It's been very busy in Rue's kitchen the past couple of days. The actual location, not the website!

I have a white Kitchen Aid free-standing gas range that has been acting up. It freaks me out that my range is computerized. I still can't quite wrap my head around it. The concept that is, and not the range. I digress.

Most of yesterday was spent cleaning the cooktop:

"Easy-Clean Ceran� Cooktop

The Ceran� surface on KitchenAid� ranges and cooktops makes cooking fun, and cleanup easy. Simply wipe the smooth surface with a sponge, and relax."

I assure you that it really is not that simple. When I spill something on the cooktop, or when a pot boils over I wait until I'm done before cleaning it. Mainly because I'd rather forgo the second and third degree burns. Once I've cleared the dishes, pots, pans and so on and so forth I clean the surface with a hot soapy sponge. This method does not remove the cooked-on grime, however. Thus, clean up requires a cream cleanser specifically for this purpose and a scraper. I hadn't had the time to do this since Boo was born... Thank Goddess the oven is self-cleaning!

So, armed with a scraper, cream cleanser and a lot of elbow grease, I went to work. I wish I had taken a before picture, because she looks unrecognizable. The irony is that if the range hadn't required servicing, I wouldn't have cleaned it anytime soon.

I haven't mentioned these before because I honestly don't know if it would be of interest, but if even one reader benefits, I think that's cool.

Naturalia and Paganalia are two really neat websites. Naturalia has just loads of information from alternative medicine to culture and spirituality. Paganalia on the other hand has pagan e-cards.

Ciao Ragazzi!

Up for a challenge? Take a few minutes to test your IQ level on the food and wine of Italy.

I didn't notice this morning that this was entry #200!

I was wondering what was up with the Kraut this morning.

He's not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, yet this morning he was buzzing about getting himself ready looking after the Boo's and puppy's needs, telling me how beautiful I looked trying to climb out of bed and was out of the house and off to work in record time.

I finally sit at my computer and read: 3 WEEKS?!? and they had to go in to get him? Oh, no... I think my love should have disclosed the full story before he seduced me. In all fairness I knew he was a little late, but not THAT late. Neither did I know that his mom had to have a c-section.

Well I looked through some photos and here's one that illustrates quite clearly why.

Look at the size of his head! He's all cranium!

His head is so big the rest of him fades into the background.

Hi there fans of Abraca-Pocus!

Rue's worse (Much MUCH worse) half Ray here.

Cut to the chase:

• No Baby yet.


• Rue's fine, but too pissed off to blog at the moment so she's asked me to pass along thanks to all who've shown their support so far (from me as well!)


• she's having contractions, but nothing regular as of yet...


• The little tyke doesn't want to come out yet. This is annoying the mistress greatly! Instead of coaxing, I think I will start threatening punishment soon...(just kidding)

A little secret that I'll pass along (shhhh! I don't want Rue to know until I'm safely out of the house tomorrow!) is that most of the members of my side of the family are procrastinators who are NEVER on time! (uh, Ray look up "Redundant" in the dictionary where it says "see Redundant")

I myself was three weeks late and then they had to come in and get me...

Well, good night all of Rue's friends. Your comments and support have helped lighten her load and if she was here (in the internet context, not napping with the first-born princess) right now she'd give me an Italian **whap** upside the head for being so gushy on her blog...

Why for you not here?
Look at my face, aren't you anxious to meet me? To pet me? To feed me treats?
Don't you want your ears licked? Your diaper sniffed? Your tummy tickled by my whiskers? Your toys slimed with drool?

No baby yet and just when I thought I couldn't get any bigger......

I'm ENORMOUS. Small and some not-so-small objects are becoming trapped in my orbit. My 85lb dog is rotating around my body like my very own moon. I looked ridiculous waddling my way all over the supermarket yesterday. My underpants are the size of a circus tent. Boo and I still nap together on the rocker/recliner, but it's starting to get really crowded. Yesterday she slept draped over my humongous belly and said 'ow' in her sleep every time the one inside me kicked her in the tummy. One time, while still sound asleep, she slugged back. I'm glad to see that they are already relating to each other as siblings.

Nothing else. Excuse me while I go lose my mind.

Last night close to midnight I had a big bad awful contraction. For the next 6 hours I had contractions 20 minutes apart. They made me warm and nauseous and then petered out by 6:30AM. Rats.

Trying to think of something to do to get my mind off the waiting.

I kinda have a one-track mind the past couple of days. I'm quite on edge and am wreaking havoc on everything in my path. I think it's best that I lay low for a little while.

No other news.