Thank you, Kate for the reminder. I think I got two of them but can`t remember if I posted it more than twice. I was perhaps a tad over anxious to make sure I got tasty Buffista time!
 
I have train intrigue part the umpteenth to report! You know how with travel there`s a certain rhythm, people getting settled in, that sort of thing. Well, there is on the train too, and during the lull, a whole group of people plus their poodle traipsed past our door. That was odd because a) mostly this car is singles, couples, because of the duo nature of the sleeper cars, and b) only service animals are allowed. I suppose it could have been a service poodle, but it didn`t look like it! We start rolling and then voices escalate and one of them rushes past the other way. The attendant makes his way through the car.
 
So at the next stop, Naperville, the conductor comes on the loudspeaker. "Okay, if there are any...visitors on the train, you need to get off now pretty quickly."
 
Dude, we totally had stowaways! I think maybe they got on with a friend who was traveling, thinking they`d get off at the "all aboard" but this is the beginning of the line. That call comes inside the train station. Stowaways! I guess they had to take the metra back from Naperville.

Nilly! Mazal Tov!

NILLY!!! Congratulations!

Much good surgery~ma for Kathy!

-t, I'm glad today wasn't too bad. And that it's done.

Absolutely horrific Thanksgiving story with a bit of an upper at the end. Good lord.

Spanish woman claims she owns the sun - and now plans to start charging ALL users:

The document issued by the notary public declares Ms Duran to be the 'owner of the Sun, a star of spectral type G2, located in the centre of the solar system, located at an average distance from Earth of about 149,600,000 kilometers'.

Ms Duran, who lives in the town of Salvaterra do Mino, said she now wants to slap a fee on everyone who uses the sun and give half of the proceeds to the Spanish government - and 20 per cent to the nation's pension fund.

She would dedicate another 10 per cent to research, another 10 per cent to ending world hunger - and would keep the remaining 10 per cent herself.

Pull out your pocketbooks, world! Or stay inside.

Who would like to Christmas shop for my hard cases? Stepfather, age 78, rich enough that he tends to buy himself anything he needs, not very interested in possessions. I usually get him books and socks. Have a book for him. Food? Case 2: Brother, age 32, has young gf (like 23), works in IT, lives alone, another one who spends freely on himself. Don't know much about his tastes. I usually get him basic clothes, but his gf or somebody has got him actually dressing himself recently. Have a book. Budget for each is about $40.

Do they drink? My father just suggested I get him a case of beer, so I will! Fancy beer.

flea, does your brother like stupidly awesome geek toys? You might try ThinkGeek.com.

flea, I second the ThinkGeek.com rec - I too have a brother who is almost impossible to buy for so he gets toys from Think Geek usually. This year I found a zombie board game at Archie McPhee for him too.

This year I found a zombie board game at Archie McPhee for him too.

Which one?