Thanks for getting it. I really thought it was just me. Guess it does save me a trip to the airport. Reminds me why I don't post much.

Oh, they give me my money back for the second seat, eventually. And I understand what everyone is saying about negotiations, but... l can't really impress on you how demeaning the whole thing is and how much they try to pressure me into giving up both seats (for the comfort of all passengers on this very full flight). It is just so loud and so public that it is all I can do not to cry. I really try hard to avoid flying unless there is no other option.

I am overweight. I buy 2 seats to fly. More than 50% of the time, it is taken away from me at boarding. So I am faced with two options -- leaving the airport and cancelling travel plans or being harassed (yes, harassed is the word) by my seat mates. They don't care that I did buy the extra seat, that I did try to make the flight comfortable for everyone; they just rag on the fat lady next to them. What should I do then?

Got to have black eye peas along with cabbage to symbolize money. In our case, black eye pea jambalaya and creamed cabbage topped with paprika and coarse black pepper (2 different things). I can't remember a New Year's meal without those 2 symbolic ingredients.

Dude and Dudette. Awesome. Other than that, a lot of old, old Southern sayings like "you are cutting your own switch'" (as in you are getting into trouble and will get switched).

I still use checks. I use them because I am tired of my credit card number being stolen. I don't use debit cards because my sister had her entire bank account cleaned out by a person who either knew or guessed her code. I guess, to me, the aggravation of having to write a check is much less than the hassle of cancelling stolen cards, dealing with the fraud department, and waiting and changing all automatic accounts to the new credit card. Aggravating the people behind me is just an added plus.😁

I have a common name that is spelled weirdly because my family is Cajun/Creole French and did not know how to spell the name correctly. I have had a lifetime of trouble over it and would have changed the spelling, but my mother cries when I bring it up. I feel bad for this kid.

Really? What age group? I ask because I grew up in Cajun Louisiana and that is not true of my age group or my mother's age group. In my mother's age group (80s), the French names or American names with French spellings are common, with Marie as the middle name for girls. In my age group (50s), most of the people I have met professionally and privately have very American names. This is thought to be a result of our parents being beaten by the nuns and priests for speaking Cajun French. They wanted very much for their children to sound "normal" and gave them names they heard on TV (again, with some weird spellings). In fact, the most common jokes starts out "Marie and Pierre, they be sitting eating gumbo... (Marie and Pierre being the common names of a Cajun couple) Now, genealogy is hard because no one goes by their real name, as in Marie-Josephine is called JoJo or Elizabeth is called Lizette.

Congrats on your decision. I am very impressed by your research. Goldens are great dogs.

Between 7 and 10 years. After 7 years, it depends on which dealership is having a 0% interest deal. For the farm truck, we replaced it when the cost of repair becomes too much.

I am in love with the herding breeds. They tend to be very high energy and more than slightly neurotic. The less they are exercised, mentally and physically, the more neurotic they get. You probably know all that. They also tend to nip small children. They tend to gravitate to one person, which can hurt the feelings of the rest of the family. They will form bonds with the family, but one person is usually their "all". Are you sure you don't want a nice Golden? I ask because they are usually very attentive and good with kids. it is easier to find a good Golden breeder than it is for the herding breeds. Just a suggestion because you have young children. I grew up with Germans, wolf hybrids, and herding dogs. I know of a place in VA that has German lines if you are interested, both long-haired and normal Germans. Their dogs look good and, more importantly, show no aggressive behavior or weirdness. They are BIG dogs, though. Which means they can accidentally hurt a small child or elder person without even trying. They are on the bite list so you need to check if your home insurance will allow you to have such a dog. Last thought, have you looked into American Eskimo?. They come in three sizes and make good family dogs. They are definitely eager to please.

I lived this as a teenager. The only thing I can recommend is the mentioned self-defense classes. The only comeback that ever seem to work was: Would you say that to your mother? Would you say that to your daughter? depending on the age of the guy. What really helped me was my family and friends praising me for things other than looks -- being nice, getting good grades, etc. It made me see myself as something other than just the "outside". Unfortunately, my answer to all the attention was to gain a lot of weight. My daughter has gone the same route. I wish I would have gotten her a counselor because it is very much an issue that destroyed a huge segment of both our lives. My best wishes to both of you.

No, everyone hugs me. I don't know why -- maybe I look like a toy bear or something. Doesn't matter where they are from or how long I have known them, I get hugged. My husband finds it hilarious; he makes bets with me on how soon I will be hugged at the airport or when we are shopping. Never fails -- almost like I have no personal space warnings.

Don't doubt yourself. You love your dog and have assessed if he is comfortable. You have given him a good life and a loving home - hold that thought close to your heart and fall back on it when you need to.