TGIF y'all. Chiming in late as usual. Everyone seems to have something nice planned, even if it IS bathing suit shopping. I was supposed to go out with a friend for her birthday Friday lunch, but I had to cancel, and I suggested Sat night at our house instead thinking she might be alone - SCORE! She is excited about coming over for my cooking, LOL. Vday is a big yawn here. I am lucky, I've been treated like a queen pretty much every single day since 1981 when I met DH. No flowers though, unless he grows them himself, suits me fine - I don't like flowers...messy plant genitalia. I appreciate them better on the plant where they do some good. Today we're going to try to drag the kids to our library to renew passports; theirs have expired. I have chicken marsala on tonight's menu since a local store has HUGE MUTANT boneless chicken breasts (health food store, they say its natural, swear to God) on sale for $2/lb. I've been doing a little bit of necklace beading. I'm trying to fix a necklace I broke all over my car last September, and started noodling around ebay - not a good idea, grin. This guy has some stuff I've been lusting after - means a trip to downtown LA's bead mart....so far I've made a necklace I didn't like so I donated it to our school fund raiser, I made it in our school colors. Hey every few bucks helps. Sunday night we're going to a friends house for dinner, Monday I haven't figured out yet! I might drag a kid up to Los Angeles, museum hopping.

Clinking with a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Friday was a total loss other then I took some garbage out to the road. First time I remembered in about a month... ewww stinky kitty litter. Chrysler bankrupting caused things to be ugly at work. Only a dozen people laid-off at our factory but our sister plants are in deep trouble... almost shut down. So far we turned a profit 4 out of 4 months this year! My audit team caught up three overdue audits and finished half of the audits due this month. Our managers forgot to allot hours for auditing so I put in about 20 volunteer hours this week. I asked them to pay me something for the time so next week's check should be interesting. Sort of like being on my own time as I work at my own pace in my own way and nobody can say diddly about how I'm doing things... and things are getting done. I was not feeling well this morning. Fell back asleep drinking my coffee then went back to bed until I had to go to work. Feeling much better tonight. A big chunk of smoked brisket to do something with. Dolly and I have been eating on it all week and it needs to become something else before it goes bad. Very probably going to make chili with it. Glad to see April done... trees, taxes, audits, and a boatload of overtime. Biggest tree order has yet to be paid for but I have the guys skidsteer as collateral. Tempted to gas it up and move some dirt this weekend... as an "interest" payment.... $50k toy! Ten tomato plants up and going indoors. Planted six Early Girls this week but no sprouts yet. Cayenne pepper in the window has new peppers on it already! Need to get off my lazy butt and do some mushroom hunting. Scratches and pats for all the puppy dogs! : ) lyra

Toolbelt ( neat handle!!) I can't speak for the States but in Canada the homeless are almost always mentally ill or addicts. They resist any type of shelter provided to them. Even temporary shelter when it is bitter cold. They are paranoid and distrustful. Another large segment are runaway children that have left incredibly abusive homes. These kids are a bit easier to get to and persuade to take the help that is available. Many years ago the laws were changed so that no person could be held in any type of facility against their will. The hospitals for the mentally disabled were shut down with little or now support put in it's place. It's truly a tragic situation. Part of me says these people should be sheltered for their own well being and another part says they are entitles to live as they "choose" Anyhow, this is a real twist and turn for TGIF but perhaps a good one in that we all need to open our eyes to the unfortunate circumstances of others,

oh Sharon, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you...I hope the "whatever" fixes the "thingy"! Out of WINE?!?!?!?! Did I read that right??? oh Katie, snow and eggnog and decorating sounds heavenly... Tricia, it's so nice to have you back....and isn't it nice to be appreciated - hard work is right! oh Annie, the Nutcracker will be fabulous - what a wonderful time you'll have! And thank you. I had forgotten about Diane's cucciadati - man that was goooood! I think I need you all to remind me of all the great Christmas recipes right after Halloween. Duane, that's what's cool about this thread- and this forum -ya know? ...you can ramble all you want...you always know you're not alone and we're all following you...as opposed to when I ramble at home and not a soul pays attention...:-) Diane, sounds like just with your baking, you have plenty to do. I still have to do Christmas cards, too. It is bitter bitter cold here but I can't complain because we were spared the debilitating lake effect snow that they got - not too far north of here! We have a white coating - maybe 3 inches total. It's hard to say as the wind is blowing so much and lots has turned to ice. Scott just returned after being gone for a week and a half, so tonight we HAVE to take our family pic in front of the tree....always an experience - LOL. ONe year, Will and scott got into an argument (will was VERY small) as he wanted to wear the pink fuzzy slippers that I bought him (because he wanted them!) in the photo...and his Dad didn't want him to...:-) Then remember the series of photos when We were all cracking up after Will - ahem- passed gas right before the timer went off??? Even Sammy had one eye shut - LOL. I have to finish my cards. I have to make Sherry's Santa's Helpers - my new job as business manager at the public library requires that we make cookies for our board of trustees for their monthly meeting which is Monday - and I decided on those. Plus Will wants some. :-) We have a work Christmas party for Scott tomorrow night. Lots going on! Stacy