Less than 31 hours to go before the clock runs out on the current 30-day special session, and still no supplemental budget. Everybody I talk to in the House seems to be reading from the same talking points, saying they're "optimistic" that a deal can be done by tomorrow's deadline. Yet nobody particularly wants to go on the record with that prediction.

Word from the Senate is that leadership has been in negotiations with Governor Gregoire since about noon, with only one 15-minute break, while Republican budgetmeister Joe Zarelli is amusing himself by showing up late for meetings with Democratic counterpart Ed Murray. Such fun!

Also, lots of rumors, some of them nasty! Legislators might want to think about getting out of Olympia before things get really mean.