Go Stephanie! Much baby~ma for delivery and a happy child coming to you from Hayward.

Laura, I can be your shed buddy. I have just purchased a wonderful vintage wooden shed with adorable trim from the estate of my neighbor, and DH and I have realized we really have no clear idea about just how we'll transport it two doors down. Ideas include taking it apart, and getting some furniture dollies to roll it. We do know how nice it will be to have a workshop, cause we truly miss having a garage. Anybody needing a good workout can come and visit us next week and we'll work ya like a dog.

-t, front load washers are da bomb. I think I may love my washer and dryer more than the refrigerator and furnace. I've lived without heat before, which was rawther difficult in the Haight-Ashbury at the edge of the fog belt.

Can I dab some on a cotton ball and then apply? Has anyone mixed it into eau de parfum?

Get some perfumer's alcohol (you can use vodka in a pinch) to wet your cotton ball with first. It's also what you'd want to use to mix it into the latter. I've done the latter with essential oils, but not with perfume oils. There are many instructions online, if you'd like I can hunt them down later (have to get dressed now, I fear).

AmyLiz, I apply BPAL with a Q-tip. Trust PMM over me, though.

There are many instructions online, if you'd like I can hunt them down later (have to get dressed now, I fear).

No, no, that's cool for now. I will google myself in a little bit. And good to know about the perfumer's alcohol -- had no idea such a thing existed.

I'm in love with all my pretty scents so far. Especially Hurricane and Moon Rose.

I'm still bitter towards everyone who can wear BPAL oils and have them smell the way they ought, since on me every single BPAL oil I've tried has turned to Play-Doh smell within minutes. Bah.

Hey Katie B, we tried having a group of strong people lift the old shed on a flat bed to move it, but it didn't work out. We took it all apart and put it back together. This time is more complex because we are rebuilding it smaller. Still many of the components are nearly 20 years old, which has sentimental value to me. The original shed was built by DH#2 and two of my nephews. 2 of those 3 are gone now but I still remember them building the shed fondly. Brendon is sweet to preserve as much of it as he can for me.

every single BPAL oil I've tried has turned to Play-Doh smell within minutes

Sniffing wrist... So far, no Play-Doh smell. Body chemistry is weird.

Were you induced, Susan?

Yep. Between the induction and the sheer amount of drugs in my system by the end, my experience is completely useless for things like knowing when other people are in labor or applying personal experience to my 19th century childbirth scenes.

my experience is completely useless for things like knowing when other people are in labor or applying personal experience to my 19th century childbirth scenes

The thing is, it's different for everyone, and it's different with different pregnancies. My labor with Ben was nothing like my labor with Sara. So you can pretty much make it up. As long as you've contractions and pain in there, you can write a birth scene.

As long as you've contractions and pain in there, you can write a birth scene.

Probably true. I did have one of my CPs suggest a minor alteration to make the childbirth scene in my first chapter, and I went along with it, because I have no memory whatsoever from the first 30 minutes or so after Annabel was born other than when they first held her up (and I swear she looked as big in my eyes as she actually *is* now!), and that I thought she wasn't crying loudly enough and therefore there must be something wrong with her. (There wasn't--her apgars were 9 and 10. She was a tough kid right from the start.)

Incidentally, that childbirth scene is getting rave reviews from CPs and contest judges, on the whole--thanks for giving me the idea in the first place!

Though I'm still kicking myself for not doing a better job on the synopsis. It's depressing having a judge or two not think my story is all that romantic, when in my mind it's just the most romantic thing EVAH, all because my synopsis left 90% of the romance arc out, because I figured all the starcrossed love and angst would be self-evident from the set-up.