I went to a college whose mascot was The Chaparral. I think they meant Chaparral Bird since there were roadrunners on all the team logo stuff. Not many people realized they were actually the "fighting scrub grass paririe".

Buffistas are amazing. Your encouragement is helping beyond words.

Do it dressed in your finest new Goth apparel as a nice signal finger.

That is certainly part of the plan! First day of school? Frothy, gothy skirt and fitted Victorian~esque jacket.

Jilli, all clicky-links are welcome! This is war and they have crossed a woman (no lady in this situation!) whose Scottish ancestors fought with William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. {I'm a Scottish-Irish-German-French-English, in high school friends told me I had all the 'mean, passionate temperaments'}

Bastards. Ignorant, backwater, just this side of hillbilly, submoronic, wastes of DNA.

Barb, I truly love this. It is the perfect description of so much of at that school.

I truly love this.

"submoronic" is one of those words that turns the entire brilliant sentence up a whole other notch.

High-fives to my Scots-Irish-German-English relative, GG! (add in Welsh, possibly Portugese, and some other things we're not quite sure of (mumblemubmle), a tendency to get kicked out of countries for fighting, claim jump into wars, and generally pick up a shellaillagh at a moments' notice, and you've got me.)

eta: punct(sips coffee)uation

Next to the regular Half & Half, they had something called "fat free Half & Half."

The mind boggles.

I too use it in my coffee. It has tons less calories/fat, and it's really just as good. I also use it in my mashed potatoes. That one I wish I had heavy whipping cream for, but I usually forget to buy it.

Is today GC and DF day? HAPPY GC and DF DAY!!!!!

Barb, I truly love this. It is the perfect description of so much of at that school.

Well, given that I've got more than passing familiarity with the area in question, I figured I was pretty close to the mark. Hang in there honey-- we've got your back.

Is today GC and DF day? HAPPY GC and DF DAY!!!!!

Yes, this, very much so!!

I use it in my coffee. Don't try to heat it, it will break in a New York minute.

Huh - I've cooked with it (casseroles etc) and it's worked fine, but I wouldn't use it in my coffee because then I'd be able to taste it.

It's basically just evaporated skim milk with extra stabilizers to mimic the texture of light cream.

Eep - HAPPY WEDDING DAY GC/DF!!!!

Have a wonderful wedding, GC & DF!

brenda, hurrah for good Lucy news!

With all the orientation hoopla this week, I forgot to confirm some coverage we need. Please to be crossing your fingers that the librarian with whom I forgot to confirm with (she has been on a two week vacation) is still willing to cover or Sox will have to settled for a messy house and/or no groceries in the house when she visits this weekend.

Doo-doo-doot-doo, doo-doo-doot-doo.... Throws rice birdseed on GC and DF/about-to-be-DW. WooHoo!

High-fives to my Scots-Irish-German-English relative, GG! (add in Welsh, possibly Portugese, and some other things we're not quite sure of (mumblemubmle),

We must all be cousins!

High fives with GG and Sox.

Add in Dutch, and Creek (East of the Mississippi), and you've got me. Not a pliable strain amongst 'em.

a tendency to get kicked out of countries for fighting, claim jump into wars, and generally pick up a shellaillagh at a moments' notice, and you've got me.)

We've got the ability to hide out in the backwoods when meant to be on forced relocations, survive scalping, out-run Brit-allied Native American war parties during the Revolution, stick to one's Protestant guns during Wars of Religion, and generally zig when one should zag.

ooh! happy wedding day to GC and DF!

Sean, I can't see you, but I believe in you. Take care of yourself.

GG - some of Jilli's advice columns have included how to dress Goth without breaking dress codes. You just go more formal than usual ... which can really freak out some people (imagine it - everyone else is wearing khakis and polo shirts and you're wearing a skirt and jacket, ruffles, maybe a hat ... stripey tights are optional for you). And does MM have a spare flaming cow he can project at your DD?

And may I say that I avoid "fat free" versions of stuff - they tend to add sweetener of some sort to make up for the loss of texture.

and GG - I forgot to mention - the Scots have been scaring people off for CENTURIES. Remember the Romans? their legions were, um, tough by anyone's standards. They hit Scotland, started going through conquering the Picts who lived there, then stopped, counted up their losses, looked at the countryside and said forget it. Just to be safe they built a wall. Hadrian's Wall. 75 miles long, 8 to 12 feet high, with space between the outer and inner wall to run a chariot. (Some say the ghosts STILL patrol that wall ... just to make sure.)