I got my Project Elf giftie today!! Well, it could have gotten here as early as Saturday, because I didn't get the mail Saturday or Monday. But anyway, I got it today!! My elf was thoughtful enough to include a card with her LJ name! Many thanks to – this package is fabulous! (I forgot to include a card to my receiving elf!) She's from Tennessee, and sent me 3 nifty little handmade soaps; a cd of bands from her town; and a lovely bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey, including a booklet of recipes using JD. You should have seen…

Let&apos;s get the icky post out of the way before the fun post. It&apos;s not like I didn&apos;t expect it this week. I even know what went wrong. It still sucks though. :-/ On the other hand, I know exactly what to do differently this week, yet still enjoy the promised Teriyaki Chicken (Giftmas Eve) and Garlic Pork Roast (Giftmas Dinner). It&apos;s all good. So, the numbers: Weigh in was <whimper> 268.6, which is a gain of 3.4. That&apos;s painful, especially since I&apos;m losing “only” a pound or so a week. But that was yesterday, and today is what matters.…

Notorious e-mail scam snares Volusia retiree’s nest egg Still, Sessions was so mesmerized by the well-spoken West Africans that to this day he does not think he was scammed. He ignored police warnings that the deal was bogus and instead blames his losses on corrupt foreign governments. He has not filed a complaint with authorities, and he keeps on his coffee table the carved wooden elephant and antelope given to him by his “associates.” “I consider them my friends,” he says. “They’re not criminals.”