Going out to check the heron's nest just sounds wonderful! Deep sigh. I love bird watching so your words are inspiring.

Thank you all! You've given me much to think on and consider. I live close enough to both an REI and a Cabala's to get good help there. Plus I've just found a lake not too far away rents kayaks...We will be exploring our options.

I have a milestone birthday coming up next month. I've wanted kayaks for me and my husband for a while. I think it's time to find a couple as a Happy-birthday-to-me thing. What do I look for or avoid? We will be kayaking on local lakes for the most part. I want something lightweight and stable. We have our old minivan to transport them--I'm guessing I'll need a car top carrier. We might pack a picnic or carry binoculars or fishing gear on our adventures. I'm open to any thoughts or suggestion you have--

If anyone asks, I tell them I make a third. :) One third is set aside for taxes. That's a bit on the generous side, but I like a bit of cushion. One third of what I make goes to pay dues, fees, education, and marketing. That's hefty for my business.... Then I get a third....woohooo!

Amen and Amen! I try to remind myself that writing the whopping check today means we had a great year last year. And, I pray, this tax money goes to truly benefit people and this country. Sigh. Off to the post office to send the check by certified mail.

I had not heard that. Either way, it ended up on FB. My mind just can't grasp how low and ugly that is.

The last couple of weeks have been intensely busy in my real estate world. The only real reading I do during those times is favorite re-runs--for the last few weeks that's been Nora Robert's Chesapeake series. Yesterday afternoon I finished Chesapeake Blue. I loved the first two books, Sea Swept & Rising tides, the most. I read and enjoyed The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It took me a couple of chapters to get the rhythm of the story, but after that it was easy to figure out. Reading it makes me want to learn more about the 'meanings' of flowers--or, maybe better yet, to make up my own. Enjoyable read. I started Founding Gardeners by Andrea Wulf....the writing is very good, the information is wonderful, but it's slow reading for some reason. The type in my paperback is a little too small for comfort (I've never said that before. Sigh) and makes it a little more of a challenge than it needs to be. I'm hoping to pick this up one late afternoon this week and sit in the garden to read it. I also started The Man Who Knew Infinity by Robert Kanigel. I loved the movie of the same name. Lots of detail in the book---I'll eat this one in small bites. Tiny bites. On the business side of my life, I'm reading Andy Andrews new book, The Little Things. It's good--he is a funny guy with a strong message. I'm half way through and enjoying it.

Sweet 100s for sure! Because of our climate, we do smaller, heat resistant tomatoes. Celebrity, Early Girl. I'm trying Solar Fire this year. Heirlooms do not produce for me. :(

I do not have either a gas cooktop nor double ovens. My dream kitchen would have BOTH. :) We love to cook so gas is always good. Double ovens at holiday times or when we have people over would be wonderful.

Me, too! I just happened to be in Chicago last summer and saw a sign advertising the exhibit. Seeing the Terracotta Warriors has long been one of my 'bucket list' items...but I really have no desire to go to China. Seeing this exhibit was a terrific compromise. :) It fascinates me that their faces are so unique...

Here's a completely counter-intuitive thought. During one of the blocks of time when your boys are being entertained by someone else you need to ignore the list and do something lovely for yourself. A mini vacation. Get a massage or a pedicure. Go for a walk at the nature center. Hit the bookstore for an hour. Yes, your list is long, but you need a little self care, too. Rejoice that nothing on the list will be forgotten (it's written down, after all) if you take a couple of hours off--totally off. It will all still be there when you are ready and able to tackle it. A few mini sessions like this will re-center you and help you find energy and the thinking power to get other things done. I learned this lesson the hard way--in way over my head with a painful family issue with a long list of things that. must. be. done. A dear friend asked me if I could be kind to myself for a little while each week. I had not thought of it that way. Do something nice for you today. Sending you good thoughts and hugs.

Kitchen first! Then windows & doors. Floors can wait a good long while--maybe put an area rug or two down to soften things up.

Whenever we make anything coconut--pie or cake--we gently toast the coconut first. It adds a nice depth to the dish. Be careful--coconut burns easily.

:hurray: :auto: Brilliant idea!

What **had** you planned to do with your MIL during her visit? Anything? It's clear you are different people, but I figure she is not doing these things to purposely irritate you. Part of me wants to say, Toughen Up, Buttercup. Probably not helping that I'm dealing with an impatient and uncompromising young adult this afternoon. I've got an idea -- I'll trade ya!!!! You can have this obstinate, procrastinator person and I'll take your MIL to the doc and shopping. Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat as needed. I hope you can find patience and compassion to help your MIL today and that the doctor is able to help.

I got the basic -- mechanical controls -- SQ last August. Love that machine! She washes fast and well. Right now I have two sets of queen sheets and about 6 or 7 pillowcases in there.

I see your point. It's still odd to me that four crewmembers had to be on that flight. Lots of narrow thinking, imho.

Ugh. I hate tax time. Both dh and I are self employed which means we write a whopping check each year. Just got word today what the pain will be....sigh. I was so enjoying our savings getting fat. We pay a small amount during the year and take the relatively small fine for writing one check instead of four. We like having control of our money all year. But, yuck, it's never a fun moment. Hang in there!

My husband is also in the airline industry as a Director of Operations for a small company. I haven't read that piece but I will. I'd love to know if those flight crew had already missed another flight. My husband insists his crew members get to their destinations by NOT using the LAST available flight. He insists they book tickets with at least two additional flights--just in case something weird happens to the first flight. (The company is so small there is no jump seating for flights available.) If they had missed a first and second option, then I can understand their urgency in getting them on that plane. As the saying goes...poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.

As a Realtor, I make a decided and concentrated effort to communicate with both sides of a divorce. It's actually ethically mandated that I do. Last year I had a tricky listing. The person in the house said they had all the power to sell and had a huge document they believed said that. It didn't. I reached out to the other side, got her on board and signed into the agreement. All through the transaction, I sent identical, but separate emails with news, updates, and needs until we got to closing. It was twice the work, but worthwhile. If you are not happy with the agent and she does not up her game on communication, contact her broker.

I always get an Otterbox when I get a new phone. I've never had a clear one. We always add a screen protector, but I'm sure the whole thing is not water proof. I drop my phone a lot--that's the protection I needed. Water protection would be nice, but I don't know if it's available. Good luck with your search

One thing I notice as I show homes each week....light fixtures and ceiling fans can look dated very fast... It's a little like fashion styles. So if you have brass ceiling fans or older light fixtures--even if they work fine...swap them out in the Living room, dining room, kitchen, master bath, maybe even in the other baths and bedrooms. You can do trendy lights all through the house (depending on how big the house is) for a couple of thousand dollars--less if you can do the electrical part yourself. IF you can only do a few lights--focus on the LR, kitchen & dining room. Don't forget to take a Magic Eraser to all the light switch plates and the edges of doors where people grab them sometimes. It freshens a kitchen considerably to put in new, but not too expensive appliances. Go with stainless for a shiney new look. Scrub the front door and front porch. Fresh paint or stain on the door. Big pretty wreath. New mat. Fresh mulch in the flowerbeds. Tidy landscape. Only do an inspection IF you are going to address any and all issues that are found.

It's really quite good. :)

Want something a little off beat and different? Lars and The Real Girl :0)

Years ago I happened upon 'Follow The River' by James Alexander Thom. I started it sitting outside at 3pm and only got up to go in the house when it was too dark to read. Finished up about 2 in the morning. Hatchet by Gary Paulson I was pre-reading before giving it to my young son. I swallowed it whole it seemed. :) The Martian was a gripping and compelling read for me. What a pleasure it is to read a great story!