I've had good experiences with United

As a counterpoint, when I sent the cats on United, they managed to lose them between getting them off the plane and getting them to me. It only took an extra 45 minutes, but that was after they made me wait until they were sure they weren't showing up, and it was a very long 45 minutes.

One advantage of crockpot: it does not necessarily take tough man to make a tender chicken.

A local sporting goods store is working with a Haitian relief org. and is collecting shoes to be organized and shipped next month. We gathered up shoes from us and some friends and took them over. Since we were at the mall, we ate a glam lunch at the food court and bought some crap at BB&B. We rushed home, bitching all the way because we were supposed to go to dinner and a movie with friends and are both feeling more like doing nothin'. Luckily, we got home and they canceled on us, which means we get to stay home and keep mainlining Doctor Who.

The food is nummy as is the bottle of prosecco.

I had hot and sour soup left over from yesterday's foray into takeaway Chinese.

We just had takeaway Chinese from the place nearest to us. Not the best we've ever had, but pretty damned good and certainly better than anything we've managed to score in the last several years.

Just found out our cars aren't catching up to us until next Friday. Ah well. At least we have a GREAT rate on the minivan we're renting. We had originally only contracted for a standard-size car but since we flew in late, they were completely out and had to give us what they had. It's actually been a godsend, especially with the hauling of firewood.

Yeah... did I mention we've had no heat since Thursday night? Lewis thought he smelled a gas leak downstairs and once I started running the dishwasher, it became incredibly obvious there was a problem. PSE came out and said "yep, you've got a leak," red-flagged us, and shut off the heat until we could get it fixed. Thing was, it was supposed to have been fixed back in November. Lewis went medieval on them when they expressed absolutely no interest in fixing it-- he called them incompetent, unqualified, and liars. Luckily, our real estate agent was able to recommend someone else who came out this morning, didn't charge us overtime and fixed the leak and as I type, the guy from PSE is here, hopefully turning my gas back on.

Woot! Have heat again!

That's great, Barb! That you have heat now, not that you had to wait and jump through hoops to get it.

Weighs 10 lbs, 1 oz as of yesterday!

Right on, Shane!

Hubby just poked his head in and declared "Vampire potato beetles!" then left.

"What?" I said after a moment.

"It just wandered through my brain."

I'm picturing beetles with wee fangs and capes.

Yay, heat!