Aside from being able to get items that are hard to find... why do you choose to shop at Amazon for your groceries? The prices that I saw online didn't seem very competitive (they are offering expensive brands to begin with), but more importantly you have to order in such large bulk! And then don't you have to pay shipping, too? Just curious what the benefit is.. What sort of items does this seem to work best with? Thanks Roin

Ummm... do you have your threads confused? LOL Robin Who really *is* laughing out loud right now! Thanks for the giggle!

This is the first time since LBJ that Texas is actually going to matter! The candidates are usually set in stone by the time we have our primary. With the number of delegates up for grabs, it's going to be an interesting ride in a few weeks... If you're in Tx., and especially if you're rather young, pay attention. It may be a long, long time before Texas matters in a primary again. If you intend to vote in the Democratic primary, this may well be a once in a lifetime chance to actually have an effect on you party's ticket. I admit to being a little fascinated, even excited about it all. Kinda like the superbowl... hard fought down to the very last minute... I'm looking forward to watching it all play out, to be honest, to actually being a major battleground state for a change. Interesting! Robin

That was not polite, but there is no way to know if she was being judgmental or simply feeling awkward, or perhaps even taking a cue from you. Is it possible that your tone of voice, body language, etc., could have conveyed that you're either sick of being asked this, or you sorta intended a bit of a jab by saying, "No church" (which, quite honestly, sounds a little blunt)? I have to admit... I don't think I would ever attend a function at a church of any kind without expecting there to be a presence of that religion. If there were a hs function at a muslim mosque, or a jewish tabernacle, even if it were advertised as being open to all, I would go to it fully expecting that religion to be well represented. If she was genuinely rude to you, there is no excuse for that. But since you asked if there is a better way to handle this, I suggest next time saying something like, "We actually don't belong to a church right now, but you look familiar, too... is your son on the soccer team?" (or some other response that actually engages the conversation). I think that the majority of hsers are religious... specifically, Christian. With that in mind, to be on the safe side, unless the event is explicity tagged as secular, expect Christians in attendance to assume that everyone's got their oars rowing in the same direction - *especially* if the event is held at a church (not that that it is right to make general assumptions like that, but at worse they're only being a little naive). Another thought...when an event at a church says open to all, that often simply means that it is not a closed event for church members only. That doesn't mean it is a secular event. If this had happened at an event advertised as secular and held at the library, then her asking you about what church you attend would have been presumptuous. As it was, I think it was a reasonable expectation on her part. That's just my opinion, though. I hope you have better luck with this in the future! Robin

I'm pretty sure that extended shelf life actually lowers the cost of food. You don't have to factor in spoilage. You are correct about that... but I don't think preservatives are readily found in most the things I buy... fresh meats, dairy, fresh produce, things that aren't processed. I'm not speculating on Colleen's family's hourly wage (the week my dh works less than 70 hours is extremely rare, too... that's really not the point). She revealed how much they (her business, her family, or some combination of the two) paid in income taxes last year, and it was over four times what we paid, and my husband earns 6 figures. However you slice it, they're making a very nice living, and while I'm sure that hard work and wise business practices can be credited, I suspect a main reason is the higher prices that people are willing to pay for organics. And I think that's fine! I'm just pointing out that there's no difference between one business entity trying to make as much profit as possible and another business entity doing the same thing. Whether you're a big corporation or a very small one (family farm style), maximizing profits is the name of the game, and who in their right mind would leave money on the table if they didn't have to? Hence my original suggestion... it's *all* an industry, big corporation and small independents alike. I don't know... maybe I'm not making myself clear or understood. I'm not criticizing anyone's income... I'm just saying there's no difference between a brand like Lysol charging premium $$ for products that are landfill-friendly and organic labels charging premium $$ for their products. People are willing to pay a little more for these products. So the producers, all of them, get to enjoy a healthier profit. That's all I'm trying to say :). Robin

No. As a matter of fact, food costs rose by more than twice the rate of inflation last year. But overall, for the past 50 years, the cost of food has not gone up at the same rate that incomes have gone up. But it has gone up. My food budget today exceeds what my total gross income was in the 70s when I was working full time and on my own.

That's actually the point I've been trying to make. :) Your post made me curious, so I looked it up... According to the USDA, the percent of income spent on food in the 1960s was actually only 17.5%, and now it's around 9.9%. And the noted reason is the rise in income levels that widen the gap between cost of food and income. In 1929 the percent of income going to food was almost 25%... the highest of the century. Why? Because of the depression - people were barely making enough money to feed their families. Food prices are going up markedly now, and I believe that's primarily a result of fuel/transportation costs and the ripple effect of corn subsidies. Robin

Ria!! So good to see your name again! I'm glad everything is going so well for you and your kids... thanks so much for updating us and I hope you still pop in when you can! Robin

Perhaps, but I'm not sure what the difference is... the alternatives to a consumer based economy are pretty much the same as the alternatives to a consumer based society... perhaps I'm missing something, but they seem one in the same to me. But I understand now that it is excessive consumption and wastefulness that is of concern... not that our society or our economy is driving by the free market system. Ok, my cough medicine is finally kicking in... I need to get some sleep. It's been a fun night! Robin

Yes, I am assuming that most things are equal... certainly mass manufacturing does help reduce per unit cost. But I would think the prices could possibly be a little more in line with each other, to be honest. I don't think organics should be cheaper, I'm just surprised sometimes at how much more expensive they are when they contain very simple, basic ingredients that I can buy in their bulk form for not more much than what the conventionals cost... but package it as an organic pancake mix, etc., and suddenly the price goes sky high. I do think that demand for healthier products helps keep these prices up, because people are willing to pay the extra prices... even if they don't cost but a few cents more to produce. And I don't begrudge anyone making a successful living! Not hardly! I fully support it. I would imagine that any farmer or dairyman would work the same long hours whether they are organic or not, but I don't think the conventional small family dairy/farm is making that kind of money (it's a big deal down here, and there was an article recently about produce and dairy farmers making little more than what you claim to have paid in income taxes). Perhaps this is incorrect, but I've been led to believe that the family farm is in trouble and that it's hard to make a good living... and that often they are enticed to switch to organic because of higher and more stable prices. That's because people are willing to pay more for organic. There is an economic incentive to producing organic in addition to the environmental incentives. If there wasn't, many farmers wouldn't invest in the switch. And then you have companies like Campbells producing Healthy Request soups which are the same soups with less sodium, no msg, etc., and charging twice as much for them. Why? Because people will pay the price. Which is great! That's what a free market is all about! So, I was just agreeing with Debra that the whole health food/organics thing is a huge industry in and of itself. That's all.

And imagine... it is hissing at you all the while! Until, of course, the warm bath and the massage calms it down and voila! The task is accomplished, the reptile is happy, and you get to disinfect your bathroom sink. Believe me, he didn't last long. Traded him in for a gerbil.

Patty, I think you hit it right on the head. That's it exactly. Failing health, loss of independence, losing a spouse, losing friends, becoming less sure of yourself physically, having a few mental lapses now and then, feeling (and being treated like) an old-timer who doesn't have anything to offer anymore... all this makes it harder and harder to keep the good qualities on the surface. Neither age nor wealth will change you... it will only make you more of what you already are. Thanks for the reminder. Robin

Oh, that's wonderful... I'm so happy for you and your family. I'm happy that you're all there together now, too. Life is good! Robin

Thanks, Barb, for pointing that out! I did not realize that's how they've structured it. That's good to know! Robin P.S. You're due in September? Did I miss an announcement? Congratulations!!

Colleen, I let my dd get a bearded dragon once and I thought the cage stunk horribly. Go into any pet shop where they sell reptiles and you'll know the smell I mean. Also, don't believe what people tell you about them being affectionate. They are not. The beardie NEVER warmed up to us and hissed and even bit my dd a few times when she tried to train it to get used to being handled. And we got it very young, too. I hated it. I had to give it a warm bath and massage it to get it to poop... yes, you must make sure it is pooping... and let me tell you... the hoops you have to jump through to make sure there is a fresh supply of crickets of a certain size is nothing short of ridiculous. You have to either make trips to the pet store a couple of times a week, or maintain/grow an insect colony in conjunction. A very loud insect colony. :) I am a pet lover. We have a dog and three cats. I have never been without a pet. And even i couldn't stand the beardie... I don't appreciate a pet that hisses at me and threatens to bite me and is a complete pain in the you know what to boot. I would recommend sticking with a pet that returns affection, or at the very least one that doesn't express hositlity towards the hand that feeds it (a fish perhaps?). Good luck Robin

And the berries, too! :)

My dd wasn't consistently dry until she was around ten. I decided it just wasn't worth worrying/fretting over. I always bought the night time pull ups, and she wore them every night until she was ready to quit on her own. I never once felt pressured to make her overcome that by a certain age. We were happy. She slept well and wasn't facing a wet bed/embarrassing moment/frustrated mom every morning. The mattress stayed nice and dry and odor free. The sheets only had to be washed once a week or so, like normal. The pants cost some money, but they bought us peace and it was worth it. Don't know if this is the course for you, but it sure worked for me. One thing's for sure... you don't have to worry about him going off to college still wetting the bed, kwim? I'm a firm believer in letting kids reach milestones in their own timeframe. Hope you find the solution that's best for you, Robin

What was the movie... was it Fried Green Tomatoes with Katy Bates when she hit the girls car in the parking lot, and said something about being older and having more insurance? That's how I feel sometimes. :D Let me know when you're ready... I might come join you... LOL! Yeah, yeah... just kidding. Sorta.

LOL!... Actually, my dad was a young adult during the flapper days, and my mom an adolescent... You'd be suprised how much of their "slang" is still our slang today! :) Robin

Cathy, I missed the original thread, but anything that combines the Navy Pier and the CHildren's Museum, and hugs from a three year old, and a WTM buddie having a really good day is celebration worthy, even if I am just hopping into this conversation! Yeah for you! Glad for your peaceful day, Robin

I remember the day. It was when me, my mom, and my dd were having lunch together. I was born when my mom was almost 40. My dd was born when I was almost as old. At this lunch, my mom was 80, I was 40, and my dd was a toddler. When I think about being 80, I think about that moment, and I hope that my dd marries and has children a little younger than I did... not just so that *I* can know and enjoy my grandkids, but so that she can have a full, long life with them, and not face the sadness of knowing that she will never live long enough to see her children as happy adults raising their own families... no watching the grandkids graduate or get married. That's what 80 means to me, unfortunately. But to answer your question, the older I get the more I realize how wrong my impressions of the older generation have sometimes been. They were actually a little bit brighter and less stubborn than I gave them credit. As a matter of fact, now I'm getting to the age where I see the younger generation as being a little less informed, a little more stubborn, quite a bit more judgemental, etc. :). Age really can change your perspective. Robin

My dd wanted them at 11, and I was willing to let her try. But when put them in her eyes, she fainted. They had to wait until she came to to get the contacts out. Taking them out made her throw up. It was not a good day. And she was so pumped up for contacts and couldn't wait to get them. If she could have managed to put them in and take them out, I would have allowed it, but I'm afraid that by letting her try them too young she will never have the courage to try them again. That's my only regret. Good luck! Robin

Unbelievable! Oh, Jackie I am so glad they saw it coming. Your family will remain in my thoughts. Robin

Yes... and that's what it's intended to do. Inflation is the opposite of recession. The premise is that a little inflation is a good corrector to a recessionary period. Robin