That makes a lot of sense, Allyson. and I see no reason why your dreams shouldn't happen.

Dana --tickets to some thing they can do with their grandkids?

But , remember a thank you is just that, a thank you. The gift is the part that says "no really, thank you". it doesn't have to be grand -- just something nice. That's why flowers are often the best thing -- they say thanks , they are pretty and they don't clutter up the place forever. ( just no lillies -- they kill anyone with even vague allergies)

SuziQ, Karate Kid was on tv last night! I had fun watching "Sand the floor...paint the fence...wax on, wax off..."

Good luck on the new position, Allyson, and on any potential job-hunting in the future if you decide to do so. Oh, and definitely on the new book!! I saw you mention it was a kids book--what's the topic, if you don't mind my asking?

Dana, they are expensive, but I endorse Zingerman's gift baskets. No one's taste is so refined they can't enjoy it!

If there's anything I've learned from Law & Order (not to mention Criminal Intent), it's this.

I learned that from This American Life as well, so you know it's true.

I have a hivemind question...about twitter? Is it something useful? Is it for teens? If you join, do you use your name like here or use your real name? I am so out of the loop on this.

I don't know about twitter, but I just said something about Facebook to my new minion and I swear to god she looked at me like, "You're on Facebook? But you're SO OLD!!" I'm at least 10 years older than she is, but STILL.

Erin! It's been forever since I posted with you. How are you doing?

Frank, I hope the rest of the day works out fine, and that the coming night will treat you better.

I'm a fan of laundry. Folding is probably my favorite chore. And I enjoy making it all pretty and neat. My mom leaves heaps and heaps of laundry for me to fold (and iron), because she loves my folding (which is very flattering, in its way).

Allyson as long as he recongizes you have a lot of skills that can be utilized and not taken for granted. There are lots of different types of assistants and I'm glad you guys have pegged what he needs.

There are three young deer LOUNGING (as in lying about chewing grass) less than 50 ft from my deck in the back yard.

I don't know about twitter, but I just said something about Facebook to my new minion and I swear to god she looked at me like, "You're on Facebook? But you're SO OLD!!" I'm at least 10 years older than she is, but STILL.

That was the reaction my son gave me about Facebook. "Really, Mom, don't do it."

Did you tell him that all the grownups are on Facebook now?

Ah! I'm writing a kids' book! It starts like this...

Sam – Chapter One: Birthquake

Sam was born at 3:26am on April 17th. The moon was full and round in the sky; a whipped-cream filled balloon, one breath from bursting. His life began with a deep yawn, sucking the night air into his tiny lungs, soaking up a bit of that unusually enormous spring moon. And then he closed his eyes, exhausted and swaddled in leather on his mother’s belly, and had a good, long rest. It was the last time Sam would find himself sleepy, let alone asleep, at 3:26am on a gorgeous spring night, or any other sort of night, for the rest of his life.

Sam’s mother was a bat, and therefore, so was Sam. A Mexican Free-tail bat, to be specific. He was only one inch tall, and weighed about as much as a marshmallow. Together, Sam and his mother lived a content life in a warm, tar-black cave in Southern California (with about eighty-four thousand, six hundred and ninety-two assorted relatives and friends).

Every morning, just as the earth spun lazily on its axis toward daylight, and the sky went from black to navy blue, and the first strokes of orange floated along the horizon, Sam’s mother would tell him a bedtime story about a cousin, auntie, or great-great-great-grampa’s amazing bat adventures. You see, Sam’s family has lived in this cave since bats could fly, and Sam’s mother knew every story there was tell about them.

And then an earthquake destroys Sam's cave, leaving him all alone. So he travels the world, from Argentina's vampire bats to London's goth bats to star-crossed lover bats in the Middle East, pirate bats in Jamaica, and the wise fox bats in Australia, looking for a new family.

And he is SO CUTE! I'm going to Texas in September to visit the bat biology lab at Texas A&M.