I work full-time and homeschool, albeit just one kiddo and he's just easing into kindergarten. I have a typical office-type job (technical writer, 9 - 5) and an actual physical office outside of the home, but I am able to do most of my work from home. Actually, I should be working right now. :tongue_smilie: Not sure exactly what kind of info your friend is after, but if she has any specific questions I can help with, I'm happy to share. ETA: I also have a part-time job out of the home.

$61 and change. I owe fees All. The. Time. I just say it's my way of supporting the library. :tongue_smilie:

:iagree:

I work at a small health food store, and we sell all our nuts in bulk. They are also all certified organic--in some cases, this means they're a little more expensive than convential. In a lot of cases, this means they're a lot more expensive than conventional. And of course, being bulk, prices fluctuate often. This afternoon I paid ~$10 per pound for organic, raw almonds. Organic raw cashews are about $20 per pound right now. I can't remember many other prices off the top of my head at the moment, but hazlenuts and pistachios and whatnot are somewhere between $10 and $20 per pound...anyway, nuts are crazy expensive here, too! Oh, I just saw a previous poster mentioned $18 per pound for pine nuts--ours are $30+ per pound, which is down from $50 per pound last year! There was a pine nut shortage last year, stemming from a poor harvest, that inflated the prices.

Not ok at all. I would make a big stink. I understand the person(s) responsible probably don't understand the needs of baby poultry, but seriously...who gives out an animal as a prize? The attitude that animals are disposable is unacceptable.

I had a similar incident in one of the Smithsonian museums once. DS, about 18 months at the time, tripped and fell; it was relatively minor, but it scared him. I immediately picked him up to comfort him and take him out into a hallway (the museum was crowded and folks were listening to/watching footage on some screens by an exhibit), as he started screaming at the top of his lungs "I WANT MOMMY!" over and over again. This was not an unusual thing for him to do at this age when he was upset (scream he wanted me while I was holding him). I think it was his way of verbally reinforcing that he needed me at that moment. But at that moment, in the middle of a crowded museum, all I could think was how the heck I was going to explain to the police that this WAS my child!! Then there was the time in Target when my DS was angry over something and told me he wanted to hit me. As I was explaining that wasn't ok, that was hurtful, we didn't hit, etc., he decided to broadcast very loudly "But Daddy hits you! In the face!" UH :001_huh: He's never seen either of us lay a hand on each other--it's never happened. I have no idea where he even got such a notion! We don't even spank. I was mortified!! My son is the kind who doesn't generally lash out physically, but will level you with words. My theory on this one was he was experimenting with the reaction he would get to his words. Both times I expected some type of fall-out: an intervening onlooker, a call to the police. In both cases, I could see how the situation could easily be misconstrued. But nothing ever came of either incident.

Me. Too. Ok, well that and because the thread had the word "kerfluffle" in the title. Apparently, I cannot resist a good kerfluffle. :D (Sorry, I have no idea who Ham or GHC are. OP, I hope you found the information you needed, and I apologize for the o/t intteruption)

Me. Too. :D 'Cause my husband hates birds. Hates 'em. And to his dismay, I have 75+ chickens, 6 ducks, and a peacock, and oh do I love baby turkeys. Utterly adorable and delightfully stupid. :lol: So if my hubby had done that, I'd finally, finally know he actually got it. But I'm not holding my breath!

Nope. :iagree:

I know it is frustrating and not funny at all, but I had to post just to say that I got a little giggle from your post--in a good way--because I thought for sure my son was the only child on the planet who comes completely and ridiculously unglued if he doesn't get to choose which parent drives. :001_huh: I mean, really? I've never been able to wrap my head around that one. On a rational level, I understand the need to have control over his environment. But in the moment, I find it really absurd. FWIW, my son is nearly 5 now, and it has gotten better. It seems to have helped to give him lots of little choices when it's acceptable to me to give him choices, even if I think they are silly at the time. It has also helped to have a very matter-of-fact, no nonsense attitude with a lot of things. I simply don't respond to tantrums, whining, screaming, or rudeness, and I tell him that exactly. If he melts down, I calmly tell him that I will gladly help him when I can understand him, but he needs to speak in a normal voice because my ears don't understand [fill in blank: whining, crying, etc.] or that I only respond when I am spoken to politely. Repeat. Ad nauseum. I try to be polite about it myself, though some days I have a much harder time with that. ;)

I'm not generally a fan of the powdered egg replacers, but in this case, that's probably what I'd use (and add some applesauce for good measure...I find it can't hurt, and helps keep things moist). OR if I think it wouldn't interfere with the flavor, I'd use flax and just grind it up reaaaaalll fine before I made "egg" goop with it. ETA: I have also had luck using 3 tblsp oil, 3 tblsp water, and 3 tsp baking powder--but for from-scratch cake. I would think the mix would already have a leavening agent, so I don't know what adding more baking powder would do... Good luck! :)

Definitely a dog person. :D Though, for the first time in my life, we have a cat, and he's pretty cool.

I don't have any great and wonderful suggestions, but thank you for starting this thread. Your son sounds a lot like my nearly 5-year old son. I assume at least part of my kiddo's issues stem from normal lack of impulse control, but I just don't handle it well. At all. Punishments and time-outs don't work for us, either. I don't call it "time-out" and I try to use the time as more of a reflection and/or calm-down period, but it nearly always backfires. Either he gets angry (and tells me so), or he simply says he wants to sit. And when his time is up, he says no, he wants to continue to sit. After he fell asleep once in his calm-down spot because he refused to get up, I knew the strategy was really, really not working. There is also nothing I can take from him that he cares about. If he loses a (seemingly) favorite toy because he threw it into the wall, he simply says "bye bye [favorite toy]" and goes on about his business. My son also does the same undesirable behavior over and over. On the ocassions I have asked why he continues, he often says (quite earnestly) that he "just can't help it." I think he's telling the truth, I just don't know how to help him. The latest is picking up the cat or otherwise bothering the cat. He is not hurtful about it; he's actually very gentle with animals, loves animals, etc. But the kitten really doesn't want to be picked up repeatedly...and over...and over....548 times per day. And I don't want the kitten growing into a cat that despises young children because it was hassled constantly. On the flipside, I know my son is just really excited about the cat. He loves the cat--he wants to pet the cat, play with the cat, be with the cat. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a constructive solution to help him deal with the lack of impulse control. I have tried redirection, giving him alternate choices (you need to put the cat down, but you can pet him gently. Or, if the cat walks away, you need to let him go; but maybe he'd like you throw his toy mouse?), and punishment/time out. Nothing works. However, I thought that his behavior was pretty normal, and that it is my behavior that is the problem (well, I know my reactions are not helpful). So...5-year olds are not usually like this? :tongue_smilie::bigear:

Depending on the context, that would bother me. I find it offensive. I don't think I'm oversensitive, but I do have a pretty much zero-tolerance policy for racial jokes (if that is what they are making of it, and it sounds like that's exactly what it was). I don't have a problem with the fact that someone dressed up as Aunt Jemima 20+ years ago, thinking it funny ha-ha, but the fact that 20+ years later they don't get why it's not funny--that bothers me. Go with your gut on this one. You say it doesn't feel quite right, and I don't think it is (unless, as others have pointed out, it was in a completely different context).

We're a minimal screen time family, but I would get an e-reader (or two) in a heartbeat in your situation. Like many others have suggested, just don't get the fancy tablet-type ones. A basic Kindle or Nook or whatehaveyou should be fine. I will, however, disagree that they are not addicting--the instant gratification of being able to download just about anything you want, anytime you want it, is pretty irresistable! :D

I will second Rosie's advice to know about the store and the products they carry. I have worked in a retail store (health and specialty foods/produce--sounds somewhat similar to the store you are applying at, only a bit smaller) for more than 12 years. We don't hire folks who are unfamiliar with what we sell. If you are a regular customer of the store, we are much more likely to hire you, because then we know you are truly interested in what we are doing. If you aren't a regular (e.g., you just moved to the area), you are more likely to get a job with us if you have relevant experience, but more important is that you truly have a passion for something relevant. For example, we sell natural foods and produce; a recently hired employee's past jobs included working in the fields on an organic farm and cooking in a vegan restaurant. Someone who likes what they do/sell is likely to be a better employee. For us, it is more important that you have a sincere interest in the goods or services we provide than continuous past employment. So, if this store isn't someplace you usually frequent/shop, I would suggest making a trip or two before your interview to simply "window shop" and gain a little more familiarity. Do a little research. ;) Good luck!! :D

We are in the midst of a full-blown Pooh obsession in our household. :blink: DS is 4.5. I read the book aloud a couple times (I don't remember it being tough; I must not have had an issue with it, or I wouldn't have went back through it a second time). By the time I had racked up $13 in overdue fines from the library because I kept forgetting to renew it, I got the Peter Dennis audio version. Which, by the way, IS fabulous. :D The only problem is that I need to limit my son's access to his mp3 player because he will listen to it non. stop. all. day. long. if left to his own devices. He now naturally speaks in Piglet's voice. I have to explain to folks why he snorts after every few words. He has adopted an ocassional British accent and a few colloquialisms (the new go-to exclamation is "Oh, dear!" spoken in a perfect British accent). It is a bit cute when he's listening to it in the car with his headphones and I hear him giggling in the back seat, out of nowhere. Not so cute is the moon-size crater now in my front yard (aka, the "huffulump trap").

The thing with psyllium is it can be very irritating; the thing with laxatives is they can disrupt peristalsis and cause dependency. Not that I wouldn't use those things if necessary, but I would consider them last resorts. You're on the right track with fruits, veggies, and water, of course. I second the suggestion to do probiotics. Get a good-quality brand and heavy them up! I would also try an oil supplement. Fish oils are great for omega-3s/EPA & DHA, but you can only do so much, volume-wise. I would try flax oil. Start slow and build up. Flax seed (ground) is great, but if she's not going to drink enough water, it might not have the desired results.

:iagree: Is that she uses harsh bits and spurs, or that she uses them incorrectly? Because these things are just tools; it's how they are used that makes them inhumane, not that they are used in the first place. The harshest bit is kind compared to mildest one in the wrong hands. I don't understand why using these things makes one inhumane; it's HOW you use them. Trust me, I've seen plenty of folks into natural horsemanship do far more abusive things to their horses than wear knubby spurs. In my opinion, you won't get very far convincing a horse person to adopt different methods. We're a stubborn bunch. ;) This is coming from my perspective from having been on both sides of this fence you have encountered. I have studied directly under a 'natural horsemanship' trainer (Monty Roberts) and I have also spent many years riding and working in very traditional hunter/jumper barns at high levels of competition. There is a LOT of disdain for natural methods in the upper levels of many disciplines. If I had even told some of the folks I worked for I had studied natural methods, I would have been fired. A conversation about her methods would probably not get you very far. If I thought someone was being abusive, no, I don't think I could continue a relationship. But I think you have to look at what she's doing--is truly abusive, or do you just not like it? If it's a difference of opinion on training methods, I don't think it's worth cutting off contact with a person. On the other hand, if you truly can't stomach it, I would look at finding a different barn. No sense being somewhere where you feel uncomfortable.

Muscovies are nice ducks and yes, they are great for eating bugs. They are winter hardy. They usually roost up high or in trees, so they are less susceptible (as adults) to predators. However, all ducks are messy--and Muscovies are very large ducks. So they make very large messes. Once they figure out where the food comes from, they won't think anything of showing up on your front porch and leaving mess all over. :tongue_smilie: Your pond sounds pretty small for a pair of Muscovies. And if you're thinking of a male/female pair, they will multiply. A female can hatch quite a few ducklings in one go. I would suggest a smaller duck, but you may not have as much luck letting them free-range. Calls are wonderful and friendly small ducks, but they would need predator-proof housing at least at night and might also fly away.

Yes, I've used the pill and barrier methods. The one time (and I do mean the one time. We were ridiculously careful) in 8 years that we didn't use any form of birth control I became pregnant with my son. :tongue_smilie:

I wear a mask when I do coop cleaning. You really don't want chicken poo in your lungs. I believe it can cause granulomas, like bat guano. I breed and show Polish. :D They are uber-goofy birds, but a lot of fun. Keep an eye on them; they may not do well with most of your other breeds. They usually get along great with Silkies, though. They are like walking bulls-eyes with those white crests, and other birds often pluck their feathers. Once that starts, it can turn into all-out canabalism. They also don't free range well, again on account of those crests and their limited vision (walking bulls-eyes for hawks)!

Another carpet-hater here. We have hardwood floors in our house--and absolutely not one bit of carpet. The bathrooms and kitchen are tiled, everything else is wood. The wood floors need refinishing, as they are real wood and over 25 years old, but I don't care. I have one area rug in the whole house, in the living room, and it's very, very low-pile. I just can't stand carpet. I think the fact that we have cats and dogs contributes to this. I vaccum and steam mop a lot, but I am compulsive like that about floors no matter what. :tongue_smilie: Our one area rug is Flor brand modular carpet tiles. They are really awesome! Some of the styles are pretty pricey, but the basic ones are relatively inexpensive (we have the Fedora. It is $9 a tile now, I think it was a bit less when we bought it several years ago. It took us 20 tiles to put in a pretty large area rug in our living room. I couldn't find an area rug I liked for that much money, and an area rugs we looked at were smaller, too). You can put them in wall-to-wall, too.

Do you know anyone you can contact who might have their mailing address? Then you could still mail them a card, but you wouldn't have to ask for their address (I wouldn't email and ask for their address, either). On the other hand, if it were me, I wouldn't mind getting an email and not a card from a formerly close friend. I think the fact that you are thinking about them and wanted to express your condolences outweighs the informality of email. "I don't have your mailing address, but I wanted to let you know we are thinking about you..." I wouldn't apologize, I think a few words of explanation are enough.

:lol: Hahahaha. LOL. * sort * Ok. Now that I have that out of my system, have fun with your new fluff. And trust me, it could be a lot worse. You could have bought an incubator. :D Though a bunch of Silkies could very well get you in just as much trouble as an incubator... You won't get intervention-type talk from me. I'm down to my "bare-bones flock" of breeding and show birds for 2012. Last count that was nearly 100 birds. I think I was around 86? I haven't started hatching yet this year, but the girls are starting to lay. I usually get up to 200+ birds before I make the final cut for the following year and sell a mess of 'em. The husband doesn't like birds at all, so late summer/early fall can be kinda, well, tense around here. :001_huh: Oh, I have ducks, too. :tongue_smilie: