I've been ready for Brooke to go home for weeks!

Never have liked her. She seems fake, her voice is weak, and I hate that little pouty face she makes all the time. No clue why she is still there.

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I, like you, always try to help out, give money to street people and try to be NICE. In your case I would have offered some money for a bus ride. Would never get in my car with someone I did not know.

Almost 2 weeks ago the doorbell rang at 3 a.m. (always a bad sign). I was sound asleep, as were my husband and son. I looked out the window and saw a kid (turns out he's 20) and opened the door about an inch and asked him what he needed. He burst through the door and began to beat me up in the livingroom. I was able to force him back out (sustaining a sprained wrist and a concussion in the process) and my husband heard me screaming and ran after him. Of course, we called the police and he was caught as my husband was able to get a partial license plate number. He was arrested, spent a few days in jail and is now out awaiting trial. We don't really know what it was he wanted - we live in a really nice neighborhood where these things supposedly do not happen. I am so thankful I was just able to fight him off - I'm 50 and have often wondered if I would be able to get the gumption to fight. I found out I could. For a week I was completely crazy about any sound outside and could not sleep. Also, don't plan on a dog saving you. My boxer-doberman mix who is quite fierce and barks at absolutely everything was asleep on my bed through the whole thing.

Anyway, bottom line, a warning. The policemen told me that, in studies, 99 out of 100 people will open the door in the middle of the night if awoken, so they suggested having a somewhat complicated lock so at least you'll have a few extra seconds to think before you open that door. We got a new lock the next day, but I can assure you, if anyone shows up at my door in the middle of the night, the cops will be called.

I have struggled with the same issues as you, "entertaining angels unawares" and all that, but I am so glad you did not get in the car with them. Just typing this and telling the story once again has gotten me all anxious again. I pray every day that the boy (and the men waiting in the car outside by the way) straighten up and turn their lives around. That is the most I can give them.

here in tornado alley. First time you could "hear the train a-comin", no elec for a day and a half and many trees down, blown right outta the ground, root balls and all....Second time, my grown son called and left a msg on the voice mail.."Hey mommy, the sirens are goin' off, just wanna make sure you and dad are safe...love you". We have no basements here either...I can really relate.

To all ya'll out there in the devastation and horror, I send good thoughts and hugs.

Cat

You have to go through a little evaluation with your animal, but they have cat days and dog days and you can bring your pets. Walter is a huge patient sweetie - 120 pounds of shiny black fur and muscle - he is quite young and very solid and built. Some of the residents love him so much. He will just slowly walk up to someone he feels might be receptive to him, and when they put their hand out he gets under it and next thing you know he has his big head in their lab and they are slowly petting him, over and over and over. It is so heartwarming when you are watching.... I mean literally your heart is so full you can feel it in your throat. I've had to hide my tears every time.

Sometimes a resident, usually a gentleman, will talk about a dog he used to have with the clearest memory.

A funny thing happened when Walter was getting some attention from a women in a wheelchair and he leaned against her and I saw her wheelchair was slowly being pushed across the lawn.

I don't know about this "Easter Bunny" business. I have today off and there is not much work anyway, so I decided to get ready for Sunday (I have 3 little kids). All I did so far today was go get my daughter a dress, and my boy an outfit, got all the basket stuff together and put them together. Then, I worked on me, day of beauty stuff, hair, etc. I have not worked today, yet doing these things I am exhausted! And I still have to dust, vacuum, declutter office, and bake a cake. Not to mention clean my sons' bathroom (eewwwww). I am putting all that off until tomorrow. Does anyone else find that although transcribing can lead to fatigue at times that doing chores and getting ready for holidays is more tiring?

I own and live in a house in a midwest city in a bad neighborhood (wasn't that bad 11 years ago). I spent the day waiting for the plumber to come and jackhammer the foundation (slab house, no basement) to find a leaky pipe that is flooding my DD's bedroom. Last week, it was the electrician with quotes for costly repairs.

In the meantime, I've really been thinking about selling out and moving into a mobile home. Has anyone done this before? Is a mobile home in a decent park less of a hassle than a regular house? I'm so tired of cutting the grass and spending $$ to fix things and tired of old flooring and cabinets, etc., that are just too costly to replace. I'm single with no man to do these things for me and I can't afford a mortgage on a newer house in a good neighborhood. Some of the pictures I've seen of the mobile homes look really nice and modern on the inside.

So I've been watching him and a lot of the other HGTV design shows, etc. I want to save money, but I want everything too look expensive, ya know?

I loved what he did with the silk too, but problem is I don't sew. I don't even know how to operate a sewing machine, soooooooo anybody wanna make a buck? :)

Can I substitute melted margarine for the oil? I don't have any applesauce. I do have some Miracle Whip, but wasn't sure about it. I don't want to go to the grocery store. I'm at home alone, kids are gone, I'm working and feeling pretty productive, and then BAM the PMS chocolate attack strikes and and me without a Hershey bar in sight! So I thought I would whip up a devil's food cake mix and get back to work.

but it just ain't gonna happen. Daughter of a politician (so I know how it rolls)

Cat

	Name and (party)¹	Term	State of birth	Born	Died	Religion²	Age at inaug.	Age at death
1.	Washington (F)³	1789�1797	Va.	2/22/1732	12/14/1799	Episcopalian	57	67
2.	J. Adams (F)	1797�1801	Mass.	10/30/1735	7/4/1826	Unitarian	61	90
3.	Jefferson (DR)	1801�1809	Va.	4/13/1743	7/4/1826	Deist	57	83
4.	Madison (DR)	1809�1817	Va.	3/16/1751	6/28/1836	Episcopalian	57	85
5.	Monroe (DR)	1817�1825	Va.	4/28/1758	7/4/1831	Episcopalian	58	73
6.	J. Q. Adams (DR)	1825�1829	Mass.	7/11/1767	2/23/1848	Unitarian	57	80
7.	Jackson (D)	1829�1837	S.C.	3/15/1767	6/8/1845	Presbyterian	61	78
8.	Van Buren (D)	1837�1841	N.Y.	12/5/1782	7/24/1862	Reformed Dutch	54	79
9.	W. H. Harrison (W)⁴	1841	Va.	2/9/1773	4/4/1841	Episcopalian	68	68
10.	Tyler (W)	1841�1845	Va.	3/29/1790	1/18/1862	Episcopalian	51	71
11.	Polk (D)	1845�1849	N.C.	11/2/1795	6/15/1849	Methodist	49	53
12.	Taylor (W)⁴	1849�1850	Va.	11/24/1784	7/9/1850	Episcopalian	64	65
13.	Fillmore (W)	1850�1853	N.Y.	1/7/1800	3/8/1874	Unitarian	50	74
14.	Pierce (D)	1853�1857	N.H.	11/23/1804	10/8/1869	Episcopalian	48	64
15.	Buchanan (D)	1857�1861	Pa.	4/23/1791	6/1/1868	Presbyterian	65	77
16.	Lincoln (R)⁵	1861�1865	Ky.	2/12/1809	4/15/1865	Liberal	52	56
17.	A. Johnson (U)⁶	1865�1869	N.C.	12/29/1808	7/31/1875	(⁷)	56	66
18.	Grant (R)	1869�1877	Ohio	4/27/1822	7/23/1885	Methodist	46	63
19.	Hayes (R)	1877�1881	Ohio	10/4/1822	1/17/1893	Methodist	54	70
20.	Garfield (R)⁵	1881	Ohio	11/19/1831	9/19/1881	Disciples of Christ	49	49
21.	Arthur (R)	1881�1885	Vt.	10/5/1829	11/18/1886	Episcopalian	50	56
22.	Cleveland (D)	1885�1889	N.J.	3/18/1837	6/24/1908	Presbyterian	47	71
23.	B. Harrison (R)	1889�1893	Ohio	8/20/1833	3/13/1901	Presbyterian	55	67
24.	Cleveland (D)⁸	1893�1897	N.J.	3/18/1837	6/24/1908	Presbyterian	55	71
25.	McKinley (R)⁵	1897�1901	Ohio	1/29/1843	9/14/1901	Methodist	54	58
26.	T. Roosevelt (R)	1901�1909	N.Y.	10/27/1858	1/6/1919	Reformed Dutch	42	60
27.	Taft (R)	1909�1913	Ohio	9/15/1857	3/8/1930	Unitarian	51	72
28.	Wilson (D)	1913�1921	Va.	12/28/1856	2/3/1924	Presbyterian	56	67
29.	Harding (R)⁴	1921�1923	Ohio	11/2/1865	8/2/1923	Baptist	55	57
30.	Coolidge (R)	1923�1929	Vt.	7/4/1872	1/5/1933	Congregationalist	51	60
31.	Hoover (R)	1929�1933	Iowa	8/10/1874	10/20/1964	Quaker	54	90
32.	F. D. Roosevelt (D)⁴	1933�1945	N.Y.	1/30/1882	4/12/1945	Episcopalian	51	63
33.	Truman (D)	1945�1953	Mo.	5/8/1884	12/26/1972	Baptist	60	88
34.	Eisenhower (R)	1953�1961	Tex.	10/14/1890	3/28/1969	Presbyterian	62	78
35.	Kennedy (D)⁵	1961�1963	Mass.	5/29/1917	11/22/1963	Roman Catholic	43	46
36.	L. B. Johnson (D)	1963�1969	Tex.	8/27/1908	1/22/1973	Disciples of Christ	55	64
37.	Nixon (R)⁹	1969�1974	Calif.	1/9/1913	4/22/1994	Quaker	56	81
38.	Ford (R)	1974�1977	Neb.	7/14/1913	12/26/2006	Episcopalian	61	�
39.	Carter (D)	1977�1981	Ga.	10/1/1924	�	Southern Baptist	52	�
40.	Reagan (R)	1981�1989	Ill.	2/6/1911	6/5/2004	Disciples of Christ	69	93
41.	G.H.W. Bush (R)	1989�1993	Mass.	6/12/1924	�	Episcopalian	64	�
42.	Clinton (D)	1993�2001	Ark.	8/19/1946	�	Baptist	46	�
43.	G. W. Bush (R)	2001�	Conn.	7/6/46	�	Methodist	54	�

She does basic cleaning - dusting, vacuuming, mopping, cleaning bathrooms. I pay her $75 each time. She has basically a one-woman business that she is just getting started up. I found her listing in the local newspaper and lucked out, because she is a really super lady and I enjoy having her here to talk to, since my husband and I are "empty-nesters" and I am home alone working all day.

As far as what you should pay, I think the area where you live and the cost of living needs to be taken into consideration. I would expect to pay someone in New York City or Los Angeles more than I would pay someone in a small Midwest town, for example.

I don't intend to keep the car for long. Last night we had decided until the end of the semester. After talking with it I am waffling about taking it at all. I am sure he will have it back by Thanksgiving. Thank you.