I caught part of that too. The gist of it was staying clear of the snowplows and patiently let them do their work. I have no idea how that ended up on The Weather Channel but I thought it was great.

At the calling hours I met a gentleman who works with Richard Benjamin. I asked him to let Richard know a reunion was being planned and it would be great if he could come. John Tracey came that night. That was a huge surprise. He had seen the obituary in the Burlington Free Press. We had a nice visit. I haven't seen him in many years.

If anyone knows where Eleanor Richardson is, her birthday was the same as mine, the 6th. We were the oldest two in our class.

Pat they were featured the snow in Presque Isle Maine on the weather channel last night. I only caught the tail end so I don't know what the story was about except for this guy in a snow plow. We ended up with a dusting...windy and cold here. Nothing really tastes as it did 30 years ago! Happy Thoughts...........

Just came in from snow blowing the driveway. We left school at noon. It's coming down pretty but the roads are greasy. Sometime I think it would be better to just drive on the snow instead of the "cleared" streets.

We actually had a dusting of snow here in Malibu. There was a picture in the paper of a woman and her son making snowballs with their bare hands.

Not sure what moonpies are, but I always loved Devil dogs, yodels, snodels, all that stuff. We don't seem to get devil dogs out here, so I indulged my fantasy last time I was in Vermont. Not quite as good as I remembered!

We used to get moon pies in our lunch for a treat...which was one a year!
I think we are suppose to get a inch or so here, so enjoy the snow Pat! Have a great day everybody! Its Friday....Happy Thoughts.

Did you say moon pie? I haven't had one in years!

Here in PI the stores are just now getting crazy. The weather guy just told us about the 12 inches or more of snow we can expect starting tomorrow. I don't expect we'll stay in school very long if we go in at all. Depends on when it starts I suppose. Dave is exultant. He's ready to ski!

are you sure it is for milk and bread? in florida they always make a run for beer and cigarettes before a storm.

kathi, i will get my snowboard tuned and ready to go. the conditions are still fair to grim here and much worse in switzerland. two weeks from today i want to be strapping in on some fresh snow there, but . . .???

Winter is here too...only not as cold as Pat! Suppose to warm up some tomorrow. I hope so, the kids have been in for recess for the past two days and need some outside activity! There might be snow this weekend...so there is hope for snowboarding for you Richard! I have been watching American Idol....the judges have been so cruel ( and the contestants really horrible!) Not quite sure why some would want that 15 seconds of embarrassment!
Keep warm and Happy Thoughts.

Good morning friends

I'm going back to work today. I made the mistake of answering my phone at home so people know I am back in town. I can't continue to hide out under the guise of my leave of absence any longer At least it will be a short week.

I want to say thanks for all the cards; sympathy and birthday I've been receiving. I didn't think that many of you knew my physical address. Thanks, it really does help.

Fifteen below here this morning and wind chills to be factored in of course. I guess winter has finally come to The County.

hey, come on. i am very helpful and nerdy! or maybe i am just easily amused with a memory for odd details. that may not be the same thing, nevermind.

hi karen, you have to go to london. i am not being full of hot air and all like you have not lived until blah, blah, blah! i am telling you that you have to go to london. you are a clever chick and you will figure out how to have a very good time of it. when i stayed, i found a hotel that was on the same block as the british museum that was reasonable for london and convenient. i was just surfing the web a bit now and found The Georgian House Hotel which sounds good and reasonable. i realize we have not quite gotten to that point in our relationship where i say jump and you say how high or anywhere close to that, but i am telling you to get to london. please?? here is the one that did it for me. i stood next to cleopatra. cleopatra, larger than life!!!!!, is about 4' 2" as a mummy in a glass case at the british museum. that was incredible. it makes you realize that it wasn't perfect this or that, acting as the pendulum that swung incredible people into their places in history. there is an inner tiger that goes where the tiger is going to go. i hope your tiger will go to london. let kitty out to play. you reeeeeally should. phantom of the opera blew me away. please don't be scared of finding a bit of magic, you are allowed. there are plenty of annoying things that you will experience, too. leave plenty of time to get back to the airport. holy crap, what is up with that?

Big ice storm here today. Luckily, we had the day off from school for MLK Day so won't have to make up a day. I went out to shovel the end of the driveway where the town plows push the slush back and it was heavy stuff. There was about 2 inches of it on the ground. Up North they got 4-8 inches of snow first. Kids will get soaking wet tomorrow! Karen you'll have to give the www. for the travel guru. I am sure Evan will have a safe journey and "learn" lots! Good luck meeting up with Ty! I'd like him to come redo my house! Happy Thoughts..............

Karen, maybe you can visit Evan in London sometime?! Or visit your son in Santa Monica--then I could see you, too!

Pat, my sincerest condolences on your loss. We're all getting to that age when those who have always been there for us are now also older and thus passing to a better place. Our memories are something that can't ever be taken from us though. God Bless

Good for you! Taking a walk together is great for exercise, stress and being together.
Suppose to be freezing rain here tonight and tomorrow. Wednesday highs 19 or so...low 2, so tell Avi its going to be a little colder here! The Patroits are on at our house...hopefully, they'll win to make my hubby happy.

No, it hasn't warmed up yet--but Avi and I went for our walk last night despite the cold. I would have skipped it, but he's afraid we'll get out of the habit if we let ourselves start getting lazy. We've never been this disciplined before!

Lori, you'll be happy to know that its getting colder here and we woke up to a covering of snow on the ground...I think its raining now but freezing rain is in the forcast. We have had very unseasonable weather. I am sure it will catch up with us...Hope it warms up for you soon. Long weekend here...will be nice~! Happy Thoughts..........

It's been freezing here lately. This isn't supposed to happen in L.A. I'm supposed to be sitting here in warm, sunny weather listening to all of you talk about how cold it is where you are--but now I'm feeling it too...

Wonder if any of us could afford to win the HGTV 2.5 million dollar house! We'd probably have to sell it to pay the taxes..but we can all dream. At least this year there would be snow for any who liked to be outside in the cold..or nice fireplaces for those of us to hibernate. If one of us did win, we could have a "class reunion" there...lol. Karen, good luck packing up Evan. I'm sure he'll call you for goodie boxes! He'll be fine. Richard, good luck with your traveling and snowboarding...hearing we might get snow on Monday, we'll see. Pat, I hope that you arrived home safely and that you took the rest of the week to regroup. Have a great weekend everybody...I am glad that its Friday! Happy Thoughts..........

i guess that means i did not win the place in ashville- rats, i really was starting to feel at home there with the virtual tour on their website (i never saw anyone else there, i just assumed it was mine for the taking). i will definitely check colorado house out- i am sure it is very amazing. my trip to switzerland will be pretty interesting this time. last time i was just getting coffee for people. this time i will be asked my opinion on a couple of things. also, more than half my time will be in the mountains. i will snowboard- i haven't gone skiing in about a dozen years. i love any and all of that stuff- that is just the way it has gone. i may need a snowtube to protect myself over thin cover. good thing i love 'em. i can't believe how soon i will go. not sure why, just can't. well, be good, take chances, y'all.

hi karen, the suitcase cannot weigh more than 50 pounds, but he can take two 50 pound suitcases and his carry-on in economy class, right?? i am going through this for a trip in three weeks to switzerland and i am pretty sure my suitcase under 50 pounds and my snowboard bag with gear under 50 pounds are all together no extra charge for me. now if it would just snow. the place i am going is having world cup races this weekend and they are not allowing practice runs to try to preserve what little snow they have. right now there is only about a ten inch base and this is a mix of not much snow, some ice, and a lot of grass. i was at this same place (grindelwald) last summer for the beauty and got all the pics i need. now what i want is snow, snow, snow. if i put razor sharp edges on my board to hold an edge on ice, it will shred my bag before i arrive. maybe i can do sharp edges and tape them for the trip. so many details to figure out, man!

Karen, we also just entered the modern age and got skype. It was nice being able to see my family in Israel while I talked to them--though for us, it was more an experience than a conversation. Maybe that's just my family, though. None of us feels very comfortable in front of a camera, so we spent most of the time laughing. Also, there was a slight delay in sound, so it took a few seconds for our words to get to them, which was a little annoying. It was really good seeing my sister Katie's kids (ages 5 and 7), but for a normal conversation with my sisters and parents, I'll stick to the telephone--and just use skype for a group thing. Don't let me discourage you, though. Avi really liked it. He doesn't like talking on the telephone, but he did like this cuz he feels better talking to someone when he can see them. Is this more info than you wanted?!!!

Karen, I use Skype with my boys. It's quite helpful. It's free and we can talk all of us at once. A conference call. I recommend it.
Heading home in the morning. Thanks everyone for all the good thoughts. I'll be hapy to be home.

Patti, I was also sorry to hear about your father's death and wish you the strength to deal with this new situation in your life. I agree with the others--let yourself feel whatever comes up.

Pat,
My sympathies to you and yours, too. Just let whatever feelings take over...its okay to feel anyway you do...go with it. There is no rhyme or reason to feeling grief. Be glad that you were there. You always carry those special moments in your heart. Find peace, he has.
Happy Thoughts,
Kathi

Thanks Richard. You're right about feelings. I keep falling apart over stupid things. I'm tired of crying, it doesn't last but little break downs. now I'm just hanging out watching TV.

As next of kin am I allowed to wear jeans? I left home in such a hurry that's all I brought with me.

Lori I'm sorry to hear about the terrible loss in your family. That must have been so frightening for everyone.

Pat, I am so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you. You can't know how you will feel from moment to moment. Maybe that is one of the hardest things to understand, especially amidst everything else right now. You have my heartfelt sympathy and you have my deep respect for being the great daughter that your dad always deserved to have.

Wll we lost Daddy early this morning. Pretty much as I was walking through the hospital to his room. He was being pronounced when I walked into the room. I won't try to describe what that was like. Anyway, his obit. will be in the Burlington Free Press and the Spfld. paper. Unfortunatley everything will happen over 3 days. visiting hours monday eve. funeral tuesday at 10 and burial in duxbury on Wed. at 12.

I can't wait for TH.

hi lori, i have not been to the store (and i was not too high to remember if i had been there). it sounds more california than what i had imagined and that is sooooo great. what i was impressed by was the land and the nature. the drive from up in the canyon down to the beaches of malibu is magical in the best possible way. it definitly got through to me. i can't think of a natural place in your immediate area that i have liked more.

Maybe I'm wrong about that, Richard. I'll have to check out that place again and see if they are okay with noise. Have you been in their store? They have all this New Age stuff--music, candles, incense, books, etc. With all that relaxing love/peace stuff, I somehow couldn't imagine loud noise there--though maybe the naked hippies who live out there wouldn't care.

By the way, Roland, you gave me the credit, but it was Karen who came up with the ADHD diagnosis!

is nothing sacred? you are telling me that loud music in topanga canyon may not be okay? loud music in topanga used to be as natural as wasted freaks running around half naked (or entirely so) through the woods there. loud mediterranean music- all the better!! has orange county had an effect on malibu and (pray not) topanga canyon?? is oc a disease that is no longer behind the orange curtain?? wow, if this wedding place serves diet dental floss after the meal you know something very bad has happened. are the words, "zombie attack" occurring to anyone else but me. call the cdc in atlanta! are the rocky mountains high enough and the great plains and mighty mississippi wide enough to contain this? shit, before long i will be standing behind some guy in williston vermont who will be ordering a double latte with skim milk and a straw (lo-cal w/ no teeth staining). talk about losing your religion- not topanga . . . . wow!!

Thanks for the suggestion, Richard. I know that place and have always liked it--though somehow it didn't seem the kind of place for loud Middle Eastern music (which a lot of the music will be). It's such a quiet, peaceful place....

Lori, ADHD, yes, I was the original. really can't complain my energy levels just keep going like that battery commercial, ha ha. Kathi, would probably drive 30 miles to Augusta area but then I hope to be in my ministerial vocation in a few years anyway. I do more and more teaching and mission work and love it. Yeah, that love Shak thing is how it goes in the burbs guys. course ya'll know this is the midst of the Bible belt anyway. got mom a new digital tv for Christmas as she spend lots of time in bed and knits. she love it but still says I spent too much. I felt thats the least I could do. Richard, sounds like you keep yourself busy both mind wise and physical too with projects etc. More power to you!

hmmmm, yeah i am going to need a new name for these made-for-the-whole-family accessory buildings. of course, making something that is commercially viable is the first problem. that could make it a non-issue. maybe they should be called new shelters or something like that.

hi lori, check out this place as a wedding location. disc jockey or bands look like no problem and if you were thinking about malibu, it is just up the hill . . . http://www.innoftheseventhray.com/home.htm . i checked out this area on the web because my friend norman lives there and he is a cool guy who loves playing his electric guitar and his son is even better than he is. i took some time looking at the website and i was impressed with the electronic view of the place. a real landopoid visit would be in order, no doubt. the thing i love about this place is that it is sooooooooooo california. love you too, richard

I wish you the best, too, Patti, in dealing with this situation. Doesn't sound easy. That's a long drive by yourself, but at least you don't have to rush right back to Maine.

Kathi, you remind us all of the other side of the spectrum--sounds fun having grandchildren!

Richard, I think we're all going to show up one day at your love shak to check it out. It seems like everyone is picturing something else!

I had fun when we went out for New Year's, but most people were complaining cuz something was wrong with the sound system. When the main singer came on around midnight, it sounded like her voice was coming through water or something. It was really hard to hear her. That part of the night wasn't so great, but the warm-up band before that was good (the sound worked okay for them, for some reason), and the food was good. So I'm not complaining. It was better than sitting home this year.

My daughter and her boyfriend are postponing their wedding to sometime closer to the summer. We've had so many complications with this wedding. First the religious issue, then a new law in that area of Malibu which means they wouldn't be able to have a DJ at the restaurant, only soft background music. That's not what my daughter had in mind for her wedding, so we're cancelling that location. And to top it off, her boyfriend had a tragedy in his family. His sister was married to a creep who didn't let her see her family for the last 10 years, and on Christmas eve, he killed her. Strangled her. It was terrible. The funeral was today in Colorado. Anyway, they didn't feel right about having a wedding 2 months after the funeral, so we'll have to figure out a new date and a new place.....

Thanks for the good thoughts kathi. I got a call just after work from another Dr. telling me not to wait till tomorrow. I ran home, Colin and Dave helped me pack up and I landed in Bangor around 7:30. I'm going to try to get a few hours of sleep and then get back on the road. If needed the hospital will call me here to tell to start out sooner than in the moring. I have 6 ours to go.

Pat, Taking a leave of absence from work to take care of a parent is a very tough thing to do. I have been in your shoes and know that I made the right decision in doing that. Hopefully, you will have help (Hospice is wonderful both to the patient and to the family...make sure you take advantage of it). Remember that you have to take care of you too...because nobody else is going to! Keep in touch. You can always call me at home if you need anything (like mental health...or just to talk. Hopefully your family will rally around each other and give support to one another.
Happy Thoughts.

Things are moving way too fast for me. We arrived home in just under 1o hours monday night. However, I spoke with 3 of Dad's Drs. yesterday, 2 of whom actually called me at home. Wow, that was unusual. Under there recommendation I have asked for a leave of absece from work and am headed back tomorow morning. I'm registered for a month (so far) at the Residence Inn in Williston. A month might be optimistic or maybe not..........No one can say for sure of course.

So I'm going to be a Vermonter again for awhile.

Richard I hope you luv shack will include a hammock swinging from squeaky chains on the front porch.

I've been using the old blog...my opinion if it isn't broke don't fix it, and I am more comfortable with what I do know then what I don't.......roads around here were icy yesterday and this morning. Back to school tomorrow. Had today home alone which was nice to rejuvinate before heading back to the little darlings. Roland, what would you do for a job if you moved 143 miles...commute? Pat, I hope that you made it back to Maine safely. Sorry to hear about your Dad. Its hard. Richard, keep us posted on the Love Shak progress. Embarrass those KIDS..Happy Thoughts.

Question: should we all update our accounts as per Blogger instructions or do we just use the same?

Happy New Year Ya'll!!!!!! Looks like everyone is settling in well and are all safe. It was quiet here too. Lots of rain and in the low 70's most of the week. Helped my friends move to their new farm down in Louisville (pronounced here in Ga like its spelled). They have 100 acres, three ponds, (one with catfish) a huge shop, nice brick house and varoiur outbuildings in good shape. Out in the middle of nowhere but only 30 miles from Augusta. They want me to move down there. I might think about it. Its 143 mies from here. Land is fenced and cross fenced too!

happy new year to you all! lori, there are no stories about typically quiet chicks at the la hyatt gone wild in today's papers on the east coast. maybe it will be in a later edition. i hope you all got the kiss you deserved at midnight- which brings me to the luv shak. luv shak is kind of a working title for the accessory building that i an working on and it may be misleading. my older son says that it has too many windows to have this title. so here is the deal. i would call it the loveless shak, but that is way too depressing. so for now i just call it the luv shak. my older son also says that luv shak reminds him of the b52's song and he isn't crazy about that either. all i can say is that if doing this kind of thing was easy, then everyone would do it (or maybe not?). anyway, i am having a great time freezing my ass off in the basement for the last 10 days making my model. what can i say? it floats my boat.

Happy NewYear Everyone! We're heading home shortly and expect horrible conditions for the next 9 hours. Should be quite an adventure.

I expect to be coming back here shortly. Dad is in pretty bad shape and I don't know if he will be able to survive his radiation treatments. I've never seen him so weak. He's just doing whatever people tell him to do and sleeping. I hold out hope for the treatments but I'm afraid it's wishful thinking.

Happy New Year Everybody!
Lori, good for you! Enjoy!! Neil and I are enjoying a very quiet household. All my company left today. There have been up to 10 people in the house at any given time, including 2 little ones. We really had a great time, but are exhausted and ready for the quiet. Our grandchildren are so precious. Its really hard to let them leave.....Caleb (the 4 year old) told me he'd take care of Nana when she gets old because he loves her. It was really cute. Camille went around all week with all her "princess" jewels on (she's 2) either laughing or pouting...such a dramatic little girl.
We had about 4 inches of snow yesterday, so today, we spent most of the day playing outside with the kids. We pulled them around and around on the plastic sleds and found a place up by the garden to slide down. It got up into the 30s and was sunny, so it was nice to be outside. Then again this afternoon, Caleb and I went out again. He wanted to make snowangels and decided that Nana should make 2 and he could make 3. I must admit, I haven't made snowangels in many years....he told me he'd help me up out of the snow....(didn't really need the help..but let him think he was doing great things!)...I wouldn't change those moments for anything. Again, may you all enjoy love, PEACE, and Happy Thoughts for 2007!

Happy New Year to all of you! We usually stay home, away from all the noise and crowds, but this year I felt like a change so we'll give the noise a chance this year. We're going with Avi's sister and her husband for dinner, music, and dancing at the Hyatt--where most of the Israelis in L.A. are probably going (the singer is Israeli). So I'm starting the new year with a bang.... Okay, don't laugh, I know I'm not the type to do things with a bang!

i have had a quiet week at home. i want one or two more. need 'em! i want to build a small building on my property next summer and of course it won't be anything easy to do. i have been spanking this idea for the last three years. i finally have an approach that i like. it is complicated so i am building a scale model. that is what i have been doing this week- i need more weeks! it will be spectacular whether it is a failure or a success and there is no doubt that it will be on the front page of the new york times. check headlines in june for "big bonfire consumes strange building in burlington- arson suspected" or "very nice champagne served on deck of luv shak recently built in burlington." time for a glass of wine- spodey odey.

It's 26 right now so chilly for sure. Yesterday while Northern VT had rain all day we actually had snow all day. Though it didn't exactly pile up, there was lots of shovelling going on White Day After Christmas was enjoyed. Skiers are hopeful but there is no expectation of more snow in the days to come.

Santa was very good to all of us. The snow means I can use my new snoeshoeing poles soon.

We're heading to VT tomorrow afternoon. I hope it has stopped raining.

pat, how warm is it in northern maine? if the turkeys are taking cold showers cuz the woman of northern maine are not wearing there down outerwear- it must be hot, hot, hot! i am tempted to put the ping pong table back outdoors, that is, if it would just stop raining. my son tom has beaten me in chess too many times and the ski slopes suck. i am down to movies, eating chocolate (it is a special problem at x-mas when you work for a swiss company), and not much else. i did not get a sports car for Christmas or a case of great wine and i did not win the lottery, but i have to say that santa was good to me - hope he did a fine job for everyone else.

It's 4 0'clock Christmas Eve. Colin is home from work nd he and his dad are watching a football game. Kevin is about an hour away from home. I've a cheese cake in the oven and a turkey that's probably going to need a cold water bath to finish defrosting.

It was a warm spring like day here and the parking lots were full of cars all over town. I guess the retail business is up.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas tomorrow, Happy Monday, a great day no matter what or how you are celebrating!

Karen V, does Janice know that you are coming home for the New Year???

kathi, that is what i am wishing for too! thanks

Wishing everyone a wonderful, joyous, peaceful Holiday. May all your dreams comes true for 2007. Travel safely and hold those dear ones close! Happy Thoughts................

karen, thanks for the flowers. i am not metrosexual because i do not spend money in the same way. maybe i am a cheap metrosexual. also, i trip on words pretty often- probably trying too hard. sometimes people don't really see each other for who they are and get hung up on details that don't matter. i am sure you and rich see a flaw or two in yourselves. i just wanted you to know that i think that you are both super the way you are- don't change a thing.

karen, it does not surprise me at all that rich got a note saying that he makes coming to work bearable. he is a GREAT guy. great guys can be seen at different times in various disguises (usually disguised by the shit in the viewer's head and not by any intention on the part of mr. great). my point is that people don't expect great and so they act surprised when they wake up enough to see it. here's the question. rich works real hard cuz he knows how to do that and he is probably used to people being appreciative of him in the way you mentioned. you guys have taken on tons as mom and dad and are really there for your kids. you are one of the most sensible, fun, thoughtful and smart people that i know. take a deep breath and see what you have for Christmas, cuz it is very sweet for you both and very deserved.

We'll do our normal Christmas here in Northern Maine and then head to VT for a few days. My dad has been diagnosed with lung cancer and so there is a lot to talk about regarding his options. I know what I want but I promised him I wouldn't fight him if he chooses the wrong path. Wrong for me that is.

I'm all ready for Christmas so let the merriment begin!!

yeah, kathy, that's the ticket. i will win the lottery, go to my Christmas party, have the eggnog loaded with the whiskey, bravely listen to my boss tell me what a great job i have done, and enjoy my holiday. you ARE right. by the way i love Tommy DePaoli books and cookies too.

Here is the Christmas carol that i am singing this year. please sing it with me if it means something to you like it means something to me.

There's a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us
Somewhere.

There's a time for us,
Some day a time for us,
Time together with time spare,
Time to learn, time to care,
Some day!

Somewhere.
We'll find a new way of living,
We'll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere . . .

There's a place for us,
A time and place for us.
Hold my hand and we're halfway there.
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow,
Some day,
Somewhere!

Somehow we all make it through the holidays...through the hype and stress. Richard, I hope you win the lottery, go to your Christmas party, have the eggnog loaded with the whiskey, bravely listen to your boss tell you what a great job you have done, and enjoy your holiday. We are having our "Christmas Party" tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 with 18 little overstimulated darlings and whatever parents can spare the time to come. This is a keep it simple party. The kids helped make gingerbread and star cookies (from a Tommy DePalo book) and will enjoy them with milk, make snowman decorations, and have a book exchange. Unfortunately, we go to school until 3:05 on Friday! So lucky you, Pat! I still need to finish cleaning, baking, wrapping for when my 3 kids, spouse, 2 grandbabies, boyfriend/girlfriends arrive next Tuesday. I am determined not to panic but to go with the flow and enjoy. There is still absolutely no snow here in Springfield. It is very weird not to have had any snow the whole month of December. Global warming??? May all of you have a wonderful, relaxing time with family. Enjoy the moments and Happy Thoughts..............

Richard you have quite an imagination. It may not be a White Christmas but Christmas will certainly come. Hosted a fun cookie swap last Friday. The house is full of goodies now. Out of school at noon on the 22nd. Yippee !!

hello holiday lovers. i need to get thru this week. unknown if that will be possible. it is the big 2006 kiss off for managers at work with staggering requirements- like can any of us get it all done or get it right? the answer is a.) what does right mean?, b.) what if i win the lottery this wednesday night- will i still go to the Christmas party thursday night?, c.) if they didn't pay me would i still go to work at all?, d.) is it lower cal to go for the egg nog or straight whiskey?, e.) will i keep it together at the Christmas party- drink enough to be fun, but not so much that I cry when my manager tells me what a great contribution i have made?, f.) why are there so many answers to this question and why are all of the answers actually questions that probably have lots more questions as answers???? wow, i am a mess!!!! yeah, a little time off. that's the ticket. i am a complete human being with a real life. uh huh, i believe that. how do i look? people talk about the stress of the holidays, but i don't see it. all i see is little kitty cats with santa claus hats all around me. that is normal right??