We're number one! The morning newspaper announced that a local restaurant had been voted the "Manliest Restaurant in America."

I know you are on pins and needles wanting to know what their claim to fame is.

The nearly 13,000 brain sandwiches they sell each year.

Thanks to this prestigious award that number is likely to rise. The prize was given through AOL's humor and men's lifestyle site and the second place winner wasn't even close.

"There's definitely something about mashing up something's brain, frying it in a pan and dropping it on a bun that's guaranteed to put hair on your chest. This is a proud day for brain eaters throughout our 50 states and around the world," Editor-in-Chief of Asylum was quoted as saying from his New York office.

Yes indeed. Our little Hilltop Inn beat out the best of Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C. and Boston.

The sous chef at Hilltop explained, in regards to the expertise needed to create a brain sandwich start to finish, "It's very hands-on. You have to be very meticulous. I don't let many people try to do it."

Last week visitors from Austria showed up to try the delicacy. They had read about the award and wanted to experience it first-hand.

Waste not, want not. And that's what I'm thinking about today.

It's the kind of weekend only a woman could love. Shopping from dawn til dusk, or until the shoppes close.

Beautiful weather, great bargains, a room overlooking the shoppes on Main Street, and good, good friends.

Saw Noel Coward's Present Laughter performed live; stayed up catching up on each others' lives until 2 am, critiqued jewelry and clothes, shoes and hats. Drove out to the covered bridge and dutifully took pictures of one of America's fast disappearing symbols of prairie life where we were sad to see graffiti covering the interior.

Had rings sized, bird houses critiqued, jackets purchased and ready for Fall wear, shod feet with Minnetonkas and relived the 'good old days.'

Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver the other gold.

And that's what I'm thinking about.

Today I am packing for a long weekend with friends. They are driving five hours from Ohio and I am driving three, meeting in Brown County, Indiana.

Originally we met while working together in a hospital system. We had a grand decade of developing programs and meeting the needs of women in the community. Meeting our own need for friendship we have remained in touch over the years.

China, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Greece; we have traveled together around the world. This weekend we will travel to the excitement of Nashville, Indiana.

However for each of us it is not the pleasure of a foreign or strange land that revs us up but the renewing and fostering of friendship. No one shares quite the history that we share.

Looking forward, and that's what I'm thinking about today.

There is a deep emotion felt commonly by every mother. I found this true last week as I was reading through Facebook updates.

Children are going back to school.

Far from the joy and celebration that the jokesters portray, mothers are not happy. In fact, they were sad. And worried. And wondering.

Sad because their little ones were growing up. Worried as they see their oldest climb aboard the big yellow school bus. Some wondering if they had instilled the family values deep and wide enough to withstand the pressures of the world. Preschool world and global world.

From one mom sending her daughter off to preschool for the first day to daughters being driven seven hours away to college, to daughters being sent on planes to foreign countries for the year.

Moms thinking one thing. Where did the time go and did I use it wisely to prepare her for this big step? Each step seeming farther and farther away geographically. And praying that it is not farther and farther away morally.

And that's what I'm thinking about today.