Tall and thin - yep, we need goal (gal) posts! PJ (((baby girl))) don't sniffle...you'd be a great huntress. As scary as they are in your books, remember they're the stupid ones! The smart ones don't get caught. Then we'd get that whole hunter-hunted cycle going in which the TXGWers would have to jump in the melee on your behalf. Jolana would knock the dust off her Teacher's Paddle while Kathy let loose her trained bite dog cleverly disguised as a black dust mop, little Sally would be on their shoulders beating them over the head with large carrots, and TGL would have a big grin on her face saying "You don't want nunna this" as Zitro snaps blackmail photos. The rest of us would act as official witnesses, complete with lawn chairs and buckets of iced tea.

Our school had a junior-senior prom. It was a small school so I guess they needed two classes to fill the Elks Club ballroom. Don't remember my gown or date my junior year. I'd have to get out the yearbook--wherever it is. :0 My senior year I was dating a guy from the next town. I was very small and we had a terrible time finding a gown to fit. I don't know why my mother didn't make it. She always made our clothes. About a month before prom, mother and daddy went to Columbus, Ohio to visit my aunt and uncle and mother found the prettiest dress. It was a size 3 and she had to alter it. It was short, dusty rose organdy with spaghetti straps (nothing to hold up a topless gown). Across the bodice was a row if deep rose and dusty rose organdy flowers that could be removed (I kept them). I loved that dress! My date brought me a corsage of pink baby roses with babies breath that I pressed and kept for years. After the prom ended at midnight (a treat for all of us to be up that late back then), the Seniors had an all-night party. It was also at the Elks Club. We all changed into bermuda shorts, which were the new hot thing, and danced, played games and ate until about 5 when they served us breakfast. It was a lot of fun and emotional because we were graduating and sure we'd never see each other again. You know how emotional HS girls can be. A lot of kids in my class ended up back in R-ville. Nice little town to raise a family. It'll be 50 years next month since that prom night. Sure wish I was going to the reunion in June!

Runnels look nice with soapstone but I don't like them with other materials. I guess it all comes down to two issues: 1- do you have a dishwasher? and 2 - how many things do you hand wash and don't want to dry right away every night? I prefer to have a flat countertop and put down a towel if I'm doing a bunch of hand washing (holiday dinners with fine china/silver/crystal) and just drying the one or two pots/pans after washing. I really don't want dishes draining on my countertops - looks messy and they often never get put away.

You know, mtn, this is what happens when you raise children to be strong and independent. They go ahead and leave you. ;) Naturally it's emotionally tough at first, even though we recognize on an intellectual level the value of the opportunity. My advice would be to keep a copy of her schedule and make yourself available when she is. I tried not to schedule anything during times I knew my kids were walking to class or to an activity, or had free time. I agree that it's better to speak with them when they have some privacy. There was typically a time a few days per week when their schedules diverged from their classmates' and I got to "walk" with them. That time changed every semester, and I was always happy to accommodate their schedules. So I guess in that regard, yes, I did "schedule" a time, but it was very organic and driven by their calendars. Her class/roommates will be receiving care packages, so even though you are nearby, it's always fun to get mail.