Sorry, Perkins! I was playing literati and missed your request. When you get up, check for me on Yahoo IM if I'm not on AIM.

Cass, I saw ita's post to you about the Bissell Power trak and researched it online. Taking notes on your brain would involve much more research!

Susan, ~ma for you. It is a hard time.

{{Cass}}

I just had a lovely conversation with my mom. I told her about my job search stuff, both the KC job and looking for temporary work in A2, and she was receptive and supportive. Or so it seemed.

I told her that the KC job was medical writing, and she asked what about my pharmacology training, and I told her they specifically wanted a medical writer with pharmacology experience. And then she said, "I don't understand why you didn't just become a doctor; you would have no problems now!" To which I instinctively replied, "That's great!"

About a minute of silence, and then she hung up.

Aaaaand things are back to normal again.

I wrote not only my dad's obituary, but also the eulogy, delivering it to the great surprise of my relatives who didn't know I could write a good stick, nor that I had a public speaking voice.

"We are all strangers, perhaps family most of all." -RAH

El Wall del Spices has been completed! Pictures here.

I still have a drawer full of half-empty jars and sample jars from Penzeys, and another drawer full of Penzeys spices in bags ('cause I like to buy in bulk). But 39 spices are on The Wall! Woot!

(Yep, cake still good with the second slice. This time with even more silver baubles.)

"Thirty-nine tins of spice on the wall, 39 tins of spi-ice...take one down, toss it around..."

{{Cass}}{{Tep}}{{meara}} Health~ma to you all. We should start a buffista hospice one of these days. We'd serve champagne or scotch (whatever your preference) and make everyone a queen by having them wear tiaras. No glitter allowed, though, I'd hate to see what it and some of the oogier products of illness could combine into.

Susan, it's good you got to the viewing. So nice to hear about the escort along the way, a wonderful sendoff for what sounds like a wonderful man. Strength~ma to you and yours.

Jess, I love that wall of spices. Where did you get the tins? Did they come with the names on them or did you have to write them on yourself? Details, ma'am!

"We are all strangers, perhaps family most of all." -RAH

So very true, Daniel.

I want a slice of Fay's cake.

P-C, good for you for not giving into the argument.

Jess, I love that wall of spices. Where did you get the tins? Did they come with the names on them or did you have to write them on yourself? Details, ma'am!

The velcro tape you can get at any hardware store or OfficeMax/Staples type place. The tins are the 4-oz Deep model from Specialty Bottle (the Container Store & Bed Bath Beyond varieties were really freaking expensive, and didn't come in bulk). The names are written by hand in Sharpie. I did it in 2 days because I ran out of velcro, but the whole project only took about 3 hours once I got all the supplies together.

I have 1 tin left, and room on the wall for about 3 more, but I don't really buy any other spices in bulk other than the ones that are on there. (Well, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks, but those won't fit in the tins.)

I was just talking to the cat.

Which turned out to be my overnight bag.

Guess who isn't going to get Mexican food after all as driving is obviously not going to happen? OTOH, back is feeling better. Or, you know, I can't tell -- which works too.

Cake and champagne sounds yummy! And the Wall O' Spice rocks!