NHSuzanne - I usually poke the h*ll out my baked potatoes, because the exact same thing happened to me once, only it exploded in the microwave! Hope Sweet Pea continues to improve. Is your electric back on? I just bought some peanut butter and jelly to have on hand. I started eating the Smuckers natural peanut butter and now I can't eat any other kind. I love peanut butter on apples, bananas or English muffins. I just read that the tsunami missed Hawaii. Thank goodness. Those poor people in Chile. I have a cold and my back is aching for various reasons. So I confess that I slid off the wagon (felt sorry for myself) and ate some junk this week. I will have to start over with the stars. :~( At least I refrained from buying anything junky at the store today. We got another 6 inches yesterday and it has been snowing all day. But at least the snow today isn't sticking to the roads. February 2010 is now officially the snowiest February in Pennsylvania since they started keeping track of the weather. Marci Marci

Jan- (((((HUGS))))))) It's always too soon. I lost my 36 yr. old brother 21 years ago and I still talk about him like he was here yesterday. And newphew, Brandon (at 21), too young, was an unconsolable sadness that weighed on our hearts for a long, long time. The memories are what keeps them alive in my heart. At this age, unfortunately, many of us realize that the days on earth are never to be taken for granted. Check in when you can. We will think of you... Marci: Happy to see you back. I think of you often. Hope you are getting through the days okay and the holidays aren't too painful for you and yours this year. The first year is the very worst. Peggy: Keep on truckin'. I log on here, wanting to hear that you are taking it day by day and each successful day makes me smile. STAY BUSY and drink tea, pop, whatever...Don't WAVER! We love that you are S-T-R-O-N-G!!! Patti- On a happy note: the wild chickens aound fun to me! I love chickens that just hang out and ACT like they're SUPPOSED to be there! Raeanne and Jan-When you find "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Big?" Don't bother reading it. Peter Walsh is much better in person or on TV or DVD. His books never do it for me. Uh, not that I've actually SEEN him in person---but Ty Pennington, I HAVE seen him...(yum, in an I'd-probably-let-him-eat-crackers-in-bed-kind-of-a-way.) Raeanne-I was hypnotized once--to lose weight, but it wore off. The goal was to actually drink more water, which I did for a while. But it was a VERY relaxing feeling whilst I was under. Dee: Glad you're back at it! YAY! Man, that was a hummer of a cold you had. Signed, -DoombahGizzardButt here. How becoming is that? I didn't even get a "chicken" or a "boob" in my name. I honestly believe I was ROBBED! That's it...I'm changing my name to: -BoobyChickenTush

cran, I had another thought if you want something festive & different from the soups... I make lobster crepes almost every year around the holidays. They're very easy, quick, & hold remarkably well in a chafing dish! No recipe...here's what I do... Toss in a skillet with 50/50 EVOO & butter a couple finely minced shallots & 1 or 2 cloves fresh garlic. Saute a couple minutes then add sliced 'shrooms of your choosing. Saute until the 'shrooms are tender. Add freshly picked lobster meat & continue sauteeing until the lobster is warm. Add some heavy cream, a bit of lobster stock, and a hit of sherry. I season with salt/pepper, & fresh thyme. Cook until liquid reduces a bit. Finish with a couple pats of butter. Fill crepes with a small amount of the above mixture & arrange the crepes in an oblong baking dish. Pour remaining sauce/lobster mixture over crepes & warm in the oven at 325 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over the top of the crepes after you've taken them out of the oven. Transfer to chaffing dish. These are so delicious it's stupid! Lobster is so cheap now it's not unreasonable for a crowd since they're so rich nobody will eat more than one. Thanks for the welcome back! I'll make a post on "Conversations" in the next few days. I'm out of bed about 20% of the time now; but typing still brings on vicious pain so I can't make this post & still give an update. :( BTW, I've been teaching DH to cook. He's become possessive of "his" kitchen! :) cran, I'm sure your Open House will be wonderful. Another idea that I started about 20 years ago...at 10:00 p.m., I hand out those short (4") white, chunky chandles in a handled holder. Then, appoint a guest to go around the room & light everybody's candle while I get organized at my piano. Then, we sing "Silent Night", "Oh Holy Night", "White Christmas", and whatever anybody else requests. We usually sing for 30 minutes, or so. It serves two purposes. First, everybody enjoys it & it seems to give a signal it's time to start gathering coats & finishing our toasts in preparationn to end the evening & I don't get stuck with guests still hanging on to their eggnog mug at 1:00 a.m.! hahaha You don't need a piano...people sing carols without music very well! Have a fun filled & safe party! /tricia

Happy Friday.... I have not been around to open Jeannes Christmas in July package, which arrived a few days ago. And she also included my poetry prize....very cool! And here are the 12 days of Christmas from Jeanne.....how fun! *Christmas card and inside a 12 days of Christmas word search game *Partridge in a Pear Tree.....Jeanne sent Pear preserves and a mug mat (made by Jeanne....love it) and in the pocket of the mug mat is American Classic Tea. The tea is the only tea grown in the U.S. and is grown at the Charleston Tea plantation in SC. *Turtle Doves...a white bird with a clip so I can attach to my Christmas tree, a gift ect *French Hens...Puffy Pancake recipe which uses eggs....a family favorite. *Calling Birds....CD with Christmas songs "Home For The Holidays"...the birds not only call, they sing....LOL! *Golden Rings...."Extra Golden" California Poppy Seeds *Geese a Laying....an artificial egg and the egg layed "Interesting and Amazing Information On Geese"...................a got educated on Geese! *Swans a Swimming.....a white wash cloth which reminded Jeanne of a swan.....and it is a soft one too! *Maids a Milking.....Milky Way candy bars *Ladies Dancing....They are dancing to the music on the CD....LOL! *Lords a leaping...Star package tie ons.....leaping to reach the stars. *Pipers Piping....A bookmark with Jeannes horse Piper.....How cool!!! *Pipers Piping and Drummers Drumming.....A steno pad....and on the cover of the pad are pipers piping and drummers drumming..... Jeanne, thank you so much! I absoloutley love my 12 days of Christmas......very, very clever. And thank you for my prize! Your surgery was on Tuesday. Thoughts and prayers......be well. Annie