I am Laura, southernxyl. Where does "southernxyl" come from? First of all, I am from Mississippi and I've lived in Memphis, TN since I graduated from college. When I was a kid my brother was a ham radio operator. I learned some of the shorthand expressions hams used to save tapping that key. One was "yl", for "young lady" (girl) and one was "xyl" for "ex-young lady" (woman). So I am a southern ex-young lady.

I live with R, my husband of 23 years, and our three cats. Our daughter, F, is 18 years old and has gone off to college this year. We miss her a lot.

I have commented on other folks' blogs for years and years but I've never started one of my own. Sometimes my comments get a little long-winded and I think that if I were the blog host I would complain about that: "Why doesn't she get a blog of her own if she's going to go on that way." However, until yesterday no blog host ever told me he wished I would start one. So, at Tarek's actually very polite suggestion, I am finally starting My Own Blog. I hope you are not too disappointed, Tarek.

I don't know what you're going to find here. I don't know what I am going to find here.