Greetings from what will be sunny California...eventually.  Our nice weather is starting to wane and we are headed back down into more traditional temps for this time of year, although we did break two records this week...  There&#39;s even rain in the forecast again (yea&#33;).<br />
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Should never say that I&#39;m having a do nothing day, because they never turn out that way.  Did a mess of laundry after a visit to the local craft store.  I needed to pick up a bunch of pillow inserts to replace the old ones.  I do Hawaiian quilting and we have about 100 pillows arond the house...okay, maybe not 100, it just seems that way.  I like to do pillow sqaures on cruises because they are easier to handle than bedspreads on airplanes.  Anyhow, all the insert seemed to go flat about the same time.  Also picked up a frame for a poster (Tutu Quilting) and some raffeta.<br />
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Pull a mess of weeds, got maintenance to haul away the closet doors, got the shades out of the storage shed, all to the muscial cacophony of the backhoe digging up our canal out back...this is when I miss Vermont.  it never seemed quite so noisy there.<br />
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Today, I think I&#39;ll hit the bathrooms, clean out the rest of the winter clothes from the closet and get the menu together for next week.  A chef friend called last night and asked if we&#39;d help cook for a birthday party at a local winery  (always a fun time, especially if it&#39;s for less that 35 people&#33;).  We also got our tickets for the scholarship dinner (next weekend) as well as the Polyneisian show this weekend (thankfully, we&#39;re not cooking for that).  Oh, and we need to fix the sprinker head the backhoe broke...yes, life&#39;s a contant party at the Kirby household.<br />
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Cheryl,  I hope the contractors show up on time and actually make more progress than a mess today.  <br />
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Other Cheryl, I hope your back is continuing to improve.  You might want to pick up something called &#39;Bio Freeze&#39;  at your local pharmacy.  It&#39;s a topical, but one that really works well as a muscle rub as well as a treatment for sunburn (albeit an expensive one).  <br />
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Robert, I hope that you are doing well and know that there are people here for you whenever you need us.  I haven&#39;t been here for very long, but I can tell that every poster is the cream (that&#39;s to go with your Ketchup, Keith) of the crop .  it&#39;s just refreshing to be able to come some place and not have to worry about being criticised or flamed.  Ths is the friendliest site I&#39;ve found and I&#39;m spreading the word&#33;<br />
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Keith, I hope you are well now and will give Rita my wishes for a speedy recovery.  Colds are never fun, but at least you have your two weeks in Florida to look forward to.  It will be great because you seem the type that have fun no matter what.<br />
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Mary Lou - as always my inspiration to smile.  We. as adults, don&#39;t do enough of that or laugh.  A recent report said that people who laugh tend to be healthier and live long than somber folks.  Or maybe they just enjoy their time here more&#33;<br />
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Take care, everyone&#33;<br />
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Charlie