Handsome GS & Lovely GD's the best gifts of course!! Looks likeDD is getting you in a happy mood with those titles!! Lots of bling & pretties for a lovely lady!! The waitng is the worst & so keep busy reading, visiting, sleeping, shopping!!!It will soon be over, besides look at all the new adventures, plane trip to MN. Do you lay over anywhere? Used to go to Salt Lake then on to MN. If you do be sure to check the minute you get off the plane, our flight wasn't up on the board & we were to have an hour layover, but I went to attendent & said, I don't see our flight, she asked the # & said it was just leaving & she called to have them hold it while we all ran down there. Wow!! So 1st thing is to check to see & be sure when next flight is leaving. Also check before you go the night before to be sure you are on the flight out in morning & confirm when you are ready to leave MN to come home(night before) That flight we raced to gave us peanuts so from early morning to midafternoon all we got were peanuts. I sent my son off with Keebler's Club crackers & my homemade cookies. He had to drink the cranberry juice before he got on as they don't allow that. So you need some snacks that won't spoil!! Oh, they charge for each suitcase checked so most people take a softside bag on wheels & put it in over head bins. I think you are aware no metal nailfiles,pocketknives,knitting needles etc. Anything that could be a weapon, lighters etc. Sounds like you will be ready for the snow, ice, windchill,etc. How about driving, going by cab or renting a car. I think the main rules are go slow if road isn't salted or sanded & don't brake fast, if you skid I think you go with it until you can slowly move the wheel to get things right again. Somebody give them some driving pointers, I'm a lot rusty it's been 45 yrs. since I drove on snow & ice. It's nice around St Paul, MInneapolis & Rochester I had BIL at White Bear Lake & it was nice. YOu'll enjoy the scenery & you can give us a full report on what you think of snow when you get home!!!LOL Jan

Just saw her again today, gave her a big hug before I am off to Texas tomorrow! She said she didn't want anybody knowing...Oops! I just figured all the positive thoughts her way would help! I will fess up when I get back!

Stick to your guns Susie. I can feel your tension and hope you take good care of yourself. You will never be there for mom if you don't attend to your needs first. Being healthy and strong allows you to give more with less effort. Sounds like your mom is throwing a guilt trip at you so shrug it off. So hard when you want to help someone and they turn good intentions against you. Moms good luck with all those children... hope the sicky ones recover, those to be come healthy, and those that hope find their dreams. I didn't post yesterday as I was on the road for hours. My alma matter had invited me to attend a lunch/lecture/ and what was probably a wake. A dear departed "sociological technologist" was appreciated with a presentation of his final study given by one of his associates. Lunch was steak strips with a fancy peppery sauce. My table was joined by three beautiful current students happy to enjoy a free lunch. I couldn't hear those across the table from me but the young lady next to me was excited about pursuing a career in enviromental law. We had an alumni at the table currently working in that field so the talk was hot and heavy about what law school might be a good choice. The study was presented after lunch and was about the Internet habits of young people. It looked at the integration of technology into the social lives of high school students... facebook, my space, and creative outlets. Later we met in a quiet room of mostly faculty and memories of the late 60's and 70's and the school's founding were shared by those who were at the scene of the crime. Then we got down to business with cocktails and a connection time. I was a bit of an oddity because most students are fairly wealthy and go on to graduate programs and fancy careers. The college has some intest in using me as an example of what can be done with a liberal arts education without law school. They like that I was able to reinvent myself over and over to meet the challenges of my life. For awhile I sat with the Dean and drunkenly bent his ear about skills I've found critical but aquired after school. I stopped for a burger at a the Harrison Roadhouse which is just off campus and sobered up for the long drive home. For me drunk is about three drinks these days so an hour and food was plenty to get me on my way. I so needed that touching back with a place and people that gave me my adult life. Back to work today. A pocket full of business cards and head full of projects. : ) lyra

I forgot to say, I often use leftover spaghetti sauce, gravy or bbq sauce as a sandwich spread too. Chutneys are great as well. Right now I'm working on a jar of my peach-cranberry chutney that makes a fantastic addition to a sandwich, really jazzes it up. My husband loves the sandwiches I send to work with him...he says he doesn't know what I do to make sandwiches taste so good and makes a bit of a game out of trying to figure out what I've put in them. Today, he got half liverwurst with cranberry mustard, mayo, green onions, pepperjack, tomato, lettuce & mayo, and half pepper salami, chopped home cured black olives, cream cheese, shallots, roasted red bell pepper and lettuce.