Robin, for a good wall sconce, you might want to wait for Restoration Hardware's big lamp sale. That's when we got sconces. I think it was in October or November or so, soon.

Jesse, I don't know if I've mentioned it (and fie on me if I haven't), but a former coworker of mine opened a bookstore a few miles up the road from me in an antique district just this year. Let me know if you want her email.

So the dog I linked to yesterday was taken by the people who saw her last night. Pooh.

OTOH, I just got back from seeing another dog, who is a very sweet, small, slightly shy bitch, about two years old. She was reserved and then very excited to chase the ball around the yard, and happy to go for a walk, even if she wasn't really any good on the leash (she pulled). I liked her a lot, and I think she'd settle in well with me. So hopefully I will get her, if the people who called about her first don't decide to take her.

And then I'll have to collect names, because there's no way I'm subjecting a dog of mine to "Blondie" for the rest of her life. That's just wrong.

So after everybody left DH, the kids, and I all played in the bouncy house for about 2 hours. It was fun. By that time, the house was too hot to be comfortable and the backyard was finally cooling off. But... 2 hours of jumping around?

I did 2 miles tonight on the treadmill in 30:36 minutes. The first mile in 14:51 minutes.

15 months ago I had to call for wheelchair assistance to get through O'Hare Airport.

The good side of this is that the DH has an expensive review car this week, a Land Rover--and it has much better AC than our house. It even has air-conditionoed seats!

The rich really are different. They have air conditioned asses. Enjoy the ride, Robin!

Suela, good luck with getting the dog. The blonde cocker we had growing up was called Buffy. He was a boy but he was named for his buff color, so go figure.

Burrell, private family bouncy-house time. That's such a cool memory for your kids to have! Oh, and thanks for the RH suggestion. I will keep my eye out for sale time.

Go, Cashmere with the fitness and the health! I am so glad all your hard work has paid off.

I just explained to Bob Bob what "shipping" was (as in, like XF shipping, not high seas). But first, I had to make sure he knew what the internet was, that it wasn't just everyone writing into Word documents and checking email. Because SERIOUSLY. How do you miss that if you're under 40?

It is a cool memory, but I always wonder what exactly the kids will remember of these early years. Of course, I'll remember it.

I love your explanation of shipping, bon bon. At first I was thinking "FedEx?"

Hee. I bet the SO doesn't know what shipping is. I'm guessing they don't have that in the Roland gear technical fora.

Steph, poor Boy! Risotto is awesome comfort food. Warm and creamy and cheesy and mild.

Jesse, you should totally do it! Check your local Small Business Administration chapter, and see if you have a local SCORE(They're retired executives that volunteer their time to small businesses.) They should be able to help you out with your market research, forming your business plan, etc. I agree with Kathy that it's a good idea to work in the industry first.

Also, I am about to keel over. Last night we got rained out of our show, but tonight we did not. I think I may be too old for this (and I'm the second youngest in the band.) for much longer. My feet hurt, my thighs hurt, and I'm tired! But it was fun, if lacking in certain levels of, err, expertise.

Jesse, when you're visiting your parents, stop by Porter Square books and see if you can strike up a conversation with the owner(s) -- they have plenty of experience in non-chain bookstores (my beloved, departed Wordsworth) and starting up a new one. And I'm sure they'll recommend actually working in one for a while!