thanks for the link. Another social network for dogs is at http://www.dogster.com/ - apparently millions are being spent on this idea. No surprise. Great idea!

We had a wonderful mutt we named Woodstock Nation. When a kitten adopted us, our 4 yo dtr named her Dorothy. I have no idea why. We had her for many years. The most beautiful cat we ever had was very tiny with the longest, softest, all black fur you can imagine. Her name was Malificent Underwood. Beautiful as she was, she didn't like to be bothered with any one but our baby boy. (We got them at the same time.) As soon as could walk he carried that cat around all day long, and she slept with him. We called her Cat. I love this old happy thread.

"I can tell you friends of mine Philadelphia Scrapple's fine ... try it once and you'll agree - that it's the food for you and me", used to be on the Detroit radio station (WJR?) that read the funnies on Sundays ... and many of the ones in Canada were the same. That radio program about advertising, "Under the Influence" with Terry O'Reilly is produced by Pirate Toronto and has appeared for years on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), and was/is part of the reciprocal programming that our national broadcaster carries on with PBS/NPR/PRI (Public Radio International). He had an interesting segment on the history and operation of the "Oscars" this weekend, including how Louis B. Mayer worked toward getting it started ... which happened in 1929, my year of birth, and referred to how Mary Pickford had a substantial hand in that, as well ... and won best actress a year of so later. Terry has a lot of interesting and engaging things to say about advertising, which he's been in for years. Their earlier programs are available at www.cbc.ca/undertheinfluence. ole joyful

We had some baskets that got rather large -- like an outdoor grill and the grilling things to go with it, a gift wrap station with paper, bags, scissors, tape, ribbon and gift tags all in one place and some other outdoor fishing/camping things. If kids are in the mix, any kind of electronic game or reader was always bvery popular. Themed dinners -- both a basket with items to make a Mexican or Italian meal ( such as pasta, jarred sauce, breadsticks, things to make a salad, cookies for dessert and such). If these are silent auction baskets, a variation was to have someone host a dinner for a certain number of people or couples and the top bidders in that number (usually 8 or 10) or the first of that number to sign up automatically won -- so a dinner for 10 people paying $25 or $50 per person will have a set yield of $250 or $500. The cook may be the donor or a pro. At the elementary school, the princiap or a favorite teacher might be the cook or honored guest. You'de be amazed how excited kids could get to have ice cream, pizza, donuts or a burger with someone they only see at school. Those were very popular and you can adapt the idea to your group. I would try to think about the upcoming holidays since you are in November. What can you put together than makes Thanksgiving or Christmas easier or that would make for good gifts. If you did the wrapping basket, do more holiday themed tthan birthday and all-occasion. Wreaths, candles, or other decorations might do well. Or holiday themed entertaining.