escargot - here's wishing a happy and healthy baby for your niece. And let me just add that I love your contributions regarding Boston - always very thorough.

samshak - please thank your nephew and his fellow soldiers for their service. So glad they were not seriously hurt. Lets hope they can all come home safely.

Thanks! Actually, neither of us was hurt and I guess....I'm lucky that I'm not in the hospital like my coworker! (Separate accident)

JJ5-I think of you every time I drive by Harrisons-you and your family are in my prayers.

JJ: I've been where you are; please don't think you are alone. Use all the support that hospice can provide (social worker, chaplain, etc).

Raves: Bosses were out of town this week and all us "worker bees" were relaxed.

Saw Celtic Woman this week : Fabulous

Biggest Rave: Our darling DIL got her widow's visa approved by immigration so she can stay another year and apply for permanent residency. She is the light of our lives.

Hope all have a great weekend!

P_M & divingaggie, thank you!! :-)

divinga, I'm happy you are finding peace. That old saying about time healing wounds is really true.

ethel, 20 lbs is impressive--congratulations!

Rave- I just got back from 2 weeks in Portland, OR; Boston; and NYC.

Rant- I left my laptop in at a friends house in Portland during the Boston NYC leg, since I didn't want to chance losing it, so no internet for over a week! Then to top it off, it disappeared from the TSA belt at PDX when I was being secondary searched. I din't realized it was missing till I got home.

Rave- someone apparently walked off with it, then returned it later, and TSA has it now.

Rant- my cousing flies PDX-HNL all the time, so I thought she could get it for me. Haha, she's switched to LAX routes. Now i'm paying FEDex rates to ship it home. Better than replacement costs though. Thank goodness for honest stranger.

Rave- had a great time on my trip. Report to follow shortly.

Rant- Its STILL raining in Honolulu!! I had to turn the house lights on at noon just to read the newspaper! Great thunder going on though. Husband is cranky due to sewage spill polluting his surfing spots, and they expect the water to be dangerous for weeks.

JJ5- my prayers and thoughts are with you. Any one of your rants would be awful, but you're getting more than your share. A thought- long term chemo does have it's risks, but organ damage is not certain, and if monitored chemo can be stoped anytime damage begins. I'm on #54 this week (2.5 years) and doing great!

MelissaHi- Glad you are okay!!

Scarlett- I am so glad you're son was home. I've got to plan better/farther in advance so that next Portland trip we can GTG. I ate at Elliott Street Bistro on your reco...wonderful!

As this thread got long by the time I got to it, I printed it out to reply to everybody.

RAVE: this thread is 12 pages long already!!

so... I'll just print my news and then read and try to reply...

I finally made it to the cartoon museum... planned to go before vacation. There is an exhibit of Israeli cartoonists through April 9. I enjoyed most of them, the best one is this: a group of Palestinian holding signs demanding the right of return to Jerusalem. On the other side, a group of Jewish settlers with sign for return to Gaza. In the middle Sharon: if only I could talk them into trading the signs!

Had a light lunch close to the museum at A.G. Ferrari foods. One supposed to take a number, place an order, then go get a drink, then go to the cash register to pay, then back to the starting point for a pick-up, but if you’re lucky and they still remember you, they’ll bring the food to your table. The cutlery is the cheapest - bending forks! And the insalata mozzarella was not up to the $8 I paid. Won’t go there again unless I’ll need to buy Italian food in the store section.

Got a letter for jury duty, passed the 1st phase, so on Monday will go for... questioning? Never been on a jury, and I’d hate to make a decision to put somebody in jail, but what can you do? Gotta play the democracy game, citizenship requirement.

On Wednesday night our BART system went down. That same night my older son was flying out to Indonesia. I suspect the children took BART not to pay for the long-term parking. One more thing to worry about - have they made it on time? Have they made it on time to the connecting flight?

Rant: it's raining... raining... raining... Mellissa, can I join you in the Ark?

Additional Rave: My brother-in-law brought us Cheerios, Cheez-Its and red Twizzlers. All cravings we can't satisfy here. I am a happy camper! :-D

Rave: Mr. Pickle and I had a too short, but still wonderful weekend in Scottsdale last week. We had a great dinner at Thaifoon and I got to drive around and visit bookstores while he worked at a handbell festival.

Rave: 10 yo son's Little League season begins tomorrow. He's having a lot of fun, and is playing pretty well for his first year.

Rave: We're making plans for our May trip to California; we'll visit my dad and his lady friend, and will squeeze in a quick trip to San Francisco and Monterey because...

Rave: We're going to England next year for our 25th anniversary! We've been kicking the idea around, and Mr. Pickle thinks our original plan (San Francisco via southern Utah and Sonoma) isn't momentous enough for such a significant occasion. :-D

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Lee Ann

Well LeeAnn I am thrilled that you two are going to London for your 25th wedding anniversary. What a beautiful celebration that will be. But I am sorry you will not be coming through here so we could have had that lunch together. But hopefully that will work out another time!! I would chose London also!!

Hey, LeeAnn, squeeze in a drink with us, SF Fodorites! ;)

Rave--Had a great trip to Port Townsend then Victoria! We had beautiful weather and did so much. Really a great spring break with the kids.

Rave--DS competed at the State level today for the National Geographic Bee. He did not win, but he had fun and was one of the youngest kids there. We are very proud parents, lol!

Rant--Why did we say we would host a company party at our home tomorrow night? I am so behind with vacation and then traveling today for the Geo Bee. Guess the party will happen whether I am ready or not, lol!

Rave: Good news on your clean bill of health LoveItaly

Rant: My birthday is today and had to spend it talking to a lawyer. DH gave me money for my birthday which I didn't want, and daughters didn't buy me anything.

Rave: Older daughter felt bad not buying me a present and came home with flowers for me.

Rant: Feeling sorry for myself.

Oldmyst, make them take you out tomorrow and make it up to you.
I insist on good birthday celebrations for all of us, no one gets to pretend they are not a year older :D heh heh heh~

<i><b><font color="red"> Happy Birthday Dear Oldmyst!!!</font></b></i>

new to rants and raves...and sure enjoy reading all the posts. Here's mine...BTW, it's still Fri here in CA

Rant: so tired of the rain!! Yes, we need it but I need sunshine!
Rave: booked a rafting trip in Colorado for June
Rave: taking first trip to Paris in July w/ 15 yr. old daughter
Rave: it's Friday!!!

Oldmyst-Sorry to hear it! And I'm sort of right there with ya. Mine was yesterday, but we decided to celebrate this weekend so, true to the plan, yesterday was a complete non event and frankly, it sucked! All year long I think I could care less...then the alarm goes off on b-day and damnit, I want a b-day!!
Hope someone makes it up to you;)

Thanks Scarlett and Ani, I will have them make it up to me! Happy birthday to you too Ani!! I know I am not the easiest person to buy for, but money just doesn't do it for me. I still have the money given to me from the holidays still in the card! It seems like I count on two days to be fully appreciated, Mother's Day and my birthday, and I guess my expectations are too high. We should be appreciated every day for all that we do for our families.

Another Rant: Found the duvet cover I wanted that was way too expensive for me on Ebay for half the price, but missed the auction one day too late! But since it didn't sell, contacted the seller and said I wanted to buy it. She emailed me to say someone also wanted it and if they don't pay by the next day, I will get it. Well, on my birthday I got an email, the duvet was paid for by the other person. Crap!

Thank you all my favorite Fodorites for your love and support. Have a great weekend!!

My birthday was the 23rd :)

We will send each other birthday wishes from now on ((^))

Oldmyst and Ani, Happy Birthday ((^))with wishes that you both have a very special year. I am so sorry that you have both have had dissapointing birthdays. I have had that happen and I know how sad and resentful one can feel. I hope you both will go out and do something nice for yourselves, something that will give you joy and bring you happiness. For once just be selfish and think only of yourselves for 24 hours. Women so seldom do that.

And thank you for your kind thoughts oldmyst, they are truly appreciated.

Birthday hugs to both of you.

I wonder if other Aries have found the entire month of March rather frustrating. It has to get better... doesn't it? :-|

I want to live in BTilke's or Divingaggie's neighbourhood. :-)

Jorr - the toe jam thing. :-))