Definitely a rice bag. Not only for when they don't feel good, but if you live in a colder climate, it feels so good at night or damp days! Along with meds they may need if sick, I sent Sambucus/elderberry, or anything to help prevent getting sick in the first place. Zinc cough drops, https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/boiron-oscillococcinum-homeopathic-medicine-for-flu-like-symptoms/ID=prod366595-product. And Top Ramen, tea, crackers...the kinds of things they may need for when they are recovering. Don't forget clorox wipes and thin rubber gloves for cleaning. What didn't get used: stamps, envelopes...but once they were out of the dorms needed those kinds of things for some reason.

Faith-manor, I didn't know you were in Michigan, I just thought the suggested wildflower site happened to be from Michigan. My Code enforcement quote came from Southfield btw, small world!

I just texted and got more info from my friend. Native 'plants to the USA' is protected, even the aggressive ones, are all permitted. Wildflower is literally all wild flowers but can include invasive, illegal plants. Sometimes their dirt or seed packages unintentionally bring in native plant starts or seeds, that quickly establish themselves. Natives are encouraged, but invasive species tend to move in quickly. Many are roundup resistant, so the owner, by law, needs to put in a lot of effort to maintain the yard, or the owner can be fined for invasive species. (The owner had moved away, and roots had crept into my friend's yard. She tried to maintain by pulling, then brought in a weed company, who still could not eradicate them from her yard, as they were resistant to some chemicals.) You have to remember in cities/suburbs where every one has a manicured yard, a wildflower/native yard can look unkempt to some if not kept up. Because my friend did not have a permit to grow them (she has a huge lawn, but enough natives were growing to make her part of the yard look like she had weeds), someone complained and she got cited. Crazy, I know. Just stinks. This from her city: Code Enforcement covers a variety of codes and ordinances that the city has adopted over the years to address issues and concerns that affect all aspects of our city’s quality of life. By administering a fair and comprehensive enforcement program that corrects violations of municipal codes, our department enhances property values and preserves the community values that make ____ a highly desirable city in which to live, work and play. Common Residential Concerns include: Lack of landscape maintenance, including mowing and weed removal So listen ya'all, I was just trying to pass on my friend's warning about letting your yard go wild. Yes, I agree it is a great idea for insects and wildlife. I mean, who would've ever thought wild plants could be a problem, but it happens. Just be mindful of your neighbors, that was my message...

The neighbor was all out with native plants. He was probably a member of the Wildflower or a Native plant society or something? But yeah, when you live in a suburb, there could be rules. I live in the country, so this seems foreign to me as well. But my friend has had a heck of a time reclaiming the boundaries of her yard, because the plants reproduce so well..., even with a fence. The things we learn...!

Waking up at 6?! I wish I was so lucky, I was often up at 4 during perimenopause and especially during stressful times even now. I am generally not one to be an early riser either.

I agree, lawns take a lot of maintenance and water. Native plants are a good idea, just be mindful of your neighbors. Keep your plants from over growing into their lawns, or spreading their seeds. Or allergens as well...a friend of mine had a neighbor who planted native plants, but didn't care if she was allergic. It also crept into her space and he did nothing to contain them. He moved away a few years ago and she is still trying to reclaim her yard. Not only that, he had a permit to grow native species, my friend does not. If I remember correctly, she got fined by the city (she lives in a large suburb) for growing weeds that spread from his yard! So frustrating! Yeah, you better check the rules in your area on that one if you go that route! Or better yet, try vegetable gardening: https://www.foodnotlawns.com/

We used the book from the local library; Learn to Draw, D.C. DuBosque. Easy step-by-step on how to draw perspective, like when things are far away, and up close. When my daughter went on to high school a few years later, her art teacher was impressed with her skills and wanted to know how I taught her perspective drawing...just a book from the library! 😉

https://thekidshouldseethis.com/ I remember this site from years ago. Has anyone been using this one? I appreciate your question. My nephew just had a conversation with me about things he is learning about on Tik Tok. I would think sites mentioned here would be more reliable about facts than those learned on TT, and will send him some of the above mentioned links.

I would join. I have also wondered if the narcissism support group is a thing anymore or not. It seems not, and I have wondered why.

I don't consider our vizio tv that old, but possibly it is 10 years, (and maybe that is considered old these days?). It is acting up. In the "old" days, I remember hitting the tracking button on a tv, and it would stop the picture. Ours is starting to do the horizontal line thing where you can't make out the picture, but we can hear the program as usual. Then it eventually fixes itself most times. Anyone have this problem? Is there a way to fix it? I am not one who throws something in the trash bin at the first hint of a problem, whereas my husband says it is time for a new one. If this is what we get from these new digital TV's, I feel we have been duped. More trash for the world? I am not a fan. How to fix this, does anyone have any suggestions?

I also have an Omega and I find it easy to clean if I do it right after using. I have to get in the right frame of mind to use it though, as yes, it takes time to wash your produce, cut, put together and take apart. But I know some who use it daily, it is just part of their routine. I have a hard time with the waste, as I am not one to waste much. Sometimes I freeze carrot pulp and add it to recipes. I add to muffins, soups, etc. so it isn't completely wasted. Shoot, if you are doing a stir fry, just add it to that...Wish I had chickens, but otherwise it goes into the compost bin and keeps my worms happy!

Great info, Topmom, thanks! Hopefully it will be over by the end of Aug., but the links are good to have, thanks! I love the Mote Marina, so many fond memories with the kids over the years!

So sorry, praying for you and Marley. Will he eat Science Diet Renal? Can you add an egg, fried or scrambled to his food? If he likes the crunchies, will he tolerate the soft foods, with a little of that mixed in? I also gave my dog low sodium broth. Might be worth a try.

We will be going to Sarasota area near the end of Aug. for a memorial. Typically we like the beaches there, but hearing there is red tide (somewhere along the coast). Hoping it won't be in that area when we are there. We thought of going to Cape Canaveral, you know, make a bit of a vacation out of our time there. But I understand your thoughts on the humidity. We wonder if it will be a good idea. We are in the PNW, experiencing over 90 degree heat without rain for about the 3rd week, and things are getting parched and we are feeling it. So now beginning to wonder if we will even have the energy to do anything with the humidity in FLA...not interested in the amusement parks, but any other suggestions, I am all ears!

Reading: When I fell from the Sky, the True Story of 1 Woman's Miraculous Survival, Juliane Koepcke I think I heard of her story on GMA or another morning show. It has been 50 years since the plane crash, after taking off from Lima, Peru. I am only on chapter 5, but it is interesting and I like how it takes me into her life growing up in the jungle and being the child of biologists. Watching, podcasts...:Too busy being with summer to be connected to anything else...

I agree, I was going to suggest that. Or this sounds weird, but warm ginger ale. I used to leave it out all day and stir often to remove some of the bubbles.

Can too high of a vita D dose make a person break out? I believe it was vita D that my 26 yr. old said she had been taking too much of, so she has backed down. Well, she has been masking at work, and that is the area that is badly broken out (she never had a problem with acne as a teen). But she figured it was from too much vita D, and I believe she had her levels checked. Also on birth control, which I have heard helps clear up acne, so...It just looks so painful for her.

Well we do live on a lake and everything gets festive, but still I don't have people over typically. So you can still have the right place, but if you are not an extrovert, you may still enjoy not doing much. That is how it is for me. I am glad people can have friends over and have a good time, and wish I could be like that, but too, I am very glad when the weekend is over and my neighborhood is quiet again. I am not one to be drinking and on the water all day and a full day of visiting wipes me out. I feel like a shut-in on these holidays, but 1. my timing is off, and I am still cleaning house and preparing for the holiday and 2. I feel like neighbors are judging me because we don't have people over usually. I would rather be reading a good book, or gardening. It is nice to know I am not in the same boat, and there are other introverts like me..

98 in the shade here. I am making new uses of my sheets. I tacked a sheet over the blinds of windows that get hit by sun. Believe it or not, it is helping greatly, along with the drawn blinds. Then windows get opened at night to let cooler air in and cool off the house. Cooler means maybe 75 now. I also covered my peas lightly to give them shade with a sheet draped over the clothesline. Haven't seen hummingbirds much. And I wonder if spiders were a predicter of this heat. Those big ones started coming in the house about a week ago. I thought it was odd, because usually they only do that in the fall. Now I am wondering if they had an idea things were going to heat up...

As far as bathrooms, I still like it ladies only. I hate the sticky floors, guys still drip to be blunt. And it doesn't smell like urine as much in the ladies room compared to when there is a gender neutral bathroom. I am not even going to touch on the main point of the thread, I have not looked up the link at this time. Just giving my 2c. about bathrooms!

Have you all tried hot water with apple cider vinegar drink? About 1-3 tsp. maybe. It is good for help clearing the lungs. A friend of mine told me her grandmother drank it all the time, never got respiratory stuff. Not the best taste, but it does help, I often drink it to ward off colds, etc. Add honey to make it taste better or drink it quickly.

Meijer Gardens were awesome. We went when the kids were younger, and we had just finished a unit on Da Vinci, and had read Leonardo's Horse by Jean Fritz. Then we saw the sculpture, The American Horse, inspired by Da Vinci, at the gardens. That was great timing and seemed magical to the kids. Good book if you haven't read it. And yes, if you haven't done sand dunes, you have to do that! So much to see along the coast, you will wish you had more time! If you like shopping in small shops, Saugatuck is a great little kind of artsy town. We went there a few years ago. Holland was not like I remember it when I was a kid. Too touristy, and a trap. Also on our last trip, we stopped and had a leisurely hike (a walk) here: https://berriencounty.org/1297/Galien-River-County-Park This is in New Buffalo, further south just before the border. So if your kids are needing to get out and burn some energy, this was a nice walk. It had some boardwalks that looked over the marshes. Cool concept.

Timely topic. I have been swimming at a small local college (open for community) for the past 2 months and noticed that I am in the minority when it comes to swim caps. Most students and adults wear caps most times, and I concluded it must be because of hair coloring being so popular. So I tried the swim cap (hair not colored, but protecting it) and I must not be doing something right because my hair was wet afterwards. So, I take it a cap doesn't fully protect? That is why we need to hydrate hair first? Still not sure how this protects hair coloring...

That is unheard of. What kind of organization is this, just a community pool or? Like if it were community education, you would have people to complain to. I would definitely be looking for the next step of who to complain to. I probably would have been too distressed too, watching this to even think of recording it on my phone. I wonder if anyone else did? The only reason I would take my child back to that class was to have my phone ready to gain further evidence of wrongdoing, otherwise, it would be wise to stay away. The first step in teaching children how to swim is to gain their trust. Water causes so much fear. I always do it by telling them what we are going to do. If at all hesitant on their behalf, then you go in baby steps and only for the count of 1 or 2, then make a big deal out of their accomplishment (they always think that is great!). Then move in baby steps from there. These people are not properly trained. Do they claim to be Red Cross classes? If so, maybe that would be who you complain to, because the ARC would not want to be associated with that. Maybe others here have ideas of the next step? Better Business Bureau? Maybe even the news? But yeah, if you get some recordings, and I would do it discreetly because that manager will be watching you...

Especially not during lessons! Never heard of that. As an instructor, that would have driven me crazy, especially the loud music. Some kids have a real hesitancy with water and loud music really wouldn't help!