I have to agree with you on the mac and cheese too. But since my cooking skills are still a bit... lacking, I'm just gonna stick with what works.

Thank you so much for commenting!

1. Folger's is good. Although I recently discovered Café Buena Dia! by Juan Valdez classic 100% Columbian premium freeze dried coffee and it is so smooth you wonder if you are actually drinking coffee. Might appeal to you if Maxwell House was too bitter.

4. ALL pop tarts are lousy. What an abomination they are! Basically piecrust with a VERY SMALL amount of jelly inbetween. You would be better off making toast and jelly and more nutritious as well.

3. Same with boxed mac and cheese. That is NOT mac and cheese! Real mac and cheese is firm and toasted on top. The only part of it that comes in a box is the pasta. You need milk and real cheddar cheese for the rest.

2. I'll take your word on the pads.

5. I like to buy the Walmart "Indulgent" trail mix which mixes chocolate chips with raisins, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, peanuts, etc. Makes fantastic "chip" cookies or added to brownies.

I love how your mind works Amy. Your writing is clever, funny and always interesting. You rock Madame M.

Hi MM,

I'd say write what you want...write when you want...write what interests you. Those that find you and your musings interesting will read what you write. Just be yourself Amy.

I know what you mean! Lol! My husband won't let me reach hoarding status so I've been behaving myself.

Wow, what a wonderful entry. I still toss out the cardboard -- recycle bin though. I shudder to think what my house would look like if I started saving the "trash."

I love your clever wit and insights Amy. I really love your blog. Shine on Madame M.

I sympathize with you and your kitty catapult. Mine was exactly the same, but age has mellowed her. So keep putting up that tree...better things are in the future .

Working as a deckhand on a barge sounds interesting. I didn't know barges don't have engines. What do they have then? You use the terms "barges" and 'towboats", I use the term "tugboat". I take it they refer to the same thing? If not, what's the difference? Awhile back I saw something on TV about tugboats. Apparently they are very maneuverable, able to rotate in a complete circle while remaining on the same spot. Not sure all tugboats can do that or just the one I saw. Can Scott's barge rotate in a complete circle on the same spot too?

I love this entry.