Well, hopefully gas prices will fall again after this weeked (as it's the big Labor Day weekend). Although that depends on how long people think production and refining capacity in the Gulf area will be affected.

Also, W is going to release some oil from the Strategic Reserves - that should help a bit.

I tend to not pay much attention to gas prices-as in I just pay'em, they don't make me wince- since I only fill up every couple of weeks, but $1.10 up made me blink. Goodness.

Glad your NO family is accounted for, ita.

I guess releasing from the SPR is largely a psychological game for the markets. Ain't gonna get the refineries back online any faster.

I just can't grasp the weather being so huge. Ours is so much smaller.

Here, too.

Oh hey Nilly -- it's exactly a year since you were here, I realize -- we were hanging out around my orientation stuff, which is happening again this week.

Okay, so maybe we're a teensy smidgen evil:

[link]

Oh Betsy, that just cracked me up.

I love that story of the zombies attending the American Idol audition!

"Zombies, I need you back here!" Lynn shouted. "All you zombies, I need to get a group shot!" The undead complied, waving their bloodied limbs about for the TV cameras.

Even flesh-eating ghouls, it seems, want to be on TV.

it's exactly a year since you were here, I realize

Allyson got her agent for her book on the date I boarded the plane. I nearly jumped when I read her good news that day, because it looked too well-timed to be the coincidence that it is.

we were hanging out around my orientation stuff, which is happening again this week

Oh, I was so lucky last year with your schedule.

Now I want to sit and wait for you on Barnes & Nobles, making myself take only one book with me to the table so that I wouldn't be tempted to buy more than just the one. Only, this year, the library - where I'd go when you have to be at your orientation - would be open, I wouldn't have to just look at the lions outside.

How is your next year going to be, schedule-wise?

[Edited because "your year" can't be shortened to just the one word, "yoar"]

Nilly! I was going through my baby book on my birthday and found the neatest thing that made me think of you! My uncle and aunt were on a kibutz outside Tel-Aviv when I turned 1 and they sent me a post card! It has the neatest Isreali stamps on it.

Aimée, what was the picture on the postcard?

Also, any new Emma pictures? I haven't seen any in too long a while.