Chelone's post is crying for a follow up.

Fall indeed - more like a crash. We are expecting a low of 35 tonight! Many plants were moved this evening, a few frantic coleus cuttings were made, and I am wondering where all these plants will spend the winter because, gosh darn it, THEY GREW!

'nuff fun and games,

V.

Temps are falling here, the following is from our local forecast:

FROST ADVISORY TONIGHT

Tonight: Areas of frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33. North northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.

Well, I'm just waltzing in the door, carnitas tacos warming in the oven for me. DH on night shift. I drove home over the Vincent Thomas Bridge, lit up with blue lights, a passenger ship just passing underneath, escorted out by the port pilots, and knew DH was one of the tiny specks below on the pilot boat. Once home, youngest son disgorges contents of afternoon ethics class, which I love that it rattles him so. Job assignment today was taking down notes of the conversation between attorney and expert witness dermatologist in the doc's beachside home, not the usual sworn testimony. I think I've had three at-home assignments in eight years. Very nice home, filled to overflowing with "personal" touches, which my DH says we need more of. Spartan would describe my decorating style, no foolin' around.

I think Woody or Martie was asking about captioning, and yes, that's done with the steno machine. Every writer develops their own steno "dictionary" of strokes for words, prefixes, suffixes, which is kept on a computer and refined and added to endlessly. (Today I added "retinoid" RET/TPHOEUD, to the dict. and "inexterminable," amongst other words. It never ends.) The steno machine can be cabled to a laptop holding this dictionary, and the strokes from the steno machine are translated against the dictionary on the laptop, providing instant English translation. I always carry a laptop to every job so I can see the translation and read back from the monitor when asked. Depending on how skilled the writer is, how comprehensive the dictionary is, and how difficult the material is, you can either get a flawless translation or a translation with the occasional gobbledeygook you see on tv. Captioning requires the creme of the crop writers but doesn't pay as much as it should for the level of skill required, so a lot of incompetence sneaks in. Plus, it's just amazingly difficult to do. I'd be lost captioning a basketball game, for example.

That's probably clear as mud, lol.

Frost! It can't be! Would love to hear more particulars on Mary's raging success of a seed-collection workshop. There were lots of posts I wanted to comment on, but stick a fork in me -- I'm done. g'night, all.

I'm frantically working to get all tropicals inside before a predicted low of 38 tonight with one hand and tending to a 2 year old with the other. No time to talk.

Good thoughts to Sue for tomorrow. Wish I could be there.

Mary, I knew your talk would be a smashing success.

Marie, thinking of you.

I'm off for a couple more bags of potting soil. Have a great Saturday and stay warm.

Eden

It was a brisk 36 degrees this morning. Last night we covered the tomatoes with a lovely collection of Sesame Street and Disney bedsheets, and today's plans include oven-drying some tomatoes. The extra oven heat will be useful!

Eden, did you pick up a bag of succulent potting soil for me while you were out?

I will try to get more batteries today and get some photos up later today.

Denise, I loved your work attire on the last thread! I was on a cruise a few years ago that left from the Port of Long Beach, and my what a busy harbor that is! Our timing coincided with the start of the war in Iraq, and there were lots of Coast Guard people in small boats keeping watch. I think I saw your DH on one of the pilot boats. ;0

The underwear crisis has passed, but there is still a lot of laundry to be dealt with (DH is good about cycling it through the washer and dryer but falls down when it comes to the next step.) When it gets over 40, I'll go gather tomatoes. I have my standards, you know...

V.

Yep, it says frost for tonight. So while DH goes to practice skating in prep for hockey's starting on Tuesday, I'll be hauling pots and taking cuttings. Sigh...so early!

I was astonished this morning that the "Awake" people who come to our door every month asked DH if we actually read their pamphlets and wondered if they should bother returning. He suggested a long leave of absence. Interesting change in their practices...

I've decided that the first week without Charlotte will be the hardest. Each day there is something that she did that appears as a reminder. Today it is the trip to the dump where she was regularly given a cookie. Last night at French Club everyone asked about her....Sigh. I think the cats are somewhat confused about Charlotte's bed. Usually they are chased off it but now they are permitted to sniff it and sleep there. I pitched her old water bowl, with a tear in my eye.

We are off to collect a new colour cartridge for our printer. I want to make a picture booklet for Skyler of his summer holiday here. Sarah phoned to talk about Charlotte and will need to explain to Skyler about her being put down. A tough lesson.

I've enjoyed the clouds lately. They are so beautiful, even though they often appear to be snow clouds!

'bug

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