Life on EBay is slow, but there are still sales. Not alot of books listed right now. Come January, I'll switch back to media mail and $.99 listing and then there will be many more books available. So if you are in the need of a cookbook, please look under Valerie2901 on EBay. Actually, there some good books listed.

Two books I'm going to promote are Chili Madness by Jane Butel and The Stew Cookbook by Johnrae Earl & James McCormick. Chili Madness has more than 35 best & tested recipes, plus legendary origins & spiritual beginnings. Also controversies & further craziness, & peppers & powders. Learn about the soup of the devil, the "strictly American" brew. The other book-The Stew Cookbook, because it's wintertime and though stew is good all year round, right now a good stew will keep your stomach, filled and warm. Learn about mulligan stew, basic stews, veal, lamb & mutton stews, fish & seafood stews, vegetarian stews, common'st creature stews, gourmet stews, wild game stews, the strange stews and stews from around the world. Did you know there were so many stews.

More Elvis/Las Vegas trivia: Elvis married Priscilla Beaulieu in a suite at the Aladdin Hotel on May 1, 1967 (Lisa Marie was born exactly nine months later.

Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' manager, lost more than $1 million per year gambling at the Las Vegas Hilton.

On February 18, 1973, during Elvis' midnight show at the Hilton, four men rushed the stage, apparently intending to do harm. Elvis, employing his long-practiced karate skills, helped fend off the attack.

Ongoing is a recipe contest by California Wild Rice- www.cawildrice.com. The grand prize is $5,000. So what is your speciality using CA Wild Rice? Look on the website for complete rules.

I have come across one problem with all this cooking that I've been doing lately.... I AM GAINING WEIGHT. So the solution seems to be less cooking or cooking less. I am trying to get back to my one big meal a day while I am home-one big meal that I eat for lunch & dinner and some fruit for breakfast. I guess that means no more chicken wings for awhile and I do love chicken wings.

So what are your Thanksgiving Day plans? Mine will be in Savannah, GA with my son at his new home. This is his first Thanksgiving dinner to put together. My sister, Leslie will also be there from Atlanta, as well an assortment of my son's friends. So late tomorrow night, I will take the red-eye flight to Atlanta, my sister will pick-me-up at the airport and then a 3 hour drive to Savannah. Stay for about 6 hours, drive back to Atlanta for the red-eye flight and fly back to Las Vegas. Do I sound like a jet-setter or what?

What can you do with lemons: For Oily Skin, get a gorgeous glow with a lemon facial.

Lemon regulates excess oil, and cornmeal exfoliates skin so it's extra-soft.

Place a warm washcloth over clean face for 5 minutes. Mix 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp. water, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/4 cup cornmeal. Massage onto face for 1-2 minutes, rinse and pat dry.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val