Saturday, January 14, 2006

I made a mistake . . .
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did anyone catch it?

I had a country station Web site on my link instead of classic rock. It's fixed now and I'm listening to Stairway to Heaven by Lead Zeppelin.

Thanks for all your concern for Adi, she is doing fine and doesn't even know she has a problem. Her doc is a good one, even if he is a Texas Aggie. In fact Texas A&M University has one of the better vet schools in the nation. For sure in Texas.

Adi did gain a little weight over the holidays. She weighed 26.1 pounds, her last visit was 25.3. But that is ok, according to Dr. Hablinski. The Web site for his Willis Animal Clinic is http://www.willisvet.com/index.html.
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My link to the Drive-Thru Gourmet at the side has also been updated. This week it is about "Quiznos bread bowls good to the last crumb."


The last bread bowl Mrs. Jim and I had was at the monthly market at Anchorage, Alaska, this last September. It had clam chowder. We also had fish and chips. We were sitting on a little picnic bench with a very large crowd around that day.

KKRW is moving on, they are playing Black Water by the Doobie Brothers now, well now Who'll Stop the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival.


p.s. to Adi's visit with the vet

Adi's vet this morning said she had a heart murmur. He rates them from 1 to 6, six being a really bad one. Adi's is about a two. He said his ears weren't good enough to hear a one.

He said old people and dogs get to coughing when these get real bad. He said then it would be congesitive heart failure. Dogs get that too.

Beagles commonly get this murmur according to the vet, but they generally don't develop into anything real bad. They will have a constant cough when the murmur gets worrisome.

You can live in Montgomery, Texas, where ...
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5. Everything is air conditioned, including outdoor theaters.
6. Major league sports: Football; Baseball; Ice Hockey; Basketball; and Soccer. All of these are inside with air conditioning except soccer.

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Friday, January 13, 2006

A confession:
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That red 2005 Mustang isn't mine. I got to test drive it on a measured track at our horse race parking lot for the Ford Invitation Days. I drove it and the new Ford Fusion before they became available. The only Mustangs with automatic transmissions were V6s. I was on crutches then so that's all I could drive. I still made a good time on the course.
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Another confession:
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I'm not 104 years old. That's all the older Blogger would let me be. Dad had a cousin who lived to be 103, her sister was 101 when she died. They lived in Arlington, Nebraska.
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Our day:
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Adi got her shots and nail trim, I got my hair cut. Mrs. Jim played 18 holes of golf. I don't know how good she did, she didn't say, I will ask. I worked on things, but didn't get much else accomplished.
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Mitch on probation:
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I added him to my links of "Fellow Bloggers" like he asked but he may not stay. We have to work him over a little to keep on writing. They are nice articles when he will write. While on probation maybe I ought to post his progress, letting people know in my blog when he has updated. He says he will do it 'two or three times a week' but it has been over a week now.
Like the shoe ad, 'just do it!' Mitch.
..

Adi Update. .

Adi did get her bath yesterday. She has an appointment for 10:20 this morning. For sure she will get her shot(s) and a nail trim. Also a refill on her heartworm medicine. She will get weighed, I'm afraid she has picked up a little weight over the holidays. Her vet recommends 25 pounds. I have her on a diet so she stays pretty close to that.


Mrs. Jim has a 10:04 tee time, but that doesn't affect Adi. Well, it does because we generally go for a walk from wherever Mrs. Jim drops us off.

Adi got up with me to get the paper a few minutes ago. That is one of the things she likes to do. The paper is in the driveway so we go out front where she can see, better, smell, who the visitors have been since yesterday. She never goes into the street although I do watch her to make sure. She doesn't even leave the curb to meet a walker or a walker with one of her dog friends.

She gets my attention if there is a squirrel, grackle, or cat in sight. Our routine is for me to tell her to 'stay.' She does. I have learned not to say 'ok' for minding, as that has been her cue for chasing squirrels on the golf course. She will be gone when I do that. Cats, no chasing allowed. But squirrels and birds will be 'ok' if they are where she doesn't have to cross the street out front in her chase. 'Go get 'em' is also in her vocabulary.

She had treat for being good, now she is back to the bedroom finishing her sleep. It isn't that early, Al Roker is giving the weather right now. I imagine she is in our bed sleep beside Mrs. Jim. She knows the bed is for two. If we both are there, she stays in her own bed at our side.

Adi will get her care today. I hope we do also. I need a haircut. The plumber needs to be called for the dripping under the sink faucet problem. Taxes can be put off until Tuesday though I probably will mail them today for a postmark. Tonight our group plays Forty-two, a domino game. That is a once a month affair, complete with supper.

We would like to see "Walk the Line" tomorrow evening. Senior rates at the theatres wouldn't break them up in business if the other seniors didn't go anymore than we do. So far this year we have seen "Chronicles of Narnia." In December we saw "Pride and Prejudice (2005)." That one should win a lot of awards.

Adi sure looks pretty washed up good. Her white is so white after her bath. She smells like strawberry conditioner for a few days.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

N
...I

.....C
.......E
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D
...O
.....G


This morning. .
&
Some dog thoughts

It is a pretty, foggy, morning in Montgomery. In about an hour the sun will break through for a pretty sight. So far I have gone over e-mail and looked at the paper. The first I read in the paper is "114 Antique Classic Cars," followed by "224 Motorcycles," then willy-nilly.

Item of interest: There are less than four columns of "320 Dogs" for sale ads in this morning's Chronicle. There were more than nine before Christmas. I am hoping they all found good homes.

Are store bought dogs any better than free ones? Buying a dog might be similar to adopting a kid. Adopting a kid a pretty big step, most adopted children later in life have really appreciated the new opportunity given to them. Somebody has to want them. That helps them feel wanted, even if they weren't planned to be born their new parents planned to be with and to love them. If I were adopted I would want to find out about my birth parents. Maybe meet them if things seemed right.

So buying a dog is a big step with planning. Sometimes it might be love at first sight, maybe in a pet store. But they were loved. Does that make them better? Of course not, all dogs are created equally and should have equal rights.

[Does this sound like God's love for us? In fact, Ephesians tells us we are God's adopted children. Sure, but to talk about it I would have to go into how a dog loves his master. Then I would have tell how in loving God we should be as devoted as dogs are to their masters. A two way unconditional love. Not time for that this morning.]

Free dogs aren't any cheaper or easier on maintenance. They still need their shots, grooming, and proper diet. I have read where beagles require at least one hour of quality time a day. Adi sure does. She needs her bath today so she can get her Bordetella vaccination, and her nails clipped. If it is time for her physical the bill will end up $75 or $85. It usually does. Twice a year.

Adi wasn't free to Karen. She paid $250 for her, papers would have cost a bit more. Adi was free to us. Have you ever had a beagle puppy? Karen lived in a third floor apartment with no elevators. Adi needed walking quite often and was too small to navigate those steps by herself. Adi came to our house with a door directly to the back yard.

We didn't know the whole story. Adi was into eating walls and floors and shoes and whatever else she could find. Maybe Karen should have paid thousands of dollars for her, would that have changed things? Would she have put her at the door in a rich neighborhood if she were free? Or drowned her? Does value of the dog have any thing to do with things like that? How about the value of a kid? Some are 'throw-away,' you know.

We kept Adi for almost a year, then Karen moved into a house. After Adi stopped eating the walls. Adi was now in her happy family. In about a year Karen had to move again, this time Adi could negotiate steps but beagles were not allowed at her new home, another apartment complex. The rule was made because some beagles howl. So Adi came back to live with us.

Adi is nine years old now. She thinks she is my dog. She doesn't know she was free and adopted to me. We pay a lot for routine upkeep, that's alright, we love her. Karen is back in house with a door to the back yard, fenced and all. Adi loves to visit Karen, actually she goes wild and cries when they first greet. Even though she loves Karen, Adi is ready to come home with me when we leave, she thinks she is my dog.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Why I live in Montgomery, Texas....
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22. We have one of the best library systems in the country. Try http://www.countylibrary.org/ to search the catalog, reserve or request books, have them delivered to a branch near you, renew books, etc. Oh yes, the site is down at this moment.

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Update, Update!
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Friend, John M. just sent this. I've seen it before, you may have, and it will come off soon. I think.
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Here goes, as sent:
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"Mujibar was trying to get into the USA legally through Immigration. The Immigration Officer said, "Mujibar, you have passed most of the tests, but there is one more test.
Unless you pass it you cannot enter the United States of America.
Mujibar said, "I am ready."
The officer said, "Make a sentence using the words Yellow, Pink and Green." Mujibar thought for a few minutes and said, "Mister Officer, I am ready." The Officer said, "Go ahead."
Mujibar said, "The telephone goes green, green, green, and I pink it up, and say, 'Yellow, this is Mujibar.'"
Mujibar now lives in a neighborhood near you and works at a Verizon help desk. I talked to him yesterday."

Scoreboard:
..Heater [#1] wins
..A/C [#2] distant second
..Water softener to the showers
..The others, also ran
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Heater vs. A/C--how exciting--our house has two units, one [#1 here] for each side or end. Our bedroom, the living room, dining room, and Mrs. Jim's study are on one.
The kitchen, my office, and two rooms upstairs are on the other [#2]. For a couple of months we keep #1 on heat, mainly for evenings, and #2 on A/C for the day. This week the heater, set on 66 for day, 65 or 64 at night, has been running quite a bit at night. The A/C comes on the warm days only. We have it set for 75 or 76. Today outside will only get to 68 here. This way we are all comfortable because our house is fairly open.
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The big action this week was with the water softener. It produced the most horrible salty water you could imagine Sunday morning. Worse than drinking from the Great Salt Lake and almost as bad as from the Dead Sea (I may mention that one day).
Good news, the water softener was under warranty. So the five-dollar microswitch was free. We ONLY had to pay the $94.50 service charge, $74.50 for a new drinking water filter, and $6.15 tax.
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Also ran:
Not so good news--our kitchen sink faucet is leaking. Just a little drip, drip, that I found when we, Mrs. Jim mostly, cleaned out under the sink for the softener tech's access. We might send it to the showers. Our plan is to (1) buy a new faucet from Lowe's or Home Depot to Mrs. Jim's liking. Then (2) call the plumber who will charge another huge service call fee. Let the (3) plumber assess the situation, hoping it can be (a) soldered for a long time repair, but being ready for (b) the new faucet installation.
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How to rationalize all this. If it had been a six-year-old car surely the A/C or transmission would need work after 90 to 120 thousand miles. Or if we were realtors or builders we would have been in new digs three years ago.
But we are here. Somebody has to be.
That reminds me of when I was a college dropout working in the Elgin Watch factory in Lincoln, Nebraska. The older married guys had a saying: they would leave town and go to Denver, the land of opportunity, if they could afford it. That wasn't my worry, I liked it there, away from the farm.
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The dog, an also ran. Adi missed her bath yesterday. It was plenty warm and we had our hour walk after Mrs. Jim dropped us off near the pro shop. Incidentally she had a good, for her, game. Adi is due for her Bordetella vaccination and nail clip, first I need to bathe her. We are also ready after my knee workover to start visiting at the assisted living home, first I need to bathe her.
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The computers, other also rans. This one, a one year-old laptop, needs antivirus update by January 31. That has paid for itself. It got a Trojan horse the other day. The antivirus warned me, but said it couldn't remove it. I didn't panic, didn't go to any other web site. Other site because this one is on-line any time it runs with our DSL wireless always on. Norton GoBack more than paid for itself as I just picked a save point from yesterday before the nasty horse and went back, no problem after that.
Old standby laptop just goes and goes. It uses GrisSoft, free version, for antivirus. A Trojan horse would get it but that is about all. We cleaned it out last January after getting this newer one. My desktop in the office has been down for a long time. A Trojan horse got it. Microsoft Windows software wouldn't work in going to any earlier save points to avoid it. After I save--one day--all the goodies on it I'll restore it. Tim and Billy helped us with the older laptop, I might call on them again.
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The cars. Mrs. Jim's, our family car, is ready for oil change. I have never changed that, I'm too old and it is too hard to get to. I sometimes change the Mustangs and always will the 50'. The golf cart has nails in two tires. So far it has been easier to add air before using it than to take tires to town. Now though, our pro shop has started tire repair so that will come soon.
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My knee. I go to my orthopedic doctor this morning for the final checkup after my arthoscopic surgery in September. He should give me passing marks, but not perfect. The last time I visited he said to just 'live with it' and see what happens. His prediction is that it will need a knee replacement by ten years.
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The son-in-law, Anthony. He got a good checkup from his cardiologist yesterday. Doc said he could go to work January 20. Also said 'after six weeks.' Doing the math says he needs to go back to school. Anthony's quadruple bypass was December 15, five weeks and a day before the 20th.
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That will be the end of this exciting update. Remember SOME of my students called me Mr. Excitement and SOME of the other teachers called me Dr. Excitement. How exciting!!
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ps--had an interesting visit from Chance, last night. His blogs,
On a Quest...(link) and The Church of the Great Oval (link), seem pretty different. Also had a nice visit from Paula with her GraceReign (link) site. There were others too, not new, some are listed as 'Fellow Bloggers I Read' on my sidebar. When I ran for office my yard signs said 'I Support Jim Hov. . . for . . .' I wouldn't put one unless the homeowner said I could. Same for 'Fellow Bloggers.' Right now I read some I haven't listed. Just lurking?
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Congratulations: three of our friends, L.A. B, John K. and Diane D, had hole-in-ones listed today in the Houston Chronicle. Mrs. Jim said she would keep trying! She said 'that would knock the socks' off a lot of people here.
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The end, Jim

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

You can live in Montgomery, Texas, where ...

6. Major league sports are Football, Baseball, Ice Hockey, Basketball, and Soccer. All of these are inside with air conditioning except soccer.

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21. You can live in Montgomery, Texas, where ...

LeAnn Rimes tops the list
of acts announced today
for RodeoHouston . . . . .
..(Cliff Morrow, please see March 14)
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(Some Good Days to Visit Houston)
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Jan. 9, 2006, 10:39AM
RodeoHouston announces 2006 lineup .
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The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced its 2006 concert lineup this morning. RodeoHouston performances will start on Feb. 28 and run through March 19.
Weekday performances begin at 6:45 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday performances begining at 3:45 p.m.
Each performance begins with the grand entry, rodeo events and the calf scramble, and ends with the concert.
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Feb. 28 -- George Strait
March 1 -- Trisha Yearwood
March 2 -- Sheryl Crow
March 3 -- Black Heritage Day -- Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and Raven
March 4 -- Martina McBride
March 5 -- Clay Walker
March 6 -- Robert Earl Keen and Cross Canadian Ragweed
March 7 -- John Fogerty
March 8 -- Toby Keith
March 9 -- Maroon 5
March 10 -- Pat Green
March 11 -- Lee Ann Womack
March 12 -- Go Tejano Day -- Ramon Ayala and Jay Perez
March 13 -- -- Spring Break Stampede -- LeAnn Rimes
March 14 -- -- Spring Break Stampede -- Larry the Cable Guy and Cory Morrow
(a relative of Cliff Morrow?)
March 15 -- -- Spring Break Stampede -- Alan Jackson
March 16 -- -- Spring Break Stampede -- Hilary Duff
March 17 -- -- Spring Break Stampede -- Lonestar
March 18 -- -- Spring Break Stampede -- Brooks & Dunn
March 19 -- -- Spring Break Stampede -- Gretchen Wilson
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Tickets go on sale on Saturday. Prices range from $16 to $77, plus a Ticketmaster convenience charge, and include entrance into Reliant Stadium, Reliant Center, Reliant Arena, the Hideout (for those 21 years and older), outdoor activities, and the carnival.
Tickets will be available through all Ticketmaster locations, online at
ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 713-629-3700.
Ticketmaster locations include Foley’s, Fiesta, select FYE stores and Wherehouse Music. .
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Courtessy the Houston Chronicle (
link)
Subscribe for less than 30 cents a day!

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Monday, January 09, 2006

Jim with Red Ford Mustang






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NASCAR Driver,

Carl Edwards

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Mrs. Jim and Jim. . .


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Please don't get excited. The picture in my profile isn't of me. I looked a lot like this when I was MUCH younger.
I'm a racing enthusiast. About the only one in our household. We have a quarter mile (maybe a fith mile) track in nearby Wilis, Texas. Mrs. Jim doesn't like the dirt and mud that gets thrown into the stands where I like to sit.
The picture is of Carl Edwards, my favorite (right now) NASCAR driver, driving car # 99. He is on the Roush Ford racing team, and was tied for second in total points in Nextel Cup points this year with Gregg Biffle, driving Roush Ford car # 16. To see the Ford drivers, click here.
I got the idea from Cheyenne who has a picture of Dale Earnhardt Jr in her profile.
The picture of the guy below this isn't of me either. I may have never looked like him, well maybe I did in my late 20s.
One of my wish for cars is a Roush Ford Mustang.
..


The Bachelor: Paris
set your VCR or TiVo

PREMIERE DATE:January 10, 2006
NETWORK:ABC
SHOW DESCRIPTION:Let's see, the new bachelor is Travis Stork, a hunky 33-year-old ER doctor completing his residency at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Somehow, he's managed to remain single, but that's all about to change, as 25 women will now do their best to win his heart. In Paris, no less.
BRIEF HISTORY:This is the eighth edition of the reality series, and the first season to be filmed outside of the United States.
STARS:
Travis Stork as the bachelor
Chris Harrison as host
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Source: Yahoo! TV (link)

You can live in Montgomery, Texas, where ...
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4. It is 50 miles from the best medical center in the nation, the Houston Medical Center.
The Heart Institute of Texas (St. Lukes Hospital) and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center are there.

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Sunday, January 08, 2006

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A FINE DAY WITH THE GRANDDAUGHTERS
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It was the end of celebrating, at least we think, for Mrs. Jim's birthday. She took her granddaughters to see the the exhibit, Princes Diana, A Celebration, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. There is something charming about princeses. She had been planning to take them since the exhibit arrived, and this was a time everyone could come.
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A few more details tell us maybe it was a little more complicated than that. Mrs. Jim played in the orchestra for early church,then we left, stopping at the Houston Museum of Natural Science to pick up the tickets for the afternoon.
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It was a girl thing. Billy and I were fortunate enough to be invited to eat with them. We ate at an outside table at the Ruggles Cafe Bakery on Rice boulevard in the Rice University Area of Houston. Before we ordered we had drinks, six soft drinks and a coffee. [The girls were surprised when I announced we could drink up and eat elsewhere, stiffing them for the drinks. Further I let them know they wouldn't find us because I didn't use my real name at the order counter. I never do at a restaurant. There are too many Jims and our last name is always trouble for all concerned.]
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I had my usual there, a Reuben sandwich with fruit, while Mrs. Jim had a chicken salad wrap with F. [you can pick the word, our family still says "French"] fries. We shared with each other, half and half.
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The girls either had grilled cheese sandwiches or chicken pieces, all from the child's menu. A cookie to decorate comes with the child's meal. The two big kids, ages 17 and 20, came back to the table so the children' meal wouldn't be questioned. None of the kids could finish theirs, the helpings were large. Billy had chicken Alfredo, Karen had a chicken and walnut salad.
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We all were too stuffed to eat desert, then. Billy and I went to his home, stopping at Best Buy and the Marble Slab. Find a Marble Slab near you if you haven't, they are super. Billy had a milkshake and I had a [very large] senior cone with a Reeses Pieces half bar cut up in it. The girls and ladies had some of Mrs. Jim's birthday in the park after they saw the traveling exhibit at the museum.
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"Direct from the Althorp Estate in England, the ancestral home of the Spencer family, comes this extraordinary exhibition celebrating the life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales. On display will be rare home movies filmed by Diana's father, childhood letters and treasured personal possessions, and 28 stunning designer dresses demonstrating Diana's use of style to draw attention to the causes in which she believed so passionately. Also featured will be Diana's spectacular royal wedding gown, original family jewels, artifacts, paintings and more. Don't miss this rare and intimate glimpse into the life of the people's princess."
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Afterwards they went through a few other parts of the museum, but the natives (Texans, all of them) were getting restless, so they had cake in the park and split. Jenna was driving, Megan had just had three wisdom teeth removed last Monday so she turned the driving over to younger sister.
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Mrs. Jim, Karen, and GC #4 all came to Karen's house. We hung out a little. Billy had purchased a USB wireless network adaptor for the new TiVo at Best Buy and had it up and running for Karen. She discussed how they were now a two TiVo family in her very fine new blog.
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We got home by seven-thirty, but should have been earlier. I was in LaLa Land driving and talking with Mrs. Jim and drove past the I-45 turnoff from BeltWay 8. I went all the way to the end, past Hwy 59 even. Neither of was very happy about that, but the rest of the day was really nice.
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Mrs. Jim was so happy when she came home that she sat down and played the piano. For about fifteen minutes she played from the Baptist Hymnal. She can play every song in the book. She had treated us to all this (except the Best Buy and Marble Slab purchases) in a very fine manner.

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