I would pull out some extracurricula stuff - games, puzzles - and do some extra reading aloud. I imagine a sick one might not feel like math but may not object to lying on the sofa and listening to a story.

Maybe I am giving her to much credit, but it did seem she was starting to track towards reform the latter part of season 2. But even with a change of heart I think she still could be in a place of thinking that the end justifies the means, kwim? I just don't think people like Vera Bates off themselves; they regroup and re-attack from a different angle.

1. Absolutely yes, SJJ rules! I asked my oldest (in college) if he knew about Major Tom, his reply was to burst out in song, ground control to Major Toooooommmmm. That's my boy! 2. No, I was more of a Brenda Starr gal. Always looking for more of that mysterious Basil St. John... 3. I think Mrs. Bates the First far too selfish a woman to do herself in, though I do see her as mean enough. I don't think Mr. B did it, either. I think it was O'Brien, trying to make up for calling Vera back in the first place. I believe she just didn't foresee the consequences - Mr. Bates being accused - which is par for the course for O'B and her crony Thomas (who I believe will be revealed as her son in the next season).

I agree with all said below. If he is indeed in the right, he cannot just go down quietly. There is far too much at stake.

Oh, how do you like it? Do you like the way the muffins turn out (ie, are they really like the top o' the muffin)? Love the ideas for the corn muffin stir-ins.

You might want to check your local hardware store. I've bought rubber caps for other things - maybe they would at least have something to tide you over until you found an authentic part.

You don't want the cheapest one out there. You want one with nice geared tuning pegs that will hold a tune. Also, an adjustable neck. He should put his hands on it and feel it out. Look for one that is slimmer in body, a big folk guitar is hard to get your arms around if you are a smaller person/child/youth. Strum and listen - some people prefer high and bright tones, others lower and more mellow. I would look for one with lower action, ie, the strings are not too high off the neck; that makes it easier for the new player to press the strings firmly to the wood. If you are taking classical lessons you want nylon strings. If not, light bronze strings are a good alternative for a beginner. I wouldn't worry about what sort of wood for a beginner - if he sticks with it he will later choose a finer model with specific details he likes. Around here Ibanez and Mitchell have been good starter brands in the $150-$225 range. ETA - I think Fender also makes some good lower end models.

Same here! And to think this was the same guy that brought us Dances With Wolves (though I guess that might also meet mixed reviews...).

Okay, not a recipe but a method idea - I recently saw a pan that had wide and shallow muffin batter holes. It's supposed to make muffin tops (without the waste). I wish I'd bought it; if I can remember exactly where I saw it, I think I'll go back and get it.

Thanks! That is very helpful!

Bridges of Madison County - blech and blech again. I would also not have put The English Patient in the same category. It wasn't my favorite film, but c'mon...Ralph Fiennes pretty well elevates the whole flick.;) Let's not forget some of the truly good movies of the 90's: Forrest Gump ('94) The Hunt for Red October ('90 - okay, that's early) Jurassic Park ('93) The Matrix ('99 - later) Saving Private Ryan ('98) The Shawshank Redemption ('94) The Sixth Sense ('99) Silence of the Lambs ('91) And one of my personal favorites - Happy Gilmore (1996 - ok, ok, purely stupid but I laugh out every! time! I see it! ETA Okay, here are some more from mid-decade: Four Weddings and a Funeral ('94) Don Juan DeMarco ('94) Mr. Holland's Opus ('95) Fargo ('96) Jerry Maguire ('96) Twister ('96) Sling Blade ('96) The Ghost and the Darkness ('96) Good Will Hunting ('97) Life Is Beautiful ('97)

We have had a similar experience. A year of physical therapy and a great set of custom orthotics evened things out. It's harder for girls/women because the hormones for helping the pelvic joints loosen for childbirth affect other joints as well, especially during puberty. For your son, I would be especially sure to check with a doc if there is ankle and/or knee pain involved.

Time to pull out my copy of To Kill a Mockingbird - my fall tradition. Atticus always reminds me of my father. I miss him.

Yes, same here! Seems like a very reasonably priced interim step. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Great point! I also agree with those who have said anonymity helps protect the privacy of your children, whether they are struggling or gifted. Even if you feel sure you don't recognize other boardies as IRL acquaintances, it's not safe to assume they're not lurking here. Any search for curriculum these days leads to at least one hit on TWTM boards, ime.

Thanks, amana! Your floors are really beautiful. Your pics are actually my biggest inspiration to tear the carpet out of dd's bedroom! Are all of your photos from after the satin was applied? The first pic looks lighter than the others - maybe that was just the lighting? I have some stains on hand, I will try a couple on the sample board, and some without, and see what I like best. I am trying for a lighter look. Did you remove the baseboards?

I am with you on the random cord/electronics mess. I have designated a bin for all that stuff and ask dh to go through it. If he doesn't get around to it I have one of my older sons do it - actually, they are better at it, much more pragmatic as they are more realistic than dh about what's obsolete (whereas dh is still jamming in his office with his college-era stereo system!). I am musing on house size, though. I have often said I want a small house so I can clean both ends with two hands at the same time and be done in 15 minutes. But where do you store everything, especially when you have lots of people living there, and home school, and maybe husband works at home? A large house has its own challenges, including the temptation to keep more stuff than needed because there's room for it. I think good organization and keeping only what I REALLY need (or truly love) are key to loving my house, regardless of its size.

Yes! Just regroup and keep at it! Rice, potatoes and eggs are relatively inexpensive - you probably have enough loose change around the house if you need to pick up one or more of those items.

Thank you, milovany! I appreciate the encouragement to try - if I don't like it I can just do something else! I have been cruising the web and from what I see, the paper can also be stained, or even colored with Rit dye, so I assume that your lighter floor color comes from NOT adding additional color to the paper. I am going to try with the water based poly - I have had disappointing experiences with the oil--based stuff yellowing on other projects (plus it's so much easier to clean anything with a water base!). Thanks again for your replies!

For years we have referred to this stage as The Eruption. It's like a volcano - I know everything will eventually flow back to its natural place (even if it's a "new" natural place), but the interim is the hardest part. :iagree: Getting past it feels like a huge accomplishment. I can actually feel the endorphins kick in when I reach the point of seeing light at the end of the tunnel (and when I put the stuff I've culled out into the garbage can or in the car to be taken to Goodwill). Kalah, it's so funny you say Hot Mess - 'cause that's lava-like and fits with my volcano eruption metaphor. But it's also my Hair Gal's favorite term for bad hair days. And that's so fitting, because about the time I'm fully in Eruption Mode, I am also ready to pull my hair out! Just got my second-to-last area of the house past Eruption. I have one storage area threatening to blow and it will soon pour out over into other areas as I organize it. But when that one is done, I will feel liberated. Hopefully a bit richer, too, as I think there's some good stuff to sell hiding in there. At least there's an incentive for going in...!

So true! When the kids were all little and I vented to my dh that I needed a break, he would just encourage me to take it, and take a whole day, but then he would smile knowingly and say, "You'll be back in under 3 hours..."! I always was.

For the most part, :iagree: There's something lovely about returning to life with a regular rhythm. Summer tends to be loosey-goosey for our family, and while this can be fun, it gets tedious in a different sort of way.

I realize this is kind of "resurrecting" an old thread - but since it is a GOOD old thread, I hope no one minds. :D I am getting ready to do a sample board for dh so I can convince him to let me start ripping up the carpet. I have a couple of questions... Milovany, the color of your (beautiful! fantastic! love it!) finished floor is my goal for the first room (hopefully, much of the first level). Can you tell me in detail about the paper you used? Do I really have to remove the baseboards? I think dh would be okay with doing that if I proceed to the living room - he wants 5" baseboards there anyway - but if I start in a kid room, can I just bank a straight edge up to the baseboard? I would love to hear specifics about the polyurethane each of you used, right down to the brand name. I really want to use a water based (vs oil based) product - is that possible? Have you experienced any yellowing of the clear coat? In my basement, I would like to simulate wood plank flooring. Think I could use straight pieces of paper with all edges cut rather than torn? The look I am going for is multi-colored beach battered wood, so it doesn't have to look perfect, iykwim. I figure I can chalk plumb lines on the floor before I start to help keep things from going into an off-kilter slant. Looking forward to your input - I have loved seeing all the beautiful paper bag Hiver floors - you all have really inspired me!

New Land's End catalog arrived today. notgonnalooknotgonnalooknotgonnalooknotgonnalook.... Whew! It was tough to drop that one in the recycling bin. Let's hear it for small victories, aye?

I did this years ago when I was having trouble transitioning from the 80s to the 90s. She was flattered and it was exactly what I needed!