Mate, I'm sure someone will come to your aid.

STW, congrats again and good luck finishing up in the next few weeks. This has got to be a tough time of year to have to do it. Much as I hate myself for it, I've gotten to the point where I dread the holidays. Just too stressful! And how sad is that?! However, I have to say that knowing that my daughter will be home is bringing me around a little bit! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving with your family! And enjoy your trip to Portsmouth!

Motel 6, Ms Pickle?! We stayed in one in Denver. We were only there one night. Got in late in the afternoon and went straight to Coors Field for a baseball game, got back late. So it wouldn't have been so bad except that we got stuck in a smoking room. YUCK!!

Congrats on that 8 lbs, ethel! At my age, losing 8 lbs is a long-term endeavor!

Wow, PM, what a turn around! I'm so happy to hear of all your good news!

Tiff, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. It's just so sad to hear about someone so young facing a situation like that.

Happy Anniversary Iceeu2 and cd!

Congratulations, Bennnie!!

Very sorry to hear there's been another banning.

jorr, thanks for starting this thread in spite of all that's happened here recently. Considering the number of responses so far, there's certainly a "market" for it!

RAVE: Due to a training program she's going to be involved in during January term, we had thought our daughter would only be home for 2 weeks over Christmas. Found out the other day that she doesn't have to be back until mid-January. So she'll be home for a whole month!!

And, to make things even more festive, we've all decided it's best that she not work over break this year. During the first semester last year, she was only working 4 hours a week at school. So she worked at Penney's over Christmas break. They scheduled her 40plus hours a week, both weekend days every week. We weren't able to do anything fun on the weekends!

This year she's working 8 to 10 hours a week at school besides her 5 classes and her 7 hour a week training program to be a rape crisis counselor. All of which probably had a lot to do with her getting sick a couple of weeks ago! So we (she, my husband, myself and her boss at school!) all agree that she needs a real break over Christmas.

And, with my husband finishing chemo the day after Thanksgiving, he should be starting to feel better by the time she comes home. So we're looking forward to being able to really enjoy the holidays together this year. Maybe we'll actually be able to get downtown to see the Christmas windows, etc. this year!

Geez, a four paragraph rave!

RANT: That I really had to think long and hard about whether I wanted to post this week.

I love FF R&R. Because of it, I've "met" many truly wonderful people. And I don't want to lose that. I'm really glad to see that so many people have participated this week.

But I'm deeply disturbed by the things I've seen here in the past week or so. What with the bannings and the way Fodor's has chosen to handle them, one can't help but be a little paranoid.

STW, let us know how that turkey sausage and pear stuffing turns out.

bonniebroad, I have a sister who actually lives in Fargo. After "Fargo" came out there were people at every out-of-state meeting or convention she went to who were ribbing her with that accent "How's it going then?" "ya, ya betchya". She said it was relentless sometimes. But she doesn't have that accent at all. The city of Fargo had become a movie name and an accent for a time. They really should have called the movie "Brainerd"! After all that was the focus of the movie and it would have given the film an even more quarky image.

I actually worked with someone named Brainerd. Can you imagine doing that to a child?
((b))

Hmm... where did that beer mug come from? Must have hit the wrong key. It's a little early for a beer.
((c))

Oh good heavens!!!!!!! You are channeling Budman!!!!!!!!!

RANT: Twice in the past week I've found micropscopic "dings" in the rim of glass bakeware. One piece is a round 2 qt casserole, the other a 3 qt rectangular baking dish. In the case of the 3qt dish, it isn't even rough, just a tiny irregular spot that, as nearly as I can see, looks like a chip. I hate to have to throw them away. But I don't want to risk getting glass in our food.

I've tried to find a website that would tell me whether it's really unsafe to use them. Or whether I'm being over-cautious. But I haven't been able to find anything. Any thoughts anyone?

@-) I feel like going to Ireland. Hmm . . . I can get a proper cup of tea there too. @-)
((c))

Yippie!! CAPH's daugheter will be home for a month!!! Glad she will get the rest she needs. Also, I must say, I am impressed by her goal to be a rape crisis counselor. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday together - you deserve it :)

My oldest, after Thanksgiving, will be heading up to Boston for 3 weeks as part of his graduate school module. He'll be returning right before Christmas. So on our way up to Portsmouth, we're going to pay him a quick visit.

Now, on to the bakeware...

If the ding is as small as you describe, and it is only on the rim, I would probably still use it. If there's a crack on the bottom, I might throw it out (even if you don't feel anything). But I'm over-cautious about those things. Hmmm, I wonder what my bakeware looks like???

Hey, where can I find some turkey sausage, LOL? :D Everyone's out! Just what I wanted to do, roam the county looking for turkey sausage :)

Rave: It's the weekend

Rant: My husband has to coach tonight at 8 and I wanted to go out for dinner...wahhh

Rant: I took the Praxis and STW, I'm not feeling good about it at all! Thanks for the vote of confidence but I don't think I earned it. I was really rushed for time and had to fly through the last 25questions to finish in time!

Rave: The flipping test is over and there is nothing I can do about it.

Rant: It is ridiculous that I had to take it--thanks NCLB!

Hope all is well. CAPH, enjoy the time with your family

To all with sick friends and loved ones, I send you a great big hug...and a hug or two for those w/other aggravations...

OWJ

OWJ, when I took my first cert exam, I was overwhelmed with anxiety. I had four hours to complete the exam and I was rushed for time with about the same number of questions left to answer. So, I skipped ahead and answered what I knew off the top of my head and for the balance I guessed.

Yes, that's right...a,b,c,d...I figured it was better than leaving them blank. Well, I passed. Not really sure what that says about me as a student (although my test anxiety has dropped substantially since that time), but it's not impossible to use such crazy logic and pass.

I'll say a prayer for you. I'm sure you did better than you think. Relax and have some poison :D

Rave: Married 18 years and still love the guy like crazy.

Rave: The Buckeyes won!

Rave: I love my job. Hanging out with 5-9 year olds who love me because I'm the PE teacher keeps me laughing and smiling all day long.

Rave: Botox (which also keeps me young)

Rave--Just found out that our old group of friends has put together a GTG for us when we return to Seattle this coming week! SO excited to see everyone again!

amwosu, I have such great memories of my P.E. teachers!! They were always the coolest. Thanks!

Rant: I've been soooo sad because I recently found out that an old boyfriend (High School...summer thing...in the Keys where my family had a home for many years, but still not a <i>serious boyfriend</i> was murdered by his 16 year old son in May of 2003. Made the mistake of &quot;googling&quot; him after having the &quot;<i> what ever happened to...&quot;</i> conversation with my sister. Feels like it just happened the other day, even though it was 2 years ago.

He will <b>never</b> have any grandchildren (son was the only child), or have any of the joys that I currently have in my life. He was such a nice person...just an old friend I wasn't prepared to say goodbye to. He was in the Coast Guard and leaves behind a wife. Can't begin to imagine what a mother has to go through...she's lost her husband.
Son pled guilty...life imprisonment...so much waste....Still can't fathom this reality...soooo sad!

STW, if you really get in a bind with the turkey sausage, you can use ground turkey and add sausage spices to it. I'd probably add salt and lots of pepper, garlic, since it's for stuffing, probably some sage...

I may wind up having to do the same thing. The past few years I've used Jimmy Dean light sausage in my dressing. All of a sudden, none of my usual grocery stores are carrying it. I don't know whether Jimmy Dean has quit making it or the stores have just stopped carrying it. But I'd really rather not go to full fat sausage. It's really annoying me because besides using it for stuffing, I have a soup recipe I use it in.

Thanks for the bakeware advice. I keep thinking that had I not run my finger around the edge, I never would have known they were there. Since most people are not as neurotic as I am, I suspect that many people are using glassware with &quot;dings&quot; without any dire consequences!

Thanks for the good wishes, OWJ. I strongly suspect that you did better on the test than you think. And I agree that it's ridiculous that you had to take it! I'm going to stop myself right now before I get started on my feelings about standardized testing--for students and for teachers!

And I don't blame you for feeling bad about not getting to go out to eat. You had a rough day, you deserve a treat!

Thanks CAPH5 for the reminder....I really need to leave this board!!!!!

highbay, I'm guessing that was either in response to the fact that I didn't mention your post or that you felt my remarks were inane compared to your post. In either case, I'm sorry. I responded to posts previous to yours and was then interupted and had to get off the computer. But I am sorry to hear about your old boyfriend. A very sad situation.

highbay, I was thinking about that the other day when I was told that a schoolfriend had been in a car accident - haven't seen her for 25yrs but I was still concerned, she's going to be fine, thank goodness!

No one is dead to you until you find out they have died. You didn't know he was dead, now thanks to the power of the internet he really is!!! It's a pity you can't imagine him alive anymore.

I suppose sometimes that ignorance is bliss :-(