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Had a wonderful time in Rochester, connecting with friends and starting to make amends for mistakes made in another friendship. Good stuff.

I made 23 scrapbook pages while I was gone -- and I am now only 65 away from my goal of 250 for the year. The bonus is that I am only 20 away from earning a free gift from my friend Stacy, the Creative Memories consultant.

My friends in Minnesota are doing well. Lots of home improvement, from painting walls (love that red kitchen!) to installing hardwood floors to selling cozy cottages and moving up to the gorgeous maple-floored heights of a new neighborhood on a hill. I love that they are happy and doing well. Ladies, I am always ready to accept invitations to your houses. I'll bring the wine.....

And my little town of Rochester is growing -- hard to believe it is looking so cosmopolitan. It's very nice, but I look forward to moving back to my 1950's Cape Cod house in a sleepy neighborhood in the center of town. Not fancy, but definitely home.

I went to church (see the link at left, "The Uncommon Denomination") and I felt, as always, enveloped in love. What a fabulous community I am a part of there. Spiritual people who believe in peace and justice -- and who live their beliefs every day.

I had dinner at my fave restaurant (Polenta with fire-roasted pepper sauce and baby asparagus). A friend of mine once commented that polenta is peasant food. (She's Italian, so I guess she knows). Anyway, as I've said before, I come from good peasant stock -- Irish, Dutch, English, Scottish, Welsh, French and Norwegian -- so peasant food is good for me. It's my favorite meal right now. Deeeeelish.

In short, the weekend was lovely, my hosts were gracious and generous to a fault (thanks, Stacy & Donald!) and I returned home refreshed and once again enthusiastic about being a mom. Sad to say I have not been the best mom lately, in part because my attitude was terrible. I have a new lease on life and a new appreciation for my husband and kids.

That, I think, is the biggest gift I received from my weekend with the girls.

Thanks!