Oh, life is glorious gale of song,
A medley of extemporanea
And love is a thing that never goes wrong
And I am Marie of Romania
Dorothy Parker


Ms. Parker could have been talking about love in Pine Valley. Bianca had a point when she said, "It is a total miracle when you find someone to love who loves you back." There is a lot of love in Pine Valley these days, and a lot, of course, that is going wrong. And really, would we want it any other way?

Let's see. Brooke and Edmund had a happy engagement for approximately twelve minutes. Then Jamie was recast, and it has been downhill from there. Just kidding. Although his problems seem to have come out of nowhere. Up until recently Jamie has been totally supportive of Edmund and Brooke's romance. I would have thought Eva LaRue returning would have been enough to cause problems. Was it also necessary to turn Tad into a total ass? A total ass who seems to have forgotten that Edmund used to be his best in-drag-on-the-run friend? An ass who had the audacity to tell Brooke all the trauma her love life had put Jamie through? Has Tad forgotten he left Brooke for Dixie when Jamie was just a tyke? That the T/D marriage was like a revolving door? And Tad, it was not because of Edmund or Brooke that Leslie Coulson returned to town. Sigh. I was hoping for more from Tad now that Dixie is gone.

One bright spot in all this. Brooke has grown tiresome, but I did love how she yelled at Tad and Edmund, "Did either of you think to sweep up the damn floor?" You go, girl.

I am glad that Kendall and Ryan have moved past that tiresome yelling. Their romance is now kind of sweet really. I like how Kendall went back to the hotel room just to savor the experience for one last moment. I must admit that I agree with Kendall about the whole picnic experience; the fantasy is so often much better than the reality since fantasy seldom includes bugs, heat, dirt, and too much mayonnaise. My ideal romantic picnic would be outdoors. At night. Under brilliantly lit silver moon and stars. Dim sum (the perfect finger food!) would be served. And we would be close enough to the ocean to hear it, see it, smell it. But far enough away to avoid getting sand in our, well,um, getting sand anywhere.

Kendall has a better shot at a successful romance than her sister. Let's see: Sara got married and then sick, Rain was bought off and sent out of town and Frankie was murdered. It appears as if ABC can handle the publicity of having a front burner gay adolescent coming out story but backs off from the heat it would get for having an adolescent gay romance. Although straight teens on ABC soaps have very active sex lives. Let's hope that once things settle down, Bianca and Maggie can talk about that almost kiss. Rather like the conversations that took place between Anna and Edmund about the confusion of being attracted to a former love's twin.

Anna has moved on to a much more interesting relationship. I like Anna and David together. They seem so well matched. David is such a dangerous scamp. And Anna has always been attracted to dangerous scamps. I am not hung up on believing that Robert Scorpio or Duke Lavery was Anna's one true love. I think in a complicated life such as Anna's there can be more than one true love. Nor do I think that David's remark about Anna being the first woman he has loved negates his feelings for Dixie. As you grow you can think what you are experiencing is love. And then one day, the real thing happens and you say to yourself, " Oh, this is what love feels like, to love someone with your heart, your mind, your soul, your body." I imagine that is what happened to David.

Anna is certainly experiencing something she did not in her first two marriages: troublesome in-laws. True, Robert Scorpio did not exactly get along with his brother Mac. But Mac at least was not an international drug dealer like her current mother-in-law. Or an infamous grifter like her brother-in-law. Maggie seems the most normal but considering this is Pine Valley it is only a matter of time til her secrets are revealed.

I wonder how Chris will react when all of Erica's secret manipulations are revealed. Oh, let me guess. Since she is Erica Kane, she will toss her head and all will be forgiven. And then I will find them even less interesting as a couple than I do now.

I am optimistic that Leo and Greenlee will become interesting once again. I agree with Greens that a great love affair deserves one final chance at success. I suggest that they follow the Devane/Hayward example and elope. Long engagements just do not work out in PV.

I am trying to remain optimistic about Mia and Jake. I like them together but what I really like is Mia's independent moxie. I do not want to see her strength diminish as Jake rescues her from the evil Trey.

Quibble, Quibble

1. I finally figured out why I do not find Trey to be an irresistible hunk. He reminds me of an obnoxious local weatherman. I am working on getting past this but unfortunately he is on the ABC affiliate and his commercials run during AMC.
2. "Until I met you, Kendall, I was a zombie." So was that hot zombie sex you had with Liza and Mia, Ryan?
3. "If I remember correct." Oh Simone, Tempo must have a copy editor whose sole job is working on your adverb usage.
4. Why are Ryan's cards maxed out? If he did not inherit Gillian's wealth, who did?
5. I have liked most of the redecorating that has gone on in PV the past six months except for the redo of Myrtle's boarding house. It now looks like a little old lady lives there. Myrtle may be little. Myrtle may be a "woman of a certain age." And Myrtle is certainly a lady. But if there is one thing Myrtle is not, it is a little old lady.


You still have time to vote for the EYE awards. I would never try to influence anyone's vote (Billy Clyde Tuggle). After all a vote is a very private thing (Donald Steele). It is not as important whom someone votes for (Roger Smythe) as it is that one votes (Olivia Birkelund).

Kate