Solid evidence ....

... that I am right to want the house chilly, even in the summertime.

Literally. Keeping your house at around 66 degrees is best for sleeping, studies show, and it's a good range for staying energized during the day as well. "A too-hot house is depressing," Pelosi says.

"All you want to do is hibernate and take a nap." During the cool months, she suggests, warm up the house with organic throws and textural surfaces that keep feet warm. (EarthWeave.com has great organic rugs.) Once warmer weather hits, turn on the ceiling fans to keep air circulating, which can help you feel cooler.

It must be true. I read it on AOL who asked "top experts" for advice.

66 degrees.

the Pelosi here is not THAT Pelosi, but an interior design expert. 66 degrees!

Asheville is one of our favorite places to visit...

... in fact, if we had not had a good reason to visit the Sobrino down in the Queen City yesterday we would have spent a beautiful fall break over in Asheville. If you read this you may get a taste of why.

As for the Queen City, we might be back for another trip to the Flying Saucer.

and to see Mr Sobrino and the Spanish teacher.

I can't believe they are the same species ...

... the lummox and this creature, that is. And both descended from wolves!

Is this what they mean by "intelligent design"?

An answer for Máeráed ...

... from yesterday when I hopped into her car for a ride to the Mall. Fortunately her mother Máire was driving!

Máeráed was immersed in a book and ignored me, but her little brother Miggs was happy to see me, waving his new "Shark Shoes" at me. Then he began to tell me all kinds of stuff and began to concentrate. This caused a little dimple to form above his eyebrow, exactly as it does on Mulan and my niece Jessie (must be an Asian thing).

I told him he had a dimple on his forehead!

He told me (three or four times) that he had a dimple on his cheek. In self defense I pointed to my chin and said "I have a dimple on my chin!"

Suddenly Máeráed took her head out of her book and said "Why!?"

Dear Máeráed - here is the answer: a picture of my grandparents, and of their daughters, my aunts.


[In case you are wondering why my grandmother Bertha and my grandfather Scott look more like brother and sister, their respective families had (and have) intermarried many times since 1790]