<p>Hi PM! No, I haven’t checked that box! Is that the secret? But you still log on and off, right? Thanks! How did you get the yellow dust off your red shoes? Vacuum clean them? Sounds like allergy season is coming full-bloom! This game looks like it will be a nail-biter!</p>
<p>I have a basketball hangover. Too many late nights here in the eastern time zone…</p>
<p>It was a great game. 2 teams of smart, disciplined, hard-working kids. And I have a happy son :)</p>
<p>mafool - amen to the hangover!</p>
<p>I was thinking about the game this morning and I just was so impressed with how classy both teams were. As hard as both teams played, there was little grousing, no temper tantrums, no showing off - it was a pleasure to watch. I have watched a lot (a LOT) of bball over the years and it was one of the best.</p>
<p>I agree, great game. As tired as we were from the long drive we could not turn the game off. Fantastic basketball!</p>
<p>Long line at the DMV this morning. Called 2 others and there were lines at all of them. We are returning first thing in the morning. </p>
<p>I am going to live dangerously and mow the grass this evening. I’m not as affected by the pollen this time of year as some. Something in May sets me off.</p>
<p>Good Evening and Congratulations Ma, and all Duke fans out there and Butler fans, as well. Both teams can be proud of their performances in the Tourney and reaching 1 & 2. That was quite a game! Good luck at the DMV, Rom! It seems early to be mowing the lawn, but my hubby will be mowing ours in a few days. TV tonight is like a three ring circus - DWTS results, Biggest Loser, and AI and probably a few others, too! I’m on a Vegetarian kick at the moment. I’m not going to be total, but am craving the veggies and ready for a change. I just started this yesterday, so we’ll see if it is a passing phase, but I’m enjoying it so far. Ha! Hope you had a good day! Sending a Smile, DM</p>
<p>Rom, good luck at the DMV. MY S1 failed the first time. It was awful. It was his 16th birthday which just happens to be Valentine’s Day. It was also on a Friday so he and his gf had big plans for him to come pick her up on their first real “car date” and go out to dinner to celebrate Val. Day and his birthday. He was so disappointed and embarassed to have to call the gf and tell her he failed. It was def. his worst b-day to date…thanks DMV. BTW, they failed him for driving too slow! He went to a diff. DMV the next week and passed w/ no prob.</p>
<p>DM…all veggies…I love’m veggies but think the burger craving would get to me after awhile.</p>
<p>I’ve mowed the grass twice already! DH usually does it but I’m off work this week and he’s working a lot of overtime so it’s my job.</p>
<p>S passed this morning. He is not going anywhere, but he has a license.</p>
<p>H and I became vegetarians 18 months ago. Do not miss meat (except when I smell barbeque - PackMom will know what I mean). We also don’t eat a lot of dairy. Much easier adjustment than I thought. Definitely not starving!</p>
<p>PM - that is awful for your S1 but it makes for a great story. He’ll be able to tell that one for a lifetime!</p>
<p>“except when I smell BBQ”
Rom…
eastern or western?</p>
<p>I have been vegetarian off and on for 40 years (off right now). Biggest challenge and the reason I stop is that people are nervous about inviting me to dinner…regardless of how often I tell them that I can eat everything else, so they shouldn’t worry.</p>
<p>I would rather eat meat than miss dinner invitations!</p>
<p>PM - Western</p>
<p>mafool - one of our best friends was diagnosed with celiac disease 2 years ago. It’s hilarious for us to try to plan a menu together. If my host is serving wine and bread, I’m good.</p>
<p>rom-
I have a nephew who was thought to have celiac disease. My cooking repertoire expanded quite a bit! Appetizers based on grilled polenta instead of crackers. A great Italian cake based on long-cooked arborio rice (Marcella Hazan). Rice puddings of all kinds. </p>
<p>It was a challenge and we ate well.</p>
<p>You and I are obviously much more open to experimentation than are some of my friends!</p>
<p>Hi Moms! Ma and Rom, it’s good to know I have some cyber friends who can relate to the vegetarian thing. I was a vegetarian for about a year a long time ago. I still plan to eat meat occasionally, PM. I love my burgers, too! Tonight I made an Italian Eggplant Pasta from one of the Moosewood cookbooks. It came out pretty well, considering I used what I had on hand and subbed a can of diced tomatoes for some of the grape tomatoes, since I was short. I’m just ready for a change and looking to lose a few pounds, as well. So Mike was saved from going home on AI tonight - kind of surprising that he was the bottom vote catcher - but sometimes people “assume” that certain contestants will get plenty of votes and it backfires. I’m glad all three of the remaining girls stayed and think a couple of the guys should go first. The catch about Mike’s save, means that two go home next week. The remaining 9 all have good voices and I loved their opening Beatle montage tonight. They all looked great and sang well together. After work today, I had to scrub two of our bathrooms down for the tile work we’re having done tomorrow - nothing major - we are having some corner shelves installed in our showers, a repair on some tiles, and some caulking redone. Fortunately, my hubby will be home for the repair, but the guy is coming at 7:30 in the morning, so we all need to be up, dressed, etc. Hope you have all had a nice day! DoveMom</p>
<p>Well, Rom, if I had to eat that poor imitation they try to pass for BBQ west of Raleigh…I’d be a vegetarian too:)</p>
<p>It’s eastern NC BBQ all the way… hog heaven!</p>
<p>Dove, I was surprised to see Big Mike at the bottom too. I didn’t think his rendition of E. Rigby was that great but still didn’t think he’d be the one. The kid with the long hair or Aaron or even the guy with the glasses should go ahead of Mike. It will be interesting to see which two go next week. </p>
<p>We are in the midst of building a new house. I pored over tile samples for hours trying to make the right choice. We had a little wall niche with two shelves built in and a little triangular corner seat…it’ll be so nice to shave my legs without doing contortions!</p>
<p>aahh…the BBQ wars. Because I was not raised in NC, I’m not so quick to argue or defend. H and S on on the other hand would tell you the best BBQ in the state hands down is in Shelby. It’s always a conversation starter…</p>
<p>Your new shower sounds nice! I decided there are far too many choices in tile.</p>
<p>I need to catch up on AI.</p>
<p>Hey PackMom and Rom! I’ll stay out of the BBQ debate - I like BBQ but will claim ignorance on Eastern vs. Western! I’m sure they are both good. LOL! Our tile work is done and it looks great - this guy is really good! It’s nice to know, because he does all kinds of work - from refinishing basements and kitchens to painting to odd jobs. I’m sure we’ll use him again in the future. Isn’t it always good to know of a competent handyman who isn’t a rip-off artist? PackMom, that shower sounds wonderful! My hubby recently replaced our shower hardware, so we now have duel showerheads, one that can be handheld. Now with the tilework done and some new built-in shelves, things are a bit more up-to-date. A seat would be a great feature to have. As for AI, I would have expected Lee or Andrew to go after the other night. Oh, Boy, tonight is Survivor and Project Runway! Yay!</p>
<p>Thursday is my fav. TV night…Survivor, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice…I know,I know…trash t.v. </p>
<p>DM the east/west BBQ thing is a NC thing. BBQ made two different ways.</p>
<p>If you ever decide you want to add a little triangular seat to your tile shower for less cost than a custom one, google “better bench”. That’s what we had put in our new shower. The tile guy ordered it and installed it when he did the rest of our shower. He had never used it before and was impressed with it.</p>
<p>So do y’all have a dream location you’d like to move to when all the chicks have flown the nest?</p>
<p>Hi PM! I used to watch Grey’s Anatomy, but dropped off last year - the plots with the interns doing operations on themselves and other crazy things turned me off. The show was great until that writer’s strike - after that, not so much, for me. I googled that better bench and it is a nice adaptation. Unfortunately, neither of our shower areas (one in a tub) are configured in a way that could take a bench. I’ll have to remember that for our next house. To answer your question, I’ve lived all over the US - NY, FL, MO, CA, RI, CT, NY - and in some places more than once. I feel that there are nice people everywhere, you just need to find them. My hubby is more locked into the NYC vaccinity. I’d love to sell our house and find a place where we could live much less expensively, but we don’t have any definite places in mind and he’s going to be a hard sell. This summer, we’ll be going to Chapel Hill, NC and Chicago and I plan to keep my eyes wide open! Ha!</p>
<p>Chapel Hill - nice place! We have family that live in this picture-perfect suburb of Chicago - it is great…until it snows and snows and snows.</p>
<p>I grew up in FL, all my family is still there and we spend most of the summer on the Gulf. Not my dream location. H and I hope to someday do the opposite of everyone, summers in FL, rest of the year in NC and in a RV. HA! Of course, we doubt that we will be retiring. We will probably be working for a LONG, LONG time. In fact, when people ask why be became vegetarians, I joke that we have to stay healthy so we can keep working.</p>
<p>Ok, PM, what is your dream location? mafool, how about you?</p>
<p>Rom, you and your hubby must be true Floridians if you can take the summers there! I moved to Florida in HS, but spent my summers as a camper/counselor at a camp in NY state. I guess your plan would mean you could have all of the seasons every year. Tonight I made a potato and asparagus hash and mashed butternut squash. Both dishes were new for me, but came out delicious and were very satisfying. DM, I think burgers are on the menu for tomorrow night, however, at my hubby’s request! BTW, I made a typo on my last state listed above - instead of repeating NY (which I have lived in four different times), I meant to type NJ (where I now live)!</p>
<p>Hi Ladies, So annoyed Grey’s Anat. and Private practice were repeats tonight. </p>
<p>Dove, your dinner sounds tasty. We had a totally unhealthy but tasty dinner ('cept we call it supper). We had smoked pork chops, collard greens, cornbread and mac and cheese. </p>
<p>My dream destination is where our new house is being built. It’s in the middle of nowhere on a river in eastern NC…(see YouTube…InnerBanks/innnerbankslifestyles…you’ll get the idea) We’ve always wanted to live on the water. We are from that area but haven’t lived there since we got married almost 28 years ago. We have lots of family there and S2 is in college there (and hopefully might stay nearby after grad.). It will be a couple of years before we live there full-time(have to find jobs there) but in the meantime hope to spend as many weekends,holidays,vacations as we can down there (4.5 hours fr. where we live now).</p>