Marielle, I’m sorry you are having problems with making decisions about a house. It’s so hard to find what’s right for you. Sometimes, I guess there’s something to say for lack of choices…we had no choice…it was this house or homeless and we’re pretty happy here, other than the lack of storage space and walls for bookcases. I can’t imagine looking at houses and having to make the tough choices, because there are bound to be things you love about one and not the other and vice versa. You might consider pro and con lists. Wow, that fern allergy must be no fun at all! Especially since you said you like outdoor stuff. I’m sure going to war must have changed your friend a lot…they go through so much. But the fact that you haven’t shunned him is exactly what I mean by being supportive…you still see your friend, the things you like about him, and you realize that being a soldier is not the only thing to him, and you still care about him, even though you don’t agree with the war. When American soldiers returned home after Vietnam, a lot of families cast them out, their friends stopped being friends, they couldn’t get jobs, had no where to go…they came home to protests and a lot of them had wounds or psychological problems and no one to help them. That’s why there’s such a huge thing now about supporting the men and women even if you disagree with the war…no one wants to see that happen again.
I was just reading the HH Con stuff (so wish I could go) about snacks…I was wondering. Are you bringing Dutch treats to share with the sisters? Like Stroopwafels and Drop? Maybe gevuldekoeken? Whatever space you took up in your suitcase with that stuff would be empty and allow for shopping for stuff to come back.
Lynne, how are you supposed to build a platform if you can’t post examples of your book? How will people know whether or not they want to read it? At night, you might put something with your scent, or little man’s in his bed with Harry…something to let him feel like he’s not alone? I know some people do that with babies…why wouldn’t it work on dogs?
Sean, sorry about the rain. We got a torrent this morning. I was glad it slowed down a bit by the time I took the kids to school. I couldn’t even FIND videos on Robstenation, but I did a google search and found the Leno show with Kristen. I liked her talking about riding the horses and really just having to turn her brain off to do it.
Susie, strange dream! I bet you were glad to wake up though! The websites that I found said you can substitute regular flour, but it won’t be as light and that’s why it suggests the flour and corn starch mixture. BUT, I had gone to a store in the centrum to ask about flour and they suggested this store that has a lot of organic stuff…kind of like a whole foods store, but on a MUCH smaller scale…like…it’s the size of a gas station. So I called and they had “Extra fine” flour for baking, which I am assuming is cake flour. So I went there and got some. The only problem is that it’s organic, so it’s more expensive. It costs a couple of Euros for only 400 grams. But I got it and just got my cakes out of the oven….we’ll see how they are texture wise tonight after dinner. Mmmm…rootbeer floats. I love them! My husband finds rootbeer disgusting…more for me!
Grayce, Happy birthday to your oldest! Was your husband scared or happy by the idea of his son at rated R movies? I remember when I turned 18, one of my friends informed me that now I could buy porn! I was like ??? See, I don’t understand this whole thing about employers being able to fire you for things on FB. If it’s not on work time or on work property, what business is it of theirs what you do? Not that I think it’s a good idea to post everything and anything on there…like naked pictures or whatever, but things like…talking about going out and gretting trashed in the weekend. If you are of legal age to drink, and you aren’t driving in that condition, I don’t see how an employer can use that as grounds to fire you. I don’t know what the laws are, but can they fire you for not adding them to facebook? Like, if you say no, I will not add you to my contact list because it’s my private life…can they do anything to you?
I understand you weren’t saying you didn’t believe in equal rights…I just wanted to explain why they want the term “marriage” to apply…it’s not just about the life insurance. (which I’m not sure how that works in Wyoming.) I think a lot of people just assume that because something is in the constitution, all people are already guaranteed that right. They don’t realize that certain groups of people, ie gay people are denied equal rights. They just assume that everyone already HAS equal rights. They don’t KNOW that my brother can be denied a home because he’s gay. They don’t KNOW that he could be fired for the same reason. Other groups are protected against discrimiation. And they don’t know that the lack of the term “marriage” means they do not get certain benefits…and obviously, straight couples with a civil union would also be lacking those benefits…the difference is that they have the CHOICE to get married and get those benefits or have a civil union and waive those. A gay couple doesn’t. But I agree with you COMPLETELY that there are much more pressing issues than whether or not Uncle Jim and Aunt Jesse can be legally married. Why make such a huge deal out of it? Just give everyone the same rights and be done with it! The ministers/priests don’t have to perform marriages even now, if they don’t believe in it. My pastor told us he wouldn’t marry a couple if they had never had an argument before because he was afraid that they wouldn’t know how to resolve issues that came up in the marriage. He also refused to marry a couple without pre-marital counselling. So they have the choice…no one is going to force them to perform marriages between gay couples if they don’t want to…and honestly, I don’t know a lot of gay couples who would ask a minister to marry them...most of them don’t believe in organized religion and would prefer to go to the justice of the peace anyway. But you absolutely have every right to abstain from voting. And if people are bugging you to remember to vote, perhaps you should tell them you’ll be voting against them…that might stop them from bugging you,
I’m actually trying to figure out how to vote from here, but wow, what red tape. I found what I believe is cake flour! It was at a specialty “natural foods” store, so it’s pretty expensive and not as convenient as going to the grocery store, but if it works, I’ll take it! I am looking into summer daycare a couple of days a week so I can work and get a bit of break, but I don’t know if they’ll need me every week at work and I don’t want to pay more for the daycare than I’ll make at work. But that’s a good suggestion, too…some sort of camp. I’ll have to see.
Ann Marie, I hope the exercising helps you. It sounds like it will be good for you, and hey, being in shape is always a good thing anyway, right? Are you someone who likes working out?
Desiree, is this a group of your friends that gets together to discuss books or is it just random people you met because of the reading group? It sounds like maybe you have very different taste in literature…can you maybe join a different group that’s more your style?
Hi to everyone else!
I just found out the kids are free all next week, too. I thought it was just Thursday and Friday, but it’s the whole week. I’m working on Friday, though because hubs has that day off so he’ll be with the kids that day. But I’m worried about Monday because I didn’t realize they were free from school and Bug has an eye appointment at the hospital and I wasn’t intending to have to take Mr. Man along. I hope he’ll behave himself.
I found what I THINK is cake flour, so I baked another strawberry cake with a different recipe. We had some problems with electricity the last couple of days and I didn’t know the oven resets itself when the power goes out. Our whole neighborhood was without electricity for a few hours yesterday and some of us also had no power on Monday afternoon. So I didn’t realize that I had to push this button on the oven before it would work and I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t heating. Thank goodness I figured it out!
Must go start marinating chicken. See you all later!
I saw pictures of Kris in NY and they are disgusting!!! The girl can even leave the airport without her bodyguard shielding her from the papz!!! And there are pictures of her leaving a restaurant where she is haunted by papz… Big thumbs up for her bodyguard, he does a great job protecting her but those papz are absolutely disgusting, GIVE THE GIRL SOME SPACE…I also hate it that fansites are posting these pictures, I’m almost of mind to ban those sites but I’ll loose good information platforms… 
