Re the part I bolded..... it will be interesting, too! The first load I stuck in mine, all of us stood there and watched the water fill up, then the cycle begin. Dh and I stayed for a bit longer than the kids watching it go... and laughing at ourselves for standing there watching a washing machine! :lol: I hope you enjoy yours!

Really? Does your kitchen not look strange without a fridge front & center? Is it inconvenient to get to? I've just not heard of this, so I'm genuinely curious. :001_smile:

The front of mine is blank. I tried putting magnets and stuff on there, but I hate clutter (it clutters my brain and makes me cranky), so I took it all off. I do have a small space on the side (it's a slide-in fridge surrounded by cabinets) that holds a measuring device (converts qts to cups, etc). and a small magnet with important/emergency numbers on it. That's all I can manage to stand. When the kids were young, I did put their artwork up, but only one or two pieces each, and the alphabet letters (which they never played with :confused:) . I couldn't take any more clutter than that.

I :001_wub: the 80s!! Well, except for the hairstyles. I could never manage those with straight hair and two front/bang cowlicks!! I have often wished I had kept my parachute pants to show my kids. I loved to wear my black ones with a white t-shirt and a black off-the-shoulder net shirt with a funky low-slung belt! Ahhh.... And my jellies.... oh, how I miss my jellies!!

I'm so sorry you're hurting. :grouphug::grouphug:

I have the Duets, but my model numbers are different. I have had them now for six years and I love, love, love them! I haven't noticed them getting louder, but they definitely sound a bit like an airplane when spinning... we think it's neat. :001_smile: We have had no issues with clothes being damaged, and I think the FL cleans well. I use liquid detergent and have hard water. I do use a bit less detergent than recommended because I am cheap (:D), and even with that, our clothes come out clean. I haven't tried powder because I had a problem with residue with my top loader--- I think it's our water, so I switched to the liquid. Here is a recent anecdote: We have red clay here and dh went mountain biking. He neglected to tell me that he got red clay on the knee of his very light grey sweatpants. They sat for a week before he gave them to me and mentioned the stain. I put a bit of Shout on them, and washed them as usual in a regular load. The red clay came completely out. If you are familiar with red clay, you would know how surprised I was at this. That stuff stains something terrible! Like others, I leave the washer door open a few inches and I haven't had any problem with smell. I have a cleaning cycle on there and have only used it three times. In fact, I should go ahead and run it again, as it has been a while. I have had no problem with gunk on the seal, but I keep an eye on it.... I do check under it after each cycle to see if any wayward socks or small stuff got sucked in and at the same time, I glance for any mold/mildew. I will say that I have never zipped jeans before putting them in, and I hadn't heard of the zippers, etc ruining the seal. I wonder if I should start doing that. Hmm... food for thought! Have I said that I love my Duets? :D

I am so sorry. :grouphug::grouphug: I agree with others that if you can, you should go see her.

I don't know if it will help you in time to wear it this weekend, but maybe turn it inside out and leave it hanging until you need it will help. Everything we own that is prone to 'hanger shoulders' gets hung inside out so there are 'dips' instead of 'hills'. I learned to do that from either a Dear Abby or Hints from Heloise column as 'dips' aren't as noticeable as 'hills'. I can't help you on the dryer bag thing... I don't know what that is.

I'm not sure I would be able to watch that movie. This thread and others like it take me back to those times I was bullied/s*xually harassed all those years ago. When I get those memories flooding back and the things I felt... well, I feel like that little kid all over again and want to cry. I can see it as if it was yesterday--- the classrooms, the hallways, the *smells*, everything. Each incident is permanently etched in my brain. I'm just not sure I could watch a movie about it. I may wait to hear others' reactions to it. I just don't know. I can't imagine listening to the parents with sad music in the background... :crying:

I have never heard of 'clothes burning'. Do I dare google it? I hadn't heard of this, either, until a few years ago. Regarding the part I bolded in your post~~ I was "credit carded" in middle school at the age of 11 back in 1982. I was mortified and very nearly burst into tears. I was apparently one of the first of a long string of 'victims'. The teachers chose to remain oblivious. The perpetrators were kids from good families, as was I. I think it's the result of hormonal teens with lack of impulse control and not enough supervision. The whole "boys will be boys" thing comes to mind. I can't fathom why *girls* are participating, though. :confused: I think our whole culture has some serious issues. At the same middle school, and later, at two different high schools in two different states, the dry h*mping occurred with great frequency, and it seemed that no one escaped that indignity. One high school was the second best in the city, and the other was the 'cream of the crop' in both academics and wealth for the county... all the doctors' & lawyers' kids went there. All this to say, stuff like this happens across all socioeconomic boundaries. And, sadly, those who defend themselves usually receive a harsher punishment than those who are breaking the rules. I saw it time and time again when I was in school, and later when my own kids were in school. Because of that, most victims don't defend themselves, even verbally. :iagree: See my story above. I am soooo glad that my kids are no longer in the jungle of what passes for schools. I feel for all the kids who have been subject to this cr*p.

I just posted that I happened to have clean clothes back in April, and we felt so lucky. Now, I clean & wash as much as I can if I know bad weather is on the way. I'm really concerned about this afternoon! She must be hiding from the storm that just came through here. I hope all is well there. Scary stuff!!!

I have said before that we should be considered part of "Tornado Alley". I agree--- I hate living in fear!! I can't believe the damage already, and much of it in places that were hit in April. Some people just got their houses repaired, and now they are damaged again. I agree about the sun. It needs to *go away*!! This was us in April. Once we lost power and the battery powered TV died, the only phone number I could remember was for family out of the area. So, they told me what they were seeing online while I huddled on the floor attached to the wall while I used a 30+ year old landline with a one foot cord! This is us!! I knew the potential for bad weather was coming today, so yesterday I cleaned house, got all the laundry done, and cleaned out our closet (our so-called safe room). I really should add water, though. And, I am going to steal your PLOP acronym, if that's OK. I love it!!

Ah. I go there, too, but didn't think to look at the torcon number. I thought I saw a local station using something similar in April... we usually watch 48, but once their radar was taken out, we just watched a different station, but I can't remember which one it was. We've only had sprinkles so far, but the wind is crazy. The sirens going off every few minutes are driving me nuts. Reports are in of people trapped in cars now.... geez. Isn't your family farther south? I think the Huntsville area is the southernmost 'danger zone'. I don't want to give incorrect info, but I believe that's what I heard. If so, then you shouldn't be too worried about your family. The rest of us, however.... heh.

When I was little, my mother had me swallow pills by putting them (whole) in a spoon of pudding or yogurt. The pills were 'coated' then and went down easily. I ate a spoon of whatever it was to 'coat' my throat, then a spoon with the offending item in it. :D It worked really well and I was thankful for this method when I needed my wisdom teeth out at the age of 13 and had 'horse pills' to get down. It didn't take long to get them down on my own, though.

I would say canister. I have an Electrolux that I like... it's whisper quiet. I use an upright for the carpets. That said, however, I much prefer just using a swiffer. It takes me much longer to vacuum (drag it out, wander around tugging the canister behind me, trying not to bump things, trying not to tip it over, putting it away, etc) than it does for me to grab a swiffer sheet, attach it to the stick, go over the floors, and toss the sheet. I also find that while the canister doesn't blow as much around as the upright (we have animals and long hair in the house), the swiffer gathers more. I remember when my mother was visiting, she helped me clean (she LOVES to clean... I wish she lived here! :lol:), and after I vacuumed she went over the floors with the swiffer and was amazed at what the swiffer picked up that the vacuum left behind. She had seen a swiffer commercial doing the same thing and wanted to try it. She was sold on swiffer after that.

:iagree: :iagree: I admit, my first reaction wasn't that I felt badly for them, but putting myself in their shoes, I do feel for them. That kind of lifestyle isn't one I can relate to.... fancy cars, summer homes, golf club memberships, yet I know what it feels like to have income cut, and it hurts. I know I have more than many, yet if something affects *me*, it makes me want to vent all the same. I remember reading/hearing somewhere that people's problems are all relative to them. What is small potatoes to some is huge for someone else, but when people have problems, they cause hurt/angst all the same. I try to remember that when I read stories like this. I tried to be eloquent in my post, but I have failed... I need more coffee. :tongue_smilie:

Which station uses torcon? Last night, 48 said that we may not get anything today and this afternoon's weather depended on what happened this morning. I heard no thunder this morning and it's only sprinkling now, but it is so warm outside that I am nervous! :iagree:Tell me about it. I just can't take it anymore. Every gosh darned thunder storm that comes this way seems to have a 'severe' attached to it and it makes my nerves all go haywire. Basement? I'm jealous. We only have a small walk-in closet for all of us. May we all be safe today/tonight. Ma23peas, happy birthday to your daughter. Our son's b'day was affected by the April storms/loss of power.

I do not. My ds has a very slight hook.

Yep, it got old for me, too, at about the same time. In fact, I actually gave up on scissors and started cutting as a rightie. I also adjusted my grip so that I could write in a spiral notebook. Binders are still impossible for me and I have to remove the page to write on it. I make my checkmarks backwards, too! Can we form a club?:lol: Because I didn't really know how I wrote, I had to do a test. I noticed that how I formed my letters depended on whether I was printing or writing in cursive. In cursive, because I already have an ink flow, I will cross letters left to right, but in print, because I have to lift the pen from the paper, I will cross from right to left. I make my O and zero marks counter clockwise. My minus and equal signs are right to left. I do not have a 'hook'. I align my paper so my hand is just under what I am writing. I don't have smear issues unless I am using a pencil~~ I'm not sure why that is, though. Ds is also a leftie and he writes his letters the same way I do (but makes normal check marks). Ds does have a slight hook... just enough of one that what he writes will go under the spot where his wrist is (a slight indentation) allowing the ink to not be smudged. Oh, and because I am so interested in this..... Left to my own devices on learning new things, I seem to have learned/learn the leftie way, but if I am taught something by a rightie, I do things the rightie way. Examples: taught myself to ride a skateboard and turn backwards on roller skates---- as a leftie. I was taught to throw a football and play baseball rightie. I paint walls as a rightie (from watching my rightie parents), but if I paint w/oils or watercolors, it's as a leftie. I push a vacuum and sweep on my right (from watching my rightie mom). I use a screwdriver, drill, and jig saw as a leftie--- self taught. I hammer with both hands, but start right. I play racquetball left (self taught), but will switch hands at will in tennis, but only serve left~~ I was self-taught until a class in college, in which I switched to rightie because the instructor was clueless as to how to teach me. Also, I taught my right brother how to ride his skateboard and turn backwards on his roller skates---- he's probably the only rightie to push his skateboard with his left foot and turn backwards the 'wrong way' on roller skates! :lol: This is a very interesting thread!!

More cyber hugs and good thoughts coming your way!! :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

:iagree: And many times, the store brand is more expensive than the name brand. I'm tired of having to use my calculator on everything! BTW, I agree with the Oreos that Lara in Co mentioned. I bought a package before Christmas and not only were there fewer of them because of a redesigned tray, but the package was smaller, the COOKIES were smaller, and they cost more than before!! I was *not* a happy camper!

Aw, that's great news! I also want to see pics.... Poor Snickers. It's so had to see our pets grieve for their missing buddies. I'm glad to hear he is beginning to accept his loss. A new playmate should help, too.

I'm no help. I'm just a bit younger than you, and have been noticing my hair is doing funky things, too. I believe gray hair has a different texture than colored hair (mine feels more coarse). I am also dealing with a few *very* coarse and wiry dark, dark hairs... I have straight highlighted hair, so these are quite noticeable to me... and, they don't color. :confused: Also, my hair *suddenly* (like almost overnight) began to look like straw. :glare: I did change my shampoo & conditioner from one I had used for years and years (Suave) to one that moisturizes better (Matrix Biolage) and have noticed my hair looks and feels a bit better. Maybe someone else will chime in with advice!

I don't know if there is a standard (which would be fantastic!), but dh just had his laptop in and they looked at it for free and told him what was wrong with it. The motherboard (I think it was) needed to be replaced and cost $320. We were very impressed with the Apple Store!

We had a similar party a few years ago where we collected items for a local animal shelter. On the invitations, I said something like "in lieu of gifts, (dc) is collecting items for the xxx animal shelter. If you would like to make a donation, they have a list of needed items on their website, which is _______". Everyone brought items needed, and some gave cash. Everyone, kids and parents alike, loved the idea. The shelter was also most appreciative. Your dd could take donations and make one big donation rather than having everyone send their own donation. Kudos to your dd for wanting to help support the Wild Animal Park. :001_smile: