Yeah, I have been known to tell my 9 y/o that I am much older than he is, have much more experience being an asshat than he does, and am better at it than he is, so he had better think about it before he plays that game. :D

The crummier strip malls in Pierce county are still anchored by Kmarts. Our local store stares a strip with biglots and is across from the Goodwill, a dollar store, and Dialysis 'R' Us.

I must just have a soft spot in my heart for Kmart, because its flaws don't bother me. Maybe I'm nostalgic for the days when my parents would take us and threaten us with Trax shoes, bought on a blue light special, sure to earn us the scorn of our Nike-wearing schoolmates. Our local Kmart was next to the Bi-Lo supermarket, where you could buy generic products in a plain white box with "WHEAT CEREAL" or "RICE" printed in black letters. My grandparents even drank "BEER." Ah, the good old days.

When I was in college it was common for students to sneak small pets into the dorms. One friend of a friend had a hedgehog. It was a cute little thing, but didn't like crowds. Like large, drunken parties. I asked to hold it, and it did fine for a while, then bit me. I had enough alcohol in me that I didn't really feel it, but I do remember declaring happily, with blood spurting out of my hand, "I can't believe I was just bitten by a hedgehog! A hedgehog bit me!" and then cracking up while the poor sober hedgehog owner bandaged up my hand.

I kind of like Kmart. It's where I go if I need batteries or dish soap, but I don't want to change out of my pajamas so I can go to Target.

We bought a sofa in a box. Easy to asemble. :)

Kansas' is obviously the better choice, unless you are Gollum. "Nasty little Kansasess has my presciousssss."

It snowed in Federal Way? I was in Edgewood this morning and thought it was warm! lol

Do you have chains for your tires? They slow you down, but I find them very helpful. I wonder if we live in the same area--the forecast sounds similar.

There are lots of people who search thrift stores for cheap cashmere sweaters and unravel and reuse the yarn. It is a cheap way to get some expensive fibers.

:grouphug:

My kids had more fun looking through the RR catalog than the toysrus catalog. :)

Boat. PNW.

A blue porch light is a pro-law enforcement gesture.

I like this site.

A local park has a set of life-size "Lincoln logs"--5ish inch diameter logs in about four foot lengths, with notches cut at both ends. It's probably horribly unsafe and a lawsuit waiting to happen, but my kids sure have fun building little cabins for themselves.

Huh. I just assumed that everyone does it. Now I feel weird. :tongue_smilie:

Ah, the noodles-over-mashed potatoes dish. My grandparents served this every time we visited, until my little brother blurted out "Grandma, my mom hates noodles and potatoes!" My mom was mortified. I don't get the stuffing love. It's soggy bread. Yuck. I almost forgot--for years, the go-to alternate dessert in my family was a mess of crust, green jello pistachio pudding, and cool whip. My dad called it "that green shit." As in, "hon, are you making that green shit for dessert this year?" He ate it happily tho.

Have you had anyone just drop by because they were "in the neighborhood" since you've moved? :laugh:

Could it be a Ray Lynch tune? Celestial Soda Pop is very bouncy-sounding.

We have a little pre-lighted tabletop tree. It takes about 20 minutes to set it up and place ornaments. Then I spend another 20-30 minutes switching out the regular knickknacks for the Christmas knickknacks. And I guess I should count thinking up activities for the Advent calendar--the kids use the crafts they make each day for their own decorating.

A Harry Potter themed year is a great Idea. I'll be taking notes for the Fall of 2018, when my ds will be 11. :)

How can you live in a house with giant predators? How could you ever relax, knowing that if big kitty wanted a snack, you might be it? I cannot imagine. It's nightmare fuel.

Our city water is full of manganese. All of our porcelain fixtures have a lovely orange buildup. I'd still rather have city water than a well. My mom is in charge of the well for her subdivision and has to test the water every day and is always on the phone with the utilities division for some reason or another. SaveSave

We are currently house hunting, and have decided to cross houses with septic systems off the list. I am sure that they are fine, since they are the norm in many areas, but I have had experience with too many failing/failed systems to be comfortable with one now. One of the issues here is that lots are tending to get smaller and smaller, and if the primary drainfield fails and there isn't room for a secondary drainfield, then you're looking at an aboveground system and....yuck. I also have lovely childhood memories of a neighbor child playing in a "puddle" in the street then showing up at our doorstep, and the "puddle" was actually the runoff from a full septic tank/failed drainfield and...yuck.