Oh, and, yes, my daughter and her boyfriend are still in the States. I haven't heard a word from them for 5 days but I refuse to worry. In Europe she was emailing me daily.

Thanks Jen. I will tell my girlfriend all that you have mentioned.

Do you know where your daughter was heading? I don't think we have the same amount of internet cafe's as they do in Europe. In fact I can't think of one in our town at all, she would need to go to the library here.

Beth - I dunno if you saw my earlier post but we live quite close to Gosford. LOL

Internet cafes are not nearly as common in the USA as they are anywhere else in the world. I'm not sure why that is but Americans use the internet differently and there are different economic drivers as well. In other words, internet cafes usually can't stay in business in the USA. When Al Gore first invented the internet, they were a common sight but not any more. Even people on welfare have broadband in their homes. In contrast, they are still very common in Europe and Central and South America. I'm not sure about Asia though. That market seems to have gone the way of the cellphone and WAP sites. Don't know since I haven't been there in a while. As long as they stay out of Florida, I wouldn't worry about them. In the USA, internet revenue seems to come primarily from advertising so connection rates are low or free. Hard to compete with "free".

Hi BigK,

No I must have missed that post about Gosford. What is the name of your town? Maybe I went there too. I seem to be following you around. I would love to come back to your beautiful country, I just loved it.
The people were all so friendly and helpful too. Only problem we had to deal with was the Clinton jokes everyone wanted to tell us, but they were very funny and at the time he was a bit of a joke!

Maybe we can organize a trip for us all to come over and see you. Wouldn't that be something. Or you could come here and we can all meet at my place. I have plenty of space.

Are we related now?

Beth

Hi Piojitos,

You are correct I have been sitting here thinking about the nearest internet cafe and I am positive there isn't one.
This is a college town and all the kids have lap top computers, you see them at Starbucks etc. where they can get free internet access but they are all using their own machine.

My internet service which is cable is $49.95 a month. I had dial up but it was so slow I fell asleep all the time, so if you want speed it gets pricey.

My H now has a chip in his lap top from Cingular that allows him to get connected anywhere in the world. He no longer has to worry about finding a site to use or worry that the hotel he stays in has connections.

Are you going to come and join us for a trip to see BigK ?

BigK is going to Texas, Orlando, Washington, Las Vegas and LA in Feb/March next year.

Piojitos,

One thing I have also been meaning to tell you is that yes, we are going to need passports for Mexico and Canada but not until sometime in 2007. Just a bit late for me.

Tj is a huge attraction for the college kids here too. You have to be 21 to drink in the states but only 18 in Mexico and I don't think they even check ages at all.

A friends son was picked up near TJ for not having indentification on him when he was laying on the beach. But $100.00 was enough to send the Federale on his way. All the kids have learnt to carry cash for such times as it is a regular event.

I don't know what will happen to TJ when the passport rule goes into effect as they depend on the tourist trade and the college kids. Also getting through the boarder can take several hours now without the hassle of passports being checked.

It will make my life as a mom much easier the boys needing a passport to get in there but I couldn't keep my H out.

I understand the reasoning behind pssports but I am not sure what the outcome will be.

BigK,

What a great trip you have planned. We will have to organize a party to meet and greet you.

Have you been here before?

Been there a couple of times but not for years Beth. Where are you located anyway?

If BigK wants to delay until August, he can go to Sturgis with me.


Different Subject:

I think I commented that Bigger's screen name was dangerous because of the placement of certain letters on the keyboard. I always double check the spelling when I write his name. Now I have wound another word to worry about. It happened when I wrote that ML had her knickers in a twist. I almost had an embarrassing moment with that one too. I need a new word besides knickers.

Has anyone explained to BigK that February/March is still pretty cold in the USA?

Grrrr stoooopid forum!! I had just finished writing the most insightful, witty, touching post only to have it crap out & not allow me to post GRRR!!

What do we have a half minute time limit?

OK, deeeep breath, another...

Hey y'all!

With the recently upgraded forum software, you should never really lose a post. The time-out thing comes and goes. If you got to submit a post and get the error, don't panic - use the browser "back" button to go back to what you had written. Use the mouse to highlight your entire post and "right" click and select copy from the menu to save your post in the memory cache. Try submitting again. Sometimes it takes the second time. If not, go back to the forum and enter the thread again and post a reply ony now click in the text area and paste what you had saved (right click and select paste). and then submit again.

If you are careful and don't panic, you really shoudln't lose a post. The previous version of the forum software would not allow you to use the "back" button so you did lose posts but the new version has at least solved that problem.

((((Todd))))

I too remember looking at ex thinking, does he REALLY not get it or is he being stubborn. Turns out he didn't get it. Or maybe he did & he just didn't care, on to his new life.

I agree it's very important to share with your boys what you've done to save the M.

Upon the advice of my IC ex & I used we when telling the boys about our separation (road to D in his mind). For a couple of months I kept the we part up until the questions the boys asked could no longer truthfully be answered that way. So, from that point on I told things in the way I felt they happened. My youngest said to me "Why did you lie to us & say you both had decided?". Infuriated ex but I think the picture was much clearer.

Pio , this was something I thought of applying to you when I read the other day you would take the blame for sending G away. The truth will always come out. Kids, even at the young age yours are, understand far more than we give them credit for. The truth told in an age appropriate way will serve you best. If it comes to that of course. You're truly in the wait & see area.

Your thoughts on clay are interesting! The clay I use has no zinc & is silica based, though I buy commercial VS making my own & the companies do not share their recipes for their clays. I fire mostly in an oxidation atmosphere, reduction only if I'm lucky. A reduction atmosphere can do spectacular things to a glaze. Some glazes will have zinc but for the most part they don't. I do mix some of my own glazes but mostly buy commercial, I wonder if I described to you the outcome of some of the lest successful ones could you help me buy giving me some chemicals I could add to improve their look?

You mentioned two chemicals, what do you think they would do to glazes? What I like to see in a glaze is something that moves, but not so much it runs off the pot. Enough to move some chemicals around so they add depth & interest VS a shoe polish look. I prefer satins or matts to high gloss but I like to mix glazes on a piece to keep things interesting. Right now I'm doing what I call a landscape look. This involves three glazes on one piece. One glaze between the other two so it mixes with those two. Does that make sense?

OK Pio, now with stop with the word panic!

This whole clay/glaze interaction discussion could be lots of fun! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I sat down with oldest sone yesterday so he could show me cut & paste. He was delighted to show me so he could treat me like a mentally challenged 3 year old. I keep telling myself he has a good heart & he's 15 so this will pass.

Kiwi, maybe your DD is having such fun here in the States she doesn't have the time she had in those other countries to be emailing her mom.

If I see a tall man with a smaller woman & he has on black socks with sandals I'll let you know I've seen your DD & her BF. Or, if I happen to overhear two people speaking funny I'll let you know. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

((((((((((((Todd))))))))))))

I'm so sorry your WW is being ignorant about her mess.

How are you doing today?

Too long of a walk.


I'm not sure. I am reminded of my doc's Mom who took five years to comprehend what she had done after a LTA. I think WW is in the same group and will take her a long time. I actually could see her in denial from now on. But anyway, I am back to being resolute and am NC as of yesterday.

Hi Todd-

Do your sons know you're NC?

What do they have to say?

Thanks Cinders.

This is part of my quest, to be able to look myself in the mirror and to look my sons in the eyes and feel good that I tried to do everything humanly possible.