Jane, the verse is lovely. I have been pondering these words, taken from a book of Native American lore: "Eagles are symbols of great power, a power that goes beyond their actual size...To align oneself with [the eagle] is to take on the responsibility and the power of becoming so much more than you now appear to be..." They were a gift to us, most certainly.

Yesterday, my mother (who came to visit us for Thanksgiving), my daughters and I drove to a small town just north of here where my father used to go duck and goose hunting with several of his male contemporaries. For a period of a few years, the men leased land on a large and breathtakingly beautiful estate which was also home to three small cottages, perfect for a small group of hunters. My mother drove down to the water's edge (Chester River) where we found a small bit of beach and, in perfect synchronicity, a duck blind. There, we scattered a few of my father's ashes in the water. One of the things he longed to do before he died, but was physically unable to accomplish, was to go hunting again. So, as we released the ashes, we thought of him coming back to this place, and of the three other men who had also been part of these hunting adventures, who died before my Dad. They were among my father's closest friends, and it's nice to think of them together again now, telling the same old stories and laughing like it's the first time any of them has heard them. As we got in the car to leave, my younger daughter spotted a pair of bald eagles circling in the sky just overhead. We watched them soar and marveled at the fact that a pair of birds -- birds who mate for life -- came to celebrate this special occasion alongside us. Life brings us much for which to be grateful, doesn't it?

We're looking into trading/selling our Volkswagen Westfalia (wah!!) for a more fuel efficient car. Fuel economy is key, for us, but we also need a car large enough for our family and the occasional extra kid or two. I don't want to buy anything that gets less than 30 mpg in town. A Honda Accord might be our next option. Just getting some real life feedback. :001_smile:

Sorry that happened, though by now it's an ancient memory, huh? I wouldn't have guessed the Asian pears would stay hard after baking, rather than they would get watery. Interesting. Hope your day was a special one. I've been missing you here.

...touches on everything I would have said, only she states it more eloquently than I might have. The only other bit I was inclined to add is that if you *have* a best friend and you *live with* that friend, chances are, you'll start to have some of the same issues with that friend that many have with their spouses. A goal would be to continue to focus on all that you share in common while continuing to work toward compromise on the things you don't. And, always, always keep the lines of communication open between you.

...how sweet of you! My mother came up to be with us for Thanksgiving. She has spent only one major holiday with us in our 14 years here in MD -- that being the Christmas before our second daughter was born on Dec. 28. :) The other times, we have either missed being together (which had become the norm for Thanksgiving) or were at her house. So, it is very special to have her here. There were moments of nostalgia yesterday, for sure, but also much joy in just being together with our memories. I know you and yours are also standing at the threshold of this transition, and I feel for you. It is quite a journey - all of it - but a necessary and, ultimately, good one, I think. Hugs, dear. And thank you.

So there's these 2 muffins in an oven. They're both sitting, just chilling and getting baked. And one of them yells "Good grief, it's hot in here!" And the other muffin replies "OMGosh, a talking muffin!"

You're right! I know about this option (they are the same product, but the cat version requires more money spent on marketing!). Sadly, there is no vendor in my area selling bags of wood stove pellets. :confused: I'm hoping to hook up with the father of a friend who gets his stove pellets out of town.

Isn't that a ridiculous thing to say? :lol: But, seriously, I'm proud of the fact that they've managed the transition from clumping litter to pine pellets. Some of you may recall that I asked about how to do this here. I took the leap and purchased a bag of pellets from Trader Joes earlier in the month. On first attempt (I switched them cold turkey), the darlings just stopped doing anything meaningful in the box. There was "sawdust" and footprints, so I knew they were relieving themselves in some fashion, just not the Big Stinky. After a couple days of this, I decided I'd better mix in some of the original clumping stuff before I ended up with the Big Stinky in my closet. Fast forward to now, and they are using the plain pellets without issue. One bag lasted us about 2 weeks (2 cats). We scoop the solids out into a reusable plastic container and toss them outside in various locations, using what we've now deemed the Poop Fling Method. No more nasty clumping litter. No more individual plastic bags. Just scoop and fling. Wheeeee! :D I'm sure you now feel quite edified.

...but I'm bumping this up so others who do can see it. Hugs!

We had hot water heater problems several times over the course of the past spring. It's NOT fun! Question: Is it an electric or gas fired water heater? If the latter (which does not sound likely) you may need to relight the pilot. If electric, I'd try Googling the model number and brand, or look for discussion boards for DIYers (homesteading, home construction, plumbing, something!), and see if you can find an answer that way. I figured out what was wrong with our refrigerator doing that not so long ago. Sadly, our problem required a repairman, but at least I knew what he should look for! :001_smile:

What an awful way to start your day!! I'm so glad no one was terribly injured, but I hope your aches and pains dissipate soon. An accident like that is jarring physically and emotionally. ((((ria))))

What a day! I sure hope he feels better tomorrow (or, perhaps even later tonight). I know you're both a little worried. Here' hoping you have some answers soon.:grouphug:

It may be that they have missed cases of sexual abuse or abnormal development which they are trying to prevent from happening again (I have a vague recollection of the story of a pubescent girl here, someone's daughter, who was undergoing surgery for physical abnormalities which were causing her terrific discomfort after the onset of menses, but no one knew about it beforehand), but... ...what you describe sounds highly unusual. Our girls, 12 and 14, have never had more than a quick peek. Ever. And, we've been to more than one group and seen both male and female physicians. At a *minimum* I would want an explanation from the head of the practice, or from the attending physician. A written letter copied to the proper authorities will guard against the risk of malpractice across the board. Again, I'm sorry. Hugs to you both!

What is it about those feet of yours, Melissa, that makes me feel warm and fuzzy way down deep, even though I'm not wearing beautiful knitted socks? Must be your inner smile. Hugs, dear, and glad to see you here. :001_smile:

Careful, folks. I think we might actually be having fun here. :leaving:

I have difficulty managing the discussion of flossing and teA in the same thread. :D No, sadly, I was doing neither. Probably just sitting around picking navel lint.

That's what I get for not acting on that idea the minute I first saw it last week. I'm sure I was doing something ultra-important instead, like...um...flossing. :tongue_smilie:

...the site says the offer has expired. Am I missing anything, or just out of luck?

I hope you don't think *I'm* seriously hurt. (It's just a flesh wound! :lol:). I just wanted to jump on your thread and figured I'd rib you a bit at the same time. Like I said, I miss "it", too. And, yes, while I'm periodically sad about losing my father, chatting with friends was one of his favorite pastimes, even up until the very end, so I'm glad to carry on in that fine tradition when (?) the camaraderie returns here.

I've never made it, but was just looking at a recipe today (in a book I own) and decided I'd be trying to do so really soon. Yum! Try here.

Rtes. 13 to 17. You'd probably still have to be on the Turnpike (95) to Delaware, but you'd pick up Rte 13 at the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Dh's people are on Long Island, and mine are in High Point, NC, so these are roads we've traveled quite a bit.

Hard cheeses (cheddar) are fine for several days when left unrefrigerated in cool climates.

Hey. Gotta get their target practice in somehow. GREAT pictures, girls. Looks like you had a fine time!

Now that squares are passé, what's the point? Not to mention that I don't really belong here, because I'm no longer homeschooling. And, I'm pretty sure I've never been accused of intelligent discussion. Oh, wait, I wasn't even on the list. Silly me. :lol: Seriously, mostly it was the politics. I found the waspishness of this place during those weeks intolerable. For me, the healthiest solution was to bow out almost completely. For all the reasons mentioned above, it was probably a good thing all the way 'round, so I'm still doing it. I pop in occasionally. Like you, I have noticed the change and regret it.