hoovb: That was a long time ago in Mar Vista -- many people wish they had bought back then because MV has improved quite a bit since! We are happy to have gotten our house 10 yrs ago -- one of the last old ones from the early days of Abbot Kinney creating the Venice Canals -- and, it's taken a lot of pioneer spirit but I got the big garden I wanted, an old rambling house. a view of the ocean from afar & lots of ocean breeze & fog, all in an old neighborhood that's like a village (used to be covered in bean fields a hundred years ago). All the vacant lots have been developed in the last couple years (McMansions of course!), but MV retains its old charm nonetheless. And now we even have a Farmers Market on Sunday -- and it's a great place to garden!

Claudia, I agree, they're very healthy (as are most things that grow instead of being produced in a factory) and the fat content is good fat but they are normally very expensive in Michigan, are never grown locally, can't be grown in my garden and have to be shipped from half way around the world. If avocados are $2 each and an apple is 29 cents, I'm going to go for the apple grown in Michigan instead of the avocado grown in Chile. Of course, I don't eat an apple a day either, although I should. I love most vegetables but I'm very apathetic about fruit in general. I'm ashamed to admit that I have had two grapefruit, two apples, two pears and four mangoes sitting in my fruit basket for a week now and haven't eaten any of them. Yeah, I know, I'm bad. And I still think they're kind of "mushy". (grin) Elery likes them and he's wanting to make sushi this weekend, so some will probably go into "California Rolls". Annie

I have no idea who Candice Olson is. But to the ones who say absolutely not to "unsolicited gifts", then you don't feel if your friends or relatives give you a gift, unsolicited you don't feel a need to thank them? Occasionally I see someone send something to another person on the forum who is a total stranger but generally I see expectations of response there. To me, it depends on what the gift is. I do think that if someone is star stature, they may well not see most of what might be sent. This is much like the hoopla about if you get a bad french fry at McDonalds you should send a nasty letter to the CEO of the company and expect a personal response! I do feel there's limits on courtesies. Many people claim an expectation to be an expected courtesy. Sometimes to not say what could be said is a very big courtesy! That said, it's also pretty lame to try to claim, I could be a victim of a stalker and bringing up John Lennon over a little gift it stretching it quite a bit AFAIC. I'd feel an automated reply to an email or letter would be appropriate in a lot of situations, again depending on the status or "level" of the person's "celebrity". But for something mailed, I'm not too sure, again it would depend on what the item is. The address label analogy in this case is a good one. Just because someone has an email address, facebook, myspace or for that matter a postal address doesn't mean they need to answer everything. I feel a real frustration when I see someone post blasting a company (or person) because "I emailed them and they NEVER ANSWERED ME!!!!!" So back to the question of obligation. I don't see a definitive answer to it, there's just too many variables.

Well, Ladies, I owe Nicole, and every one else, sincere and heartfelt apologies for not getting my package out on time. Nicole, I spent the last two days on the couch with breathing treatments of all kinds, just made it down to the Post Office today. I am so sorry! The PO Lady said it should be there by Monday. I surely hope so! And, is this swap completed? If it isn't, it's probably my fault for being late! Would like to start the June swap, but I won't if this isn't done. Let us know, Okay! Thanks! Heading outside to assess damage control! Shirley!