The baby will be here between Thanksgiving & Christmas. LOL That's how much we've narrowed it down! Seriously, the new date is November 25th, but my last 3 have all been 2-3 weeks overdue, so I honestly don't expect this one until mid-December. We had an original due date of December 15th, but that isn't lining up with how big I'm measuring, the baby's length..etc. So, we think that back at the first of March when I had the miscariage, that it was possibly twins...and I only lost one. My midwife says that there is no way to know for sure (I refuse any invasive tests beyond ultrasound), so we'll just see when this one decides to pop out. If it's earlier, then we know. The only thing we know for sure is that it doesn't have a winkie. LOL It'll be my luck that I'll carry PAST Christmas....I seem to have the gestation period of an elephant. UGH. LOL Okay...was that TMI?? :O)

Sailfish, No, you don't need to be worried. What happens is that, during heating, the oil changes, and the molecules in it start linking together into long chains. These polymerized oils seem tacky, but generally they're pretty nonstick. Another way of getting rid of them is to simply bake the pan at relatively high heat. Oils are made up of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon atoms. IIRC, when you start to heat them, you start driving off hydrogen and oxygen atoms, leaving free bonding points on the molecules, which then start clumping together. If you continue to bake an oil at moderate heat (350 to 375), you'll finally drive off all of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms, leaving a fine layer of carbon atoms behind. That is the process by which you "season" a cast iron frying pan to achieve a very durable non stick surface. That layer of carbon atoms is your friend.

Lyra, Annie, is it time to share this? Jeff Foxworthy Michigan Jokes (pretty funny and accurate) 1\. If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Michigan. 2\. If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Pellston is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Michigan . 3\. If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Michigan . 4\. If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year, you might live in Michigan . 5\. If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Michigan . 6\. If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, (or at the top of his ankles) you might live in Michigan . 7\. If you have worn shorts and a coat at the same time, you might live in Michigan . 8\. If your town has an equal number of bars and churches,! you might live in Michigan . 9\. If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Michigan . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 \- You know you're a true MICHIGANDER when . . . 1\. "Vacation" means going up north on I\-75 2\. You measure distance in hours. 3\. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once. 4\. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day. 5\. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching. 6\. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings). 7\. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked. 8\. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them. 9\. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit. 10\. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow. 11\. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction. 12\. You can identify a southern or eastern accent. 13\. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce. 14\. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age. 15\. Down South to you means Ohio . 16\. A brat is something you eat. 17\. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn. 18\. You go out to a fish fry every Friday. 19\. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost. 20\. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car. 21\. You find 0 degrees! "a little chilly." 22\. You drink pop and bake with soda. 23\. Your doctor tells you to drink Vernors and you know it's not medicine. 24\. You can actually drink Vernors without coughing. 25\. You know what a Yooper is. 26\. You think owning a Honda is Un\-American. 27\. You know that UP is a place, not a direction. 28\. You know it's possible to live in a thumb. 29\. You understand that when visiting Detroit, the best thing to wear is a Kevlar vest. 30\. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Michigan friends.

I was a crisis counselor for sexual assault in the past and did children's advocacy in law school. I applied for CASA training through my last employer and a program where they said they were wanting to facilitate community involvement, but when it came time for training, they wouldn't let me take the hours away from work to do it. ??? I always thought I would get back to that after the boys were grown, but I stayed busy volunteering in the schools while they were home. My dad passed at the end of my youngest's senior year in high school and I handled the estate, so I am just now starting to think about whether that is still something I want to do. I recently read that they have an advocate for every child in our county but still want volunteers for future additions, so the need would probably not be high demand. DH is about to go half-time at work and ease into retirement. We talked about possibly doing Habitat when that day came, but we haven't discussed it recently. I like to do wall finishing and painting. Not sure if I would be good at much else, but would be willing to try. I volunteer with an arts support group and will probably get involved in their children's outreach program and possibly ushering at events. Right now I have eased into the scholarship committee which only meets about half the year. I have one director who would like to try to get a fine arts and performing center in our area and has suggested that if I get bored. I know someone who might be able to help corral the right people and she's leaving another position at the end of the year. That would be a major undertaking, but I would love to see it happen. That will at least be a conversation or two to test the waters. As far as working with the elderly, I would second the comment above. You are not likely to be stuck doing things you are not comfortable with and there are many levels of elder care -- from independent senior living to assisted living and memory care. You could pick one of the more independent settings. So many of them just love having someone to talk to.