April, I'm sure the cat is fine!

Thank you for the good wishes!

Rant: the workload today! I get the impression they've all waited till today with all the requests!

Rant: the rent in San Francisco (my son is looking...)

Rant: 19 people in San Francisco, some seriously injured, and one in Fremont

Rave: 3-day weekend, I'll just take it easy to get over a cold

Rant: the knee below in not knee-ded

OWJ-I dont quite feel right posting my rants for the day what with the ordeal you and DH are going through. however I can tell you that DH and I had a rough patch (ie over 2 years and 2 surgeries) of infertility issues so I'm not entirely ignorant.

RAVE: 7 weeks left.
RANT: 7 freakin weeks left. I'm OVER it.
RANT: People who feel that my pregnancy gives them leave to stare at me for completely INSANE amounts of time. RUDE. I'm not a side show.

RAVE: Although I really dont like being pg, its been very kind to me and I was able to run an easy 3 miles this morning and every other morning this week.

Rant/Rave: my awful (to me) haircut of last week has turned into nothing but compliments. :D How did that happen??

Rant: Fodorites with unpleasant surprises.

Rave: Fodorites with good news.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. And safe travels to those of you on the road (or in the air).

Happy Friday everyone!

Rant: Was home from England for 5 days, then packed up the kids and car and drove 16 hours to Philly. We just finished the last 8 hours home today.

Rave: Just spent a great week with family, cousins and friends at the NJ shore. (Before all the rain!)

Rant: BAD DRIVERS!!! OMG some people are just insane.

Rave: Using 4 year old's giant Magna Doodle to tell said drivers exactly what I think of their driving. (Not to worry, I only did this while kids were sleeping and mainly used pictures to communicate my displeasure.)

Rant: Home from England two weeks and every time I try and write my trip report I get misty-eyed and miss Europe.

Rave: I finished my Dublin (http://tinyurl.com/eocyw) and Berlin (http://tinyurl.com/zbkke) trip reports.

One last rave...we are home for GOOD after spending the past 3 months in roller coaster travel. Glad to spend the fall in my own bed.

Note to OWJ...my SIL is in the adoption process and is waiting for the call. I have been following your story b/c it is so similar to hers...especially the part where she can't make plans because they keep waiting for the call. I hope both of you get good news very, very soon!

Ethel...30 seems young now that I am 35. Enjoy your wedding--such a special time.

Cheers to everyone and have a great and safe holiday weekend!

Rant: No travel plans in the near future. Planning is half the fun and I dont even have anything to plan. Maybe I'll play tourist at Niagara Falls or something.

Raves: Hit lots of milestones this week. Youngest son got his drivers' license. I will not have to come home from a stressful job everyday and then take him out to learn to drive. That made my work look easy! Oldest son leaves the teenage years. How did that happen? I'm not old enuf yet. DH just closed on a building. Business is good, they are on top of each other in the existing rented space and I'm proud of how he has built his business in a relatively short time. Now that our youngest is a Sr. in HS, I might be able to become a stay at home mom! then again, maybe not. Final milestone...meeting our former babysitter's baby tonight! Can't wait to see her, her husband and the baby. She is family to us and moved to TX after finishing HS, college and 2 masters degrees (I feel like we probably paid for them in babysitting fees) Among other things, Bought them one of the books she used to read to our kids when they were young.

Rave: BBQs planned everynight of the long weekend. I guess if we can't be going anywhere, being with friends and family is just as good.


Rant: Lots of rain in the forecast. Dont think I will get my long walks with the puppy boys in. Somehow, the treadmill isn't as much fun.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone.

Prayers for those in need.

RAVE: The Magna Doodle suggestion for BAD DRIVERS....I am going out and buy one now.....Thank you, StephCar

P_M, I am so sorry to read your news!

Rave: Watching Andre Aggasi play last night was wonderful!

Rave: The laughs I get from reading some of the posts on this board--you people are too funny! :-D

I hope everyone enjoys a safe weekend!

Rant: Having worked extra long hours yesterday and today & dealt with all manner of craziness, I've finally run out of steam.

Rave: Off 'til Tues.! Having friends over Monday, so need to get that steam back and get some things done around here!

Rave: Somewhat cooler weather (mid 80's) and lower humidity ( a rarity around here!)

Rant: P_M's news...I DO so very much hope you can keep your Hawaii plans! I have absolutely fallen in love with the place!

Ethel: Glad you're having such great fun lately!

RAVE: Ernesto was easy on the Triangle! We barely knew he brushed past.

RAVE: Next Tuesday will begin a 3-week vacation to Florida, trying to find spots on the beaches where Red Tide ISN'T! Please wish me luck ... :-)

RAVE: My DGD, almost nine, has made the move from New England to California, and seems to be doing well. Made a good friend in school the first day, and that is everything!

RANT: My sister has to have a total knee replacement replaced after less than two years. Doctor put in the wrong size knee! :-( Do you believe that???????

RAVE: My DGD and I had 3 - 1/2 weeks together this summer. What a lucky Granny I am, though I confess to being STILL TIRED almost two weeks after her departure! :D

RAVE: The Carolina Panthers are 4-0 in their exhibition games. Go Panthers!

RAVE: Department store sales right now!!! Liz Claiborne and Jones of New York for 70% off ... I like it, and just in time for my Florida trip! :-d

STW, great news!!!!!! Ethel, enjoy this time as you get ready for the big day ....... hopefully, you'll only do it once! :p

P_M, sending good wishes to you and your husband! I hope you will be able to make your trip anyway!

OWJ, I hope you get your good news really soon! There's going to be a very lucky little one out there when that day comes!

Ani, it will be so worth it ... but you know that! :-)

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, fellow Fodorites! :-)

Ani-sorry honey, but I have seen you. They are not staring at your because you are pregnant. They are staring at you because you are Beautiful.
Get used to it, I think it will last for many many years :)

Best wishes to you and your husband P_M!

mikemo, I have never seen anyone who writes with the amount of abbreveations as you do. "US SS retirement benies. Already have the MX INSEN card.
Rave: CAL-TN; ND-GT; FL ST-Miami this holiday w/e.
Feliz fin de semana."

What? I get the football stuff but what country do you pay and pledge allegance to? What is a MX INSEN card and how does that effect your American political views? Just curious.

VG jorr...VG! =D>

jorr :)) I just passed right over mikemo's post :)) Didn't understand any of it

It may be something about sport? In Mike's post.

Rave: Weddings rapidly approaching.
Rave: Retirements being planned.
Rave: Ernesto fizzled in S. Fl, and we got 2 bonus days off work!

Rant: OWJ, but just a temporary rant, I'm sure.

Rave: Las Olas art festival this weekend.

Best to you all...

P-M:I am so sorry. Is there any way you can still go to Hawaii?

OWJ: the baby will get there. May poverty not be the only thing that precludes good parenting. I've seen lots of folks with plenty of $$ who should never have had children. In truth, I find the $$ afforded the care of children overall in this culture to be lacking whether it be for health care,education,nutrition, housing,developmental services or
mental health. Now that's the poverty we should all condemn.

I wish you well in your search and have been touched by a multitude of adoption scenarios at work. Friends have been through this and waited sometimes two or three births until they got their children. The heartbreak is immense with each disappointment and the joy deafens all other sounds when it works out. Every baby should be so wanted.

Pam--Your words to OWJ are beautiful:) We have a friend ( as OWJ already knows about) who is in Russia right now to bring home 2 girls they are adopting. They have had many delays/disappointments, but my friend and the 2 new girls of their family should arrive home this week. I can't wait for OWJ to have that same outcome.

Rave: Been off the past 2 days. Just relaxed yesterday and then had a massage at Elizabeth Arden. Aaaaaahhh.

Rave: Off today, played the best round of golf this season. New clubs, work wonders for the confidence.

Rave and Rant: Andre Agassi kept me up way past my bedtime last night. He is an amazing tennis player, and the game will sorely miss him. I wish him all the best in whatever he chooses to to next. I have followed him since he first burst on the scene.

Rave: I was at the US OPen, but on Wednesday. It is a great tournament, and so well run. A credit to NY and particularly David Dinkins for having the vision to make this a world class event.

Rant: The weather in NY this weekend. We are headed to DC tomorrow, hopefully the flight will take off. At least there are bars in DC :)