{{{{Laura}}}} I'm so sorry about the loss of your friend.

{{{{omnis}}}} Much strength to your family.

re: rings. Z & I had matching blackworked silver rings in a Celtic knot design from Spirit Of The Red Horse (a mall shop), and we both wore them from the night we got engaged on. They were perfectly appropriate and very nice and worked within our budget. I would have hated to have a mined diamond, but I lurve created diamonds and rubies. So pretty! So affordable! So lacking in ethical dilemmas!

Saturday was awesome and Buffista-ful, what with breakfast with meara and dinner with Tep & the Boy, and the Bayistas at both. Unfortunately, Sunday mostly sucked ass, what with being sick. I did get to see off Tep and the Boy, which was nice. Also, M was very attentive (in between teasing me that I'd better not get him sick): he fetched water multiple times (even when I woke him up), brought me a kitty to cuddle, gave me good drugs, ordered in spicy Chinese so we could have a quiet dinner at his place, cleaned the Jacuzzi, ran the Jacuzzi, and boiled water to add to the Jacuzzi when his water heater crapped out at the halfway-full mark. So, that was good.

I am at work today. That is not of the good.

::sneaks juliana a shot of fernet::

I made the last BART train home Saturday night. Cab driver kept trying to con me into letting him drive me across the bay.

DH told me I could have his ashes created into a diamond for an engagement ring for my next marriage.

Either that or he said he wants to be stuffed, if I can find a taxidermist who's up for the job.

So, teachers - how was the first day back?

I keep wandering around and being confused by the whole "education" thing today. Good thing the kids don't arrive until Thursday. I am already tired of meetings, however. Not good given I have two more days of them after today.

Mine was nice - my class seem like a nice little bunch, and I'm trying Very Hard not to compare them to my last lot.

I am certain that you will be just as enamored of them as you were with the last group. There's always something new to love!

ION, I have broken my personal "no b.org at school this year" rule after only four hours of being back. Well done, me!

Speaking of back to school, today is my nephew's first day of middle school! Does anyone have any ideas on a cool back to school gift for a kid starting 6th grade?

My engagement ring is a star ruby. Set in silver ivy leaves and nestled next to a small skull, so no one can ever really tell it's the engagement ring.

sj, does he have an ipod or laptop? He might like itunes gift certificates. OR a gift card for his favorite pizza place? I always liked cool markers and notebooks but I'm not sure if that's a girl-thing. Or, how about movie tickets?

sj, does he have an ipod or laptop? He might like itunes gift certificates. OR a gift card for his favorite pizza place? I always liked cool markers and notebooks but I'm not sure if that's a girl-thing. Or, how about movie tickets?

Good ideas. I don't think he has an iPod or a laptop. I'll have to ask T. Movie tickets might be good. I always took him to the movies when he lived here. I usually would get him pencils, notebooks, markers, etc., but I am not sure if he is at the right age to think that's cool anymore.

jilli - your ring sounds both lovely and original.

Oooh, my Moo mini cards came in today! I got 100 cards with pictures of the kids on them and my name/email/mobile phone on them.

I'm hoping they're useful for parent-networking. Plus, they're cute!