meals for the week

Here is what I have planned for the week. One night I am making a dinner of appetizers, this summer my sister and I are hosting a purse party and I want to try these recipes out.
Tuesday- Beef Pizza Pie ( this was listed last week but I didn't get around to making it)
Wednesday- Appetizer night- Caramelized onion puffs, fresh tomato and basil kabobs, and Poo poos.
Thursday- Asparagus and leek chowder
Friday- grilled chicken, corn on the cob, side salad
Saturday- bean night, rangley dogs, corn bread
Sunday- Stuffed shells
Monday- leftovers

www.paperbackswap.com

I found this really neat site today. It is www.paperbackswap.com . You can go on there and swap your books for new ones. It means you are basically just buying books for the cost of mailing someone else a book. So they start me out with 3 credits for posting my first 9 books I am willing to swap. Then for every book you send someone you get another credit. I ended up posting 19 books I am more than willing to part with, and already 2 of them have been chosen. SO I mailed one out this afternoon and I am going to mail the 2nd one later when I go to pick Dave up. So when those books arrive at their destinations I will have 2 more credits. It is cheap to mail the books just sending them Media mail , about 2 bucks per book. The only drawback is that since I live overseas people may not be willing to send books to me since they will have to fill out a customs form. And Media Mail takes usually 6 full weeks to arrive here.

I usually buy my books on Amazon.com. I can find books for a penny then I just pay 3.49 for shipping. SO that is cheap... But this way I can trade out my books that I have already read. We live in a small place and we don't have much room for piles of books. I am not going to swap out my favorite books though, like my Lorna Landvik books or my Janet Evanovich. And I am definitely not parting with my Janette Oke books. I didn't realize I would be able to find 19 books that I don't need or want to keep. That's a lot. Hey that means I can get 19 new books. I just hope they are in good condition cause most of my books are perfect.

Well, I better get. I have been doing housework today. Vacuumed and flipped the mattresses. Then I washed our pillows and put them in the sun to dry. I still need to do a couple loads of wash, and put away some dishes I did earlier.

I hope you all have a great week.

Looong weekend

Yuck what fun it ISN"T when you have a long weekend and it rains the whole time. Yesterday it was nice for a couple hours but it has been crappy ever since. Dave and I did go tot he beach yesterday. It was sort of gusty and the waves were really crashing, but I am glad we went. I got a few really nice sand dollars and few other nice shells. Wendy had fun yesterday. When it was nice out Dave and I took her for a long walk then we took her to the beach with us. Then later in the day when Dave walked up to the shoppette he took her with him. So she got out of the house 3 times! She was beat.
Dave and I spent the afternoon yesterday playing cards and Yahtzee. We had a good time. Then we watched a movie and TV.
This morning we got up and went to Church. We went to the base cafe for breakfast afterwards. Then we stopped at the BX and I got a few things I needed, and I ended up buying some shoes that were on clearance that will be great this summer. The weather is so crummy I feel like nap is near.
Here is the Scripture for Reflection from today:
Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. ( Eccl 8:5)

great casserole

I realized something amazing yesterday! Dave and I were talking about how it ALWAYS rains on the day of the Base Beach Bash. Then I realized yesterday was the 3rd beach bash since we have been here... and we only have 1 left!!! Then I realized we only have one Valentine's Day, and April Fools Day, and one more Easter to spend here in Misawa... Isn't that exciting?! Well, it is for us. Like for the first time we are seeing a peak of a light at the end of the tunnel. Not that living in Japan hasn't become a lot easier since I quit my job.. but still, four years in a foreign country is tough. Especially since we are like on this one little island you know, considering the bases in Europe you can go lots of places just by jumping on a train. Like if we were in Germany we could go visit lots of different countries.
Dave has a really long weekend. He had Friday off for a PACAF family day, and he gets Monday off too. Yesterday was really crappy- super rainy and foggy and windy. But today is nicer, a little chilly but sunny. I am not sure what we are going to do this afternoon. Maybe go to the beach to look for sand dollars. Dave isn't here right now, he went up to the airport to say good-bye to some of his buddies. SO I picked up the house a bit and thought I would get online to blog and post a recipe for this dish I made last night. It was SO good. Dave couldn't stop talking about it last night. It was simple to make and it was fast. The recipe is called Spicy Chicken Casserole with Corn Bread, but it wasn't spicy at all. You could make it spicy I suppose if you used hotter salsa or maybe a spicy taco seasoning. But we liked it just the way it was...
SPICY(BUT NOT REALLY) CHICKEN CASSEROLE WITH CORN BREAD
YOU WILL NEED:

• 2 TBLS OLIVE OIL
• 4 BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS CUT IN BITE SIZE PIECES
• 1 TACO SEASONING PACKET
• 1 CAN BLACK BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED
• 1 CAN DICED TOMATOES, DRAINED
• 1 CAN MEXI-CORN, DRAINED
• 1 CAN (4 OZ) DICED MILD CHILIES, DRAINED
• 1/2 CUP MILD SALSA
• 1 BOX ( OR PACKET) (ABOUT 8 1/2 OZ) CORN BREAD MIX ( I USED JIFFY)
• 1/2 CUP SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE
• 1/4 CUP DICED RED BELL PEPPER

1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 350. SPRAY 2 QT DISH.
2. HEAT OIL IN LARGE SKILLET AND COOK CHICKEN TILL IT ISNT PINK
3. ADD THE TACO SEASONING. THEN ADD BEANS, SALSA, TOMATOES, CORN, CHILIES. STIR TO BLEND WELL.
4. PUT MIX IN THE CASSEROLE DISH
5. PREPARE CORN BREAD MIX AS DIRECTED ON BOX... THEN ADD THE SHREDDED CHEESE AND PEPPER.
6. SPREAD BATTER OVER THE CHICKEN MIX.
7. BAKE 30 MINUTES OR TILL CORN BREAD IS GOLDEN BROWN.

IT REALLY WAS EASY. AND IT WAS SO TASTY!

Isn't he great??

Last night I finally got that quilt back out and was going to stretch it so I can start quilting it. Dave said he would help.. ( Its funny because there are a lot of crafty things that are really interesting to him. Like that Cricut machine I bought, when I pull it out somehow he always ends up in the room telling me he can cut one for me so I can do something else, which i think is just his way of asking if he can play with it. I don't blame him, it is really fun to use.) I think the idea of 'stretching' a quilt probably has baffled him. SO I said great I could use the help because it is tricky using tables that are too small and are different heights!! SO i got the safety pins out and split them up and gave him a bowl of them and he looked really confused.... Then we started taping down the backing and then we laid out the batting and then we put the quilt top down. Then I told him we were going to start pinning the three layers together and to make sure he got the pin through all of the layers so it stays tight when I quilt it. I could tell by his face that he was worried. He spent like a full minute working on the first pin. He kept saying I don't know if it went through. He kept talking about how it was tricky. Then I mentioned that my aunt has all of her safety pins bent so they go in and come up easier. He quickly told me he would be willing to bend them all for me and i could pin the quilt alone. And I could tell by his face that he was trying to get out of pinning the quilt. But I told him that's OK. SO he stuck it out and pinned with me. ISN'T THAT SO NICE OF HIM???? He took a little longer than I did but I know he was just trying to make sure he did everyone right. He was really eager to pull up the tape and look at the back to see if he went all the way through on all of them, and he did!

I just think it is really great to have a husband that helps me out like that. I am so glad that we get along and aren't out boozing every weekend like most people on this base. In fact we never go boozing. I think it is just asking for trouble. I can't understand how these couples can go out all the time like they do. For one its expensive. We have some friends that are always fighting about money but they go out to the bars every weekend!! And they act like they don't get to spend enough time with each other but they booze it up Fri and Sat and then spend the day time recovering from the heavy drinking. They don't trust each other, can't share money.... I just don't understand how they don't get it! That maybe instead of partying all the time they should have some one on one time sober, getting to know each other, and figuring out ways to spend time together in more constructive ways.

I am actually grateful that Dave and I were too young to drink when we were married. We spent the first three years of our marriage not drinking. Plus we were poor... trying to buy stuff for our house and scraping by on a IGA cashier and A1C 's income. On the weekends we hung out with our friends at our house, playing games or watching movies. And when they were busy we would stay home and play games and watch movies alone. Boy, I must say that I think Yahtzee is one of the best things to build a strong friendship. If you can stay home on the weekend and play games and be happy and entertained than you know you are in good shape. But the point is, that drinking wasn't part of our idea of fun for so long that once we could drink, we hardly ever did, or currently do. WE occasionally have a six pack in the fridge and like in Tokyo we had drinks with dinner, but it isn't the only way we have fun, and we don't over do it.

Well, I don't know exactly how stretching the quilt led me to that rant... But I better go get working on that quilt! Have a great day and a wonderful holiday weekend!!

Oh what a great day!

I don't think today could be any nicer! Once the rainy season starts days like today seem extra special. I woke up to take Dave to work so I can have the car today. I need to go buy groceries and I have a couple of other errands to do. Dave only has one PT shirt so I want to go get him 2 more, hopefully they have some. When they first came out with the new AF PT uniforms our base couldn't keep any in stock. But jeesh I think it has been over a year since it came out so by now they should keep it in stock... I hope. Won't Dave be surprised to find he has more than one shirt?! I think I might swing by the craft store as well, just to walk around a bit. I have lots of scrapbooking I could be working on but for some reason there is no fire under my butt to get going. I think maybe looking at the scrapbooking supplies up at the store might get the wheels in my head rolling. I realized the other day that I usually can only get scrapbooking done while Dave is TDY. But since he won't be going TDY for the next 20 months I need to figure a way to work while he is here.

I am working on my shopping list... Here are this weeks meals. Almost all of them I am trying for the first time... Except the BBQ sandies ( Dave requested them)

Tuesday- Beef and Pork BBQ sandies side coleslaw

Wednesday- Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Wraps

Thursday- Beef n Biscuit Bake

Friday- Spicy Chicken Casserole with Corn Bread

Saturday-Stuffed Mexican Pizza Pie

Sunday- Tater Tot Chicken Casserole

Monday-Leftovers

think about it

Today when we went to church there was a Scripture for Reflection that I thought was great.
" Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5)"

think about it..... Do you ever get caught up in the idea that if you had more money you would be happier?? Doesn't our efforts to make more money take away from the time we have to do the things we love or spend time with the people we love???

Happy Birthday Melissa

Today is My mother- in-law's birthday. She opened the gift we sent her a few days ago!! What a cheater.

I have had a crazy couple of days. I got the quilt top finished. The applique was tricky but I like how it turned out. I got the blocks sewn on Monday and then Tuesday I put the elephant and the borders on. I have to take a break though.... So I will quilt it and finish it next week. Boy, after a couple hours of working on it on Monday I was cross-eyed. I thought I was going to go crazy, but I am glad it looks so nice.

I am reading a really cute book, it's called Dreaming Southern by Linda Bruckheimer. It is about a mom taking her 4 kids on a road trip in a 1953 Packard, she is driving from Kansas to California, but she takes a bunch of side trips on the way taking them to Alabama, Louisiana, and Minnesota. I like it so far. Check it out if you are looking for something fun to read.

busy busy

I have lots to do today. I am working on a quilt for my sister-in-law's baby. She is due in July so I don't have a lot of time. I had to get the fabric off base and the colors aren't exactly what I was looking for but I think it will still look OK. I have never tried a quilt that is this complicated. It is called Trip Around the World. and in the center I am going to applique an elephant. woof I hope I am not over my head with this project. Yikes. I am hoping I can get the top sewn today. It took me a long time just to lay it out last night. ( I took pics so i can look back if I get confused)
I hope you all had wonderful weekends.

EVERYTHING IS BACK TO NORMAL NOW

SO... WE HAVE BEEN HOME FOR THREE DAYS NOW AND I THOUGHT I HAD ALREADY FILLED IN THE REST OF OUR TRIP BUT I GUESS I HADN'T. SO HERE IS THE SKINNY ON OUR TRIP TO TOKYO....


WHEN WE ARRIVED IN TOKYO LAST SUNDAY WE WERE SO PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT HOW NICE EVERYTHING ALREADY WAS. SPRING HAD ALREADY SPRUNG DOWN THERE AND IT WAS SO NICE. THE WEATHER WAS GREAT EVERYDAY BUT ONE!! CAN YOU BELIEVE OUR LUCK?? I THINK RAIN HAD BEEN IN THE FORECAST FOR A FEW OF THE DAYS OF OUR TRIP BUT IT ONLY RAINED A LITTLE OFF AND ON ONE DAY OF THE TRIP.

WE GOT IN ON THE 29TH AND WE TOOK A AIRPORT BUS TO THE OTHER AIRPORT IN TOKYO TO MEET THE HALEYS. WE GOT THERE JUST IN TIME BECAUSE THEIR FLIGHT WAS EARLY. AFTER THEY GOT OUT OF IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS WE HOPPED ON ANOTHER BUS, BUT THIS ONE TOOK US TO OUR HOTEL. WE STAYED AT THE NEW SANNO HOTEL. IT IS RUN BY THE NAVY. IT IS A REALLY REALLY AWESOME HOTEL AND IT IS SUPER CHEAP!!!!! AFTER WE CHECKED IN WE GRABBED A BITE TO EAT AT ONE OF THE HOTEL'S RESTAURANTS. 

THEN WE HEADED TO THE SUBWAY TO HOP ON A TRAIN TO THE GINZA. THE GINZA AREA IS WHERE ALL THE BIG BUILDINGS ARE THAT YOU SEE LITE UP IN PHOTOS OF TOKYO. THERE ARE LOTS OF HIGH END STORES IN THE AREA AND IT IS FUN TO WALK UP AND DOWN THE STREETS.

 WE WENT WHEN IT WAS DARK ON SUNDAY NIGHT SO WE COULD SEE IT ALL LITE UP. IT WAS REALLY COOL. AFTER WALKING AROUND THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE WE HEADED BACK TO THE HOTEL AND WE TURNED IN.

ON MONDAY WE WOKE UP AND WENT TO BREAKFAST. THEN WE STOPPED AT THE CONCIERGE DESK AND ASKED ABOUT TOURS AND STUFF THAT WE WANTED TO GO SEE. WE ENDED UP SIGNING UP FOR TWO TOURS. AND SHE GAVE US DIRECTIONS TO PLACES WE COULD GO DO AND SEE ON OUR OWN ON THE DAYS WE WEREN'T ON TOURS. SO WE DECIDED TO SPEND MONDAY BY GOING OVER TO THIS PLACE CALLED THE ORIENTAL BAZAAR. IT IS A HUGE SOUVENIR SHOP. BUT IT HAS SOME ANTIQUES AND OTHER THINGS THAT I HADN'T SEEN BEFORE. IT WAS FIVE FLOORS OF SHOPPING!! I BOUGHT A TEAPOT, A REALLY NEAT TRINKET JAR, A SAKI SET AND A LITTLE LACQUERED BOX. AFTER THE BAZAAR WE WALKED AROUND THE AREA. 

IT WAS REALLY BUSY. THE SIDEWALKS FULL OF PEOPLE. THEN WE WENT TO THE ALLEY WHERE ALL OF THE HARAJUKU TEENAGERS HANG OUT. THERE WEREN'T MANY OUT THOUGH BECAUSE THE STREET WAS PACKED AND THERE WASN'T ANY ROOM TO 'HANG OUT' . AFTER WE FINALLY GOT THROUGH THE CROWD WE HEADED BACK TO OUR HOTEL TO DROP OF OUR LOOT 

THEN WE WENT OUT LOOKING FOR THE SAPPORO BEER MUSEUM. 

IT WAS A SHORT WALK FROM OUR HOTEL AND EVERYONE REALLY LIKED IT. DAVE, SANDY, AND SEAN DID THE BEER TASTING FIRST THEN WE WENT THROUGH THE MUSEUM SORT FAST BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT TO CLOSE. WE WENT BACK TO OUR HOTEL AFTER WARDS AND GRABBED DINNER THEN HIT THE HAY EARLY.



TUESDAY WE GOT UP EARLY TO CATCH THE TOUR BUS TO MT. FUJI AND THE HAKONE AREA. OUR GUIDE 'MICKEY' WAS A REAL HOOT. SHE KEPT CRACKING JOKED THAT HAD US ALL CHUCKLING. WE WENT UP TO MT. FUJI FIRST. IT WAS RAINY THOUGH SO WE COULDN'T SEE THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. LEAVING A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED WE WENT TO A REALLY GREAT LUNCH AT HAKONE LAKE HOTEL. I AM SURE IF IT WASN'T RAINY THE VIEW FROM THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL. BUT THE FOOD WAS GOOD ANYHOW. AFTER LUNCH THE BUS TOOK US TO THE LAKE TO BOARD A PIRATE SHIP!! 

WE TOOK A TEN MINUTE CRUISE ACROSS THE LAKE AND IT WAS REALLY AWESOME. WE GOT LOTS OF GREAT PICTURES OF THE MOUNTAINS AROUND THE LAKE. THE BUS PICKED US UP AND TOOK UP TO GET ON SKY GONDOLAS!! 

IT WAS ABOUT TEN MINUTES TO GET UP TO THE TOP. THEN WE WENT TO THE VALLEY OF HELL. IT IS WHERE SULFUR GAS SEEPS OUT OF THE GROUND. IT WASN'T TOO SMELLY THANKFULLY. BUT IT REALLY WAS A SIGHT TO SEE. THE PUFFS COMING UP FROM THE GROUND AND IT WAS DEAD LOOKING EVERYWHERE. SO NOW WE CAN SAY WE HAVE VISITED HELL ON EARTH EH?. HEHE AFTER HELL WE STOPPED AT A REALLY GREAT SHRINE ON THE WAY BACK TO TOKYO.

ON WEDNESDAY WE WERE GLAD TO TAKE IT EASY. AFTER OUR FULL LONG DAY ON TUESDAY WE WERE READY FOR A SLOWER PACE. WE ATE BREAKFAST AND TOOK THE SUBWAY TO THE GINZA AREA AGAIN. SEAN ENDED UP FALLING FOR A DIGITAL CAMERA AT THE SONY BUILDING AND SPENT THE REST OF THE DAY SELLING THE IDEA TO SANDY. BUT WE DRAGGED THE BOYS AWAY FROM THE SONY BUILDING TO SEE A KABUKI PLAY. IT IS A VERY TRADITIONAL TYPE OF JAPANESE THEATER. THE PLAY THAT WE WATCHED WAS FIRST PERFORMED IN 1853. ALL THE CHARACTERS ARE PLAYED BY MEN. IT WAS IN JAPANESE SO WE JUST SORT OF FALLOWED ALONG WITH WHAT WE KNEW ABOUT THE STORY. IT WAS GOOD TO EXPERIENCE. BUT I DON'T THINK DAVE ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH.

THURSDAY WE WERE UP EARLY AGAIN TO GO ON ANOTHER TOUR. THIS TIME WE WENT ON A TOKYO TOUR. WE WENT TO TOKYO TOWER, THE MEIJI SHRINE, AND THE IMPERIAL PALACE EAST GARDEN IN THE MORNING. THE MEIJI SHRINE WAS REALLY NEAT. WE GOT LOTS OF PHOTOS OF THE CITY FROM THE OBSERVATION DECK OF TOKYO TOWER. BUT WE WERE NEARLY POWER WALKING THROUGH THE EAST GARDEN. THERE WAS LOTS OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE SOME JAPANESE PEOPLE WERE PROTESTING THEIR CONSTITUTION SO TRAFFIC WAS SO CONGESTED. SO BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE GARDEN WE WERE RUNNING BEHIND SO WE HAD TO HURRY THROUGH. THE GARDEN WAS STILL NICE BUT I THINK IF DAVE AND I EVER GO BACK TO TOKYO I WOULD LIKE TO WALK THROUGH IT AGAIN... MAYBE ABOUT HALF THE SPEED NEXT TIME. HEHE. 

MOST OF US ATE LUNCH IN THE GINZA AND THEN WENT BACK TO CATCH THE AFTERNOON TOUR. FOR THE SECOND PART OF THE TOUR WE STOPPED AT A PEARL GALLERY. I DIDN'T THINK THIS WOULD BE INTERESTING AT ALL BUT IT ENDED UP BEING REALLY COOL. THEY EXPLAINED HOW CULTURED PEARLS ARE CREATED AND THEY EVEN DEMONSTRATED THEM IMPLANTING THE CLAMS. IT WAS COOL!!! AFTER THE PEARLS WE WENT TO BOARD A CRUISE BOAT TO TAKE US UP THE SUMIDA RIVER. IT WAS A NICE RIDE ALONG THE RIVER WITH LOTS OF SIGHTS TO SEE.

 AFTER THE CRUISE DROPPED US OFF UPSTREAM WE WENT TO THE ASAKUSA KANNON TEMPLE. IT IS A HUGE BUDDHIST TEMPLE. 

IT WAS REALLY AMAZING BUT IT WAS HARD JUST TO WALK UP THE ALLEYS OF THE SHOPPING AREA THERE BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE. BUT WE STILL GOT TO TAKE IN THE AWESOME SITE. AT THE END OF THE TOUR THEY DROVE US BY A STREET FULL OF WAX FOOD STORES!! THE RESTAURANTS ALL OVER JAPAN HAVE WAX FOOD MODELS ON DISPLAY AND THIS STREET IS WHERE THEY GET THEM FROM!!! ISN'T THAT ODD?? WELL AFTER THAT WE DROVE THROUGH THE ELECTRONICS DISTRICT. THEN WE HEADED BACK TO THE HOTEL.

FRIDAY WAS PRETTY LAID BACK. WE WERE PLANNING TO STOP AT A BASEBALL STADIUM TO GRAB A TEE SHIRT AND THEN HEAD TO A MUSEUM AREA... BUT WE GOT TO THE STADIUM AND ENDED UP BUYING TICKETS FOR THE GAME. THE ONLY TICKETS AVAILABLE WERE STANDING ONLY BUT WE FIGURED IT WOULD STILL BE REALLY GREAT. SO WE BOUGHT TICKETS... THEN WAITED FOR A LITTLE WHILE TO BE LET IN TO GET A PRIME SPOT TO WATCH THE GAME. 

BUT ONCE WE GOT OUR SPOT WE STILL HAD 3 HOURS TO STAND THERE WAITING FOR THE GAME. IT WAS REALLY COOL TO WATCH THE TEAMS WARM UP BUT BY THE TIME THE GAME STARTED WE WERE TIRED OF STANDING. AND ONCE THE STANDING AREA WAS FILLED UP THE AREA GOT HOT AND FUNKY. WE ENJOYED FOUR INNINGS OF THE GAME THEN LEFT. 

IT WAS FUN TO SEE A JAPANESE BASEBALL GAME THOUGH. THE FANS WENT CRAZY AND WERE ALWAYS SINGING A CHANT!! WE WERE GLAD WE GOT TO SEE IT. BUT WE HEADED BACK TO THE HOTEL TO PACK OUR BAGS.

SATURDAY WE CHECKED OUT AND SAID GOOD-BYE TO SEAN AND SANDY AND WE FLEW HOME TO MISAWA. THANKFULLY WHEN WE GOT HOME THE WEATHER WAS AWESOME!!! IN THE SIXTIES AND SUNNY. WE STOPPED ON OUR WAY HOME AT THE KENNEL TO PICK WENDY UP. SHE WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE US. WE TOOK HER HOME AND THEN WE RAN TO GET SOME GROCERIES AND SOME FREE FLOWERS AT THE BASE'S SPRING FLING.
SO!! NOW YOU KNOW. WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TIME. I HAVE POSTED THE PHOTOS ALREADY SO CHECK THEM OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. TOKYO WAS SO COOL. IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO GO.. DO IT!!! ALL OF THE JAPANESE PEOPLE ARE SO KIND AND THOUGHTFUL. I GUESS SINCE DAVE AND I HAVE BEEN SEEING MORE AND MORE MY THOUGHTS ON LIVING IN JAPAN HAVE CHANGED A LOT. I STILL HAVE MY MOMENTS WHERE I FEEL LIKE COMPLAINING.... BUT EVERY SINCE I QUIT MY JOB THE DAY TO DAY HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. THANKFULLY!!!!