What DOES bug me is that if a woman had written that same book it would a) be called a romance and not in a good way and b) that's presuming it would have ever been published in the first place.

Ah, I can see that completely. When I am considering books to read the gender of the author never enters my mind. Also, shaking tiny ineffective fist at the insanity of that type of bias.

sj, yes! Take a nap, girl!

Too late. Dave's family will be here in an hour and I still need to get dressed. The beans in the soup are not cooking fast enough.

Also, I felt really honored that she trusts me enough to refer me.

Completely! I hope you get lots of extra work that way.

I've been getting some hemming and taking things in work through my job - because I'll do minor repairs to the residents' clothes while I'm sitting there with nothing better to do while everyone is watching tv or in bed. I don't charge the residents, because I'm already getting paid for being there, helping them to have a non-institutional life. But when other staff members notice me doing that, they ask me to work on their clothes - so I get an extra $5 here and there. By and large I do that all by hand.

Man, this is why I hate the outdoors. Especially in Florida. Friday afternoon, I stepped outside for all of about fifteen minutes and got bit/stung by something. Not a mosquito, but something that has left a very hard welt with a quarter-sized red spot on my calf. No streaks, yet, so that's good, but damn, it alternates between hurting and itching.

My grandfather passed away tonight.

Oh, Shir, I'm so sorry.

{{{{{{Shir}}}}}} I'm so sorry to hear that. Much peace~ma for your whole family.

And Ouchies, Barb. I hope you've got some Benedryl cream on hand.

I'm so sorry, Shir.