Am I normal yet? Would I know if I were?

Well, I think I've almost recovered from P.B.S.D.*

*Post-Baltimore Stress Disorder, characterized by:
a) the continuation of vacation overeating
b) general artistic angst and a desire to define/re-define career goals
c) mail-pile ennui
d) laundry overload syndrome

because things are beginning to return to normal. Part of my treatment plan has included one of my oldest but most effective stress-management tools, a tete-a-tete with Nancy Drew.

After the show we drove down to Buena Vista, VA
(what beautiful countryside!)
to visit the littlest Hinckleyette at college


Hannah is a born booth-rat, as well as an accomplished antiques hound


and she presented me with this lovely parting gift:




the perfect antidote to taking life too seriously.

I can't thank her enough! It's no small feat to find a Nancy Drew I don't own.

We had a wonderful time with her,
having pizza with the roommates and then hosting a
"Flight of the Conchords/Ice Cream & Oreos Social"


I could only find footage of Jemaine & Bret dancing --
sorry no footage of Russ & Susan exists

at her apartment where the three of us laughed so hard we were crying while the roommates looked on deadpan and nodded at each other because I think they finally got a little glimmer of understanding about the origin of Hannah.

We also poked around the Lexington boutiques and then landed in an Antiques Mall which had a terribly leaky roof but a lot of great junk if you were willing to get your hands dirty.

It was delightful to realize that my daughter knows her stuff when it comes to antiques. It means that perhaps my parenting
"ain't been in vain for nothin'!"

(Gold star for getting this movie reference, BTW. Leave your answer in the comments and I'll think of an appropriate gold-star prize)

By far the best prize of the week (besides Hannah's company) was the PILE of Science and Mechanics and Popular Mechanics magazines from the 1940's - 1950's that I discovered for
THREE DOLLARS APIECE!

Hello, business expense!

And now, dear readers, we have endless hours of entertainment ahead of us as we peruse the world of possibilities


WILL they? It could happen . . .

that were the late 40's and 50's. I can't think of a better antidote (besides Nancy) to the doom and gloom that the media are foisting upon us ad nauseum right now.

AND THANK GOODNESS IT'S GOING TO SNOW AGAIN THIS WEEK!!
(Bet you never thought you'd hear me say that . . . I must be feeling even better than I thought)

I'm glad there's still a little winter left in ol' Minnesota!

Because I'll have a chance to test one of the keen projects in my new hobby goldmine immediately.

If you build one too, we can have lots of fun together!




That's right, it's a propeller driven snow sled!

Looks sort of like a snowmobile but with large rotor blades on the back, handy for hacking the arms off any unsuspecting snowmen or bundled-up kiddies that might get in our way.

Now pay attention, because I'm only going to post this once:

Here's the materials list:




and here's the diagram:




Call me when you get yours finished -- I might have to run out to the store to get some supplies if, for instance, I can't find a "steering mechanism from light automobile" in the garage.

But I should be back before the snow flies.

Can't wait to hear from you!

Coming Wednesday: Swell business ideas to help us all through these difficult economic times

(artists may wish to pay particular attention . . .
it's a bit of a rough patch . . . )