Well, considering what this spring's been like so far for my sinuses, and as I understand it SoCal (where I am) is actually supposed to be better for allergies than other less-irrigated-desert-y places (not recalling where you're located here), my vote's for the former.

I'm in southeast Alaska, where the allergy problem is usually mold from all the humidity, but we have had a freakishly dry spring. In fact, I think that last month was our summer, and we're probably set for rain until it snows now. You're probably right about the allergies, though. Last week, we could see huge clouds of pollen poof up from the trees. It looked like smoke; some people thought we were having a forest fire. This web site caught a rather mild view of this effect here: [link]

FWIW, Susan, I'd probably feel the same way as your hubby. And I certainly don't feel judgmental about people who know and understand and use guns. But he didn't grow up with guns (as I didn't) and the notion of bringing a working firearm into a house with a child is spelled out in huge red letters: Inviting Disaster.

And since he's not interested in guns, I doubt he's interested in getting all educated about them either. So for him, it's got to read as roughly akin to leaving open buckets of gasoline in the nursery. The mindset being: Why would you ever bring a dangerous thing like that in proximity to your child just to have a writing trophy? Why don't you buy a pet cougar while you're at it and tie it up next to the swing set?

And so I'm clear, I don't think that's even a fair or accurate judgment, I'm just offering my insight into how he might be processing the issue.

But whether it's fair or not, I don't think you can view it as an insult to all the hunters in your family. That's not what it's about.

Why would you ever bring a dangerous thing like that in proximity to your child just to have a writing trophy?

Surely you're not looking at the non-working replica as "a dangerous thing"?

Last week, we could see huge clouds of pollen poof up from the trees. It looked like smoke; some people thought we were having a forest fire. This web site caught a rather mild view of this effect here:

I am afraid. I am very afraid.

Tho', except for the pollen, that's a gorgeous pic. Signed, Grew Up In San Diego, and Gets Very Excited by Both Trees and Green

I must admit that I'm glad that the pollen doesn't do this every year. Speaking to oldtimers here, I think this has happened once or twice in the last twenty years. There was a crowd in my office staring out the window at puff after puff for about twenty minutes. It didn't stop then, but we figured we had probably do some work.

eta: If you like that picture, that web site, creatively named www.juneauphotos.com, does new pictures, mostly of the Juneau area, every day or two. I have it as my home page.

Ok, just tried to say "cut and sent" to the Gas Company. Guess how it came out?

Cunt.

t dies

If you like that picture, that web site, creatively named www.juneauphotos.com, does new pictures, mostly of the Juneau area, every day or two.

Right-o. Added to Favorites. I clicked the link to the weather forecast. I think I'd like to visit. Signed, Freak Who Still Enjoys Rain ('Cuz she never sees it)

Whoa, Aimee. Freudian much? P.S. Would you like to take care of Dell for me? I like your 'tude.

Epic, whatever happened with Dell? Last I remember, you had been on hold for 57 minutes.

What idiot decided we need money to live? I discovered this morning that I'm broker than I thought I was (read: more overdrawn than I've ever been, which caused a mild meltdown before I showered), and while we will be able to cover it thanks to some juggling, we're going to be living off whatever we have in the house for the next few weeks

Pardon me, but that's *my* line....

Honey, that sucks. I have *so* been there. As recently as 4 or 5 days ago. Including the "more overdrawn than I thought" part (because my bank covers a certain amount of overdraft -- I pay them back, obviously, with a big fee, but my credit rating doesn't actually think I'm overdrawing all the time), which is just sort of the bottom of the bottom. The pig's anus, if you will. Now I'm just back to normal-overdrawn, which I can handle.

So, I feel you. And if I were there, I'd feed you. And then steal your baby because she is TEH CUTE OMGDIESFROMCUTENESS!!!1!

Surely you're not looking at the non-working replica as "a dangerous thing"?

No, but I thought she wanted the black powder model.