:iagree::iagree:with all of this. :iagree::iagree: Again, agreeing with it all.

I will be writing & tweaking them as I go now, and not letting them pile up. That's my big 'change'. :D My mistake was creating a file with assorted descriptions, but leaving them until now to 'complete'. What caught me off guard was how long it was going to take to get them all set with font size, margins, etc, etc. All that formatting stuff took a while. I thought I was in good shape by having a file with everything, but the nit picky stuff took/is taking a long time. The other ladies on this thread are doing it right by completing the descriptions as they go. It will be much easier on them that way. :001_smile:

Congratulations! You are wise to complete them as you go. I have been working on mine for two high schoolers. While I have plenty of notes and descriptions of courses over the last several years, it is taking me a l.o.n.g. time to get them all finished for my rising senior. I naively thought my hodgepodge of class descriptions and texts used would make the process of formalizing everything relatively painless. Nope. 20 hours and counting... I thought I was doing fantastic to have all the info I did. Boy, was I taught a lesson!! :glare:

I would contact the police first, and then a supervisor. I would not contact the lady. Contacting her would give her an opportunity to come up with a cover story; a supervisor catching her off guard would be better. She has proven herself to be dishonest and without scruples. I despise dishonest people. What rock has she been under that would let her think stealing your social and charging you for mdse was acceptable? :confused: :001_huh:

Well, if everything cleaned up OK, I probably would just let it be (and gripe to anyone who would listen! :lol:). The poor guy was probably terrified and felt horrible when he realized what he did. I would be on the fence about reporting what happened, but I sure wouldn't blame you if you did. I *hate* having repair people/installers in or around my house. Something *always* gets messed up!! :glare:

:blink::blink::blink: I am speechless.

I am so glad to hear things are looking up. It has been a long road for you.:party:

Aw, no need to freak. :grouphug: Even if you had noticed the scoliosis earlier, the doctors may have just taken a 'wait and see' approach, like they did with me. I can't remember what my curvature % was/is, but it didn't warrant intervention. Again, there is no need to freak or to beat yourself up over not noticing sooner. :grouphug: Many people go through life not even knowing they have it.

:iagree: You posted while I was typing. :001_smile: Coming from someone who has played the oboe, I appreciate your advice even though my dd is two years into the instrument. I agree about the breath--- dd still has breath issues at times. She just attended her first honor band, where she was selected to play the oboe, but not the flute (only a few oboists applied, but there were 18 flutes *chosen*--- I'm not sure how many more applied, but dd and two others did). During the honor band, sight reading was heavily emphasized, and dd said it was difficult. The oral muscle comment is a good one. DD has to be careful not to 'blow out her lips' while practicing before concerts--- there is a fine line between practicing and overdoing it. From what I gather, oboists' lips get tired *fast*. Finding an oboe teacher is difficult. In our area, I found *one* who had majored in oboe, but whose client list was full with a waiting list. The other option was to take lessons from someone who plays in the city's symphony.... that was a huge expense for a true beginning player. Oh, I also suggest to try renting the oboe before you buy it (I guess that would be true of any instrument). The oboe is not cheap. Even used.

My dd plays the piano, flute, oboe, and piccolo. She started on the piano and flute and added the oboe two years later after reading posts from about two years ago on 'in demand instruments'. The piccolo she added herself, once she was able to get air through it and play notes. :D The consensus back then, as now, was flutes are a dime a dozen, but oboes aren't and since the fingerings are virtually the same, it would be easy(er) to learn to play. So, two years ago this month, dd added the oboe. She did start immediately on lessons, and was comfortable enough with it to play in her homeschool band within just a few months. I know virtually nothing about playing music, but what I have picked up over the last two years is that lessons are practically a 'must' with the oboe. It is the quite advanced players that make their own reeds. Being a double reed, however, does make them more expensive. We found the $20 reeds in the music stores to be of poor quality (dry and brittle, break quickly, etc) so we found someone online who makes them to order.... the student reeds are $12.50 each, IIRC. The part about switching to English horn and bassoon is true... we know folks who have done just that. It makes them even more in demand. The above is what we are doing; we're keeping the doors open while maintaining some good extra curriculars. :D

I also think you should bring it up with the other mom. In re-reading your op, I wonder if maybe your dd actually had been invited and the mom bringing up the party was her way of fishing to see if you were coming since she hadn't heard from you? If your dd was truly excluded then I would be quite upset. What Rivka offered as a comment was perfect. It allows for the other mom to explain why your dd wasn't included, as well as giving her an 'out' to let you know if something had gone on between the girls to cause hard feelings. I'm sorry you are going through this. I know it doesn't help, but this isn't about homeschooling; my kids had to deal with this when they were in public school.

:iagree: Congratulations!!!!

Isn't that the truth!! OP, I'm also glad you updated. Parenting isn't for sissies, that's for sure. :grouphug:

I'm so sorry for your dd. I have nothing to add to the great advice given by those who posted before me. I often tell my kids that it took me until well into my 30s to accept that when one door closes, another will open, and since I accepted that maxim, my outlook on things has been so much better. Now, when faced with disappointment, I deal with it and wait for the other door to open. I wish I had learned that when I was younger. :grouphug: to your dd.

Heehee. It gave me a good giggle! :lol::lol:

*Hijack alert* Elaine, I LOVE the quote in your siggy! I watched his act every time it came on Showtime or HBO, and that line was one of the best!! :lol::lol: *Back on topic* OP, you have received some great ideas. If you could swing something 'career related', that would be neat. The Criminology course mentioned up thread sounds neat.

The description of the class is accurate. Ds took Latin I with no prior Latin exposure and his study time fell within the range mentioned on the website. Ds received an 'A'.

Not necessarily. :glare:

:iagree: That is not a friend. It may be difficult at first, but you will feel so empowered by taking control and cutting out the 'infection'.

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:.

True that.

I' date=' too, appreciate the heads up. Has the question been answered, though? :bigear: I made the same note to myself. :lol::lol: (I know it's a serious topic, but I just had to laugh.)

I certainly don't have a problem with making offers. We accepted many offers at our sale, but what had me :001_huh: were the ones on things I had priced very low to begin with. The part I bolded caught my attention. My neighborhood has a twice yearly garage sale and after one such sale last year, people were talking about it the next week at a gathering. They all complained about the part I bolded. One neighbor buys nothing but "the best" for her kids (her words, not mine, but it means name brand) so she had lots of Hilfiger clothes and whatever other brands constitute "the best" for kids nowadays. She had $3-$5 marked on NEW WITH TAGS jeans and people kept offering $.50 or LESS for them. She got so aggravated and swore she would only put 'junk' in her next garage sale. Both parts of her statement had me :001_huh:.

I held one many years ago and swore I wouldn't do it again. If I had something priced at $.25, people offered a nickel. With five-10 people making offers on stuff constantly, I was exhausted. I thought I had priced generously, but apparently not as people tried to bargain on e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. It made me feel like I totally wasted my time pricing things to begin with. Not to mention we didn't sell much. It was good stuff, too, and the people at the thrift store I donated it to were thrilled when they saw what I brought! They immediately put stuff 'away' to buy themselves, so most of it never made it to the floor. I just donate or give away my stuff now. I am just floored at the stories of theft. I would never have imagined that. I'm totally speechless. :001_huh:

We have one and use it regularly. It's plastic, and about 17 years old, so I have no idea about BPA. It's a Black and Decker and we use it for asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts, and rice mostly. I have no idea if it would do potatoes, though. I'm not sure what the mold issue is that everyone is talking about. :confused: