A florist in your town would be a good resource for local trends.

My go to pants for school are Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans. They're comfy, wash up well, and come in a variety of colors. https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1695762/gloria-vanderbilt-amanda-tapered-jeans-womens.jsp

We had a lot of trouble with our online pharmacy getting meds shipped to college addresses. We moved some prescriptions to Walgreens so they could be filled either at home or away at school.

There's a New York Times recipe called Cheesy White Bean-Tomato Bake that you can use as written or tweak to taste. I usually saute diced onion and some spinach before adding the beans. I usually cut back on the tomato and if I have fresh sage I sprinkle it on before serving. Sometimes I serve over polenta. If you can't view the NYT site, google it and you'll find a bunch of variations. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019681-cheesy-white-bean-tomato-bake

We're seeing this in my community too.

Thanks! We just had this recipe for pasta with that has a lemon marjoram vinegarette and it was tasty. I cut back the dijon and added some other veggies. I'd make this again. https://www.milesfarmersmarket.com/market-recipes/orzo-feta-and-tomato-salad-with-marjoram-vinaigrette/

I'm a total fail when it comes to dressings for pasta salad. Are you all using homemade dressings? I keep trying them and haven't landed on one we like.

I was recently boostered when I got Covid, and the test didn't pick it up at the time I noticed my first symptom (altered taste). I tested about 5 days after and it showed positive then.

Donating books the first time was the hardest, but I loaded up several boxes of books that I knew we wouldn't be using and donated them to the local public library book sale. I had shopped the sale for a number of years and was always grateful for the deals I got there, and in the process it helps the library. I went to the sale the day it opened and saw a couple of college students find some science books I'd donated. They were so excited and it made my heart happy knowing they were going to be enjoyed instead of sitting on my bookshelf unused for the forseeable future. It was always easier after ripping the bandaid off that first time.

I once bought an older Disney lanyard on ebay. I had an identical one from a family visit with a heavy duty clip that held my work keys securely for years until it finally gave out.

Dickson Mounds in Illinois would be another option to check out. https://www.illinoisstatemuseum.org/welcome-dickson-mounds/dm-exhibitions.html Kansas City BBQ

I never got past the taxadermied relative part. That can't be legal anywhere.

I've put off so many things until kids were out of college and now they're done, costs have skyrocketed. I'm taking off new kitchen cabinets and am going to go with paint, but flooring is a must throughout my whole upstair just for us. It's scary. 🤑

Sauerkraut Cornbread, or punch it up a little. We made this jalapeno cheddar cornbread last weekend, only substituted poblanos. Biscuits

Tie dye the pants.

My current cat is really sensitive to foods. I tried about 6 different types of canned food before I found one that didn't give him diarrhea or constipation. He is lazy about litter box habits but he always uses it. A very high sided box may be helpful in your situation. You can also modify large plastic tubs with an opening, but make sure it has a flat bottom.

I spend a lot of time outside and I've also found most of the time I stay cooler if I'm covered in the sun. I wear khaki or light colored lightweight jeans. For tops I wear a tank with a thin cotton blouse over it. I keep a t shirt in the car if I need to switch out.

I'm incredibly sorry. Sending prayers of comfort for you and your family in this time of grief.

My mom did that one too. She also sliced hot dogs lengthwise halfway through, stuffed cheese in, wrapped them in bacon and broiled them. IMO, Watergate Salad is a must for any 70's gathering! https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13811/watergate-salad/ My mom always baked a birthday cake for me that was a white or yellow layer cake. Between the layers she'd put a whipped topping and pineapple frosting and I think there were some mandarin oranges in there somewhere. I'm pretty sure it's this one. https://southernhospitalityblog.com/delicious-orange-pineapple-cake/

We had a Hungarian Sheepdog that would round us kids up all the time. Everything was okay until he bit the Avon lady. Not when she arrived. When she tried to leave. Just doing his sheepdog job.

You're welcome! She loves the Everlane day heels too and also these Birdies. https://birdies.com/products/womens-flats-starling-tan-suede

Was it Everlane? My daughter loves their shoes. https://www.everlane.com/products/womens-day-glove-black?collection=womens-shoes

Really lovely grave marker.

I decided to make a nice meal that I've taken her before that I know she really enjoys. I'll probably add a card but still don't know beyond that. Thanks for the 20% info. I haven't checked on that in awhile.

The person who has been cutting my hair for 30 years is retiring. I want to do something for her, but am not sure what's appropriate. Also, since I'll be starting with someone new, what is customary in terms of tipping hair stylists these days?