@Kareni We could probably fill an Advent calendar with T-Rex humor. Here is another T-shirt I saw someone wearing this summer.

I came across this tape dispenser today. Finally a job the TRex can do well! Unlike pushups

Have you done any saving for college costs? I didn't see it in your list. ETA I see that you invested your inheritance, but nothing in a 529 fund? I'm just asking since that would be the first place I would stash college money, and it is pretty flexible and could be used for either cold, I think.

Re: Denby In 20ish years we've broken a bowl (filled with oatmeal 😝), chipped a bowl, and chipped a mug. I've used that mug everytime it is clean since then thinking that the more I used it the more likely it would be that it would be the one I dropped and broke. 20 years later it is still going strong with my daily coffee. 😀 When we were considering it, though, we asked about breakage. The shop owner said, oh! , then grabbed a mug and started whacking it against the edge of the table. 😯 We both flinched and then let that concern go.

Have you looked at Denby Pottery? My grandmother loved them 50 years ago because they carried all sorts of serving pieces. I haven't needed those so much myself. A peek at the website shows that they carry matching pet bowls in some styles, so they probably have a lot of serving pieces also! It is pricey, and they do discontinue lines - so don't plan to buy pieces over too long of a time period. I bought mine at a local kitchen shop, but I imagine the shipping cost was baked into the price, so might not be worth the effort to search out a place in the states that carries it.

I bet it does. Although I wonder if the topping amounts were the same. I do remember it as more of a bar rather than thin like bark. In fact, thinking about it, I'm pretty sure there were two layers of crackers. I probably blew up like Veruca Salt every Christmas when we were there with all the goodies at my finger tips.

This sounds like a recipe my grandma made but she used those buttery Club crackers instead of saltines. Takes the delicious, coma-inducing unhealthiness up yet another level. I pine for these every year but never make them because I lack the self-control necessary not to eat myself sick on them. 🤤

I'm not going to break a sweat or be forced into generous traffic situations getting there. So that might be less than 2 blocks somewhere in Arizona (heat) or Western Massachusetts (lack of pedestrian infrastructure), up to, say, a mile in a flat Midwestern city in moderate weather. It also makes a difference if we're talking about a one-time thing, let's meet for lunch at the Ethiopian place that is in walking distance of the Indigenous Art Museum, or a daily commute, this apartment will be perfect for you since it is in walking distance of your office. I'm willing to go farther in a forwarned, one time deal; whereas I will adjust my wardrobe appropriately if this is something I'll be doing on the regular.

We are ROCKING our middle years! 😄

If the grout lines are straight, this brush has helped save my sanity. I don't regularly use a cleaner, I just scrub a section occasionally when I'm in the shower. Even with a cleaner I have to physically scrub each line of grout. Maybe I'll try the Finazzle mentioned above.

I looked at this review about the ports in the 2023 Sienna. I don't see an aux port, but there is a 12 volt charging port which I used for many years in my old Sienna for a Bluetooth receiver that acted as a very local radio station so I could play my own music in the car. This should work if you got one of the Bluetooth enabled CD players linked by a pp. There is also a Toyota article about playing your music from a USB drive. This might be the way to go if it operates in a manner you can get used to because USB drives can hold SO much music these days.

I love your idea about figures and animals. A few puzzle pieces in each one to make a small puzzle. Jokes on paper. Those twisted metal logic puzzles. Peg dolls with yarn, fabric scraps and a black pen for decorating. Small embroidery kit. Hot Wheels car and painters tape (low stick) to make a road. Origami paper and instructions. Long paper strips for folding paper stars. Lego pieces and instructions over a couple of days. Recipe card for sugar cookies with a jar of sprinkles. Gosh, I'm having fun here!

Do you know the year and model of your car? The Internet probably knows what ports your car has. Then our technical suggestions could get more specific.

Are there reviews on the properties? If so, how far back do they go and do they sound legit. I wouldn't be particularly worried about the security deposit if it is on credit card. But I wouldn't ignore the weirdness. You could try an email to Airbnb asking if this is normal.

Hey! My dd did too! Although she is majoring in English which puts a slightly less exotic spin on it. 😄

"I was rather literally in college ... and now I was going to bring back all such things into my life and become again that most limited of all specialists, the 'well-rounded man.'" F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby this was the refrain in my head as I helped my well-rounded Seniors apply to colleges that seemed to only be interested in pointy applicants.

Also watch for "plain" labeling. "Vanilla" which sounds plain is actually very sweet.

We have three 3 foot cubes built mainly from an old deck that we disassembled. I have a large bin for kitchen waste collection that goes out once a week. I use shredded paper in the bottom of the kitchen bin. In the spring, as I plant the garden, I put down a few layers of newsprint as mulch between rows or around plants, then I pulled in enough compost to cover the paper and hold it down. That provides a good weed barrier and soil enrichment. Then we can tip the remaining bins into the empty spot. The last couple of years I've been struggling to be interested in the process though, leaving me with quite a jumble of emotions. ETA DH designed the bins using an old This Old House article, and they are very nice looking in addition to being quite functional.

I'll pick my freshmen up tomorrow in a long driving day to a university in a neighborhood state and airport arrivals at the closest major airport. Everyone sounds happy, but no one has said bupkis about how grades are going. 😬 We'll see how well they maintain eye contact when I ask how grades are.

It is rude. If your mom doesn't care and you aren't forcing them to try some of everything like they were toddlers then what is their problem exactly? That said, if you can just do your thing and stone face the rude comments, maybe they will let it go. Or make a candy-eating game or if it with your dh. Something to make it grate less. Since there are two of them feeding off each other (pardon the pun) it will likely persist for a while, sadly. If not, have a few low key responses ready. Like, If you don't care for it you can just politely pass on that dish🤷🏼‍♀️? Or, Well, that was definitely true in the 90's! What do you think you will want to do when your mom can't host? That might also guide your response to the rudeness.

Interesting! I lived BFSU, and I spent a lot of time prepping for it, so I know exactly what you mean. I also stopped recommending it because I didn't see people willing to put in that kind of time. Perhaps Best Academy Science will work for people that can't seem to make time for science. Thanks for the review.

Can you sew a stitch or two into each corner? I've had that work well when I can be bothered. Those things are soooo frustrating.

I think the problem lies in the lower heart retention of plastic meaning that evaporation tapers off quickly before all the water has evaporated, rather than being a problem with the dishwasher. That said, I sadly do not have an answer for you. I hand wash all the plastic parts

The item description is funny!