Marci, is that a trick question? I can't see any animal! The pictures are just magnificent. I have to agree with everyone else. The eel gives me the creeps. Maddie, so glad to see you again. I am happy that everyone is on the mend. OK, so Paul McCartney was amazing!!!! He is 67 years old and sang for 2 1/2 hours without taking a sip of water or a break. His band took a break and he pulled out the ukelele and kept on singing while they were gone. I loved Fenway Park. It was my first time there and I think my heart skipped a beat when I first walked in. It is beautiful. I am definitely going back for a ball game! Speaking of Lobsta! Tonight we are having some!!! Our first this summer. We are going out on the boat with some other couples with their boats and will raft up and have ourselves a feed! I am looking forward to a great evening. Suzanne, love the fox. You take the best pictures! My mom says she has one that has been coming around her house and she is concerned about her cat because she sleeps out on the deck all day in the sun. Dee I laughed right out loud with Marci's comment about the monkey looking in your office window. Being the animal lover that you are (NOT!), I would love to be a fly on the wall if that were actually to happen!! You know we love you, right? I should get off of the computer now. I only have about 1 million things to do today. Have a great weekend all! (((HUGS))) all around. oxBesh

Good Morning! I am back from the deep south and glad to see that you guys partied hearty without me! LOL Raeanne - Thanks for holding up the birthday traditions while I was gone. (If you want lessons in GIF 101, I can help. LOL) NHSuzanne - Those pictures are gorgeous! I too want to know what kind of camera you have. DH told me that while we were gone the weather turned cold up north. It is back to being hot and humid now though! BJ - So glad to hear that all went well and that you are up and around. (We never doubted for a second that you would come through with flying colors.) Jen - I agree that cleaning closets can be cathartic, but I hope you got to do some other fun things too. Dee's package sounded like fun. She is a great birthday partner! Tikanas - I hope you got to read your birthday wishes, even if you can't post. Email someone in the group and update us on your life. Inquiring minds want to know. Amy - I went to Lafayete, LA to visit my DD for a week, but thanks for missing me. I am glad to hear that you are still painting. I treasure my picture from you and look at it daily. Besh - I too love Heavenly from VS. My DD turned me onto it. I usually buy her some for her birthday and Christmas, but she said she has had to stop wearing scented lotions and sprays because of the bugs in LA. Donna - WTG with WWatchers. Your renovations sound wonderful. Any before and after pictures to show us?? Gretchen - What can I say? What a nice surprise to log on and see a post from you. I thought for a second you had moved to California, since you are now calgret, but I see you are still in Chicago. Please keep posting, we missed you. Patti - I hope you reached Dallas ok. My first Houston experience was WET! On the way to LA, it poured in Houston on my layover and my luggage got soaked. They must have left it out in the open at some point. I had to wash all my clothes when I got to DD's apartment. But my flights weren't delayed, so I got out on time and my return flight was uneventful. I met a really nice lady on my first layover and it turned out we had the same birthday. We chatted and tried not to notice the wind and rain outside! LOL Have with your DGD!!! Magic Kitty - Haven't seen a post from you lately. How are you holding up in the FL heat? DeeMarie - I hope you are having wonderful weather and enjoying every minute of your cruise. And speaking a enjoying every minute, that is exactly what I did in LA. Despite the heat and humidity, DD and I had a wonderful time. We explored the swamps, two plantations homes, went searcing for alligators, ate seafood, sampled Cajun cuisine and music and just spent some Mother/daughter time. The week went fast but I hope to be able to visit her again before they transfer out of the area. I will post a few pictures in the album when I get a chance. Now I have one more trip over Labor Day weekend and then I start back to school on 9/4. Part of me is looking forward to a paycheck, but part of me doesn't want the summer to end! Hi to anyone I missed. Maddie - where are you? Kate - are you sill with us? Joanne - Come back! John - We need you to check in brother! Gotta finish up some laundry and catch up on the mail and bills! UGH. Later, Marci

My GS, also a Nathan, is like-minded as yours, chisue. Over the years I've bought many of the Science and Discovery toys from Toys R Us. He particularly likes the dinosaur excavation toys, where you excavate the bones and in the end construct the dinosaur. They range from small ones under $10 up to the larger ones that I believe are around $30. He likes all the magic rocks, fossils and crystal growing kits, microscopes, ant farms... oh, the list goes on! Azzaleas idea of a metal detector was a great one. Although my GS likes legos and games ok, they aren't something he's wild about. When he has money to buy his own things, he picks items such as magnets and butterfly/fishing nets. The big hit last summer was a bug zapper. And it had to make the zapping sound, not those new quiet ones. LOL

Dear Susies, I am waaay behind with my blocks. I love doing them, but we have a crisis in our family (not health, but a legal problem) which will most probably require that my husband and I to go to Germany for probably a two-week stay. We're waiting for a trial date and have been waiting, but the government works very slowly usually. We could hear about going at any time and I have been in a bad depression. Anyway, I'm sure I can complete all the blocks eventually if no one minds waiting an undetermined amount of time, but if there is anyone who wants to take my place, that would be good too. I am not the type who doesn't fulfill responsibilities, but I have never had a family problem that wasn't related to health of this magnitude. Thank you, Mollie.