Thanks for the suggestions. I'll see if I can get some of the china that is made in England at the local antique shops.

Thanks for the update and continuing with prayer.

Do any of you have Johnson Brothers Friendly Village China? I received some years ago when it was made in England. My mother is buying me some additional place settings from a replacement china company, however they are now made in China. I'm wondering if there is much difference between the two? It is meant to be a surprise gift, so it might be awkward and rude to refuse the shipment in order to exchange it for a more expensive setting that was made in England. I've checked photos online, but I can't get a clear sense of their differences. If you have this pattern and could compare them the two of them, I'd sure appreciate it. Thanks.

Thanks for the update. Continuing in prayer for you. :grouphug:

That's wonderful news. Keep us posted. My prayers are with you.

My dd is putting a variety of individually wrapped teas on colorful cardstock and decorating it with a ribbon. We'd seen these at a craft fair and thought it would be a great idea for her teachers.

Here. :)

We had 114 T-O-Ters when we ran out of candy with another 45 minutes to go. I'd say that the majority of ours are from other areas and drive in.

When it is dark at 5 p.m. and windy, rainy and cold, I have no interest in leaving the house. During the summer when it is warm, light and bright until 9 p.m., I'm happy to go out.

Here is an additional thought. When I was starting treatment, I asked the Hive for suggestions of Christian songs that were an encouragement during difficult times. My daughter put these on an mp3 player. I didn't have this before my first surgery, and I wasn't in good places. For subsequent surgeries and for my first chemo I listened to these songs pre-surgery and during chemo, and it made such a difference. :grouphug:

:grouphug: Some of the best advice that I had was to get a second opinion from a major cancer center. Sometimes they are more aware on the latest treatment than a small local hospital. My chemo sessions were 2 1/2 hours from my home, and radiation was 5 minutes away from home. It is important to find doctors and clinics that you feel comfortable with. By going to an oncologist affiliated with a larger urban hospital, I was able to have chemo that was a little easier on the heart. Get a notebook to keep the medical information and appointments as it gets overwhelming. Make a list of questions to ask the Dr. Take your days in little increments. Sometimes taking life a day at a time was too much for me. Get lots of prayer support and hang on to God. I could truly sense God's presence through it all......even the dark times. You'll be in my prayers.

That is wonderful news! Thanks for the update.

I'd ask for scarves. I've seen some beautiful ones that people have brought back from India.

Amazon.com: Chantal Eva Kettle Individual Pieces Cookware: Kitchen & Dining: Reviews, Prices & more I enjoy the design and function of this one.

I highly recommend the Miele Capricorn. It is sturdy, effective, and using it is a pleasure. The light feature is an added plus.

I'm a long time car seat/seat belt fanatic. Years ago we hit a patch of ice and our car went over an embankment and flipped. The oldest was in a car seat, upside down, perfectly safe. After that experience I became even more convinced of the necessity of safe restraints for children riding in vehicles.

http://www.brevilleusa.com/toasting/die-cast-2-slice-smart-toastertm.html It is a pricey toaster, but we sure enjoy it. :001_smile:

I've done it. There aren't any ramifications in our district. I try to not be too late after the deadline, but a few days doesn't seem to matter.

Check out the Duette Architella by Hunter Douglas. They can reduce heat loss by 50%. We have a kitchen table by our slider and with just a little top valance we were too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. With these verticals, the temperatures are much more regulated and we enjoy sitting at the table year round. A caution, they are pricey, but worth it.

We have two laundry baskets in our upstairs hall linen closet, a mauve one and a blue one. Dark clothing goes in the blue basket and pink/red clothing goes in the mauve basket. We have a white laundry basket in the linen closet in the bathroom, for white clothing. This helps a lot to have the clothing pre-sorted. I'm also able to see what color load most needs to be done. I do sheets and towels on Monday and work on the rest throughout the week. Generally I wash/dry and the kids fold and put away.

Is there a website or software that you would recommend to organize DVDs? I'm looking for something that is comparable to Library Thing for books, but to catalog DVDs. Thanks.

Kailua Beach in Hawaii is a favorite with us. Our B & B isn't on the beach, but the beach is gorgeous.

I'm having our organic growers over for dinner next week and I can use some advice on what to fix. There is a possibility of 14 people and the food needs to be organic vegetarian. The only local produce available this early might be spinach(the supply is limited). I can get most other organic produce items that are shipped in. This is a rural, plain food region. Although we like Indian/Thai foods, I'd hesitate to serve that. Another consideration is the prep area and eating area are in the same room so I'd like a minimum of last minute stress and mess. The one grower is bringing pumpkin pies. I'd considered the roasted squash lasagna, but that might be too much in the squash family along with the pumpkin pies. Maybe a spinach/mushroom lasagna? I'd thought about also having a soup and a big salad along with bread. Your thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

I've liked the pro-clad tri-ply stainless steel. Emerilware I'd originally wanted to purchase All-Clad, however I found this on clearance(plus coupon) at BB & B for a great price. We've been very happy with it.

Do any of you have Sno Wovels or have you tried them? If so, are they effective at snow removal? We're trying to find some back friendly methods of snow removal. For the amount of driveway that we have it isn't worth investing in a snow blower or plow. Thanks.