I've been moderating a news bulletin board for awhile now. (I put up a link one day for something I thought Rob would enjoy. We have humorous threads from time to time as well.) :-)

Anyway, recently someone started a thread asking about what we all looked like. I have never posted a picture of myself online before, but I took the plunge. I've been thinking about how I've known some of you guys longer than I've known them! (Although the Cascadians, Chuck and a few others are there. Today is Chuck's birthday, btw.)

I've met Tricia, of course, and a few of you have seen this picture, but for those who haven't and want to know what I look like, here is a link:

What do we look like?

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), April 23, 2003

Answers

Gayla, Gayla, Gayla ;-) Thanks for posting the photo! You look as nice as we all know you really are. Maybe someday Tricia's wish will come true and we'll all get to meet in person!

-- (sonofdust@thanks.Gayla), April 23, 2003.

(((((Rob))))) I would love for us all to meet in person some day. Can you come to Washington state in July? ;-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), April 24, 2003.

It's really doubtful. My assignment is almost over finally and Dear Mrs. Michaels has plans for me over the next several months ;-) About the only place she's talking about going to is Niagra Falls---I think she's serious since she actually sent away for some brochures! We'll see.

-- (sonofdust@niagra.falls), April 24, 2003.

Wow!

-- helen (you@got.hair.and.everything!), April 24, 2003.

Helen, are you bald? :-O Saves money on shampoo, I guess. ;-)

Rob, Niagara Falls is an awesome place to visit! I've been 4 times and I never get tired of it. :-) I hope you guys have a wonderful time!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), April 25, 2003.

Rob,are you sure you can't persuade Marie that Washington (state of) is a better vacation spot than some dumb old falls? I've been to both and they're both beautiful, but Washington has more rural areas :-) so more natural beauty spots! And she can meet others who are just as whacky as you are! ... Hmmm, maybe you should leave that sales point out. Just imagine watching the sun set over the ocean instead of rising there! And mountains MOUNTAINS (not little foothills like y'all call mountains down east :) And she likes flowers, right? So promise her a day trip up to Vancouver Island's Buchart Gardens... the most beautiful flower gardens, lots of rose bushes, and they close the day with fireworks (or did the last time I was there). I'm not sure if we're planning the last week or the second last week of July, but we're gonna be there; Gayla, Aunt Bee, maybe even Helen, and me. Anyone else wanna make plans?

Nice pic, Gayla - looks just like you!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), April 26, 2003.

Marie won't go, but I like the idea! All I'll have to do is tell her I'll be away for a week or so and staying with three really nice women who are as 'whachy' as I am. Any wife would understand that, right?

In fact I'm so excited about this that I can't wait to let her know. I'm gonna give her the good news as soon as she stops cleanin' that there shot gun of hers. See ya later!

-- (sonofdust@whachy.too), April 26, 2003.

The granded kids are coming over here tommorrow, so I'll see if I can get one with them.

Now, about posting it? (Hmmmmmmn. Might hafta forward it to Gayla and let her ply her magic on the pixels....)

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (wondering@whats.Lonupto), April 26, 2003.

Robert, I'll be happy to host and post it for you. :-)

Rob, all of Tricia's ideas were good, but how about this: that part of Canada has SARS and it's better to head West? Hide the shotgun before you ask. ;-)

Tricia, I LOVE Butchart Gardens! Maybe I'll have to take a day trip up there while I'm in the neighborhood. :-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), April 27, 2003.

ButtChart Garden? You mean to tell me they chart their butts and then stick 'em in a garden? Is that how butts grow? Wow! Who woulda thunk it! I've seen charts of the ocean bottom (butt), and charts of stock market bottoms (more butts) and bonds too, all kinds of charts, but not Butt Charts.

And who says that the internut isn't educational. Sheesh!

On a more serious note, yeah Marie knows about Toronto but I still don't think we're going anywhere except maybe the Falls.

-- (sonofdust@butt.charts), April 27, 2003.

Rob, is this by any chance a major anniversary? In that case, I've heard that the Falls are one of the most romantic places on earth, and I'll give up trying to persuade Marie that meeting more whacky folk is a good thing to do this year. I have been to the falls, but in December. They were still beautiful, what I could see of them through my shivering ;-) I've promised myself a trip back to see them some time when the grass is green and flowers in bloom... or maybe when the tree foliage is in full colour, or maybe both. However, this year is not the year for that. This is the year I get to be whacky and fun with friends to the southwest :-)

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), April 27, 2003.

Sure. Go southwest for a vacation.

Like you could go northeast from Canadananainnnnaainnanananan very far without getting wet!

Or needing a Russian visa......

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (wondering@whats.Lonupto), April 27, 2003.

Lovely picture Gayla. I'm sure you girls will have a lot of laughs together, enjoy every minute. Cheers.

-- Carol (c@still.busy.com), April 28, 2003.

Now Carol, you see, can't go southwest to visit anybody since she hits Anartica and then the South Pole and then pretty soon thereafter she's turned around and is automatically flying northwest.....

)But at least Carol has the good sense not to lose the magnetic pole...... Them's there Canadiainainainaianananainas just can't seem to keep it in one place.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (wondering@whats.Lonupto), April 28, 2003.

They hired me to work at the summer theater. I wouldn't be able to go anywhere that time of year unless it was on a Sunday through Wednesday. I have to be back by Thursdays.

But if you did go on those days, I'd be there. Buchart Garden is the prettiest spot on earth.

-- helen (got@my.bags.packed.under.my.eyes), April 28, 2003.

You got that right Robert. I live way down in the southern part of Oz, nothing but salt water and whales between me and Antartica. It's just about time for the Southern Right Whales to head back up our way. They spend the winter months along the coast, calving and resting before going south again in the Spring. We went to see them a couple of years ago and it was the most wonderful sight.

-- Carol (c@oz.com), April 30, 2003.

Ya do know that the Southern Wrong Weigh Whales went exstinct aweighs back ....

Yep, they kept going south for the winter and drowned over the top Antartica.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (wondering@whats.Lonupto), April 30, 2003.

Thanks, Carol! I wish you could come, too!

Helen, Southwest Airlines has cheap rates on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Could you fly out late Saturday night maybe? You gain 2 hours, so it wouldn't be that late in Washington. Just a thought...

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), May 01, 2003.

Gayla ... no. I don't even get home until wee hours Sunday morning, then a long drive to the airport. I'll think of something.

-- helen (thinking@cap.or.dunce.cap?), May 02, 2003.