dear wabby---i got the way the crow flies for christmas and i have not even tried to crack it open----someone told me it is depressing and i feel i have no more room for depression----i need something neutral----------as far as your "sister's keeper" book---i used to email the author "Jodi Picoult"---just as a fan as i really LOVED her book "THe Pact" [depressing too} SHE ANSWERED ME BACK AND WE CORRESPONDED OFF AND ON FOR A FEW MONTHS!!!!---- anyway,she has written alot of books since then and I haven't kept up with them or her!!!! It was neat though!

If you went going to inherit the earth, literally, for eternity, wouldn't you be a strong environmentalist now?

What fuel would you expect to be using?

I have a new kitchen appliance. It's a Champion juicer and it is WONDERFULLLLL. I had a cheap one from WalMart and so I know why the Champion is worth it's money. I found it on discount online.

Wabby-- I think we're gilding the lily if this is considered polite company! And have you read Lolly Winston's Good Grief? I'm about half way through. Comedy is, indeed, tragedy plus perspective. Kiwi-- I have a couple of lectures on journalling that I do. This one was 5 tips to get you writing for a bunch of library users who had read the journals of Lewis and Clark. Baggz -- I think Jodi Picault is cool, too. And isn't it amazing how writers write back?! They must enjoy it. Have you read any of the books by Joanna Trollope? She's a bit less dramatic/depressing, but with lots of insight. And usually set in some interesting smallish town in England somewhere.

Re: suspicious cleaning efforts by DS and friend... I think THIS is the appropriate situation for a "Don't Ask/Don't Tell" policy..... Y'all have a great day. We're in for more rain. The phlox loves it. The summering-over bulbs are probably rotted... or will soon be parboiled. I lasagna gardened in order to put in some daylilies... but the grass is rearing its ugly (PERSISTENT) tentacles.

YES Painty---i am familiar with Joanna Trollope---I forget what i read by her but i liked it---I think i heard about her in Victoria Magazine------peachers!!! wouldn't it be nice if one was to inherit the earth if God could get Molly Maids to come in and spiff it up for us---I would consider joining the JW's or the Nature Lovers if that were the case-----Oh what fun it would be to live on the earth with no cares or worries about creeps or snakes or bugs or mountain lions!!!!! To romp through the sunflower fields and have the bees fly by smiling at us instead of attacking-----ahhhhhhhhhh--------a world of delight--------------

I've heard of Birth of Venus. My mother was telling me about it, she said it had been very highly recommended, but the beginning was shocking to her. It was about a dying (or dead) nun and it was kind of gruesome. My sister was reading it for a book club she's in, as well.

Bagz, you need a vacation... Is that you in the pic below?

Exhausting day. Can't post much. Day 2 of 3-day . Must go to bed.

Beautiful bride and groom picture.

Lovely to have you back again, Painty.

" To romp through the sunflower fields and have the bees fly by smiling at us ..." I LOVE IT! And it's not even Friday.

have you noticed how long it's been since I earned a teeshirt?

if you're going to use solar power, shouldn't you be training in an engineering school? Most of the solar power people will be gone.

Have you noticed I've been earning stretch pants???

YES I DO NEED A VACATION--------THANK YOU KIWONKERS------------MY DARLING DD HAD A MOST WONDERFUL VACATION IN NYC----------of course she came home,heard the terrible news about Boffo and collapsed sobbing and shocked in front of me----she had SO been looking forward to seeing him and hugging him and playing with him-----truly a heartbreaking session-----------------i have been dreading it for a week and it was just as horrible as i predicted--------the only good thing about it is that the news has been broken=-------------------anyway-----happy canada day

OK, HAPPY Canada Day, Bagzie! Not much going on in this neck of the woods (aka The Middle of Nowhere)

Your poor dd. It takes such a long time to get over these things, especially given the tragic circumstances.

Still fat 'n' crabby. PMS. Thank you SO much. My house it a tip, the fridge needs cleaning out before we leave next week, I'm not even half way caught up on the laundry and my kitchen floor is sticky. I think I'll go watch TV.

Talk about a tip! I can't get motivated...I just want to sleep since I don't do that at night.

Kiwi, we had dogs go missing out of our yard. It is haunting. One minute they were there and the next time I looked, they were gone...from a fenced yard.

I'm old and my skin is dry. DD drives now..scary. She has a job at the local supermarket where I now get 10% off. Like I need an excuse to buy more food.

I am now kicking my kids out of the house in the afternoon. The poor things are so bored..but they didn't want to go to camp or anything. They aren't allowed to play with any of the other teenaged boys in the neighborhood. Said boys are poor students who do illegal things. I'm not sure if those illegal things run to drugs and alcohol...but I'm not taking any chances. One of them came riding into my yard on a quad the other day. I looked like a fishwife shooing him out of the yard. My boys aren't allowed to ride on the grass, I'm not going to let this future criminal do it. Anyway, I know they don't want to invite anyone here because I'm such a shrew...but it is scary. It was very different with a girl. Even the nicest boys are wild and seemingly allowed to do whatever they want. They take off on their dirtbikes and are gone all day...My kids aren't allowed to ride out of the yard...it is VERY illegal and dangerous.

Don't even get me started on the aggressive girls who call here all hours of the day and night.

That is my summer.

I have to go, I'm making a big spread for Canada Day.
L