Denise in Florida
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Posts posted by Denise in Florida
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Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.
I am a leaf on the wind
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'Oh Captain, My Captain" while standing on a desk
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Oh sorry, I see this wasn't a rant about spouses who don't ask before laundering.
Carry on!
so sorry, but may I say your comment made my evening? :laugh: My husband has many many gifts, laundry is not one of them.
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I don't believe anyone's 100% a d**k.
(I wasn't sure on the board's position on that word so I erred with caution, I didn't want to be a d**k :lol: )
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Ask at your local extension office, they usually have good information on all kinds of local pest control. Or ask at a reptile based pet store, (not a generic store with puppies, kittens, etc).
You are right that many snakes act as snake control, snakes can be relocated and some reptile shops might be able to set you up with local herp-lovers.
I would not advise using dogs as snake control, they don't usually have good snake sense and have heard of way to many people having to take dogs into the Vet ER for snake bite. Cats, on the other hand, :thumbup1: seem to have excellent snake sense. My guys have brought several impressively sized snakes to the back door.
Mostly teach the kids cautions since even the best control program can fail and it is better to learn to avoid snakey places.
ETA: sorry MeAndTheBoys, we seem to be on opposite tracks. :) We may have had different experiences with dogs and snakes... ha
OP: best to ask local folks who know the critters in your area.
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My goodness 67_others have you been following me all my life. :lol: Your post is a long list of been there/seen that/done that for me!
Yes, to the teachers that don't actually teach them the basics (seat, legs, hands)
Yes, to the wild and various ways some people violate basic safety and common sense.
and yes to the fact that my dd learned a lot from each of the situations she was in, both the good and the 'good grief what was I thinking" places.
I started to underline specific sentences and say 'I agree' but decided to just :grouphug: the whole post.
1. How horses are treated. This might take some time to figure out. Sometimes those who are so sweet talking and "gentle" with their horses do not handle them well, let them get away with things, violate safety precautions, and don't understand horse psychology, thus endangering the horses and students.
Sometimes those who might be seemingly rough actually understand horse psychology and the horse did something imperceptible to you that the handler had to immediately discourage.
It was a learning curve for us. The place where DD started seemed so wonderful to all of us, and now DD can't even go their to say hello to the owner, whom she adores, because she's physically sick to see how the horses are treated and kept. Tiny stalls, no turn-out, and very kind, generous people who own them who have very little understanding of horse psychology and behavior. To DD, who's sensitive, this is truly painful.
2. Then safety. The concept of safety is just soooooooooooo fluid in the horse world. You'll have to see what you are comfortable with. In one place during camp (well, that very first place, actually), older girls were upset that it was raining that they had to do crafts instead of riding. They whined enough until they were told, Okay, go, tack up and ride. And they rode, in a thunderstorm. In a muddy arena. On untrained horses.
In another, very fancy, very expensive place, I was told to help DD to take the horse to the paddock. She was 9. It was pitch dark, -15C, howling wind. Dozens of paddocks. Her third lesson. No instructor on site after the lesson was over, and there we were, trying to take that horse back to his unmarked paddock, making sure we were counting correctly from the first gate to make sure we don't put him somewhere else. And this is after I told them I never led a horse. I actually ended up helping other parents who were afraid. At least I wasn't afraid.
In yet another place DD, still 9, was told to "just go in there and grab the horse." She was so happy then with her new responsibility and felt confident and secure, but a year later, when she knew more, she said, "I can't believe they just let me do it."
Now she's at the place where they are almost overly safety concerned. I almost wish her trainer was a bit more relaxed. But I'd take more safety than less, even if I'm more relaxed than most and allow her some degrees of age appropriate risk.
And I'm not even talking about helmet / boots with heels. That's should be taken for granted.
3. Discipline. Some are way more appearance focused than horsemanship focused and this can depend on the coach as well. After riding for 3 years, DD only realized what riding really was in her current barn, where she was taught to ride (i.e. be effective with her body) and not just sit on the horse.
If a barn wants to have their students all dressed oh so properly before they even start, this might be a bit of a red flag. I learned that those who say "Wear a helmet, wear boots with heels, don't spend too much on breeches etc right away" are more about actual horsemanship that "sitting pretty" though I'm sure there are exceptions.
Beware of those who bash other disciplines--like those who think Western is substandard or English is not the real thing. Good horsemanship is the same across disciplines.
4. Choose those who work on her seat first. DD spent 6 weeks on a lunge line when she started "for real", and it was the best thing ever to her independent seat. She'd actually want to do more, but her current barn "doesn't believe" in it. There's no "perfect" barn, I guess, though ours is practically perfect for her *at this moment.*
5. Watch some lessons first. We were blessed with all of the instructors, because at that time they were a good fit (even if later our opinion on them changed) but I wouldn't tolerate anyone who yells or belittles.
6. Choose a place where they teach horse handling as well. I have to be honest, in the beginning I felt that they were eating up my money for nothing. I was paying $50 per hour, I wanted her to *ride* for the entire hour, but they'd spend time tacking and untacking, and brushing and this and that. This is all super important and shouldn't be skipped, even if it is sometimes hard to watch, especially with a slow poke kid who brushes for 40 minutes and only has 15 min left to ride.
I might think of something else and write another nove :lol: . You can probably guess it's been quite a journey.
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This seems to be a common theme among many of the replies.
What do you mean about being selective about where she rides? Selective on what ways?
Besides obvious things like cost, location and schedule.
Safety! Are the students required to wear shoes at all times around the horses and helmets when riding? Believe it or not this is not always the case.
Care for the animals! Are the horses well fed and tended? Do they receive vet care? Stalls or some kind of shelter not just open pasture? Are the facilities clean and well maintained?
Style, teaching - What are your dd's interests? Western trail riding, English, Jumping, stable usually have a focus. Your dd's preference is quite likely to change. We started with a fun ride western stable and ended up in a very demanding Hunter Jumper Show stable. Do not buy a horse or commit to a lease for the first few years until she knows what she prefers. :glare: We ended up owning a sweet, smallish trail ride quarter horse and paid boarding at the same time that our daughter was leasing and riding a huge warmblood jumper (the dude in the picture).
We had tons of different experiences, 4H, Girl Scout Horse Camp, trail rides, gymkanas (spelling?) and formal shows. Yes... it was worth it.
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In my experience, it lasts... sigh and :laugh:
I was a horse kid and my youngest dd is a horse kid (that is her in my avatar)
You can do occasional trail rides and camps for now, and start lessons etc when she is 11 - 13. Most serious trainers around here prefer students to be at least 12.
There is an amazing range of price/time/commitment. From 4H clubs and fun shows to Hunter Jumper Equestrian. Start casual and find her interests.
Set a budget, this is a hobby that can eat up your life and money but it can also be very very worth it.
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HA! That was quite the typo, I'm sorry. I meant yarn. I used to own a fiber arts studio and did production dyeing and spinning. Unfortunately I had a bunch of babies without adding a bunch of studio space, so the job was what had to give. The dye pots and spinning wheel are still here but unused of late, though I cannot wait to get back into fiber arts when my children are out of the house and we fully plan on building me studio/shop space whenever we find land and upgrade our domicile :)
I've never shredded t-shirts for yarn but I know many rug hookers and crocheters who have used them with success. I haven't seen many patterns outside of household goods or accessories like t-shirt bags.
Apologies for the typo related confusion! This iPad is finicky and I don't always catch my mistakes :)
Thanks for the clarification. Sad about not finding a tarn expert. ha :)
The studio and dyeing and spinning sounds wonderful. I tried a beginner's spinning class this year. (My friends thought I meant the stationary bicycle class - I nearly died laughing).
I am stilling finding my way around textiles and fibers, I keep getting distracted by how many beautiful options are out there.
Thanks again. :)
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I've had a Royal for a decade as well. Even with production levels of tarn going through it I haven't had to replace yet.
Arctic Mama - may I ask what you did with 'production levels of tarn'? I find the idea of tarn making fascinating but am not sure what I would do with it afterward. I have considered crocheted rugs but would love more ideas.
Also, can you use seamed t-shirts for tarn or only the seamless kind?
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Of course, I routinely give new undershirts to my husband. I buy a nice mid-range brand not super cheap. After Christmas the new one go in the drawer and I sort out the ratty ones.
My girls get pretty things from Victoria's secret or AE.
I do not understand why people frown at practical gifts. One of my favorite gifts in the past was expensive sheets. I enjoy them every single day that they are on the bed. I want something I can USE that is a step or two nicer than I would buy regularly. :)
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I think everyone hates something. I dread casting on. It's the worst part to me. My friend tho has many projects that only need the ends woven in bc she hates doing that. It's so silly, but there it is just the same and then once we're done we wonder what the mental fuss was about.
I know I am posting to an old thread, but I just saw this.
This is me too! I actually had to sit one afternoon and weave and trim loose ends on a dozen projects I was sending out as gifts.
One of the ladies at my knitting group has 'finished off' half of my projects. OTH I don't mind casting on or tying in new yarn.
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I had to give up on Christmas pj pants for everyone. The kids and I have them, but dh needed more fabric than I anticipated. Oops. And then I ran out of steam for my mother. I wasn't sure she would really appreciate them anyway. I did make more reusable bags for a friend and that project got finished. Also a thing I made for my sister.
My big craft hassle every year is wrangling the kids to make things for the grandparents. Ds were going to make penny balls for my mother's garden and it turned out to be much, much harder than we anticipated. Stupid glue. Stupid epoxy. Stupid stupidness. One got done. The other... Oh well. I have a half covered ball. They finished a calendar and some cards and who knows what for dh and I though. And I helped another child who wasn't mine finish a sewing project. So... all in all...
At this point I'm calling it quits on unfinished crafting.
and now another project for my list. I looked these up, they look wonderful.
I seriously need to stop reading this thread, before I am booked up through NEXT Christmas
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Reading the board while knitting flat rats to be made into a scarf. The Amigurumi Batman is to one side right now -- currently has a head, 2 arms and 1 leg.
I hate the hat I made for dd, and may cast on another after Christmas. Also, I really wanted to make a Sherlock-themed cowl for other dd, but plan to cast on after Christmas.
I need to leave to the store in a bit and purchase a bunch of eyes, plus more yarn.
I had to look up 'flat rats' to see what you were making. So cute... I want to make these too.! Thanks...I really needed more projects right now (tiny bit of sarcasm, yet still delighted with the idea of a flat rat scarf).
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Ruth Beechick's Strong Start in Language - the book is deceptively small and is theoretically aimed at K-3 but it contains some basic concepts that are really worth the time. Follow up with her " You Can Teach Your Child Successfully (all subjects 4th - 8th) and How to Write Clearly.
Really though the Strong Start is probably around 20 - 30 pages and is extremely useful.
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Part of "doing" the 12 Days of Christmas is "doing" Advent before Christmas. So in the East, we start 40 days out, and in the West, 4 Sundays out before Christmas, moving into "anticipatory mode"--instead of singing Christmas carols and so on, we are either fasting (East) or reading prophetic scriptures (East and West) and looking toward the birth of Christ. Then Christmas Day is the Feast and there are 12 days to celebrate the Big Day.
Maybe if one doesn't "do" Advent, the 12 days could be a time of relaxing into what Christmas actually is about, now that all the frenzy is over.
Some people put their Christmas tree up on Christmas Eve and then take it down on Epiphany/Theophany.
This is us. We put of the tree a day or two before Christmas (often on Christmas Eve itself) and leave it up through Epiphany. I have many friends that put their tree up the day after Thanksgiving and take it down the day after Christmas. I tell them 'I have a Christmas tree, you have an Advent tree" :)
As far as Epiphany goes, I was told it marked the three Kings, but recently I have read that it celebrates Christ's baptism by John the Baptist and the appearance of the dove.
Either way, my family has always observed Advent (lighting the candles each week) and Lent (special study or giving something up) as major components of Christmas and Easter.
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Shopper caution alert!
I used to recommend Prismacolor pencils. I bought them for my girls, they were a huge step up from 'craft supply' color pencils but were not as insanely expensive as the professional artist supplies.
However! they have changed the formulation (no change to packaging or price of course). They are no longer as smooth and consistent. You are still paying above average price but no longer getting the above average quality. Don't bother with them anymore.
Sorry, I wish I had a suggestion for a good student quality replacement.
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I agree on the difficulty of buying s good quality used car. If you don't have the cash for one that works well you end up spending even more in repairs. You also run the risk of missing work due to an unreliable car and could lose your job. Therefore, people end up in debt and within a year the car is worth less than the remainder of the loan.
We did find one solution for our daughter, we had a credit union that gave her (with our cosign) $3500 personal loan (5% interest). She bought a reliable older car and makes payments of $70 per month. We could not afford to buy a car for her, she needed to get to and from a job and school.
She was only able to do that because we had been with the credit union for 25 years and could cosign. But it was a good solution to the "need a reliable car to keep a job, need to work extra to pay for the car" trap.
Re: new cars -
I grew up LMC and thrifty-poor. Paying cash for a used car was gospel truth.
Truth is - banks and other actual lenders will not give you a car loan for less than around 8k, and only for a newer car. Also, I get Medicaid and WIC for my kids, and one of the stipulations is that we're not allowed to have over 2k in liquid assets.
So how does someone in this situation get a car? They get a new or newer one with a huge loan.
Or be lucky enough to have a mechanic friend who will do a low-cost trade-and-fix-up. Which we did. But otherwise we'd be sunk in a hole with a car more expensive than we could afford. :banghead:
Oh, and yes, Goodwill is a rip-off these days. $6 for an old shirt? No thanks, I'd rather spend my money at the clearance rack at TJMaxx. And if the thrift store gets anything good it walks out the back door to be listed on the employees' ebay.
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May I say Ford is my favorite. :)
He took over after Nixon's resignation just as my interest in national politics was starting. He seemed like a kindly, inoffensive, gentleman type after all the anger of Watergate. I was young but interested in politics and tired of the 'hearings'.
He wasn't destined for greatness but he was a good man. :)
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Used goods can be an investment. Wait long enough and they become antiques. New things? Who knows how long it'll last?
I often buy shirts and tops at thrift stores.
If they have been worn a few times and been through the wash and still look nice enough to buy that is a big plus. Too many of the shirts I buy new at the mall shrink, pill, fade or warp in the wash. This way I know they will last a while.
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I go to a local assisted living facility and knit with the ladies there every Friday. We have coffee and chat and knit. :001_smile: Small of us work on our own projects but most of the ladies knit 6 x 6 squares that I (and some other volunteers) piece into baby blankets. We add hats and booties and donate the sets to one of the local high schools and to some area shelters.
On my own projects, I am making scarves and fingerless gloves for one of my daughters. I also plan to make knitted cotton dishcloths, crocheted tulle pot scrubbers and lined sandwich bags for myself and for house warming gifts.
I just took a spinning class and bought some wool roving and a spindle. That will be my next thing.
ETA: In non-yarn news, I am also making homemade liqueurs, does that count?
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thanks, that was fun
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All my favorites! yay!
Firefly/Serenity - sob
Castle
Dr Horrible Sing A Long Blog - watch immediately. Available on line in three 15 minute segments. Love Felicia Day
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I am going to add the 'American Conservative' to this list. I am a political moderate with social liberal leanings :cool: , in a deep red religious conservative county.
This magazine, print and online, has excellent writing and gives well thought out discussions of many issues.
Crafters -- Jan 2015
in The Chat Board
Posted
I want to make a trial run at a crocheted bag (think D&D dice) for dd1, then if I can get the shape right do it again with silvery metallic thread. Pattern is shaped like a dragon's egg with scales.
Knit a soap saver bag, washcloth and make some fresh soap to enter in the County Fair in March.
Learn to use the fancy electronic programmable embroidery sewing machine I picked up on Craigslist.
Make a set of panties and maybe a bra.