Hi Ya! I kicked that ol' tire right outta the yard into kingdom come (I actually had two beers - pointed them into my diary and still kept my day value) on Friday night and a strong sedative....boy...sleep I did and still somewhat groggy today got off my keister, did some light kitchen cleaning, ran some laundry, puttered with my darling baby plants (repotted some and gave my fern a massive heart attack by sawing the root ball down and repotted it) and just made some cinnamon rolls. Yep, cinnamon rolls. I cut them into small sizes and pointed them at 3.5 per roll (probably less). I used splenda and sugar with the cinnamon, drizzled honey to goo things up a little and low fat margarine in the mix. I also use LIGHT carnation evaporated milk - really gives it a lovely texture and taste. I still have 6 points left today and later this evening I am going to have a nice cuppa tea and a cin. roll - finish up my points for the day, freeze some of them for another day and take some over tomorrow when out visiting folk (I love to bake, I still do a lot but I give it away ASAP and freeze a few bites for later). Friday night the family has decided I will be going out for chinese dinner this week coming for my b'day...they never asked what I wanted (I don't really want this, especially on a Friday night - I am usually totally wiped by end week, but I will go with my best foot forward. Just means that Thurs/Friday I will PLAN AHEAD and save a few extra points for that meal. I appreciate their thought and Dave's parents are here for another week before going back home. I should not complain, it has been hard on them even more. Probably be in bed early again tonight but first, gotta read my gardening mag. and my National Enquirer (weekly international edition). I know, I know the NE is pretty much fiction but I enjoy it. Small pleasures. Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Tomorrow we start another week and we carry on! Cheers, McPeg

Thanks everyone. This was a low-key birthday, which is how I like it. No cooking. That was the day before, my daughter made us a mahi mahi stir fry that was very good. She learned how to juggle two woks at once. Last night we went out to sushi, as that is daughter's new food passion. Then we browsed our favorite vintage/hipster clothing store. I've almost stopped buying clothes at regular retail stores; this store provides in retail-speak, an edited eclectic selection at remarkably cheap prices. I bought a like-new cotton-cashmere sweater from Club Monaco (a Ralph Lauren sub-brand) for $8 - hard to beat that, even if the horizontal stripes are not exactly slimming. Call it a challenge. We also poked around Powell's bookstore, where I checked out some books on 1980s BMW sedans. I am getting a slight hankering for a "new" car project, and I've always liked the late 1980s BMW 5-series sedans, the last of the boxy no-nonsense Teutonic Beemers. They are quick, solid, and great bargains as future classics. Plus I'm told a fellow who knows how to work on cars (that's me) and who likes to work on cars (that might or might not still be me) can transplant a V8 motor from a later BMW in place of the stock 220 hp six-cylinder M30 motor. We bought a magazine on 3D printing for my son. Home 3D printers are now as cheap as $500, and that would be a pretty interesting thing for us to play with. My favorite present was a cutting board that has gridlines and measurements for various cuts. Now I can judge exactly how thick to slice for medium dice (1/2"), batonnet (1/4"), julienne (1/8") and fine julienne (1/16") sticks and brunoise. Very useful for the OCD cook. My least favorite present for this b-day will be making an appointment for my first colonoscopy. Oh joy! The pleasures of entering my fifties. Actually I should have done this last year on my 50th b-day, but have been putting it off. The pastime currently occupying us is planning for daughter's impending start of college. She is now receiving her college admission and rejection letters, and we are going through the various dormitory choices and studying credit requirements for different degree programs. At this point she is most seriously considering either Fordham University in Manhattan, McGill University in Montreal, UC San Diego, or the Clark Honors College at University of Oregon. I'm quietly rooting for U of O, it seems perfect to me. The Honors College is a small liberal arts program with just 700 students and their own professors, counselors, building and housing, set in the big campus of a 30,000 student research university. 2 hours from home, far enough for her, not too far for me. It is eminently affordable if you pay in-state tuition. If she wants to get a single room with private bath, to spend five years in school doing multiple majors, to study abroad and take trips, we can do all that and she can still graduate with zero student debt. She likes the campus and the town, and already has some friends who started there last year. So, I hope she picks it. Fingers crossed! We went to the beach last weekend. The Oregon coast is gorgeous. I haven't been for a couple of years. My friend led us in making a huge sandsculpture (a dragon consuming a hilltop city) that, I'm told, made the local TV news. It was very relaxing, and made me think that perhaps I work too much. This post was edited by johnliu on Thu, Mar 27, 14 at 10:32

I spelled his name wrong in the first post. It's Nicolas. No h. This is our 2nd. Nicolas has a big sister, 'Becca who was 6 in March and started first grade last week. Ron

Jasdip, the KT is listed as my favorite site, (Been a Garden Web member since I got my first PC, in !997.) but ever since iVillage bought GW, we never know what might change. A lot of KTers don't have a birthday listed on their profile; I guess that is their choice, or not. Any way, at least I still know when mine is! Susan, that isn't my helmet; it is my DGS's DW's. They ride a lot. He would never have taken me with out it. But I didn't really like the "Harley helmet hairdo" when I saw the pic. The only other time I rode was once, at their house, around the block, so this was my maiden voyage. I appreciate all your kind, and flattering, replies. If there is a reason for my being at this age, it is because I am not a worrier, and I prefer to use common sense and logic in all things and the BIGGIE: I truly believe that laughter is the best medicine. I love (good, clean) humor and try my best to spread it around. The cupcake girl's DH is the photographer, but he didn't take any of the refreshment tables. But if I did this right, here is a commercial that a radio station did for them a while back. Sue P.S. Sylvia, you better hurry up and grow up! This post was edited by Sue-va on Fri, Sep 26, 14 at 23:58