Thanks.

I ask friends to bring their own when my supply of dishes and utensils aren't going to do it.

I read a long excerpt from this book and think it should be required reading for everyone. It clearly showed how the author, despite her education, intelligence, and the security of her health insurance and retirement funds, couldn't make it as a service sector worker on the money she was paid. As I recall she cut her experiment short because she was getting ill.

What is the 25 power food list?

Write everything you think is relevant down before you get there. If you're inclined to get emotional about the issue (which wouldn't be surprising) you might want to take a friend who can stay calm and focused. I act as an advocate for people with lawyers and adjudicators. I interview them first and make sure I understand their story. Then I can help them along during their appointment / hearing.

It's got an FM radio and is very easy to use. I'm not the greatest tech wizard and I can manage it well. I got a bright pink one which dropped the price (but an 11 yo boy might not be willing to do that).

I blot it and use Oxyclean.

Thanks, it is a good article.

There's lots of alarm and discussion north of the 49th. I'm not sure there's much anyone this side of ocean can do.

I'm guessing that one of the main objectives is to learn English so it would be better if no one spoke Spanish to her (or at least not often). That lets you off the hook. How does ds feel about it? Are there summer camps for her to enroll in or help with? I've had good experiences with exchange students and not so good experiences. I'd want to be really clear about parameters and how to deal with problems. If I was in charge I'd want to be clear about communication home. Our last exchange student spent so much time calling and emailing home that it wasn't much of a cultural experience for her.

I was thinking that as well.

That's great - write it down so you don't forget.

I just took a full day course on composting and the message we got was WATER IT.

I spent a month in New Zealand years ago and always thought that if I had to leave Canada (which I can't quite imagine), New Zealand would be my next choice for all the reasons that you've mentioned.

I find FWD more stable on snow and ice.

A couple of answers. 1. Canadian health care is not perfect by any stretch. People die while waiting for health care sometimes - just as they die without health care in the US. However, most Canadians I know wouldn't consider trading it for the American system and in fact are horrified by the stories like the ones we've heard here. Health care is rationed everywhere in the world - either by availability or by ability to pay. I prefer the triage method we use. Would I spend my money to jump the line if one of my kids were ill - in a minute if I thought it would help. However, I'd be one of the few who could afford to do so and I'd recognize it as a very self-serving action, not a vote to change systems. 2. Our UHC does not cover dental care. Good jobs include dental insurance. Low paying jobs generally do not. However, it isn't prohibatively expensive to middle income people. 3. Do Doctors get paid enough to be creative? My dad was a doctor who was practising when UHC come in. He thought it was brilliant for doctors and patients. He defended it always despite many attempts by American companies to recruit him to the US. My sister is a doctor who cares deeply for her patients and works her fingers to the bone for them. She and other friends who are doctors would be deeply offended by the idea that more money would make them better doctors. My daughter (95% average in Gr 11) wants to be a doctor. She'll have to work very, very hard to be accepted despite very good grades and lots of other talent. My sister says that one of their problems as doctors is to figure out how to weed out the merely academically brilliant to get to the compassionate, caring people who are also academically brilliant.

Mommyrooch, I am so sorry. :grouphug:

Thank you. Frankly getting in the middle of an American health care debate is too puzzling and too scarey for me. It is endlessly fascinating though.

I was enjoying the irony of that quietly but couldn't get up the courage to point it out.

Canada's stats will be equally accurate.

Dd had to change to showers.

How awful. Praying.

I find that the morning papers really help clear my head and the dates are helpful too -when I actually do them :glare:

Lucky boys. That would have been my dream life.

We were in a similar situation a few months back. Dh called them. He had to do it twice but the calls stopped.