Also, the bath house is really not terrible if you are prepared. Obviously flip flops are a must. But we also have a simple plastic pail that we all share. You can dump in your new clothing, towels, and any products you need. The pail allows to you either hang it from a hook or set it down on a bench or floor.....which are often wet. It is nice to have somewhere to place your clothing and towel where they stay dry. But we too have camped locally and to save cash, I will run home daily to take care of cats and will for SURE use my own shower when I can.

We cook pretty much the same things we would at home. If you are going to have a campfire, you could do some sort of foil dinner. I will often pre-assemble burritos at home, wrap them in foil, and toss them at the edge of the coals or on a grate (if one is available) as an easy dinner that can be heating up as we set up camp. You can do this with just about anything you can put in foil. Roasted potatoes with green beans or broccoli is another foil favorite. I do pre-roast the potatoes and veggies as it can be very tricky to get them to cook fully on a fire. We use our tonka pie cookers a lot.....and almost never for pie. You can make custom pizzas, quesadillas, breakfast sandwiches, reubens....pretty much anything you can put between two piece of bread or tortilla. I especially like corn tortilla pizzas. I also especially like the lack of dishes this creates and making everyone assemble their own.

We do a lot of camping in campgrounds that range from busy state parks to off-grid state forest campsites. Our camper does not have a lock and we do leave all of our stuff in it. We have never had anything stolen. I do prefer to lock bikes but my family is terrible about that so it almost never happens. We seldom even lock the car at night. We camp with a large group on many occasions and some of them have very expensive bikes, stoves, SUPs, and coolers that they leave outside and unsecured. Even large bottles of alcohol left out on picnic tables. Again, no one has messed with anything. I am personally not comfortable with that level of trust but it shows how little theft occurs. We have had bears and raccoons break into everything....bins, coolers, tents, etc..... In general, all food is either in the camper or car overnight but more than once we have forgotten to put a cooler in the car at bedtime only to find ourselves awaken by a rummaging animal later in the night.

I had what I assume is omicron last May. I was fully vaccinated and boosted. I experienced "bad cold" symptoms. Nothing terrible. But it got me on the back end with months of difficulty breathing, lingering cough, loss of taste, high heart rate, and general fatigue. I am a runner and I have still not regained my pre-covid pace. If I did not have the measure available, I would assume that I am now back to "normal." I have years of heart rate and pace data that confirms I am still not 100%. I was also fooled by how mild I thought it was and probably pushed activity too hard and too soon....so partially my own fault.

I agree!

Thanks everyone!

I agree with a few points that have already been made here. The bow is just as important as the instrument when it comes to how a player will feel about the sound and ease of play. And bows can be very expensive....typically up to half the cost of the violin. And cost does not have much to do with how an instrument and bow will match a player. We live very far away from anyplace that sells the kinds of violins dd needed when she was looking. The shop had to ship several to us after an extensive Q&A (about price, brightness, use, etc.....) with dd, us, and her teacher. They send violins that ranged in price from $2000 - $6000. We had dd play each for hours with the costs masked. We had no intention of buying the $6000 instrument but were very curious as to which she would gravitate towards. Shockingly, it was the least expensive one, so that worked out well all around. Dd was still considering going into music as a career at that time so we did want her to have something to at least get her started after high school (she was not planning to go to college for music if that was the path she chose, but rather go right into the industry....or at least attempt to). Since you can go to the shop itself, your dd will have even more variety to try out. They likely will allow you to take the top 2-3 "finalists" home for a week or so as one really needs more than a few minutes in a shop to determine which will be best. And all that said, violins hold their value so you should be able to sell and recoup your entire investment should your dd decide to stop playing.

Gifting is not my love language..... My niece is turning 8 in a few weeks and I am trying to come up with a super cool gift. She is into writing and illustrating her own books. Anyone know of a fun gift that would work into that theme? She also like instructional books about drawing, Minecraft, and Pikachu. I have already recently gifted her higher end colored pencils, markers, paints, brushes, clay, nice paper, and other art supplies. Help! Also, while we are at it, I am looking for generally whatever the coolest things ever would be for a 4.5yo girl and boy. Because Christmas is coming! Sigh. *I am posting and running. Not sure how quickly I will be back. So forgive delay in responses!

Camping mattresses have come a long way. I would check out the ones I recommended, Big Agnes and Sea to Summit. Both have models that are very thick, single and double wide. They have two big advantages over a traditional standard air mattress. 1. They have some closed cell foam which makes them warmer. 2. They are very compact and come with these nifty air filling bags that eliminate the need (and potential technical problems) for a pump of any kind. For us, car camping means less concern over weight and bulk but that is still finite. A big traditional air mattress takes up a lot of space. As I said, I am known to still haul my own but I have to bring extra layers for under my sleeping bag because I am basically sleeping on air. My preference is to use one of the thicker Big Agnes mattresses we have but sometimes those are in use by others and I am stuck with the big mattress.

We are huge fans of REI tents of all sizes. We have a few - everything from a 2-man backpacking tent to a very large family. All are 100% waterproof and hold up very well. For "higher end" tents, they are affordable and the customer service is great. We have also had several cheaper Kelty tents and those also have held up well but are for sure more basic than the REIs we have had. Ground cloths are a rip-off unless weight (backpacking) is a consideration. We just cut to fit from old tarps. Big Agnes and Sea to Summit make great inflatable individual sleeping pads. We do have a few old school thermarests floating around too and they are bombproof.....but not as comfortable, IMO. I also feel to shame in dragging a full-on air mattress out when we are car camping.

It's tricky. Most of dd's labs have a drop-one-lab-grade policy that can be used for illness or just to drop a low grade. Some even have it for exams, like "best 2 of 3 in addition to final" policy. These policies are the general way to handle occasional illness or other unplanned derailments like weather, car trouble, dog ate my notes, etc...... The problem is that the students want to "save" the drop for a low grade rather than use it to cover absence due to illness and will still drag themselves in sick. Dd just missed an exam last week due to illness. She actually felt well enough to take it and was prepared, but she was coughing so frequently that she worried she would disrupt the other students. She asked the professor and her only option was to come to the exam as planned or drop that grade (best 2 out of 3 policy). She really REALLY did not want to skip and drop because she was very prepared and suspected she would get a higher grade than her first exam of the semester. But she felt it was irresponsible to attend so it is what it is. Then she finds out from a classmate that half the lecture hall was hacking through the whole exam. Now she says she won't do that again unless she truly cannot drag herself into class/lab/exam. So, the system is still flawed. To the OP, is there no policy like this for the lab or the chance to still file a report with the results of other students?

Correct. No water at all. Our unit had a kitchen sink when we bought it, but we removed it as we don't ever camp where we have water/sewer hook ups and I do all cooking and dish washing outside anyway. By removing the sink, we opened up some additional storage space and eliminated all need to winterize our rig or mess with water lines at all. And there was never a bathroom of any type. We use whatever campground facilities are available. Sometimes that is a full bathhouse with showers and hot water and other times it is pit toilets and a water pump that we use to fill our own water jug at camp (for hand washing and cooking). If we are boon docking, we use a shovel. It's not for everyone....or even most people.....but is not at all uncommon so be sure to ask a lot of questions before renting if certain items are a must, like bathrooms, AC, and heat.

Correct. No water at all. Our unit had a kitchen sink when we bought it, but we removed it as we don't ever camp where we have water/sewer hook ups and I do all cooking outside anyway. By removing the sink, we opened up some additional storage space. And there was never a bathroom of any type. We use whatever campground facilities are available. Sometimes that is a full bathhouse with showers and hot water and other times it is pit toilets and a water pump that we use to fill our own water jug at camp (for hand washing and cooking). If we are boon docking, we use a shovel. It's not for everyone....or even most people.....but is not at all uncommon so be sure to ask a lot of questions before renting if certain items are a must, like bathrooms, AC, and heat.

I was just pointing out that not all RVs are going to have these things so if the OP wants them, she will need to adjust her search and budget accordingly. And also think about what kind of camping they will do as even if they do want those things, it might conflict with the type of camping/locations they want to do. We do camp in some very hot and cold places but we also are almost never anywhere with electrical hookups, so we have to make do without. In most places we camp, using a generator is either forbidden or would just make us very bad neighbors. So, I'd rather not have the additional cost and towing drag of an AC unit on top. Same with a bathroom. We never ever have water/sewer hook-ups available and most places we camp do not have dump stations, so again, a bathroom is a hassle and waste of space for us. On the flip side, having a 3-way fridge is a must for me as I am done dealing with coolers and love having a fridge even when we are off grid. I too have to make the middle-of-the-night trek to the outhouse nightly. It's no fun but worth it for the ability to camp in more rustic campgrounds. It snowed on our last camping trip this year and I had many unhappy thoughts when hiking to the pit toilet in the dark and snow!

I was going to suggest this type as well. There are a bunch of brands that are this type of style. They are all quite small but might be a great starter rig. I actually travelled to the Scamp factory years ago when we were considering ordering one. From that visit and from talking to people in campgrounds all over the place, I get the impression that all of the fiberglass models are more robust, as far as repair needs goes, than the traditional trailers. They also DO hold their value well. Very well. At the time we were looking, the used models were not much less in price than ordering new. Another thing to consider is renting a trailer (or multiple) to see what you like and if you truly want to go all in. There are regional and national Airbnb-type owner rental services. You could search for what is in your area. We have had very small RVs for 20+ years now and LOVE it. Ours does *not* have AC or a bathroom, so that is not necessarily a given, FYI. In our case, we have never needed AC so I would not even want one. We also don't want a bathroom. We are considering upgrading in the near future. We have a big trip coming up this summer and decided to reserve a rental to try out what we think we might want for that distant upgrade. We will probably love it but in case we don't, I'd rather pay a little for a rental trial than end up stuck owning something we don't love.

With your update, I would be far more concerned. I deleted my previous post to protect the privacy of my family but I was one that would not forbid a relationship due to age alone. Mostly because I have had direct experience with it, recognized the futility of rules on this topic, and because my experience included open discussion between all parties over the entire time of the relationships. What you are describing is IMO not really an age difference question. The issues you are grappling with could be exasperated by age difference but the problems remain even if age was not a factor. Also, I don't know your family situation, but once someone is over 18, you really can't do much aside from open dialog and refusing services like transportation, money, WIFI, housing, etc......which are likely to have little effect and might even backfire. There might be little you can do and it appears the girl's parents are also not going to engage. In your shoes, after warning about legal risks, which you have done, I would do anything in your power to focus as much of the relationship on your turf. Offer to host dates, offer to pick up and drop off the girlfriend, make it difficult to facilitate dates in other locations. There are still risks but what is the alternative? Does you ds respect parental boundaries now that he is over 18? Is your only currency financial/housing support? You would have to think really hard about whether or not you want to go with the nuclear option over what might be a very temporary relationship. My guess is that if you make a big deal out of it, your ds might choose to dig in, resulting in the relationships lasting much longer than it would have otherwise.

You are correct on the who is stirring up trouble point. It is for sure the harassing guy. I should have phrased that differently. I guess I meant it more from the OP's perspective. Would *she* want to insert herself into marriage trouble for people she really does not know and has no personal stake with after already having the discomfort the the incident itself? For all we know, the guy is separated, has an open marriage, might be swingers, etc..... As the guy's wife? No, I would not want some woman I have never met to approach me and tell me my dh was doing the things described in this thread. I would likely not believe some woman I had never met anyway, but even if I did, I would question judgement on both sides given the setting and the lack of pursuit. Had he made a pass or continued to harass the OP, then maybe? But my guess is whoever his wife is, she knows he does stuff like this and is either OK with it or not. As some other posters mentioned, banter like this, as distasteful as it might be to some, is acceptable and common in some social circles. Even in my own social circle, I can see this sort of thing happening as a joking compliment between close friends than a serious proposition. Again, that does *not* make it right when any party has not consented to such banter, but I would for sure not consider it a tell-the-wife situation, especially one I did not know well.

Yeah. That part bothers me too. I would not like that. There is a *slight* possibility that he was trying to connect to apologize but I certainly would not accept that friend request!

I'll bite. If this sort of behavior was coming from a husband of a woman I actually know, then I might consider sharing that with her. Otherwise, nope. Why should the OP have to be doubly traumatized from the incident itself and then again by stirring up trouble in a marriage of people she has no relationship with? Chances are good this is just how the guy is. He sometimes has a few too many and says stupid stuff to other women. It might not even be actual interest in the OP but rather "macho talk" or whatever dumb things that gets into drunk guys' heads. I'd bet the wife already knows this. I am certainly *not* defending the behavior but it is not like he made a pass at the OP or is stalking her or has continued to harass her. He said some stupid stuff, the OP did not reciprocate, and it is (hopefully) over.

I spend a lot of time in bars because two of my family members are gig musicians. So, despite the fact that I am probably the world's most unwelcoming of this sort of behavior, it does happen from time to time. Alcohol makes people do dumb things sometimes. I have never had anything actually come of it. Every time, I either distract and redirect or if I have to, I just say, "Cut it out, I'm not interested." I usually know the person involved, so it can be awkward. My guess is the guy is embarrassed and you will never have to deal with it again, even if you both hang out as you normally would in group settings. I would not do anything different aside from ask your dh to stay nearby the next few times you will be in this sort of setting. If it happens again, just tell the guy straight up that you are uncomfortable with that sort of talk and ask him to cut it out.

Right before company comes! This is the one chore I absolutely loathe. We only have one bath/shower in this house so it gets used multiple times a day. And it is gross. And I don't care. Lol! Dh will break down and clean it all about once a month, maybe, but I will not even consider it until I risk the chance of being shamed. It does not help that someone who owned this house prior to us used some kind of forbidden cleaning agent on the cheap surround unit we have and it is now mottled looking. It looks dirty no matter what, so what's the point? And really, it is in use so frequently that it is actually hard to get in to clean well. If I am home, awake, and cleaning, there is a good chance someone is in the shower.

Please don't quote as I will delete later!

I am a "good morning" and "thanks" emailer for work stuff. I have to be careful about greetings that include the name of the recipient because I work in a job in which the titles of most of the people I email are tricky to navigate. As in, I have an informal enough relationship with some/most to use first names, rather than their official title, but there are a handful in which that may or may not be appropriate and I am never for sure who I am going to tick off. Like some would get ruffled if I used their formal title and others will get ruffled if I don't and there is no predicting. It took a while for me to get used to that. I don't at all mind "I hope this email finds you well" or other vague references to well wishes.

One does need to file taxes if they make $600+, be it self-employed or otherwise. Although, I'd guess most people who made $600+ babysitting, mowing lawns, or anything else where no one filed a 1099 for them are not filing at age 17. My dd is/was self-employed and did have to file as she is a gig musician and some venues and most festivals did file 1099s for her. And is was far over $600, so appropriate. It is a pain, but it is what it is. If your ds is on the line, I would not bother as I imagine his students are not filing 1099s.

My dd attends a school that encourages/supports but does not require coops/internships. Her experience has been that anyone who wants one can easily get one. Her school does have a lot of supports and relationships with companies that seek students. Dd was offered multiple internships her very first summer. She learned of these via emails from her department advisor and the annual job fair. She took one and learned a lot. She is currently mulling three offers already for next summer.....two of which were unsolicited and came to her via word of mouth from last summer's internship. The third was again from the annual job fair that the university sponsors. And frankly, she is kind of hard to place due to her major and specific research interests. I really thought finding internships would be far more difficult for her. My overall point being that even if it is not required, you can learn a lot about a school's coop relationships by inquiring about support and stats.