Thank you, all you wonderful people, for your support. You know who you are... ((f)) I love reporting in to you because you always give me a boost to go after that next pound! :-)

Bamakelly, what FABULOUS news! I am so happy for you! :-)

Seetheworld, so great about your son. I have one like that, 38 this year, still knocking 'em dead in his profession! :-)

Bennnie, what a wonderful daughter-in-law you must be. Relationships like the one you have with your mother-in-law are such a blessing in this life. ((f))

Happy weekend to all of you....you're the best! ((L))

First time on R&R-- not sure I'm quite comfortable on this board yet; suppose only way to get to know you all is to jump in.

Rave: The jasmine is blooming and covering my dreadful chainlink fence

Rant: The mosquitoes are blooming and covering my body parts

Rave and Rant: The huge magnolia is blooming! It's also shedding an astrounding number of hard dry blowing leaves. I won't get the neighbor of the year award yet.

Rave: Finding this board, reading tons of truly inspirational posts on destinations, hints, reviews, trip reports -- awesome.

Rave: Making reservations for TWO trips!!

Rave: Finding French Roast Vietnames coffee, 1 lb. bag (not 12 ounces either) for $3.57 AND getting a second one free (International Market on Jimmy Carter in Norcross, North Atlanta).

Rant: There wasn't enough room in the freezer for 24 lbs of said coffee.

Rave: Life is good.

B/

starrsville, its the fifth one. The ground where I buried the last one hasn't been touched. I think my dog must have been the Alpha Male of the litter. I have had German Shephards all my life but none like this pouch. Maybe I could rent him out to the neighbors. Wood Chucks create lots of foundation damage here by undermining the soil.

Congrats to everyone on their successes and anticipations today!!!!

maybe I should have spelled it pooch. Now I'm confused.

Barmakelly: Congratulations! Great news! And Bonnie, wish it were me:-)
All the good news, I can't remember it all!!

Scarlett: I second Bennie's St Joe! He has sold two of our boats and one house....

Jor: Our son has a doggy door for his dogs and his daughter's cat. Four mornings the cat has been our early and when our granddaughter opens her door, she finds a dead bird. Freaks her out!!!!

Sending out a "welcome" to Tiff and Birgator!

Thank you.
I have to go find a St Joseph :) Upside down??
<i>Welcome from me too, Tiff &amp; birgator!!</i>

Rave: 10 more days 'til Mendocino and trekking the BE-A-U-TI-FULL Northern California Coast!

Rant: Coming home to 3 months of construction, thank goodness it's exterior !

Rave: It's <i>not</i> raining today!

Congrats and Good Wishes for those with Happy News and Warm Hugs to those feeling loss.

R5

Scarlett:
Any christian bookstore will have the plastic St Joe's. And when you bury him, you bury him upside down. &lt;smile&gt;
The last time we used him was in our 40ft boat that a Methodist minister and his wife bought to sail the Carribian. As he opened the bilge, he said &quot;oh, you guys have St Joseph in here!&quot; We all had a good laugh!

Welcome Tiff!

bamakelly, what fantastic news!!

Bonnie, you go girl! You'll be in that bikini before too long!

Scarlett, I hope y'all get boatloads of money for that Florida house!

:-@:-@:-@

Life!
Friends and relatives who leave us waaaay too soon.
Canceled vacations.

O:) O:) O:)

Life!
The joy of having known the friends and relatives who left us waaaay too soon.

All in all, doncha just love it? :-X

Rave: Kids had a great time in SF, stayed at the Pickwick which was a nice location for their concert! :)

Rave: DH and DS flew to Portland this am for a couple of days. They are enjoying the gorgeous Oregon Coast right now. Tried to book massages at the Columbia River Day Spa in Astoria, but they're booked, I guess business is good! :)

Rave: DD did fantastic in her four events at the CIF Championships last Sat. She's enjoying her two week rest before Varsity Water Polo training starts up. They are very competitive and want a Valley Championship this year. :)

Rave: DD is going shopping with her future sis-in-law for bridesmaid's dresses. What fun, everyone will look so beautiful!

Rave: My MIL's cochlear implant surgery was a success and she is hearing things she hasn't heard in years and years! It will get better with time, too. We had a nice visit last night with her before she heads off to Arizona for a few weeks. :)

Rave: Little DS and his girlfriend are getting really excited about 10 days in Waikiki next month for a graduation trip. We're having lots of fun planning it, they will have a great time! :)

Rave: Kids loved Star Wars, I want to see it! DH will see it tonight on the Oregon Coast. I ((l)) going to theaters out of town.

Rave: I had such a nice meal last night at my favorite restaurant, Campagnia. We took a bottle of Stonecroft Pinot Noir. Crabcakes, green salad with miso dressing and a nice Penne pasta was very good. We had a killer dessert that was a chocoalte mousse with a dark wall of chocolate (like the chocolate sac at the White House in PG) with fresh berries. The server waived our $15 corkage fee which was very, very nice. I could be a weekly diner here! :D

Rave: Pizza and movies tonight, just the girls. Should be relaxing. Happy weekend, Happy travel planning! ***kim*** ((*))

Back in the fold after being awol for awhile...:-) Hate to dampen the great raves going on today...

Rant-Major house selling problems. Our house was in contract and the jerk decided he didn't want it AFTER he signed the #*#*#* contract. Our attorney said it was more trouble than what it was worth to pursue legal action. :-@

Rave-School is out in 2 more weeks. No more early morning bus rendezvous.

Rant-Got up in the middle of the night and I hit my toe on the baseboard. It's either broke or badly sprained. What poison works well on this? :-!

Rave-Mother/daughter tea Sunday.

Have a good weekend everyone! Good health and continued blessings...

Scarlett,

Not only upside down, but facing the street.

Our last house, on five acres with a five stall barn, was on the market six months when we were told about St. Joseph.

When we asked about a statue in the store, the clerk asked if this was to help sell a house. Three days after putting it in the ground we had a contract.

<b> I have a question regarding St. Joseph...
</b>

What if you want to find an apartment? Will carrying a St. Joseph statue work? And must one carry it right side up? Or does this ONLY work if you want to sell? Whatcha think?

buckeyemom, major narcotics and alcohol for a broken toe. There isn't anything you can do.

As a former ballerina, I've broken more toes than I care to remember but the pain is worse than anything.

Aaack. My entire foot turns black after a couple of days.

Kal,
My condolences to you and Mrs Kal on your loss. ((F))((F))

I will go find St Joe tomorrow and bury him in my front yard, facing the street upside down and will spit on my hand and turn around 5 times holding my breath hoping on one foot.
That should do it :D

Thanks GoT, I hope so too. Prices are going UP in Portland as I sit here and wait , :(

buckeyemom,
The other night I kicked a shoe off and also ended up kicking a knob on a drawer, the entire top of my foot is black and blue, I carried on like a big baby, I am SO sorry ! you must hurt something awful ... I like the prescription from GoT, drugs and alchohol :)

Rave: Thank God, I am very blessed. :)

Rave: I am on vacation next wednesday
I am go to Florida to visit my
Grandparents.

Rant: (nervous) I am trying to prepare
myself for the fact that they
not getting any younger. I
haven't seen them since 2001.
The last time they had aged so
much. And now gramps is in a
wheel chair. I am hoping that
by some miracle they have stopped
fighting every 5 minutes after
62 years?????? Not likely, huh.
It's the yelling and the scream-
ing that gets me.

Rave: It is only for 4 days, and one
day I may get to go with my niece
to WDW. And I do love my grand- parents.

Rant: I will really miss my dog, Kiaya.

Rant: Woke up 12 times last night from
hot flashes. Yeah, I know you
didn't need to hear that. TMI,
could not help it I had to vent.
That's the worst one. :(

Rave: I have really piddly rants.


Prayers to all of you that need them here.

Ouch Scarlett, it sounds like you have a broken toe also! Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch. Nothing is more painful.

Meds!

dsm, honey, I hope that hot flashes are the worst things that ever happen to you ((L))
I had an aunt and uncle who fought every day of their married lives. I hated being around them. The aunt died first, he mourned so for her, their fighting was loving to them, I guess.
Old people bicker, just ignore it and try to enjoy the time that you can spend with them..
Have a good trip, it is really warm in Florida now :)