Wherever you are pesky, I'd love to be there. Spring is long gone and we are into July-type temps right now with blazing heat & HUMIDITY. Ugh, talk about bad hair days. Usually I open all of the windows on the first spring-type weather day. Get out the old stale air and let in some "sunny" air after being closed up all winter. I have been known to jump the gun and start washing some summer clothes in anticipation of even warmer weather. Your sheets ritual sounds devine especially after having a nice soak in the hot tub and hitting cool clean sheets that have hung to dry in the fresh spring breeze. Actually, I'll take a bit of your weather as today was muggy and hot which makes me crabby unless I have time to sit by the pool with a cool drink and a book. Rather, I spent the day at a bridal shower which was very nice. However, the last of the showers is tomorrow (oh, today) so I am done with those for awhile, hopefully. Enjoy your spring weather!

I can sympathize with you. My mom and dad joined us for a Thanksgiving for the first time in 5 yrs. My dad had his legs amputated and is scared to leave his home for fear of getting sick. His is 83 yrs old and is very unhappy and bitter. Us kids found a way for my parents to join us because my brother bought a large house with a bathroom that can accommodate his bathroom necessities. Although all of us visit on every occasion and at least 4 times a week we were so excited to be altoghter this holiday season. We are 21 in all. Well my dad and mom came and he was so miserable that he was nasty to all and just wanted to go home. All the kids were wonderful to him but I'm afraid if he dies no one will have pleasant memories of him of how he treated everyone. I wish my dad was a nicer person, we all understand his disabilities and really try to accommodate him but to no avail. My mom is so wonderful and she is his sole caretaker but I guess he wants her legs cause he doesnt have his own. At least your memories of your mom are great ones and your dad made his Thanksgiving day a happy one, my dad doesnt know how to be happy and cannot enjoy life at all, how sad, anyway I'm glad you had a nice day.

This is a great thread - although it seems to have strayed a little bit from the original question - there are still many interesting ideas and opinions being given. Personally, I don't deer hunt because I don't particulary like venison. In Wisconsin, where I live, the fall deer hunting season is about as close to being a religion as it is to being a sport. Rifle season typically runs from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to the Sunday following the holiday. Schools close the entire week because they realize that a good many (most?) of the students and a good many teachers have other ideas for that week and there is really no benefit to keeping the schools open at that time. I own 56 acres and I allow my neighbors to hunt on my land. I KNOW that my neighbors are safe hunters and that they are respectful of my property. Also, if they happen to shoot an animal on their own land, and not kill it immediately, I certainly want them to have the oportunity to track the wounded animal if it happens to lead them on to my property. Knowing that there is the potential for hunters to be on the "wooded back 40" anytime during the season means that I don't go into the woods without wearing orange. While I don't have a particular worry about our dogs or horses, I do keep them close to the house (dogs) or in smaller pasture (horses) during the rifle season. Ultimately, my family does not change our basic lifestyle to any great degree during hunting season. Although I understand your initial hesitation, fifidanon, I also think that you did the right thing by overcoming your concern and living your life. As other folks have already suggested, the car ride to the mall is MUCH more of a risk than is the potential stray bullet. As for deer roadkill, it is also legal here to recover a deer that has been hit by a car. Seems to me like a much better option than letting it lay on the side of the road to rot. Last year I hit two deer with my truck - in almost the same location - about 5 days apart. The first deer survived the impact, but it had a broken back and was in obvious pain, so I drove to a neighbor's house and brought him to the wounded deer where he finished it. We loaded it up and took it back to his house so he could butcher the carcass. The second deer was hit right on the head (I almost missed that one) and was killed outright. Again, I loaded it up in the truck and took it to the same neighbor so the meat could be used - rather than leaving it to rot and to be wasted. BTW, that particular neighbor works as a seasonal DNR warden so he took care of the "official" report on both accidents. Anyway, although we may see deer-as-roadkill-food differently, I certainly echo labmomma's sentiments when I say that the story of the deer that she hit being allowed to die a slow death - in pain - as being preferable to a quick bullet putting it out of its misery - because the cops were concerned that people would see them shoot it (!?!?!?!) was disturbing at several levels. Sad.

Got to the fabric store to pick up the small amount I miscalculated so I could finish a baby quilt! When I got home, I was able to finish piecing the sailboat baby quilt and the borders are on! WOOHOO!!! Picked up some Disney princess fabric for the second baby quilt (not my choice) but am still trying to figure out what I am going to do ... have a design in mind. I also got one square for the March lotto done and hope to cut a couple more. It has been a BUSY day! Also took my dog & granddog for a walk - in the crazy cold wind! Will work for another 45 minutes or so, then plan to watch a movie with DH. Didn't get to Sharon's Stash Attack quilt ... other than printing out the pattern. Oh well! Sue