LoveItaly--That is awful about the insurance company!

Ethel--Congrats and enjoy every minute of the planning.

Melissa--That is a wonderful thing to do!

Bonnie--So sorry to hear about your brother. I will be thinking of you.

Jacqueline--Sorry to hear your news also. I hope it all goes smooth and keep us posted.

STW--Happy Anniversary!

AHaugeto--Yes, you are entitled to keep that comment in the back of your mind for a long time, lol!

P_M--Good friends of ours came from Hungary years ago. The first thing you see when you walk into their house is a picture of them after their Citizenship Ceremony. I am sure your coworker will remember this for a long time!

Happy Friday! ((#))

Rave: Just spent two days in Baltimore at a trade show, had a fantastic time, got to room with my best friend & lots of folks were really excited for me about starting the new business.

Rave: Signed the lease and got the keys to my new office space today!

Rave: Looking forward to the NJ/NY GTG on October 22nd. E-mail me if you're planning to come! [email protected]

Rave: "Aprenticing" in Budman's school of winemaking this fall! Look out Budbrew!

Rave: "The wall", our big summer backyard project is almost done!

No rants! Looking forward to a great weekend & wishing you all the same! Trish

RAVE: Just came back from Sun Valley Idaho- celebrating completion of friends chemo for breast ca- she is an inspiration for all of us. There were
8 women - we were flown over in a Lear Jet and spent 4 fabulous days hiking, shopping and dining - and staying in a gorgeous home. I had to keep pinching myself to make sure this was really real!!

RANT: none for me today

Hugs of support to those who need them.

Congratulatory hugs to the rest of the crowd :)

Rant: cracked tooth makes me upset today, and the appointment is only Monday.

Rave: having lunch with a dear co-worker from LA despite the toothache!

Rave: leaving for Palm Springs on Wednesday!!

Rant: the temperature will be in the 100s...

Rave: looking forward to spending a day with a fellow Fodorite tomorrow!

Rave: annual Jewish Cultural Festival in Palo Alto on Sunday!

Rant: will be unable to visit "my 98-year-old granny" this weekend...

Rave: I am addicted to Fodor's :))

Rant: it's cold in San Francisco, whatever happened to the global warming?

To LoveItaly,

It's terrible about your friend...I'm hoping some advocate will help her.

Since I am fairly new to this board, has there been any GTG's in Sacramento?

Shall we start one?

Have a great weekend EVERYONE.

Faina, it's 90 over this way (NC), that's where the warming is for now!

Rave: Ophelia wasn't worse, even though she seriously outstayed her welcome.

Rave: Melissa and everyone willing to sacrifice so much for strangers.

Rave/Rant: DH is in Sweden, thence to Copenhagen, thence to Innsbruck and then home in a week, but I'm not with him -- out of money.

Rant: Bonniebroad, so very sorry about your brother. The serious tarnish on the "Golden Years" is all the good-byes. I hope the next few months permit some wonderful, surprising and warm moments with him and for him, since you already know how the story comes out.

Rave: Melissa for being part of the bone marrow registry!! A very "old(" as in we have known her a long time) was over for dinner last Sunday. SHe lost her partner to chronic leukemia in June. While her grief is so palpable(hug your loved ones every day) she did have more time with him because of a bone marrow transplant from an unknown donor several years ago.

Rave: 80 years old bday party for MIL next weekend in Napa. Folks are flying in from the East Coast. My SO and I cook the big dinner on the first night. Pacific NW wild king salmon(flown in overnite for the occassion), salad and Truchard Carneros Pinot Noir. A lovely fig and goat cheese tart for dessert. The party goes on for days with dinner at Don Giovanni's the next night and a brunch at Brix on
Sunday. It means the world to her!!!
She has requested donations to the American Red Cross as gifts.

Rave: my rants are miniscule with the exception that our most beloved neightbors and their two little girls are moving to Switzerland in early November. The 3 year old showed up at m y door on Wednesday holding a single ivy leaf for me. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Rave: East Coast trip in 18 days!!!!

R5 ~glad the trip to St. Louis went well. I do hope those Cardinals made you and Mr R5 happy.
The cool weather might decrease the pinot noir yield but apparently it could also make for a very good,albeit limited, vintage. Either way, we'll sample and, hopefully, together.

Have a good weekend everyone. I'm heading into a four day stretch at the hospital to pay the piper for next weekend off for all the bday festivities.

Good thoughts to all facing adversity.

Rant:White Sox

Rave:White Sox

Another Rave/Rant: My parents will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary soon, but neither one of them feels good enough to want to stay up for it.

Thank you all for your kind wishes regarding my brother. They are so appreciated! In his case, my heart especially hurts because he is a genuine treasure in this world ... wouldn't know how to hurt anyone, always so responsible, helping others, a brilliant musician, artist and gardener, a truly special guy.

CAPH52, so sad about your FIL. Those d***** cigarettes! My brother started sneaking them when he was 12, so that means he has 60 years of that junk in his lungs! :-(

LoveItaly, I'm so sorry about your friend, and that she has to deal with a heartless insurer on top of her already enormous problems. I hear that from many today ... I know that you are a comfort to her.

Jacqueline, I come from a group of siblings with many skin-cancer surgeries among us, and to look at us, you'd barely know it. The surgeons today do excellent work, as I'm sure your surgeon will, so please try not to worry too much.

A_Haugeto, happy anniversary this week and many more! ((f))

Again, thank you all for your warmth and kindness when any among us have problems ... you really are the best of the best! ((L))

Warning: New Mexico drivers beware - my 17yo dd just bought her first car!

Just kidding, she's actually a very good driver... :-D

Rave: I won't have to drive her everywhere now!

Rave: Looking forward to our home school group picnic this evening. I made Asian Green Bean Salad (thanks, Emeril) and Bonniebroad's Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake - I think it's her recipe...it's really tasty, anyway!

Rave: Mr. Pickle and I get to have an actual date tomorrow night - NMSO with Awadagin Pratt. ((l))

No rants this week.

Congratulations to all of you who are celebrating, and my prayers are with Bonniebroad's brother and LoveItaly's friend.

Lee Ann

Lee Ann, yes, I contributed that recipe for the Gingerbread-Apple cake. It's getting to be a good time of year for it! :-) So glad you like it (and thank you for your good thoughts.)

Bonnie, I was sorry to hear about your brother. I know it is a hard time for all of your family and my prayers are with you.

On a lighter note, get the red and white body painting out of your system before the State v WFU game!!!!!

I always seem to be one of the first to post and then later Friday read through all the post and am always so overwhelmed with all the loving thoughts and comments. Thank you dear friends, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Unfortunatly there is "nothing" I can do for my dear friend except to pray that she goes gently in the night before Monday morning. She is one person that will be a special angel, of that I am sure.

And to all of you that have problems or loved ones that are suffering, my good thoughts and prayers go to all of you. I am always amazed at the strenth and yet calmness that all of you have. You are a source of inspiration to me.

Special hugs and good thoughts to all.

BIG rant: they pulled the I'm a yurt, I'm a teepee thread!!!! Had some of the best jokes I've seen in a long time.

Why did that great thread get pulled? The last time I saw it I thought it was fantastic. What a boor!!! And strange IMHO.

Is the SF seafood thread still standing? If they pull the two tents thread, why is that one still up, with that bigmouth attacking me and razzle and LoveItaly?
Editors!!!!

Hi Scarlett, the SFSeafood thread has been frozen and some of the post have been deleted but not all. Wasn't that a "fun" thread, LOL!!

Well, I am sure Someone was having fun, lol.

Poor LKravitz, I hope he posts again..hope that person did not scare him away with his nastiness.

Hi Folks,

It's my guess that whatever was pulled were entries from that nasty Snowrooster and his/her alter-ego Weasel.

Thank goodness for this wonderful post.

Lonesome

Oh for crying out loud "lonesome" and I imagine you are! LOL.

Snowrooster has been posting as long as I have been on Fodor's.

Get over it. You are beginning to sound like a stalker.