We will be praying!

I'm not sure what you could put in the slow cooker. I would also say skip the muffins and go for another warm dish(although I am freezing this morning and that is probably what I am basing this on)

I am considering having a Jane Austen themed girls night out party at my house. Please give me your best ideas for this type of a party. Should we watch a movie, if so which one. What foods and beverages would you provide? Would you request that the guest bring a food and or beverage? What do you think would be the ideal number of guests? I have a fairly large house that can accomodate a fairly large party, although I think I would want to keep this on the small side. Or do you think the idea is just dumb and I should forget it? Thanks any and all help would be appreciated.

We have been through 2 hot water tanks in 7 years. The water at sea level is just lovely isn't it. Both times my dh has been the receiver of a cold shower. OK I admit it made my ds and I laugh , dh is not exactly fond of cold showers It is cold here this morning isn't it. Well at least the sun is out. Think warm thoughts and hopefully your landlord with have it fixed or replaced quickly.

It's is so nice to have a girls night out. I am glad you got to do this. Have a Great Day!!!

I empathize, my son would not take the dissappoinment well either. 14 seems to be a somewhat fragile age for boys. Worst of all it is not your fault, but you have to deliver the bad news. Maybe let him read the e-mail for himself. Then be there to consol him. I hate being the bad guy KWIM

I love math, but I hate accounting. Accounting seemed more language orientated to me. It was all about the rules...put this number in this box. I wanted to make mathmatical sense of it and it didn't make sense. I took the two required accounting courses for my major and hated every minute of them. My degree is in finance which is not at all accounting orientated. I once took a test for an accounting firm(don't even ask how I did) the test was like a written essay test. Hardly any math involved. I did think of another occupation for you ds....librarian I don't know if you get more organized then that :)

Accountants thrive on order.

My grandfather because of cancer of the throat, he need special care and my grandmother couldn't/wouldn't do it. When he went into the nursing home my grandmother wouldn't stay alone in the apartment so she went to live with my mother and brother (my brother had a terminal illness at the time although he was doing fairly well but was difficult to live with) My grandmother and brother did not get along well living under the same roof. Not long after grandmother went to live there she fell and broke her hip and ended up in the same nursing home with my grandfather. I was living 4 hours away at the time and received all details second hand. My grandfather died after being in the nursing home for 2 years. He was 95 years old and would have prefered to died when first diagnosed. He had had a wonderful and full life. It still breaks my heart to think about his last two years. Grandmother lived in the nursing home for 10 year in total and loved it. She made friends, which she had never done before. She didn't have to cook, which she hated to do. Considering the fight she put up against going in a nursing home it is amazing she loved it so much. It's just strange how things work out. Then there was my brother. He fought going into a nursing home tooth and nail. He was angry about his illness the entire 10 years he had it. He made everyone around him miserable. I would get calls in the middle of the night from him saying our mother was trying to kill him. I even had to get the police involved once. I call this the nightmare period of my life. Don't get me wrong I had compassion for the fact that he was sick, but honestly he had a death mentality (I won't get into that here) The first nursing home we but him in he was so miserable to the staff they literally kicked him out (didn't know they could do that) He wanted to be at home. At times when we were in the middle of this I felt like I was living in a fog. I went up to help as much as I could. We finally found a nursing home he would accept being in ( we looked at over 10 with him) He was in the nusing home for 2 weeks before he died. Over my years of visiting the nursing home (mainly to see my grandmother) I saw many lovely elderly patients with alzheimers. They family would visit and all said it was really for the best when they decided to place grandma/grandpa in the nursing home. They knew their loved one was safe and well cared for and they need their wfie of husband would maintain a quality of life not having to be the primary caregiver. I think they made a wonderful decision. I say this because my MIL cared for her ailing husband(he was ill for 7 years) until his last days (he spent his last 3 days in a hospice) The last year of my FIL care was especially draining (again lots of trips up they were 3 hours away in a different direction) lots of mental and physical stress But as we look back the biggest thing was that it ended up defining my MIL's life When my FIL was gone she didn't know what to do . It was as if she had forgotten how to live. It wasn't grief either because she didn't really like him very much. The situation with my FIL started near the end of my brothers life and contiuned for 7 years. Basically for the entire 18 years dh and I have been marriage we have had to deal with this type of thing in our families. It has been very difficult. My FIL has been gone for 2 years and we have been responsibile for MIL during that time. She lives near us and is dependent on us. She doesn't drive and has had 4 surgeries since she has lived near us. She has recently been diagnosed with diabeties and has broken a rib and sprained her knee. So once again we are starting to decide whether she should be living on her own. I will be honest I am so tired of having to think about these decisions. I know that sounds selfish but I am being honest. It has made my dh physically ill. I know this has gotten very long, I just wanted you to know that you at not the only one dealing with such difficult decisions. It is so hard on everyone involved and can make you emotionally and physically ill. I find prayer helpful and talking with others that are facing the same thing. I think the biggest hidden aspect of this is guilt over should I being caring for my loved one myself. People don't tend to talk about this. Your mom may be feeling it. How do you make her feel better without bringing it up. She support and love her and understand that she can't do it herself. Be very understanding with her. THis will help a lot. Well not sure it I was of any help. Please feel free to PM me if you want to. I really feel for you in this situation.

I have also found the closer to the light the better. Then when they are several inches high and look strong I don't seem to have to keep them as close to the light.

I think our collectibles tell a lot about us, if we collect things. Oh and you can't say dust. LOL My dh would say I collect books, but really they are mainly for school. I have a small collection of Peanuts and Snoopy items, most of which I found at yard sales. Also Shetland Sheepdog figures as I adore Shelties.

We happen to be studying composting and micro organisms at the moment. My ds will enjoye this. Thanks for posting it.

My ds is doing very well learning to play the guitar. I would like to make music an elective credit for him for highschool. I understand we have to do music theory to do this. I have no problem teaching this as I studied music through college. I just need to know what materials are considered gdod to use for highschool. He can read music a little. Thanks!!!

This looks to have lots of great pug information. About half way down it has eyepopping information. Sounds like it is very rare. http://www.dogslife.com.au/breeds?cid=7745&pid=145531%22

I love it too. The acoustics are great we all enjoy the room. This is especially helpful when other members of the family don't want to listen to the proactice session.

This is a sleepy quiet town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland about 30 minutes from Salisbury and Ocean City. The library is nice (not huge) but interlibrary loan is easy and free and you can get any book in a Maryland library deliver there free. Activities close by Furnace Town Historic site has lots of activities inthe summer including tours (it is a very very mini Williamsburg) this is the oldest Iron Furance in the US and heirloom tomato tasting, hiking tours, archeological digs you can partcipate in etc. They have a website You could go to the pony swim at Chicoteague in July. The beaches of Assateague and Ocean City are close by. Pocmoke State Park has kayaking trips you can take. Pemberton Historic site in Salisbury has some summer activities. Snow Hill is very quiet and a nice sleepy little town.

I can't even imagine what would compel someone to say something like that. I figure she is a person who speaks without thinking. They can be so annoying. You have probably spent more time worrying, being anger etc over it than she has. Don't give her that power, she is not worth it. This is what I would tell your son. Never let someone else have the power to control your feelings etc. If he learns this skill now it will help him in the future. This is a difficult skill for any of us to learn. Sorry you are having to deal with this.

I read aloud a living history book to him while he is eating breakfast and lunch. He loves it. We try to always have a read aloud going for the entire family in the evenings. We take turns reading.

I recently purchased the 2 DVD set and we have had a blast watching it. The entire family enjoys it.

Very well said and I agree completely. I also like what she said about the other Austen adaptations you can watch on You Tube.

Dh has promised when the house is paid for (16 months from now - yes I am counting) we can get a housekeeper. Interior decorator - I have no clue how to decorate, I go for comfort over style. Window Washer we have a road in front and in back of use the windows always need washing and I hate doing it. weeder - I love to garden, but hate to weed we do have a lawn cutting service as part of our association fees. Basically this just saves dh work as I never did grass cutting on weed wacking.

I can throw together a dip in a flash. Our favorites are cheese, or crab or black bean.

My planting date is April 15th and has been for the past 15 years. We are within walking distance of the Atlantic and it keeps us a bit warmer than the rest of the state. On very chilly nights I will cover them with old plastic gallon jugs but that doesn't happen often. My goal is always to have ripe totmatoes by 4th of July. The hardest part is not picking the green ones for fried green tomatoes. This year I am growing a green tomato(Aunt Ruby German Greens)

We each create our own from what is in the frig.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. This is so hard to understand. A co-worker of mine took his life and I still struggle to understand it.