StephCar--LOl at being stuck on the roof! At least your little one was there to relay the message!

Seasweetie--I hope the biopsy comes back negative. That waiting is awful...I know the feeling.

ethel--You picked a good month...our anniversary is tomorrow:)

Which...I totally forgot about posting that as a rave! Duh!

Jorr, you are really getting that glucose under control! Good job!!! :)

buffalogirl - Sorry about your mom. The unexpected losses take more time to get used to. I've had both. You either grieve somewhat before or you grieve after.

I think I love your brother. What a nice idea. I've traveled with 3 of my sisters and their spouses (separate vacations - I am not crazy!) and each was special in it's own way. I also love the idea of traveling to Italy to honor you mother. Very nice.

Happy Birthday, ethel! ((^)) I think I remember what 20+10 was like. ;-)

Tess, enjoy a wonderful trip!

BayouGal, I am sorry for your loss and to read your dad is not doing well. Prayers to you and your family. [-o<

Rave: A cool front made it as far as south Texas bringing much needed rain and lower temps. Some of our yards hadn't seen rain since early May!

Rave: Driving home from the grocery store this morning and seeing an owl in flight.

Rave: Tiff. You are a sweetheart! ((l))

jorr, I forgot to congratulate you on your good number! Good job! :)

Happy Anniversary, mms! ((F))

BuffaloGirl, I wish the best for your family.

bennnie, BG means blood glucose. Diabetics need to lower the number and keep it constant. I freaked when I saw the number on the monitor. I must be doing something right.

My computer is haunted. I clicked on FFR&R and on the right side of the screen where the posts appear there was a message from my internet provider. It was actually within the Fodors postings area complete with the scroll bar on the right side. Nine years ago I developed a web site I owned and developed on my own. One day I opened it and saw a huge picture of David Duchovney (The X Files) on my front page. A person would need FrontPage software and my two passwords to do this. The site was developed at home and nobody had access to my computer. I never found out how it could have happened. Insert Twilight Zone theme music here!

BuffaloGirl - hugs and prayors!

Seesweetie - been there, try to keep yourself busy at daytime and asleep at night, take a pill or a glass of wine if needed.

Happy birthday to all, from "sweet 16" to sexy 80 ;)

And you guys better stop that tooth-breaking, thumb-wrecking streak! Or else :)

RAVE: going to Chicago on Tuesday

RANT: I'll miss the Internet!

RAVE: who cares, I'll have 2 GTGs planned :)

Happy Anniversary mms! ((L))

rave: after a long, ardous summer of searching, i got a new job! i have been working for an international airline for a few years now, this job is not in the travel industry, but the background is beneficial. i'm getting excited for the change! i start monday the 18th.

rave: my fathers bday is monday. going to the beach for the w'end!

rave: jazz and ribs tonight at blue smoke! love it.

rave: brothers wedding went off without a hitch, no pun intended...everyone had a nice time.

buffalogirl...so sorry to hear about your mother and the health of your father. warm and kind thoughts to your family at this time. as for italy, sounds like you don't have a choice, you must go for your mother. :-D

angethereader...glad to hear the issue has passed. i was thinking of you. it just goes to show you you never know what the other may be thinking, so you just have to keep talking! even if you don't say it right the first time, or you wait to figure out what to say, just keep talking.

AnneMarie, I saw your post and just about lost it, wondering how you knew. Then I read the other posts and realized you meant Buffalo Girl.

My 90 yo father-in-law fell, needed stitches and injured his head during the night last night. He is very disoriented and confused now. A sib is with him now to see his doctor. We're not sure what happened. Our family is now trying to decide how to go from here. He's been determined to live alone, but we may need to move him in with us. Your prayers are still needed and would be greatly appreciated.

So sorry for your loss, Buffalo Girl, and my heart goes out to you. You and your dad will be in my prayers. God bless you, hon!

BuffaloGal, our sympathies. My father died suddenly two years ago and now my mother, who's 79, is feeling frail and no longer up to managing the house in Florida on her own. She's looking into one of those communities that offer both independent (with services) and assisted living. They're pretty expensive though, the entrance fees and monthly rent are stiffer than she expected.

Rave: Found £10 (about $20) on the street this morning. But the neighbor's grown son had just gotten into his car and left from that exact spot, so I think the money was his. Gave it to his mum; if it's not her son's, we'll have a drink together this evening.

Rant: Bought a new "premium brand" facial cleanser. Tried it yesterday, thought it smelled great and my skin wasn't dry at all afterwards. Then my face was all broken out this morning. Took a closer look at the bottle on the bathroom sink and realized I'd washed my face with a thick, goopy body lotion by mistake :-( Oops.

Rave: Two great new books arrived in the mailbox this week from Amazon, La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind and Ciao America: An Italian Discovers the U.S., both by Beppe Severgnini. Witty and informative.

Rave: It will be cool, sunny and dry this week-end.

Rant: Tried one of the fruity, flowery Herbal Essences conditioners and went outside to hang some laundry while my hair was still wet. Was immediately surrounded by several bees and wasps drawn to the scent! Had to beat a hasty retreat back to the house and stayed inside til my hair was dry. Not my week for "products."

After reading AnnMarie's post I scrolled up and down, had I missed Tiff's FFRandR contribution? No. Then it hit me, AnnMarie said it just because it is so true...Tiff, you are a sweetheart!

Buffalogirl: My sincere condolences for your mom and my sympathies regarding your dad!
My step-dad has a full time caretaker, and I work in Rehab, so I know abit about what you are going through, though I haven't lost my mom.

ethel: I'm excited for YOU! Happy BD too!

Rant: Have to work Sat.

Rave: Wonderful cool weather (High of 77o yesterday - far from our record High of (98 degrees).

Rant/Rave: DH has been having a dental problem in recent weeks. Tuesday, he returned to the dentist in the afternoon, but by 8PM, he was in unbearable pain and had me call the dentist at home.
The dentist, who is about 75 yr. old agreed to meet us at the office after hours to take care of the problem! He is a very sweet and caring man, which is the reason he's still working at this age!---I just looked back over the posts and saw yours, CAPH - guess it was a week for dental problems all around!

Rave: Only about a month more to wait for my new GS!

Rave: Had a good Labor Day gathering!

Rave: Received my Entertainment book in the mail yesterday....more good planning fun coming up!

Rave: Bubble Milk tea for 99 cents! I get 4 at a time and put them in my freezer for later!

Rant: Rude people on message boards (no, of course not <i> this </i> one, but some people take such liberties that they would never take with a person face to face. I am on a certain health forum, and some people are soooo negative it isn't even funny... :( phooey!

StephCar, Same thing happened to me last year. I was home Alone stuck on the roof. I panicked. 1/4 mile to the nearest neighbor. Stupid me. Just yesterday I called a friend to pay him to do it for me this time. I'm afraid of heights.

fainagain - I'm looking forward to meeting you next Friday night! My very first GTG.

mms - I have a niece from Russia. She was adopted at nearly 2 years old and is doing great in Green Bay. She's now 6 and just started first grade. What a beautiful and lucky little girl.

otto - thanks for the good thoughts. It's not like I didn't know it would pass - we're coming up on 25 years - it just doesn't get easier to have discontent. Maybe I think at 20 + 27 I should be content by now.

bayougirl, DTilke and Buffalogirl - My condolences, having frail parents is hard. My FIL died last year after more than a year of failing health. Of course we're the only ones who live in town. In laws did not help much. Thank heaven for my oldest son - he really took care of his grandpa. Love when my kids make me proud.

Luckily my mom is still raring to go at 76. I hope for her continued health but don't count on it. She's the only parent my DH and I have left. So I told her she needs to be around for another 20 years or so. DH agrees, he loves my mom. I guess that's another RAVE!

RAVE: All the caring people on this forum and the ability to rant without judgement!!!

Reverse the Rant! - workers just showed up at the house!!! Yippee!

BuffalGirl - Prayers for your family.

Seasweetie - I hope there is good news for you.

Jorr - thanks for the explanation and congrats on the good number. Keep it up.

BayouGal - prayers for your family as well.


And good thoughts for all Fodorites.

* Rave: my son is driving himself to school this year, and so far, so good. If 8 a.m. comes and goes without a phone call, my b.p. returns to normal levels:)

* Rave: looking forward to seeing friends and family later this fall.

* Rant: need to either do colonics or become a vegetarian after the summer diet sins!

*Rant: mother-in-law in beginning stages of Alzheimer's.. very sad when we talk on the phone and she asks other grandkids names, but with about 28 them, I'd need a sticky note to remember at age 80 too..
again, if the phone rings before 8 a.m., and it's only a friend or neighbor, my b.p. returns to normal:)

((*))instead of New Mexico, we will surprise my mother-in-law and the family at Thanksgiving..we can travel to other places later, but this year, it is important to think of others happiness as well.

*Rave: good natured posters who are evolved enough not to make mountains out of molehills.. a kind word, a shared joke or even silence is so much better than being mean spirited or spiteful.

*Have a wonderful and healthy weekend, and call a family member who may not have heard from you for awhile. The little things matter the most((F)) J.

Color me red, my apologies. Thank you BayouGal.

BuffaloGirl, my prayers are with you and your family.