First you pray....

and then you prepare. Two days until hurricane season. Bishop Robert Muench led those gathered today at St. Joseph Cathedral downtown to pray for safety this hurricane season.


PRAYER FOR SAFETY IN HURRICANE SEASON

O God, Master of this passing world,
hear the humble voices of your children.
The Sea of Galilee obeyed Your order
and returned to its former quietude.
You are still the Master of the land and sea.
We live in the shadow of a danger
over which we have no control:
the Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant,
can awake from its seeming lethargy,
overstep its conventional boundaries,
invade our land, and spread chaos and disaster.

During this hurricane season we turn to You,
O loving Father.
Spare us from past tragedies
whose memories are still so vivid
and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal
with passing time.

O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our beloved Mother,
we ask you to plead with your Son on our behalf,
so that spared from calamities common to this area
and animated with a true spirit of gratitude,
we walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son
to reach the heavenly Jerusalem
where a stormless eternity awaits us. Amen.



Most Rev. Maurice Schexnayder (1895-1981)
Second Bishop of Lafayette

Whew!

Well, the kids have come and gone and the house is empty once again -- except for leftovers and a mountain of laundry. Anybody want any potato salad or deviled eggs? For some reason I made way to much. Along with the potato salad and deviled eggs we had the usual baked beans and barbequed chicken. And a big pot of spaghetti. All of that was fillers for before and/or after we ate out. Burp. Son #3 cooked a huge breakfast one morning and the kids had brought in breads and pastries from a little bakery I'd told them about in Cary. *Here's a little something I thought was funny. When the kids were looking for a house in North Carolina their realtor was showing them around Cary and told them it stood for -- containment area for relocated yankees. I hope no one is offended because their realtor is from way up north herself.

We also had an big ice cream cake -- chocolate cake filled with chocolate chip ice cream and iced with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Son #2's favorite. It was good and Baskin-Robbins did a super job decorating it. That's about it for food. Thank god!

I didn't feel quite so bad about eating so much because we worked out on Wii Fit a lot. A lot. You see, I have a Wii hidden away in the closet for J's Father's Day gift. The kids know this so they pre-ordered me a Wii Fit for Mother's Day and it arrived last week. So....we took the Wii out of the closet and the kids pretended it was theirs they'd brought along, and they got to show us all about the Wii and we tried out lots of different games. They also pretended the Wii Fit was theirs. I thought we were going to have to give the Wii to J early because he kept saying he was going to buy me one. He even went on ebay looking for one. Son #2 lied told him the ones they sold on ebay had some kind of bad chip in them and that stopped J from looking. So the Wii is back in the closet waiting for Father's Day. I told J the kids were looking for us one in Raleigh. Do you go to hell for lying?

The kids left Monday night around 9:30 and drove all night. That's the way they like to do it. They made it home safe and sound. Tuesday I started cleaning and attacking all that laundry. After the third load of blankets I noticed water backing up into the bathtub -- again. So....the third call in eight months went out to Roto Rooter. The guy pulled out a five foot string of roots. He said it looked like someone didn't do a good job cleaning out the last time. If it happens again anytime soon he suggested letting him put a camera down the line to see what's going on. $300. Sheesh!

That was how I spent my Tuesday. Today I went in to have my hair cut and highlighted and stopped by FedEx to mail something back and then came home to even more laundry. Oh. We ate two of our tomatoes last night and they were very good. I just came in from watering the tomatos and peppers and receiving complements from the fishermen passing by in their boats.

Well, time to change out the washer and dryer. I don't know if I'll ever finish up all these sheets and blankets and towels and....

Gettin' ready......

Three of my kids are headed home for the weekend -- along with a couple of friends --so it's going to be a busy, busy, busy few days. I haven't seen them since Christmas so I can't wait. I shopped and got the beds ready yesterday. Ugh! We'll probably be a bed or two short but I guess that's what sofas are for, huh?

The house we're living in really doesn't work for us now. Since we have a large family -- and they never travel alone -- I need space. Not umpteen bedrooms that will sit empty when they're not here, but a big open dual-purpose type space. Space that could be used for things we need to do when company's not here and then serve as living space for guests. I'm not sure what that would be. I do have a couple of ideas though. :)

It's shaping up to be a weekend full of eating. They've each requested a special dish for me to cook -- guess what I'll be doing today. And....there are a couple of restaurants they have to eat at. I don't know how we'll fit in all this eating, but....we'll give it a good shot.

Oh, it's also son #2's birthday. At a work lottery J. won a cake, so that works out perfectly -- son #2's birthday cake. I hope he likes it. I usually get him an ice cream cake so I guess we'll end up at least getting the ice cream for tradition's sake. My daughter will make sure of that. More eating. And I just realized the new Indiana Jones movie opens. Perfect! They can go see it with J and maybe (just maybe) I won't have to. Most of them are movie people like their dad. I'm not. That's why I like netflix so much. Watch at home. Whenever.

So, it's off the the races for me.

Peppers......

and tomatoes....




lots of peppers and tomatoes! Only one pepper plant (thank goodness) but four tomato plants. As of now there are about two dozen tomatoes all together hanging there ripening. Doing the math....J + me = 2. So....I guess there will be some happy neighbors and co-workers.

I will admit I have a ways to go before I'll be a proper farmer. The tag that came with the peppers say they will grow to 6", so -- of course -- I can be seen daily taking my little ruler outside to measure them. 5" now. I doubt real live farmers use rulers to decide when to harvest. But....to each his own.

My Mother's Day gifts.... aka Outing my husband..

The shirt above was one of my Mother's Day gifts. The shirt below was my other Mother's Day gift.








What you see below was my Christmas gift a couple of years ago from two of my kids. Yep. It's an autographed Alabama football -- in a lovely display box of course.








Seeing these gifts (as much as I appreciate the efforts and thoughts) makes me think I should maybe start making an attempt to change my image with my family. I mean, I'd hate for you all to have to watch me on national tv next year punting a football or throwing a basketball trying to win a prize. The way my family's headed they'd probably think that would be the next step (gift-wise).

Okay. I did also get a dozen beautiful roses, but....I'm just saying, I'm starting to worry what will be next. Do they allow women in football camp?

Weekend fun......

I hope the link works. I know it's like reading your fortune (something's certain to fit) but....it's fun.

Click Here

My clock......

That's not my clock -- I had to borrow an image from google images (we-import). Since mine's in the shop I can't take my usual blurry picture of it -- but my clock is very similar. My dad gave our clock to us the Christmas after my mom died. He was from the generation of men (WWII) who left the Christmas shopping (actually, any kind of shopping) to the women in their lives, so when he made the trip to Fairhope, AL and chose that clock for me....it meant a lot. He even laid it out under the tree as my mom had always done. I can't tell you how much his efforts meant to me. And....since it was the last real effort he made to continue keeping Christmases, that clock's sentimental value has grown through the years. In all those years that it has been hanging over the mantel above the fireplace, I didn't realize how much of a practical use the clock was to us also until it went to the shop.

Did you know that clocks should be cleaned and oiled every two years or so? Admittedly I did -- even if I never acted on this knowledge. The clock shop dude was surprised that it had lasted this long. He said it was probably because it had basically had only one person winding it -- moi. The very few times anyone else has bothered to wind that clock -- it broke. Both times I made the repairs myself -- guided by advice from the guy who's fixing it now and with mail order parts from Fairhope. But this time I had to admit defeat and take it in to the pros. (If your city's anything like mine and you need a clock repaired -- good luck finding someone. Not that easy!)

So, for the last two weeks, our clock has been in the clock hospital. I've missed it's chiming. Well, that may be a lie because I've grown so used to it that I don't hear it anymore. Although....those chimes do drive most overnight guests to distraction. Which is fine with me. You know what they say about guests and fish....

Yesterday the shop called and the clock's ready to be picked up. I'd go today but with the rain we're having I'd have to go by boat and with this deluge it would be right back in the shop. I hope I can get it tomorrow. J and I never realized how much we depended on it for the time as we walked through the family room. There aren't any other clocks in the room. Like the old saying goes: you don't know how you'll miss something until it's gone. (Isn't that how the saying goes....)

Nothing changes....ever..

This year my M's Day was nice (almost) all day. Didn't really do much but that's how I like my holidays lately -- nice and simple. J cooked a late pancake breakfast and then I read two papers straight through -- my regular Sunday NYTimes and the local BR Advocate (which I don't subscribe to but for some reason one was thrown in my driveway Sat. and Sun.). It was a nice treat because I guess I'm one of the dwindling few who like actually holding a newspaper and getting newprint ink on my fingertips.

By the time I'd finished the papers and showered and dressed it was well into the afternoon and J. was working on his Fiat that he's obsessively trying to restore. The predicted rain never showed up and the heat had actually broken a bit so we decided to drive downtown and walk around to see if all the changes we've been hearing about are true. I must say the downtown area appears dead serious about making a come back and I'm glad. We walked by the river and did our usual routine about how horrible it would be to fall in. ....Don't ask me why. We drove by the area where our first house was when we were in school and once again I wished we'd never moved across town. When we graduated we couldn't afford to upgrade in that area so we joined the throngs moving to the burbs of Baton Rouge for the good schools don't cha know? Boy did we -- or more specifically our children -- get screwed on that one. C'est la vie -- I guess. Then we stopped for a coffee and headed home.

By the time we got home I was starving. I couldn't decide what I wanted to eat so J got out the Chinese menu. Worked for me so we ordered delivery -- orange chicken for me and kung pao chicken for J. (is that how you spell it?). Did I mention I was starving? The food arrives quickly but....we had the chatty delivery guy. He actually stood at the door talking about several different things. I had a terrible time understanding him. I think he was trying to be so nice because he's the one who the owner almost fired a month or so ago because he couldn't find our house. The owner of this restaurant is a doozy. A month or so ago when our delivery order was taking a l-o-n-g time getting here she called and said the delivery guy had gotten lost the first time but was headed our way and he would be there this time! Then she told J (thank god he had answered the phone because I can't understand a word she says when she's not upset...) so she told J that she was firing the guy when he made it back to the restaurant. Oy Vay! I was afraid if he knew this he might have spat in our food. Anyway....obviously he wasn't fired and every time he makes our delivery he's the nicest little guy and J enjoys trying to figure out what in the hell he's saying talking to him. But....did I mention I was starving?

To set the scene: I'm starving. The food's there -- smelling real good. We set the food out and pop in a movie and settle in. Then, after maybe three bites, son #3calls. Seems he's lost every piece of paper work that indentifies him -- license, social security. He wonders if I know his social security number. I bite my tongue. Actually, since he's not the first of my kids to pull something like this I've learned to keep a list of all the vitally important stuff they can't seem to keep up with. Off I go to fetch my list. But...for some reason his ss #'s not with the others. Of course not because I'm frickin' starving!

After searching every nook and crevice I can think of (with son #3 playing some damn game while he's holding the phone -- I know because those sounds are unmstakable)I find an old MS driver's licence and since MS uses ss #s for driver's licence #s we're home free. I triumphantly read out the numbers to him while he repeats them to his sister to write down. WTH! I guess he's too busy saving the universe or some such thing. Once again I bite my tongue because it's M's Day and I don't want to create a bad memory. I never did find out why he needed his ss#.

So, finally, I sit down to my cold food which I don't even really want anymore. The movie's about half over because J kept right on watching it -- and eating. He did manage to ask -- which one was it this time?

That's how my M's Day ended. Catching the end of a movie while eating cold Chinese food and reaffirming a truth every mother on earth knows. Once you have children you'll never again have an uninterrupted meal.

Oh Happy Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all moms of all kinds wherever you may be. It's one of the highest honors I can think of to have someone who thinks of you as mom. It's something that can never be taken away -- even tho at times you may have just the slightest inclination to run away from the honor and all that goes with it. It takes guts to be a mom. So today, if you're worrying about a piece of your heart that's out there somewhere and you can't protect him or her, just -- for a moment -- let go and trust that it will be all right. Give your helplessness to the power of the universe and determine that forces greater than those you possess will work for you and yours. And if things are lining up and running smoothly for you and your children, do an extra little happy dance for those of us trying to find our way.

Each of my four children are blessings in their own way. It still sometimes amazes me how they can be so unique -- I wonder how many gene combinations there are? So today I'm going to celebrate each of my kids and remember how special they are. And today my heart will be singing a little louder because I got a card from son #1! Yes, ma'am I did. When I found the envelope in the mailbox Friday I thought at first he'd sent me the picture I asked him to (I'm putting together a collage for J's Father's Day). Then I remembered what Sunday was. Then I couldn't believe what was probably in the envelope. I just held the unopened envelope for the longest time. It was enough. I finally opened the envelope and found the beautiful card. I smile and touch it everytime I pass it by. The last card (along with a plant) I received from son #1 was several years ago. So, today my heart is full.

Last summer at Teachers (there is no apostrophe and I never did find out why) College I had an interesting conversation with some of the Jordanian ladies. Even though they were in their 30's they still lived at home -- and had no desire to move out until they married. They asked me about my daughter and were surprised that she was living on her own. They asked if I worried about her. When I said I did they asked why I didn't keep her home. Yeah! Like that could be done. They asked about my sons living away from home and who took care of them -- washed their clothes and cooked for them etc. That was much easier for me to answer. :) The conversation ended with some understanding on each side but still lots of wondering how in the world people can live so differently.

Anywho....again, Happy Mother's Day and....hang in there.

At least they died happy....

Bad beer + unwanted petunia-eating slugs = dead (but probably happy) slugs.

I don't know if you can really see what's happening in the above picture but....in addition to the couple of slugs already drowned in beer there are three more making their way to dive in. Is this consider a green way of killin' the slimy things?

When I started writing this post I realized I probably should contain my glee at killing off garden pests. If you're not from these parts you might not understand our near reverent admiration for godsends like Bengal Roach Spray and Talstar fireant killer. If you're not from these parts you might also believe that roaches don't fly. Yeah! I believed that one time, too. When I lived in B'ham where roaches haven't yet developed super powers. And if anyone had told me the lovely bayou country I was moving too had stinging caterpillars that crawled and dropped off the huge Spanish moss laden branches of oak trees onto bare shoulders as you walked under them, well....I just wouldn't have come.

Okay. Enough of this. You people are going to start thinking I have a problem.

Herbs......

I have herbs -- lots and lots of herbs. Three years ago, maybe, one of my Christmas gifts from J was a Chia herb garden. I think at work somone's child was selling them for school. For one reason or another I've not gotten around to planting them, but I finally got tired of J. looking at the box of herb seeds, looking at me, and saying I never used anything he bought me. (Not exactly true. Okay, maybe the rag rug weaving loom. ??? I'm sure it's nice but I've never had any interest in weaving. That was the year J was working in Wisconsin. Maybe it's big up there. Then there were/are the three uncut rubies for me to make a ring and earrings. ??? Again, nice but.... I could go on but I won't.)

So hoping the seeds had gone bad feeling energetic about a month ago (and tired of dusting the silly Chia box) I planted the things. All six pots of them. But where to put them? (That's really why it took me so long to plant them.) On the window sill of course. The only one that gets enough sun. The one my daughter's cat loves to sit in. Now this is a bay window -- meaning there are three window sills. I only used one for the pots. That left two for the cat. But, of course you know the one particular sill the cat decided she wanted to lay on. Yep! Cassie is not a graceful cat so when she tried to gracefully step between the pots it was a disaster -- numerous times. Amazingly none of the pots broke on their trips to the floor and the plants thrived. Now that the pots are outside....the cat won't go near that window sill. Another reason I so love cats.

Anywho....today I transplanted the herbs into bigger pots and put them outside where I guess they will soon try to overtake the house. I know I'll be sprinkling some on the tomatoes that are ripening on the vines (we have about 10. can you belive it!) Herb butters will be good but that means lots of good bread for the butter (and lots of extra pounds). I guess the herb butter could be used on veggies, too. Maybe I'll just enjoy rubbing the leaves between my fingers and smelling the lovely scents....

Smart ring......

Does your city have smart ring? I understand it's something Homeland Security put in place. I really didn't know BR had it until yesterday. I don't answer the phone if I don't recognize the number/name -- that's what voice mail is for, right? Yesterday I walked into the house from outside just as the phone stopped ringing and the answer machine pick up. The message said it was the EBR Sheriff's Dept and they were looking for a blue Crown Victoria yada yada yada....

It sort of shocked me for a minute because not being aware of the smart ring thingy and owning a blue car (not Crown Vic but I never can remember what model our blue car is), my first thought was that it was a personal message for me. Duh! When the news came on I realized what had happened. A horrible crime took place in one of our parks -- a woman's body was found by park workers along with the body of her son. Two small children (one only a few months old and another around 4 yo) were also found with stab wounds and a slashed throat. Thankfully it appears the two children will survive.

That's why the call. The police were concerned that there were more victims and since children were involve the smart ring system was utilized. Then....at 10:20something last night the system was again used to let everyone know that the alert was over. Apparently, once the initial warning has gone out a followup call must be sent when the danger is over.

And that's the problem of the day down in these parts. Some people were aggravated to get the call so late last night -- thinking when the phone rings after 10 pm it's usually bad news. I understand this but having kids who live in different time zones I'm used to it. I think the consensus so far is that since children were involved it was the right thing to do.

But....it seems that last week calls went out around 3 am to people in specific areas of the parish alerting them that someone was shooting at cars along a highway near them. Some people get up early for work. Some people leave early for travel. So I assume the thinking is that everyone should be alerted asap. Is this something we're going to be living with now? I guess so. Is it a good or a not so good thing? Jury's out just now for me.

I'm a skunk......

Some weekend fun:


LOOKUP YOUR BIRTHDAY AND SEE WHAT YOU ARE. Don't forget to scroll down to see what it says about you.



January 01 - 09 ~ Ass
January 10 - 24 ~Slug
January 25 - 31 ~Cockroach
February 01 - 05 ~ Parasite
February 06 - 14 ~Bullfrog
February15 - 21 ~Skunk
February 22 - 28 ~ Snake
March 01 - 12 ~ Ape
March 13 - 15 ~ Cockroach
March 16 - 23 ~ Slug
March 24 - 31 ~ Parasite

April 01 - 03 ~ Ass
April 04 - 14 ~ Snake
April 15 - 26 ~ Slug
April 27 - 30 ~ Skunk
May 01 - 13 ~ Slug
May 14 - 21 ~ Bullfrog
May 22 - 31 ~ Cockroach
June 01 - 03 ~ Slug
June 04 - 14 ~ Skunk
June 15 - 20 ~ Ass
June 21 - 24 ~ Ape
June 25 - 30 ~ Parasite

July 01 - 09 ~ Slug
July 10 - 15 ~ Ass
July 16 - 26 ~ Bullfrog
July 27 - 31 ~ Parasite
August 01 - 15 ~ Ape
August 16 - 25 ~ Slug
August 26 - 31 ~ Skunk
September 01 - 14 ~ Bullfrog
September 15 - 27 ~ Parasite
September 28 - 30 ~ Ass

October 01 - 15 ~ Ape
October 16 - 27 ~ Skunk
October 28 - 31 ~ Snake
November 01 - 16 ~Cockroach
November 17 - 30 ~Parasite
December 01 - 16 ~ Ass
December 17 - 25 ~Ape
December 26 - 31 ~Bullfrog



If you are an Ass: A very loyal and sweet person. Your loyalty can never be doubted. You are quite honest and sincere when it comes to your attitude towards working. You are a very simple person, indeed. Absolutely hassle free, humble, and down-to-earth!! That explains the reason why your friends cling on to you! You have a good taste for clothes. If your wardrobe is not updated with what is trendy, you sure are depressed. Popular and easy-going. You have a little group of dignified friends, all of them being quality-personified.

If you are a Slug: Always up to some sort of a mischief! The mischievous gleam in your eyes is what makes you so cute and attractive to everyone. You are an extremely fun-to-be-with kind of person. No wonder people seek your company and look forward to include you for all get-together's. However, you are sensitive which is a drawback. People need to select their words while talking to you. If someone tries to fiddle around and play with words while dealing with you, it is enough to invite your wrath. God bless the person then!

If you are a Cockroach: Quite contradictory to your name, you are a peace loving person. You best try to avoid a situation wherein you are required to fight. An outdoor person, you dislike sitting at one place for a long duration. You are a born leader, and have it in you how to tactfully derive work from people. You love being loved and when you receive your share of limelight from someone, you are all theirs!!!! Well, well... Hence some people could even take an advantage, flatter you to the maximum and get their work done. So be careful.....

If you are a Parasite: An extremely l ovable, adorable person, sometimes shy, with a passion for quick wit. At times, you prefer quietness. You love exploring various things and going into depth of each thing. Under normal circumstances you're cool but when given a reason to, you are like a volcano waiting to erupt. You're a fashion bird. People look forward to you as an icon associated with fashion. Basically, you mingle along freely but don't like talking much to strangers. People feel very easy in your company. You observe care in choosing your friends.

If you are a Skunk: You are near to perfect and nice at heart. The examples of your kindness are always circulated in groups of people. You, too, love peace. You wouldn't like to retaliate even to a person who is in the wrong. You are loved due to this. You do not wish to talk behind one's back. People love the way you always treat them. You can give, give, and give love, and the best part is that you do not expect it back in return. You are generous enough. Seeing things in a practical light is what remains the best trait of you guys.

If you are a Bullfrog: You symbolize a very happy-go-lucky approach in life. Whatever the surroundings may be, grim or cheerful, you remain unaffected. In fact, you spread cheer wherever you go. You are the leader of your group of friends and good at consoling people in their times of need. You dislike hypocrisy and tend to shirk away from hypocrites. They can never be in your good books, no matter what. You are very methodical and organized in your work. No amount of mess, hence, can ever encompass you. Beware, it is easy for you to fall in love....

If you are a Snake: You are mysterious. You are someone who can handle pressure with ease, and can handle any atmosphere without going berserk. You can be mean at times, and love to gossip with your selected group. Very prim and proper. You like all situations and things to be in the way you desire, which, some times is not possible. As a result, you may lose out in some relationships. But otherwise, you love to help people out from difficult and tight spots when they really need you.

If you are an Ape: Very impatient and hyper!!! You want things to be done as quick as possible. At heart, you are quite simple and love if you are the center of attraction. That way, you people are unique. You would like to keep yourself safe from all the angles. Shall your name be dragged or featured in any sort of a controversy, you then go all panicky. Therefore, you take your precautions from the very beginning. When you foresee anything wrong, your sixth sense is what saves you from falling in traps. Quite a money minded bunch you people are!!

Purple Bedspreads & Burger King French Fries......

It's been one of those days where you stay busy with all sorts of odds and ends. I woke up bright and early. Couldn't go back to sleep so....I decided today would be the day to change out my winter comforter/curtains/pillow shams to the summer ones. Before last year I've always just left bedding on year round, but last year I ran across a good sale and bought new stuff. When I was changing the comforters out I realized I really like what I already had so I decided to just use both sets by changing them out during the year.

It was a problem deciding which would be winter and which summer since both sets are spring/summer oriented but one set is heavier so....that's the winter set. The winter set's red with large, bold, green fern-type leaves and some splashes of gold (very warm I decided). The summer set's lavender. I've got green accents in the room (throw rugs, pictures, lamps) that somehow work so they don't have to be changed out. But there is a developing problem in my house. It's gradually becoming a purple house. I don't know how this has happened but it has. One wall in my dining room's a pale lavender and one bathroom's a neutral purple with grey undertones. Now in the summers there's purple bedding in my bedroom. None of these purples are the shade my daughter painted her room when she was younger (thank goodness for that). For several years the walls of her room were purple and bubble gum pink. It was interesting.

After the bedroom switcheroo I decided to try and figure out how to take advantage of our new prescription drug mail order benefit. Now, after umpteen calls and a doctor's appointment, I think I've got that taken care of.

Then....as I was walking out the side door headed to the mail box while talking to J. I spotted the UPS guy walking away from my front door. We waved. I asked J what he'd ordered. He said "nothing" so I walked around front and brought the package inside. J had ordered a new DVD burner but he kept insisting it couldn't have arrived so quickly. So....he had me check and see if the shipping was free as stated on the site. The packing slip didn't say. I checked the bank online. It was free. Then he worried that the box was empty. ???? It wasn't. As he was trying to find someting else wrong my patience ran out. I told him to just shut up welcome a blessing (super fast shipping). He said he always did. Yeah!

Ohhhhhh....I did get a very interesting call today. A guy called for J. When I asked to take a message I found out J's talking to a couple of guys about joining their band. This guy was very talkative. Seems J's said he can practice two nights a week and play three to four times a month. It doesn't matter to me -- if I know about it beforehand. I'm just waiting to see how J plays this. He knows it doesn't matter to me but let's see when and how he tells me about all this. Is it evil to have info like this and just sit on it (admittedly, waiting on it to go south)? I know. I know. I'm setting myself up for disappointment or something. But....it's fun, right now.

About the Burger King fries. I went to drop the winter comforter set at the cleaners (which will cost a small fortune) and bumped into a coworker I haven't seen in ages. She was on lunch break so we stopped in the quickest and nearest restaurant for a quick lunch -- Burger King. I haven't had their fries in so long. I'd forgotten how good they are.