I've been extremely pissed off.

So, okay, Grace did a Special Games event (not S.O.... ) it was sponsored by panhellenic life at Loyola Marymount. I cannot for the life of me figure out who is supposed to be learning what from that situation. Like is this to make the special needs folks feel good or is it really about secretly making the frats and sorority girls feel better.

Well, I told my landlord that I'm leaving at the end of the school year, and I asked her if I could extend my lease until the end of June (it ends at the end of May) so that I'd have a bit more time to get organized and actually move stuff after classes end, but she said no. She also said she wants me to "create order" in the apartment as soon as possible, so that she can start showing it. (It is currently a mess, and I do need to get stuff organized and de-cluttered so that I can pack things and move.) I did get rid of three trash bags full of random papers and packaging and plastic junk that had been in my front room today, though, so that's a start.

Shrift, we love the Hotel Monaco. Bob's also stayed at The Palomar and liked it but the Monaco is his home away from home (with better room service and less pet hair than home).

sarame, that's so sad but wonderful the salon is taking care of her.

How sad, sarameg, but what amazing support from her work. Good for them.

Like is this to make the special needs folks feel good or is it really about secretly making the frats and sorority girls feel better.

Well B is definitely a factor, so the real question is what, if anything, do the special needs folk get from it? Sounds like you weren't impressed.

She also said she wants me to "create order" in the apartment as soon as possible, so that she can start showing it.

Hil, I suggest a Homeland-style color-coded evidence wall. That shows order, right?

Re: the stroganoff.

The sauce was good in the pan, but it's too subtle over the noodles. I don't know what it needs. Hubby would know, dammit. Maybe more salt? I did leave some out.

And egg noodles. I will never get pasta right. It's either over done or mush. Tonight it's too close to mush. Bah. And the meat's tough. Double bah.

The sauce was good in the pan, but it's too subtle over the noodles. I don't know what it needs

Since the meat was tough, is this something that you could let simmer longer, maybe with a splash of wine? When I make soup, a long simmer both tenderizes the meat and develops the favors, and a little wine often gives some brightness to creamy dishes.

Connie, if there is one thing I have learned in the last few years of cooking, it is that "more salt" is almost always the right answer for underwhelming flavor from a recipe. For beef stroganoff, I would sub soy sauce for some of the salt; it brings deep meaty flavor that can help enhance the beef and mushroom flavors.

I've been meaning to make beef stroganoff myself! But with ground beef because that's how I was raised (?) and also it's easier.

Like is this to make the special needs folks feel good or is it really about secretly making the frats and sorority girls feel better.

I don't think it's a secret that anything that is set up as a volunteer activity for a group is always at least as much about making the group feel good. This is why I never wanted corporate volunteer days at my youth center job. PITA for no benefit to our kids!

Hey Ginger, my mom thanks you for the tip that she would feel worse the next day after her treatment, because she did! Day-of, I think mostly she was groggy from benadryl.

Also, re: noodles, I put the timer for at least one minute less than the package says and then test.