Dorothy, to show how much I love my sunshine, I can come up with many ways to display her favorite flower :-) Ann I hope my wishing that your day is going to be FUN and without stress at work, helped. Or? Caren I had to LOL...I had to have a BBQ grill...and I am just not cooking much or BIG these days anymore :-( Ingrid you show me over and over again how much joy our angels bring to us!!! Brenda that is all I want to do...bring joy with what I do. Just what you do brings this loved feeling to the newbies and US. Hugs and thanks to all Lucy

Cheerful tablescape! Lots of moving going on at your place! Our DS just left for university again last wknd and we are loving having the house to ourselves again. (Older DD already moved out a few years ago.) We turned his old bedroom into an office for me so when he was home for he summer, he had to be in the guest room! He didn't mind though as it is bigger than his old room. Have fun with your BR reno! DD

David - have a great time with your group! Sorry about the Sooners and sorry about Sam Bradford. Hope the shoulder heals quickly. Claire, happy gardening! I have daylilies and hostas to move too, but I am waiting until it cools off here a little first. We are finally getting warm summery weather this weekend LOL! Sharon, I am so jealous of your being able to spend the fall at the cottage after the summer people are gonw. That was always my favorite time of year in Ogunquit - saying goodbye to the tourists! Enjoy your time and Clive bcskye, sounds like a blast! What sort of horse show is it? I used to ride hunters (and a few jumpers) back in the day, but I love all sorts of equestrian competitions. Have a great time with the family too. Linda, OGM! 1200?!?!?!? There are going to be some happy pooches and you are a dear for the labor of love. Katie - sounds like a wonderful way to spend the weekend. As David says - dance like no one is watching! Annie, glad to hear those beanies are going to good use. And happy canning! I can't wait to start my next project, I just have to find a little time. Dedtired - enjoy the Cape - as I mentioned before, fall is the BEST time to go anyplace touristy - the crowds have thinned. Lyra - Good luck with the projuect. I know how that goes, seems I can always find something else to do rather than what really needs to be done. Somehow it all does get dome though - an enjoy your time off, you deserve it! I had my second jewelry class on Friday - I just love it. Working on a multi metal (copper and brass) pendant to learn my skills. I will post photos as I complete projects. Fri night was out with friends for Happy Hour, yesterday was relaxing at home and getting totally caught up on Mad Men. I am TOTALLY addicted to that show now! Today we are having another couple over for a BBQ - sometimes it is nice not to have a gang and just sit and enjoy a quiet evening with grown up conversation. Tomorrow we are thinking about going to the NJ shore (I am cringing at the thought, I don't care for the shore) so we'll see. Maybe I will send the men folk off and have a canning day to myself. Stay happy and safe everyone! Alexa

So, I have this uncle . . . who gave my parents a beautiful large Chinese platter, which sits in my living room, but I never knew him, because he died in World War II. I was always told he died on the Bataan Death March. Turns out that's not exactly true. In the last decade, there's so much more information available on the Internet, If you'e been looking for people -- try again. And there's a ton of information on servicemen. only this year I found this out: On this Memorial Day, I'd like to take the opportunity to remember my uncle, Benjamin Lee McMakin, my father's favorite brother. He was a United States Marine Major serving in the Philllipines in WWII, when he was captured in May 1942 by the Japanese at Corregidor. He managed to survive the Japanese prison camps for more than two years, until in December 1944 he was transferred to the Oryoko Maru, a POW "hell ship" -- an unmarked ship transporting prisoners for slave labor, which was bombed by the Allies, and was killed on the ship or trying to escape. I never met him, of course, but I remember. Uncle Ben -- thank you for your service, and . . . I have your plate!