ok, again thanks to summer's post, another reminder of a long ago pet story. We had the best cat ever but he didn't like being left alone. One weekend we went away and stupidly left a couple things out. My DH's shirts from the cleaners were left on the door handle and not put into the closet and I had taken down a clock off the wall to remind me to replace the battery. When we came home, the cat had shredded the arms of the shirts and he had chewed the second hand of the clock off. Got time for another story? - fast forward - the above cat is gone (Julius, best cat ever - RIP) and we now have Jade and Abby who also don't like being left alone. We had just bought a brand new leather couch and were heading off for a week. Our next door neighbour was going to watch and visit with the cats while we were gone. Just in case and from previous experience (see above) I covered the leather couch with blankets. put couch cushions on top with more blankets all tucked in. We came home to the leather couch being completely uncovered and torn to ratsh!t by the claws of the cats. We still have the above clock and the leather couch.

Olychick, so sorry. It's one of my favorite movies and I think one of the best ever made. Love how they made all the Kansas shots in the sepia tones, but Oz in brilliant colors. Plus so many favorite scenes, especially when the witches feet disappear under the house and she acquires the ruby slippers. And of course when she melts. Plus the message with her awakening to the power she had inside herself all along. So many quotes too: "I'll get you my little pretty!" "Toto, I've got a feeling we aren't in Kansas any more." "Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!" "There's no place like home." Then the whole story line about Dorothy's awakening to finding out she has the power all along. I found this interesting article about various interpretations of the true meaning behind the Wizard of Oz and am amazed that such a story still provides speculation and analysis these many years later. https://www.vulture.com/2013/03/wizard-of-oz-theories-gold-standard-feminist-religion-jung.html

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” - Luciano Pavarotti

@Zoe 29 it may be regional, but around here the level and sheer number of people with special dietary restrictions is ridiculous! EVERYONE (it seems) is looking for restaurants that are gluten free, sugar free, nut free, animal product free, garlic free, etc. I used to go out to lunch once in a while with a group of women from my swim aerobics class but finally had to give it up because of the demands of so many of the participants. Not only did the servers have to deal with a bunch of single checks but the high maintenance dietary needs of so many was ridiculous. I was embarrassed to be a part of the group that the servers had to deal with. I understand that there are real food allergies, like peanuts and gluten, but I'm talking about simply dietary preferences, of the trendy kind.