I had to Google because I don't think I've ever seen a Turkey Vulture...the wingspan can be over 6 feet! I've never seen any bird this large although the references say they are more prevalent in the south. I'd just as soon not meet one by seeing its shadow first...LOL Talk about omens! I dread this winter on behalf of the local wildlife. Because of the drought there will not be as many acorns, berries, seeds. We feed the birds yearround mostly for our own entertainment, but this winter it may be a case of survival for many birds, squirrels, chipmunks too. That's all we see as we live in suburbs. I know they're considered weedy trees but I'm growing a Sapium in a pot (sort of pseudo-Bonsai)and planned to not let it bloom/seed, just produce Fall colors. It is lovely peach-coral-red now, but the Sweetgums I planted are still mostly green. Ditto the native Sasafrass and even the Sumac. Darn it, this is my favorite season...I hope the color is just delayed waiting for rain and cold to get here. To be 75F again today. Thanks for the comet link, Suzy. I enjoyed reading the comments from all across the globe as it was tracked. I was tickled to see that Hale of Hale-Bopp comet fame was posting. Astronomy was one of those things I always said I'd study and kept putting off until old age...figured it would still be there and easy to study from my easy chair. The time is nigh. LOL josh

1) Tracy #4/#12/#1/#4/#6/#12/#2 2) Sassy #5/#3/#5/#10 3) Carmen DONE! (wins Box #9) 4) Karen #2/#5 5) Pat #8 6) Lisa DONE! (wins Box #3) 7) Priscilla #4/#13 8) Deb #5/#9/#12/#9/#5/#12/ 9) Denise #3/#5/#3/#12/#5/#2 10) Vic #13/#11 11) Shirley #4/#12/#4 12) Fran #1 13) Alana#6/ Apparently, I was wrong on a couple of these numbers yesterday, but I wasn't sure where that was. Does someone who understood it want to make the corrections for me? Tks.

I lost my husband of 38 years 30 days ago and it has been so hard. He needed a liver, which was diagnosed in June, he was in and out of the hospital. His last stay was for six weeks and until the last couple of days I just knew he was going to get one. I was devastated when I lost him. I feel empty and lost. even though we have 3 wonderful grown daughters it is not the same. sometimes I feel like I cant go on without him. I feel like a I have no purpose. Everywhere I look or go, reminds me of him, my heart hurts so much. I know that God doesn't give us more than we can bear, and I am trying to believe that but its hard. I have my family,friends and church but its still so very hard. I know life goes on but I feel at a standstill and don't really want to go on. I feel like it was just happened yesterday, its just been so hard to go on.

We've been all over the board with parties. In New York we had them outside on our building's terrace playground with their friends from preschool or the building, then graduated to Peppermint Park, the old Rumplemayer's, the puppet theater and pool at Asphalt Green, and live children's theater. Most of the restaurants are gone now, as is the most over the top--- Jeremy's Place. Words cannot even describe the birthday extravaganzas at Jeremy's....the excess of the 80's writ large. After we moved to St. Louis for a two year stint we had normal birthday parties at home, although many parents came and stayed and we usually provided wine and canapés for them. In Florida our birthday parties were always pool related, although once or twice I think we did have those blow up bouncy things as I was always "winning" them at silent auctions, lol. For home parties I made everyone tidy the morning of, and usually rescheduled the regular cleaning service or lady for the day before the party. With three kids, the events became very "old hat" and by the time our youngest was in middle school we'd just take a load of his friends to our lake house for the weekend. No decorating, cake from a grocery store (ewww, yes it was really awful but they ate it anyway), etc. The most fun party was DD's 13th. We lived in Florida about three miles from a lovely condo resort with spectacular pools and water slides. We rented a condo for the night and had about 10 of her friends over (I had a friend there with me as well) and we brought the girls home with us on Friday from school, showed movies and ate pizza and popcorn and cake that night and spent the next day in the pools. We had it for two nights so our sons could spend the next one there and not feel left out. The only fly in that ointment was that one parent did not pick up her child until four hours after the stated time! We had reservations at one of the resort restaurants and kept having to delay them while waiting for this girl's mother--- who had no good reason for her tardiness and was very cavalier about it. The child was not fussed at all so it was apparent a common occurrence. That stands out as the best party because it was a lot of fun and NO work!