I knew the answers to the three-part Dune question.

Heh - I was named after the Lady Jessica Atreides. Dune-nerddom is in my blood.

(Shai Halud*, Thumper, Water of Life.)

*Also Shaitan, Maker, Old Man of the Desert

I just heard a British guy pronounce it with a long a and now I'm worried that I've been mispronouncing it all these years....

I think this may be a British vs American thing, because I say "swathe" to rhyme with "blah."

Kathy, I had no idea that Breyer's made dolls.

(I had/have the horses.)

Nunya has now crawled under the blanket on the bed, Ply is on top of the blanket. there is no more room for me, must find new blanket, and strange position to sleep in that disturbs neither, because they are cute.

You're too nice. Me, I would belly-flop on the bed just to watch them bounce and scramble.

I've always said swathe with the long a.

I don't think I've ever said swathe.

I say it with a schwa.

Where they're outside so much, I hardly ever see them, so the indoor time is precious.

Heh - I was named after the Lady Jessica Atreides. Dune-nerddom is in my blood.

I met a woman named Alia in the park last year. I nearly swallowed my tongue I geeked out so bad. In the end, all I could do was sputter out, "Your parents must be so cool.'

That or they regarded her as an abomination early on...