Good afternoon! It's 91 F. and sunny here in SE Texas. Where did our "Spring" go??? Everybody has been so busy this week! I'm impressed with those of you who have stayed on your eating plan, worked out regularly, and are feeling positive about things. That's the kind of incentive and motivation I like! I attended our community center's Mother's Day luncheon today. We had a style show first, clothes from Palais Royal, then a lovely high tea/luncheon. Very much "lady foods", but it was all scrumptious! Today I sat with a table of people I've met briefly during this past year, so I had a chance to get to know them much better today. I was the "baby" at the table at 61, and the oldest one was 93. Most of the other 6 women were in their high 70's and 80's. These women are very active in the community and never seem to slow down. They are such an inspiration to me. Tonight I'm going to spend the evening with our friend Susanne helping her get things ready for our ESA state convention next week. I had promised her when Larry was so sick that I would go with her to this if he wasn't up to it, and I will. I'll be staying at night with my son and DDIL while in Dallas, and that will be the only time I'll get to see them while there, but it's better than nothing! Dee, I hope they don't dump too much extra work onto you. Time for another cruise, isn't it? LOL I'm going to see my granddaughters and son and DDIL tomorrow after cohosting a youth banjo concert at our church. Pray for me in the morning because I have to bake 5 dozen chocolate chip cookies!!!!! The doorbell just rang, and it was FedEx with a gift from oldest Dson and DDIL - 3 living, blooming African violets and a wooden collector's box. My DDIL really knows me well and Dson always trusts her taste. If I don't get a chance to post tomorrow or Sunday, I wish everyone here a Happy Mother's Day, whether you're a bio-mom, stepmom, or furbaby mom!

I have purchased many flat weave Soumak rugs since building our new home. The thicker wools have been moved to bedrooms, although one guest room has a Soumak. There are several makers, and as someone stated above - some are thicker than others. DD2 just purchased a Surya rug for her bedroom. It is not quite as thick as mine, but fine for her bedroom. I do not know who made our great room rug - my favorite - as the local store I purchased it from removes the tags (can't go online to shop that way and compare prices!). The foyer, dining room and breakfast room rugs are by Kalaty and the guest room rug is by Loloi (tad thinner than Kalaty rugs). As they said above, pet hair does not show as much as regular wool rugs (MBR and another guest room rugs are Karastan - fur magnets) and what is there just doesn't seem to show. I have 2 dogs and 3 cats. Kids are adults now, and I have two grandchildren. DD2 called me 3 days ago asking how to get cat vomit off her new rug (not the "food" kind, but more liquid). She blotted, while I drove over - 10 minutes. She did not have any of the Suyra rug cleaner, but we used Spot Shot and it got everything up - and her rug is gray and white. The painters were at my house, and one came down off the ladder. Thought he was at the floor, but had one more step. He stepped backwards and knocked over his soft drink (styrofoam w/lid). Some spilled and my first thought was crap, but it beaded up and wiped right up. I've bought the better rug pads to go under ours. Ordered DD2 from Amazon dealer. One for an 8x10 was less than $50. I would definitely use a rug pad. The rugs don't walk, but on hardwood, they can slip n slide. I have a central vacuum system and have always used my beater attachments on the rug (set on low pile). I just don't let it eat the edges/fringe. Here is a link that might be useful: My rugs

sweeby congrats on bonds issue resolved. how nice of EX! never heard of such tradition wiht T-shirts. my DD's school didn't have that, sounds fun. DD applied to 6 schools and got accepted to 5(6th one was the best choice but they wanted her to write some additional essay and she didn't bother, yeah typical). I cannot believe she finished her 2nd year already. KKNY not to hijack but do you know where DD will go? congrats on her graduation

Thanks Shaddy. I personally use a Rolodex for all the passwords. Spinning wheel, easier to replace a card then scribbling out in a notebook which I have done in the past. I keep my passwords and my husbands on it because he keeps changing them as he forgets the old ones. You know the 'forgot your password?' Worse thing they ever offered. He keeps doing that and doesn't write it down. Like many of us, you think you'll remember. I think what he did when he turned on the Win8 computer was put hotmail address because the computer said he couldn't use it without one. At least that's what he remembers. He states he never put a password for log on. I'm not sure but he has never had a log-on password but the Start-Up screen might have confused him. I can use it but have to log on this hotmail address to get in. I can't find a way to change the log on to my name nor get rid of the hotmail address. I did turn him off as administrator and put myself, but only his log-on appears when you turn the machine on. I'll figure it out eventually when I stop using my XP machine. I just don't have the energy for this anymore. Its so tiring and time consuming to hunt around for answers or where Microsoft decided to move everything and change the names. I thought the easiest thing would be to wipe it all out by reinstalling Windows until I realized it never came with disks. How dumb! Anyway, us older folks keep plugging away best we can. I don't feel like spending the money on a tech, at this point. You and Emma are doing better than me. I haven't even gotten to Win 10 yet! Got to get past Win 8 first. Good luck to all, Jane