If anyone is interested, our official 2008 photo is now up.
Thanks ya’ll for the good wishes. Food has been consumed, laundry has been started.
The bad news is that MIL has started gambling again. And big time. She went through re-hab once before about 3-4 years ago and will more than likely be going again…
On the good news though, my dad, the alcoholic has dramatically cut down on his drinking. He actually carried on converations with us and joined us for dinner and stuff. It was a huge. Though he has always gone through spurts where he cuts down/quits and then starts again, but I’m praying that this time he will stay cut down, or better yet sober…though I don’t think he’s ready to quit completely yet, but it was a nice surprise to notice the change. I did mention to him how proud we were…
Y’all some purty wimmens BioRosie and that’s high praise comin’ from a gay guy. 
Sorry about your MIL MCUNE. Don’t know what to say about your dad… maybe in time he’ll decide to deal with the alcoholism but in the mean time, yay for small victories.
It’s feelin’ stormy out. Let us hope. I’d lurve for a big ol’ thunderboomer to happen, minus the tornadoy stuff of course.
I wonder how BBBobbio made out at the rodeo. Sump’n to look forward to in the new MMP!
Seems like tornadoes have been everywhere today; we had a warning at 2:30 or so (did I say that somewhere upthread already?).
Nice pic, rosie!
Don’t you sometimes wonder what makes people write Dear Abby, Spaz? I am now unable to read advice columns without channeling your commentary, by the way.
Finished cleaning (more or less), have focaccia rising in the kitchen, went to church and then to Whole Foods and just had a couple of pieces of sourdough rye, one with Swiss cheese and one with those nice raspberry preserves. Yum. Don’t think I’ll be buying raspberry preserves ever again. We’ll see how long they keep. Here’s the recipe:
Raspberry Preserves
(The original recipe was for 8 oz. frozen raspberries. I had a 12 oz. package from Trader Joe’s, so I adjusted the amount of sugar.)
12 oz. Frozen Raspberries
3/8 c. sugar.
Place the frozen unsweetened raspberries and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat (move around and break up frozen clumps as it heats up). Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until liquid starts to thicken a little bit. Do not let it burn. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof measuring cup (I used a plastic container). You should have just over a cup of preserves. Add a drop or two of lemon juice. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few days before using. I didn’t follow this last instruction and the consistency was fine. It was already thickening before I put it in the fridge.
Off to throw the focaccia in the oven.
GT
Our last dog was terrified of thunderstorms too, so you had to hold her the whole time.
swampy, they’re not up yet. I’ll be sure and let you know when to start lookin’. 
What GT said. I snark my way through Dear Abby everyday now thanks to you Spaz. Not that that’s a bad thing.
MCUNE remind me in next week’s MMP to post a recipe or two. One is for a wunnerful pound cake Mom reminded me of and gave me the recipe for. It’s just the best pound cake evah and one I grew up eatin’. Sigh… the classics are sometimes really the bestest.
ETA: Donkeybear I anxiously await their debut.
high praise, indeed. But it’s just the red outfits and all that damned makeup. 
Exhausted. Am now a woman with a master’s degree with the tassel to prove it. Rain was hell, as was the wind–so much for my hair. Thank god I didn’t wear my new dress, I would have frozen half to death. Didn’t know graduating would be so tiring. Pretty much dead and am now in jammies and ready for bed.
Happy Mother’s Day all. More later, perhaps.
Congrats, rigs!!!
I’m exhausted too. It’s been a very emotional weekend. I’m ready for a new week with lots of business… Well, I can dream, can’t I?
I’m going to work on tomorrow’s MMP and post it in a little while. I’ll be up way too early tomorrow, but I’ll be very busy working on breakfast.
Didn’t see your post earlier, McUne. Sorry about MIL, and yay for progress with Dad. Far-away best friend’s Mom is a recovering alcoholic who has also had issues with prescription drugs. We had a number of holidays where mom was “indisposed.” She seems to be doing OK now, but we always worry that she’ll have a setback.
Yay for the master’s degree, rigs!
Tired. Should probably crawl into bed.
GT
Home. Called Mom, she was all verklempt, so I talked to Dad. Teh Sick is about the same, it really only hurts when I eat(Mom: then don’t eat!). Storms around. I did my first fill up on new car(I need a name for her), getting 30mpg. Not bad for mostly highway driving.
Congrats, rigs!
I hope mom and dad do OK, McUNE.
rosie, I’m disappointed, I can’t see your balls in that picture.
Yay rigs!
Just for you… Pomp and Circumstance. 
Congratumalations, rigs! You’ll just have to find an excuse to wear that adorable dress another time.
{{McUne}} Glad to hear your dad is making progress, and hope your MIL realises she’s on a dangerous path. It’s tough on the whole family, to watch someone you love do such destructive things to themselves… I’m still waiting on my dad to figure that out.
Glad to hear none of the Mumpers did a Dorothy and got themselves carried away by a tornado. Here’s hoping Haze’s flight wasn’t delayed or anything.
Beddybyes for me… see y’all in the next MMP.
rigs, does a master’s degree get you the funny hat, or is that Ph.D? And I never heard of a cold graduation! Ours was in a gym, so 400 degrees, as usual. (Also congratulations!)
The new MMP is up! And I’m going home.