Every vote counts...

Hi All, thanks Yeimy for the petition, I will try to do better, and it is always nice to be missed.

I just finished making up a cheesy hash brown slow cooker recipe to take to work tomorrow for the "Packer tailgate", here's hoping it turns out, I had to improvise quite a bit because it's late and I don't want to go get more stuff. I didn't have a recipe, so I just bought stuff then searched the Internet until I found a recipe that was close. I also made a quick bean cheese dip as back up in case the potatoes don't turn out. I'm waiting for my Mom to call back, I think it might need a little more liquid, but this is the first time I've used my new slow cooker and my new mandoline slicer. Both were gifts for Christmas, I'm very excited about each, the slow cooker especially, it comes with 3 inserts, 2 quart, 4, quart and 6 quart. So making food for work party, 6 quart, making food for just me, 2 or 4 quart. and they all nest together very neatly. The mandoline just shredded through the onion like nothing, very fun.

Just got done talking to Mom, she thinks the sour cream will curdle on low, so I turned it up to high and will set an alarm to turn it off tonight. Actually now that I think of it, maybe I should just put it in the 'fridge and cook it on high at work tomorrow... nah, I want to have it pretty much done before I go to work so if it is a total loss, I don't have to lug it in.

I didn't even leave work until after 7 this evening and need to be in at 6 tomorrow to do tests and get results so they will know the right trial to do on line at the customer's plant. Nothing like cutting it close, right? It's been one of those weeks, my boss is moving this week, so she's been out since Monday afternoon, and the other group's boss and their boss were in Detroit at the auto show and meetings Tuesday to Thursday, so I've had to try to hold down the fort and try to keep things going. I could reach them by phone occasionally, but it's not the same and it is so hectic without them. They are not all allowed to leave me again!

My Mom is coming to visit me next weekend, I am so excited! She's flying out Thursday night, I took Friday off and we're going to the Milwaukee Admirals vs the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey game on Friday night. Of course the only way to lure her out was with a hockey game, the Griffins are the 'farm team' for the Red Wings, so we might see a few familiar faces.

I do have a issue I could use all of your help with. I live in the 1st floor flat of a old house in Milwaukee. My upstairs neighbors are a couple, the guy moved in around the same time I did in the fall, but his girlfriend/fiancee? just moved in a the first of the year. They have the second floor and the attic which is a finished loft space for them as well. I use the back bedroom as my bedroom, they seem to be using the front bedroom.

Here's the deal, I hear then every time they 'get it on'. I can live with all the other noises of having upstairs neighbors, and I love the house and the location, but the moaning and rhythmic thumping is getting old fast. Heck, it was old the first time, and it gets more irritating every single time since. I remember the landlord clearly making a point that when he and his wife lived upstairs they used the loft as their bedroom for more 'privacy', but if they mentioned it to my neighbors apparently it went over their head. My problem is my mom will be here next week, and right now, my guest room is right below moaning central. Can I tell them my mom is coming to visit and ask them to keep it down, for the weekend? Is it out of place to suggest they might be more comfortable with the loft as their bedroom? Or do I ask my landlords to talk to them about knocking it off in general? Do I have a right to ask? Or do I get passive aggressive and play Barry White or porn really loud when they get it on and see if they take a hint? I'm at a loss and looking for suggestions... unfortunately I don't have a willing partner to 'fight fire with fire'. Besides, he moans like a girl, I don't think I could do it with a guy that sounds like him. Help!