Great minds think alike! Here's my response - maybe a little too light, but oh well. "Dear Ms. (Spanish teacher), Perry has my permission to participate in any food days, and I do acknowledge that some projects may require a small fee. However, I prefer to approve the movies on a case-by-base basis. I'm sure when you're my age you will understand. :001_smile: Perry is enjoying your class so far! Thanks, Michelle XXXXXX" And I really wanted to use that red pen, but dd absolutely forbade it. (And I think she's secretly pleased to get to make a fuss in class.)

Dd13 started 8th grade at ps this year. Her Spanish teacher sent home the following permission slip to be signed. I've already decided not to sign it, but want to see if I'm really the big stick-in-the-mud that dd thinks!;) (Spelling and grammar have been left intact.) My child ____________ has permission to watch any videos or to participate in any food days in Spanish class. This permission slip is in affect for the entire 2008-2009 school year. If at anytime my child feels offended of uncomfortable with the information or content, they are required to inform the teacher and alternative assignments will be made. I also understand that if we are doing a project, my child may be asked to bring a small monetary fee in order to pay for the materials. For example, if we have a pinata he/she may be asked to bring a dollar, in order to pay for the fillings and the pinata. Parent signature and date: __________________________

I'm right there with you!:D

A funny one from a neighboring community a couple of years ago: Cute little suburban college town; lots of big, beautiful ($$$$) houses. Downtown with quaint shops and restaurants along the strip w/the college. With a XXX-rated movie theater along the strip. Big, ugly theater; sits with its back to the street and surrounded by trees which obscured the entrance. It looked overgrown, and jungle-y, and just dangerous! It had been there forever (mid-50's?); I don't know how long it had shown "that" kind of movie. So the adult theater was sold, and the new owner obtained permits for demolition and construction of a new McDonald's. And the town went nuts! People who had co-existed for year with the theater and its patrons wrote passionate letters against the blight that the McDonalds and its customers would be on the neighborhood. Construction was actually halted for a time. I made the mistake of commenting to a friend that I couldn't get over the fuss over a McDonalds, for pete's sake, especially given the previous establishment. Well, her mother was one of the lead complainers, and I got an earful of just what was wrong with having a fast food establishment within sight of your house!

Similar here - we paid ~$810. for a half, including processing. This was in late April. I think it was around $2.10/lb hanging wt.?

I'd love to come back and read that you did this!:lol:

What a generous offer, and how great it would be to get him out of that situation. Here's another thought - I'm not familiar with how umbrella schools work (maybe it's a similar arrangement?), but what about an e-school? Then he would be accountable to the e-school's schedule and teacher, and you would just have to oversee his work.

Don't know about uniforms, but I often find badge and handbooks at half-price books. Just make sure you know what edition you're looking for; they have old ones sometimes.

My friend, who is the most positive person I have ever met. I'm genuinely curious about what kind of "self-talk" you need to do to have such a great public face and attitude. (I'm assuming, of course, that she's as genuine as she seems!)

I had to clean an amazingly dirty toilet in a rental once. We pushed out the water and plugged it, then filled it with straight Simple Green. After about 8 hours, all we had to do was rinse it. No scrubbing at all. Not sure how it would work on hard water deposits.

Unfortunately, we had to leave all cameras and cell phones in the cloakroom. And Jean - we're pretty sure the girls did not completely understand how momentous that visit was. Maybe when they're a bit older it will hit them. Wow - it was a great trip - we got to ride the senate subway when we toured the Capitol; were able to do the Bureau of Engraving & Printing tour and go up in the Washington Monument; saw Lincoln, Vietnam, FDR, WWII memorials, the Scupture Garden, Portrait Gallery, Air & Space, Zoo. We also sat in Einstein's lap for pictures, took paddleboats across the Tidal Basin, and popped through the House Where Lincoln Died. My co-leader's pedometer told us we walked about 7 miles each day! Oh, and we rode the subway everywhere. By the end of the trip I heard one of my 10yo's explaining to a tourist how to put the tickets through the readers :001_smile: We managed to do it for around $280/person for all travel, food, and lodging. They sold alot of cookies to get to go! There was so much more that we didn't get to do - they all want to go back!

actually SAT ON THE HOUSE FLOOR!!!! No, not actually on the floor, but on the floor of the House of Representatives, where the "Republican revolt" is currently taking place. Our GS troop was taken onto the floor through the Republican cloakroom by our senator's staffer who was conducting the tour. Overall, a pretty fabulous trip - but that was singularly exciting!

Washington Suites Georgetown - staying here w/girl scouts later this week! Their typical nightly rate ranges from $120-$200+, depending on the type of room and how far in advance you book. Best rates are on weekends. One of the few places w/complimentary breakfast in DC! We've also stayed at the Hotel Harrington. Old tourist hotel - rooms are well used, but it was reasonably clean and very spacious (we had a large room w/2-double beds and 1-twin!) Can't beat the price or the location! $109-$169/night. When we were there earlier this summer, we stayed at the Fourpoints in New Carrollton, MD. We read reviews that described the neighborhood as "edgy", but we didn't have any problems. Free and very convenient shuttle to the New Carrollton metro station - easy ride into DC. They offer special prepaid rates around $100-$125/night.

Yep - a friend told me about his brother making an on-site visit involving an airplane trip to service a plotter. When he started looking at it, he asked the employee to plug it in so that he could see what was wrong. The sheepish look on the employee's face told him all he needed to know. :D

You have single-handedly supplied me with what I needed! The one and only time I played was at dh's family reunion (2 teams of ~35 each - pretty chaotic and fun!) The other team had a set of cousins who were all big in musical theater. I think they found a lyric from Beauty and the Beast in response to every single word that was called!

It's played with two teams; an "emcee" type person draws a card with a word on it - "flower", "red" or "like" are some that I remember playing. One team begins by singing (or reciting) a lyric from a song including the word (they must have 8 words for the lyric to count.) Then play goes back and forth between the teams until one team can't come up with one. The other team gets a point, and play continues with another card drawn. So, my question is - can you guys help me come up with words to play this tonight with some friends? (I'm feeling so un-creative right now in the midst of cleaning bathrooms and cutting up vegetables!) Better yet (rather, easier but maybe not as fun) - if someone has the game, could you tell me about 20 cards' worth of words? TIA! Have fun!

My boss used to put it this way: it's not that old people get mean, it's that mean people get old. (So substitute "grumpy" for "mean" to apply to our discussion.) Me? I'll likely be one of the grumpy, mean ones. I've hidden it well for many years, but it gets harder and harder to keep it under wraps!

Alice Tinkerbell (?) Nancy Drew Dorothy Kit Kittredge Ramona Quimby

This site may be a good resource: Ultimate Camp Resource - Games Have fun!

another vote here!

When the youngest daughter tells her father, "Papa! Papa please don't go. I'll say anything, just tell me what you want me to say and I'll say it. Papa please don't go!"

I think my fav eighties tune is actually from the 70's(?) Wondering Where the Lions Are Bruce Cockburn Actually from the eighties: Elvis Costello - Tokyo Storm Warning (really that whole album - Blood & Chocolate). The sky fell over cheap Korean monster-movie scenery And spilled into the mezzanine of the crushed capsule hotel Between the Disney abattoir and the chemical refinery And I knew I was in trouble but I thought I was in hell Roomies and I wore out Talking Heads Little Creatures one summer (so happy...) Love Kate Bush - did you catch when CSI used 2 of her tunes early last season? (One was a cover, but still...) The Dreaming was just fascinating.

Frozen go-gurts are handy.

Hi - thanks! I'm checking it now (jumped the gun a little there :001_smile:). There are several that I need to check - I'll e-mail them to you. Thanks, thanks, thanks! Michelle

I sold our copy before checking dd's final exam! If you have a copy, could you pm or email me - I'd be forever grateful (and give rep!) if you could transcribe answers to me! TIA, Michelle