Since your size is changing so dramatically now, you probably don't want pricey suits, but for when you do, I cannot recommend highly enough Speedo's endurance fabric line. I swim over an hour everyday, and these suckers last 6 months. Regular suits, I'd go through one A MONTH. And they weren't that much cheaper. Other companies probably have similar lines (it's basically polyester) I just happen to like the way the speedos fit.

Now the question is whether I spend $70 to get my suit online since they were out at the swimshop. Given a conversation I overheard, I'm thinking maybe I should call them and request they order it for me, cause they'd get bulk rates and it'd be cheaper that way (and it is a popular size.) But I don't know if they'd go for that.

Much ~ma for your brother, Kathy. And cool news on the bathing suits.

Does anyone have a good chicken thigh recipe?

I don't actually eat them, but I bake them for about forever (1-2 hours) covered in an equal mix of olive oil, soy sauce, and white wine. The boys and DH can't get enough of them so I do a huge pan. I buy the boneless skinless, but the roommate I copied used regular thighs.

In another year or two, I might have to ask you for your recommendation again, but I am marking this for future reference--thanks!!

For anyone looking for good quality plus-size swimwear, I cannot recommend Junonia enough. Most of their suits are in the $60-80 range, but they are fabulously sturdy and functional. And, if you buy at the right time, you might get a clearance suit at half-off.

Thanks for the dessert rays, ita. Lemon blueberry pound cake & cinnamon tea is a fine dinner.

Eta:oh, that's a good tip, Kathy. I know I'd looked at Junonia for suits before and thought they looked good, it's great to have a recommendation.

JESSE!!

Is your cowgirl thing because of "Toy Story 2"?!?!

I am so going to get so many more Buffista allusions thanks to today's "Toy Story" trilogy viewing. Oh hell yeah.

java - Joe wants his and Emeline's dance at her wedding to be "You've Got a Friend in Me". He sings it to her all the time. I love those movies.

I can see why, Aims!

Is your cowgirl thing because of "Toy Story 2"?!?!

I believe the story was that she went to this Come As You Aren't party, and there were pictures of Jesse in a cowboy hat, and then people saw the picture without knowing the context, an made assumptions...

The name didn't hurt, though.

java, before we had b.org, but after we left TableTalk we camped for a while on WorldCrossing. WX had 1x1 inch photo spots as icons, and Jesse's was of her wearing (someone else's, I believe) a cowboy hat. Those of us who had not met her or seen other photos of her, thereafter pictured her wearing a cowboy hat, and she became Cowgirl Jesse.

Dana used a picture of Elijah Wood as Frodo. One of us used a picture taken as a bridesmaid with an upraised glass. We were all sort of caught in amber by the WX photos till we'd actually met F2F. Aims had a very '30s film actress quarter profile b/w shot. Jon B had the NYC skyline behind him as a child. I'd recognize others, though I don't recall them offhand.

Ayup. One of meara's parties. I have photo proof, as I was there. Unfortunately, so does she. So we are at a standoff. (But she was AWESOME.)