Oh, I've been making jam (only 5 jars per batch, I don't use pectin so 1/2 lb of berries per jar) every other day. Winding down now - I just came in from picking (didn't pick yesterday) and haven't weighed them but probably less than a lb. Finished making that batch started yesterday (it needs to sit a while both before and after cooking). Made 3 batches this week so 15 jars, sold 2 at market Wednesday and hope to sell a lot more next week. I don't think DS watches TV at all - unless it's a rare time when I'm not watching The Voice so he may join DH for Antiques Roadshow. And my parents have satellite, will record nature shows, country music awards shows for the kids to watch when they visit but DS is too busy to visit them often. I watch The Voice and Revolution when they're not reruns, but our antenna broke about 2 weeks ago so I had to catch the season finales online. Wouldn't you know it was just that one channel affected (though we never were able to pick up ABC so now we're down to CBS, PBS, FOX and some Spanish channels). We went to my cousin's kids' birthday party (they live next door 1 mile down the road) yesterday, he was really bored the whole 4 hours (didn't take a book) since he and DD were the oldest ones there (she's 9, he's 14). He just went for the food. He didn't ask to go home though.

My condolences. It's funny how it seems that out of the blue, I get the same inclination to pick up the phone and give my mom a ring, although she been gone for over four years. She was a big Country Western music fan, every year she would watch the Country Music Assn's Awards show. Often times, especially since she rarely watched tv, I would call her to remind her that it was on, and I would stay on the phone with her, or go over to her house and watch with her. Mind you, I am not a country fan, but I know it gave her such a thrill. I am reminded of her now, when my wife and I sit down to watch American Idol. Now there is a show that I know she would just love... I can see her calling Simon a "big A#ole!" and giving him the finger. There were few shows my mom followed, but something tells me she would have dug this one. My mother had emphysema, and was in the hospital on life support, about eight months before she passed. She rcovered, went back home, was bound and determined to live a normal life, but I'm sure she knew her time was coming as well. She had about three real close friends, outside of family. About two weeks before she passed, she stopped and visited all three. She let them all know that her time here was short. A couple of the girls were young enough to be her daughter, and had the reputations of getting themselves in predicaments, and coming to mom to bail them out. She pretty much told them that they'd better pull their heads out of their bottoms, get their stuff together, because next time she wouldn't be their to pick them up. Mom always said that she would rather die than turn into "some convollessing old lady," (her words). I know that it was here time and she would not have wanted it any other way. you have my sympathies, --John

That's a fab pic of Jennifer Nettles. I love her voice & songs. She has a lot of the country "twang" I think. Country/Pop blended many years ago, imo.... at least I have heard that observation/complaint/acceptance for a long time. I think that the real twangy songs (think, Hank Williams, SENIOR) would not sell to any great degree in this age& time. As the new young stars come up they put their own brand on the music, it evolves. Personally I like it all. And I loved Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow's hit song years ago "Picture". But I did miss the awards last night. :(

The castigation can end over the wrong word choice. A quick word choice perhaps better replaced with something else. Let's call it an "annoying, unwanted nickname" that for whatever reason is disliked. Your name is Allison, you hate being called Ally, and your siblings do so when they want to annoy you. I think that's what's happened in this thread. I didn't make up the issue, it's there. I pointed out that it was odd for a local to use it. Those making a weak and childish effort to be annoying by insisting on finding multiple instances of use (that everyone knows about) are welcome to do so. It's not particularly clever but the word doesn't bother me. Call me Ally if you want. Like most people around here, I don't use "Frisco". If you want to, go ahead. What is annoying is people making an effort to be annoying.