I continue to be astonished that those who never met Michael Jackson offer up opinions on his "psyche" while discounting his intimate friends.

I’m with you, Rho! One of my only regrets is having sold many of my wonderful clothes through consignment stores when I was a fashionista. Thank God for those I kept, because styles do come back to the classics, and like you, I shop my own closet first.

The thing is that multi-tasking seems so necessary. But why am I so busy? It’s been years since I let my assistant go (Too extravagant; didn’t need one.) and I can trace the number of things in my life that have not gotten done and the number of years they’ve been waiting to get done back to that time. So it’s with a big sigh today that I’m thinking of hiring an assistant again. And why would a woman with no job or children need to do that? Busy-busy-busy-ness that I heap upon myself. That’s why.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say any nut will do. Susan and I specifically mentioned that we prefer pecans. Pine nuts are traditional and walnuts are used frequently as well. Both are good. I can think of a few nuts that might not be so great. Peanuts? Hmm.

Susan, huge thumbs up for pecans in pesto! Are you and I the only ones who prefer pesto this way, or is it trend and I’ve just not been getting out enough lately?

Ah, now I’m melting into some lovely long ago morning with Noel Harris’s version of Suzanne on the radio while I dress for school. (Thanks for taking me away from this blah Monday-at-the computer start to my week, Julia.)

There are those who won’t blink at begging huge favors for a cause they believe in (or just a friend), but cringe at asking even the smallest thing for themselves. God bless you, Julia!

I always knew this about you, Julia, because I have good people instincts, but there a couple of people I want to email it to. I may even print it and keep a few copies in my purse. xxoo

Well, looks like we’re a whole lot more interested in "Morning Girl" than we are the moon landing. I was sixteen and in love and thought that song was about me, OF COURSE! I still get a tad weak when I hear it. A lot of songs from that summer do me that way. I barely remember the moon landing. There were much more important things going on in my world. My old love from college found me on Face Book last week. And you know what? I think there still may be a little bit of  "Morning Girl" in me.

I don’t know, Julia. I’m kinda glad you didn’t show everybody the most gorgeous beach in the world. See, the more crowded it gets down there the less I like it. I remember when my grandparents had a place in Panama City when I was little and the big entertainment was the ONE goofy golf course. ‘The Strip’ was a few motels strung between the family homes. It was just great. I’m happy to let "the rest of the world" think "Redneck Riviera" means its a trailer park where you have to kick Pabst cans out of the way to get to the water. More room for you and me to lie on those sugar-white sands and paddle our tootsies in those warm clear waters.

Sorry Julia, I’ve thunk and thunk but can’t come up with even one old beauty ritual that works all that great at my age. I’m wondering if your former roomate still looks quite as smashing using egg whites only. At boarding-school age, she probably didn’t look all that terrible before the egg whites. Do please let us know how the laser works out. I’ve been considering that, myself.

Okay, James, I’ll have to admit the blow-up-Monica-doll thing is pretty witty.

What I’d really like to know is where I can find a man with Wilbur Mills’ quick wit. They’re as scarce these days as those good ol’ juicy sex scandals.

Your Mother’s right. Let me go on record right here: Even though I’m an Episcopalian, I want a funeral like your friend Carole’s, which sounds similar to the best funeral I ever attended, the one held at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for Jim Hager of Hee Haw’s Hager Twins. Yeah, songs and clips of the Hager’s performing, an emcee rather than a priest, friends and family telling heartwarming — and hilarious — stories about Jim that had the packed house laughing through their tears. Fabulous Nashville musicians performing in tribute, especially LuLu Roman’s soaring, plaintive rendition of Wayfarin’ Stranger and, at the end, the HeeHaw cast onstage doing the show’s sign-off song "We loved the time we spent with you…"  What a way to go.