beth, I realize how much work it is to clean up a disorganized mess, because I still haven't managed to do it! I do all I can at once, and by the time I have the energy to get back to it, more mess has arrived. Also, I think I'm just not very good at it.

Mike Rowe and Dirty Jobs fascinates me. Recently he was catching snakes. Barehanded. Getting bit a lot. (Nonpoisonous snakes, but still.) And cursing. It was funny. Poor thing. Funny how much one learns from that show, too.

I'm exhausted, but I can't stay asleep because each time I lay down there is too much pain.

I'm with K-Bug on not liking to touch slimy chicken.

Beth, I am impressed with your mad organizing skills. Even when I do manage to clean up, I am never very organized.

Chez Zmayhem played Emmett's new MLB edition of Monopoly tonight. (Giants as Board Walk, Red Sox as Park Place, A's as the highest Green property). It was an epic contest that lasted four hours, and at some point or another each of us was back-to-the-wall yet fought back to a position of dominance.

It see-sawed back and forth, Emmett hoarding his money and then building up one corner of hotels that kept yielding big payoffs. JZ's four monopolies could not sustain her in the end. Ultimately I prevailed by building up an impassable Blue, Green and Yellow corner that ate away Emmett's reserves, until he landed on SF Giants (Boardwalk) and was a mere $100 short (after all mortgages and Hotel cashings).

We were all very shocked to see that it was 11pm. JZ took solace in the baby's cuteness after her ouster. Even if I hadn't won, it would've been the best Monopoly game I ever played. Just because the "lead" (such as it is in Monopoly) changed hands so many times.

Of course, winning made it a lot easier to declare it Best Game Ever.

That's impressive Hec. I am always impressed at a Monopoly game that actually ends. I haven't played in forever, because of the long hour commitment involved. We have a Family Guy monopoly set in the closet that is begging to be played.

I am always impressed at a Monopoly game that actually ends.

Me too! I realized I hadn't played a Monopoly game that ended in like 20 years. But Emmett (while somewhat gloaty when he was up several thousand dollars) was a Not!Bad sport when he lost. JZ (and y'all might not know this about her) is very competitive and if it weren't for the mollifying effect of Matilda, I fear she might've stomped around and cursed. But she did not.

JZ could not believe that she controlled four monopolies at one point and was still the first person out. Neither of us could believe that Emmett's strategy of hoarding cash would work - until he was the first person to build a corner of Hotels that nailed us again and again.

I bought everything I landed on and was cash poor the entire game (at one point with the vast majority of my properties mortgaged), but I made a key deal with Emmett (selling an entire light blue monopoly to him to get out of debt and unmortgage my properties) that made the difference.

It's funny. In Monopoly I understand you have to make your money work for you. You can't sit on cash; you have to make it generate income. In real life? Not so much, even though it's obviously a sound financial principle.

JZ (and y'all might not know this about her) is very competitive and if it weren't for the mollifying effect of Matilda, I fear she might've stomped around and cursed. But she did not.

JZ is me, without the cutie baby to mollify me. I absolutely hate to lose and seriously have to curb my cut throat competitiveness when playing Trivial Pursuit with the not!in-laws.

sj, I'm sorry you're in so much pain.

Thanks, Kristin. The nighttime pain hasn't been bad enough to actually keep me awake in a while, so I am counting myself lucky.

hi thread

I hope you had a restful painless sleep sj.

The boys got a spongeBob monopoly for Christmas. It will take a lot to get me in a game. DH and Brendon are fiercely serious about these things while Bobby and I are try to keep the peace and have fun players. It never ends well. I love board games, but don't have the competitive thing going on.

Must get some of the list done today.

Timelies, everyone.

Got back from Italy last night. Will have stories later. Right now, waiting for coffee. I will miss Italian coffee.