heh!

I was so happy to wake up to fog. Humid fog = death to fires - yay! Yesterday I had my carpets cleaned. This weekend I'm putting up the kitchen blinds (it only took a year or so after the remodel was finished), and doing some shopping for DHs 50th birthday party next weekend. He insisted on having it at home (I wanted to get a private room at a restaurant or hotel). But I'm being smart and having the local gourmet grocery cater it. I also woke up from my delusions and called my housekeeper to start again. Life is too short.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Congratulations, Jessy! I have never seen "the fountain" pics, so I am in for a treat?
Yes, our thoughts are with Lou, and his family. Married for over 50 years to Ginny, he will be lost without her. I feel so sad for him..
Finally getting some fallish weather. May have to put away the summer clothes, that's fun..
Not much exciting here, which is good....some cleaning and chores, some baking.
Woodie, I am very late answering your email. My Outlook Express is acting badly, and I have to keep rebooting to get on. I will try again soon!
Have an enjoyable weekend everyone!

Congratulations, Jessica, I'm sure your DS#2 is enough of a personality that he'll make it exciting, LOL.

I've also been thinking of Lou and Ginny, my thoughts will be with Lou this weekend.

Michael, good luck on those trees. I think things are tough enough around the whole state that no one wants to commit to anything.

Tonight I'm going home and baking birthday cakes. Amanda's birthday is November 2, Makayla's is November 4 and Bud's was October 20. We're having one big party tomorrow, Amanda is making lasagna, salad and garlic bread for 25 or 30 people Yes, Amanda is, so wish her luck, LOL.

I'm baking a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for Amanda, a banana cake (the one posted by jgarner a couple of years ago) with chocolate chips for Bud and a "Funfetti" cake for Makayla. Yes, that last one is a cake mix, but it's what she wants. It must also be heart shaped, two tiers, frosted pink with purple writing and have TinkerBell on it somewhere. (grin) And so it shall be.

Bud's is going to have cars and trucks on top of his, with Oreo cookie crumbs for a road and a toy "loader" scooping up a pile of Oreo crumb "dirt" and loading it into a dump truck. He can play with the trucks after the cake is cut.

Sunday? Who knows? The farm, probably, and I've got some pancetta curing in the refrigerator because I picked up my pork Thursday.

Annie

WOW..okay so I have nothing planned for the weekend..
Good thing, because you all just wore me out reading...

Good Luck Jessy...
Lou..we're keeping your spot warm and cozy here!

Annie the cake queen...Have fun!

We had our first frost lastnight..
Now I'm really stressing..I am the proud (and freaked out) care taker of two hummingbirds..They've decided to stay..The wild bird store owner said..keep feeding..I'm feeding, their slurping! I then went in yesterday for some more bird seed and suet cakes for the other visitors..and said...."what do I do when it gets so cold that the "nectar" freezes?"...Reply: Keep one in the house at all times and swap them out so that the nectar runneth!!!! EEEKkkkk...So I'm freakin out about this huge responsibility of such little things!!!!!!
~taken Yesterday afternoon...He's thirsty...
{{gwi:1001852}}
~Isn't he Pretty?!

{{gwi:1001851}}

His woman didn't want to pose yesterday..she's much more flitty than he is..

Thinking of Lou! My thoughts are with you! I'm so very sorry!

and a great big MAZEL TOV to Jessica, can't wait to hear all about :)

We have a Bat Mitzvah tomorrow night, should be a blast, I have my dancing shoes ready, I'm sure I'll be embarrassing Jodie in front of friends, LOL, that'll be fun! sunday we have nothing planned. Nice quiet day hopefully!

Picking up our new Jeep on Tuesday. Can't wait! It's not a Wrangler but it will be one day, once I'm finished with carpools!

Donna, I remember those days of the all sports weekends,busy weekends, but lots of fun! Enjoy!

Annie, Happy Birthday to Amanda, the monkey princess and bruvver! It'll be a great party! Take pictures. I bet those little darlings got so big!

Glad it's getting better by you, Gina! Smart woman, stick with the housekeeper :)

Kathleen, we got rid of the warm weather, now what about the rain? All weekend?

Pam, I hope your weekend goes much better than the rest of the week!

Terri, I know nothing about birds but I'm thinking of you running back and forth with nectar all winter, LOL!, Your new buddies are cute.

Lee, enjoy your beautiful weather and your weekend!

Karen, my great swap buddy :) spring cleaning? Uggh is right. I keep putting off my closets and just about everything else!

Michael, sounds like a busy weekend! I hope things get better for you!

Enjoy your weekend, Cloud Swift and Ellen!

Clinking right now with coffee! Happy TGIF!

Jessy:

Mazel tov to you and yours. The day will surely be wonderful!

Jessy, hoping for a wonderful Bar Mitzvah for your son - can't wait to see pictures!!

Tonight we're going to a Halloween Party (Costume) I'll post pictures tomorrow.

I made the Ghost Strawberries again they turned out so cute last time. I will take a new picture for you before we leave.

Hope you all enjoy your weekend.

Hugs to the Big Guy, LOU. Miss you. Looking forward to seeing your posts again.

oh jessica--i remember some of the photos from 2 years ago, which included so many of our forum friends! it looked like a fantastic time and you were GORGEOUS--you really do clean up well :) hope things go as well this time around!

i hope you have someone around who can be depended on to talke lots of pics, annie--tomorrow has the potential to be a real blast and i'd love to see every bit of it!

terri--a friend of mine thought she had an unusal hummer in her yard in alabama and after taking a few shots of it, sent them to a recognized birder. he travelled to her home and positively ID'd it as a calliope or a rufous--she'll kill me for not remembering which! the following year he came back and was able to band "noel" and release her again. in any case, it was only the 14th ever recorded in her state and you better believe she spent many, many hours making simple syrup and swapping out feeders for those times when the temps got below freezing. if you haven't been to the attached forum yet, you'll be able to get LOTS of help there!

we spent an awful lot of the last 2 weekends cleaning up the boat--always a very sad task as far as we are concerned, not to mention alot of work! i'm ready to just hunker down for the next few months but it would seem that the leaves are just about done falling and SOMEONE thinks we should be scooping them up. hmm. well it's either that or paint the kitchen and i'm not sure which will win. i'm still hoping for hunkering down but we'll see.

a special toast to some forum friends that i had hopes to spend the weekend with! i'm really, really sorry it couldn't happen but hope they are all having a ball and we'll hear from them soon--clink!

Here is a link that might be useful: hummingbird forum

Is it too late to post a TGIF?

Congrats Jessy - it'll all be fine!

Lou - I'm thinking of you.

I had my 3rd test in my Culinary Meat Fabrication class today. Lo and behold, I made a 100!!! YAY ME!

It's my daughter's 7th birthday tomorrow. The Ex-Turd was kind enough (yeah right) to let her spend the night with me tonight. We went out to dinner at a local Mexican joint and they sang HB to her. She loved it. I bought her a circle pendant necklace with opals (her birthstone). She'll get it tomorrow.

Donna - GO GATORS!!! My nephew is a sophomore at UF. I live in Panama City! Where in Central FL are you?

Everyone: have a fabulous weekend!

{{!gwi}}

Good job Pat - Congratulations on that 100% on your "meat" quiz!!! We live in Melbourne Beach, which is about an hour south of Orlando. DH graduated from UF Law School, and every Saturday during Gator Football Season (and basketball too) is a major event in this house:-) Your nephew is attending a wonderful University, and Gainesville is a super town too! I like Panama City - do you get to the beach much? Happiest of birthdays to your sweet daughter!

Carol, it will only be a REAL Bat Mitzvah if you and your DH embarrass the daylights out of Jodie in front of her friends. Remember the Jewish Mama Code of Conduct for these events:-) Dance the Horah with no shoes on!!!!!

Annie take pictures of those beautiful birthday cakes - please???? And happy birthday to your Amanda and adorable Makayla and Bud too.

Pam, I hope your weekend improves and this cruddy day becomes a distant memory:-)

Teri, I LOVE the birds. You are doing a lovely thing by making sure they have what they need to get through the winter.

Shaun, I'd love to see your Halloween costumes and also the Ghost Strawberries.

A wish for a happy weekend to everyone. ((((Lou and family))
DONNA

Donna, of course embarrassment in front of her friends, and we are taking three with us, so of course the car ride there could be excruciating, mom and dad may actually talk in front of the friends, LOL!

Happy Birthday to your daughter Pat and congrats on the good grades!

Shaun, yes, please post pictures!

ok, San, now I'm curious, another forum meeting????? Any hints? Clues? anything?

Jessy, Mazel Tov to all of you this weekend. Don't stress it, it will be wonderful. Has it realy been two years since DS#1? Oy, time flys.

Terri, those hummers are too cute.

Karen, tell DH it is fall. He missed his chance for spring cleaning. Plus, you have packing to do.

Michael, grab the venisonand the rabbit, I am jealous. I love venison.

Annie, Happy birthday weekend to all there. How do you cure pancetta?

To everyone, have a great weekend. I need to pack for vacation, and do the final swap shop. Plus a hundred other things.

carol--you picked up on the clues just fine! and of COURSE i'd be happy to swear you to secrecy and tell you all about it--i know you wouldn't spill the beans ever! but then "they'd" have to kill me before they ever told me anything again... so since i haven't been cleared for blabbing, i'll just sit back and wait for them to declare themselves :( unfortunately, they clearly are having SO much fun starting with last night, that they haven't had the time to post. and i'm jealous!

Aha - Donna - my best friend from high school lives in Melbourne/Eau Gallie (sp?). My sis used to live in Satellite Beach. Yep, you could say I'm pretty familiar with the area. Love love love Sebastian Inlet.

I don't get to the beach much anymore around here. Who the heck has time? But I grew up here, so I know it's always there if I get the urge.

Thanks San...I checked it out and bookmarked... I don't know if I have Rufous, Calliope or Allen....Hmmmmmmm...

Peppi, I think I'll try to pass off to DH that I need to pack and get ready for PFPP 2007. I can't wait for this vacation. Although, we have a short window of opportunity to open doors and windows...our fall is your spring. We really don't have a spring! This is one of my projects to complete before I can start packing for our trip. We have a carpenter that will be boxing in the TV. so I don't want him to see he dust... I d-o-n-t w-a-n-t t-o d-o t-h-i-s! Dust everything off and try to put this back together in some sort of artsy fartsy way.... wish me luck! I'll post an after picture.

{{!gwi}}

Wha???? A forum get together that we don't know about? Who, what and where is my only question ;-) Well, whoever you are I know you are having a great time. Pictures please?

To everyone else have a great weekend. Sounds like lots of you are going to busy like me.

at last we've heard from the crew--as anticipated, they've been having too much fun to post before now. film at 11, i hope :)

Here is a link that might be useful: the martini mayhem crew