My darling, most wonderful dh bought me an ipad today. I am positively giddy about it. I won't have it until this evening though. I feel like a child on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa! LOL Anyway...are you using...or have you used ipad for NaNoWriMo...or I guess any sort of novel writing? What apps work well for this? Hoping someone knows about it. I've never even had an iphone before, so this is going to be a huge learning curve for me! Thanks, RhondaM.

English: Oak Meadow Introduction to Literature and Composition SS: Oak Meadow World Geography Science: Oak Meadow Environmental Science Math: Lial's Intro to Alg. Elective: Oak Meadow Intro to Photography Elective: Guitar lessons Elective: Psychology RhondaM.

They bug me. Especially the ones about cancer. MOST especially the ones about breast cancer. I get soooo sick and tired of being reminded of breast cancer every time I turn around. Cuz somedays - since I had pretty decent reconstruction -I can almost forget and feel normal. Guess I'm just silly. :glare:

One of the sweetest cats I ever had was once a feral. Once he trusted me he decided me that he LOVED me. The cat would literally leap into my arms from the bed...he would DROOL excessively when petted. And he was fine with kids too. We had him neutered *as an adult* and he was a very good indoor cat. A gentleman who always used his litterbox. I never could tame his sister. But we did manage to trap her when she was pregnant and then had her spayed and adopted out her kittens (also spayed/neutered). So, it just depends on the cat. RhondaM.

bumb :-)

How good is the writing instruction in Oak Meadow 5? One of the reasons I am interested in OM is that History/Literature and Writing are integrated. I really don't want to have to buy a writing curriculum and I'm hoping that the writing instruction in OM will be enough. We did CLE grammar 3 this year (she was a 10 yr old 4th grader this year, but we fell behind this due to my past health problems. She will turn 11 this year and has done very well in grammar so far)...do you think the grammar in OM 5 will be too big of a jump? I can't really tell from the samples. Is everything you need for history projects included in the craft supply kit? Or will I have to constantly search for needed items to complete the projects? As far as science it does not look as if there is an available supply kit for the experiments. Are the items you need found around the house or will I need to order them from somewhere? Thanks! RhondaM.

Audrey...I tried to send you a private message, but could not. Could you email me? I have something I want to ask you about, but it has nothing to do with this topic. Thanks. RhondaM. chiliwoman at aol dot com

Phonics Pathways combined with Explode the Code and the little books that came w/ LLATL red level. 5 - 10 minutes a day. Two of my kids were reading on a solid 3rd grade level by the end of K with this combo. Both times we never even finished PP, used about half of the book, a couple of levels of ETC and they just took off on their own. It was easy, quick and fun for them. They are great spellers too. RhondaM.

We did The Talisman as a read aloud. That way I could skip curse words and bad scenes ...or at least reword things a little. We enjoyed it. RhondaM.

I like the New American Cursive from Memoria Press too. Not only do they have workbooks, but they have software too. You can just type up and print up whatever you want your child to write that day (different size fonts are available, as well as other nice features). This curriculum helped my dd, who really struggled with handwriting. RhondaM.

I called them back (for the 5th time, LOL). This person explained it better. They only send one to two course in the very beginning while they are getting the child enrolled...then once assignments start coming in (to them) they start sending other books. I feel better now. Thanks, Rhonda

I'm considering this for my son because he needs the accountability. We cannot afford some of the other schools (Keystone, Oak Meadow) so they are not an option at this point. American School also has a very nice payment plan. I was digging around there website and saw that as soon as you send a payment they send you ONE course. I called them and she said that yes, they only send one course at a time. So are the kids really expected to work all day on one course for how ever long it takes them then send it in for the next one? I can't imagine only working through algebra for only part of the year then being done with it. Am I misunderstanding how it works? RhondaM.

I've never colored my own hair before, I've been going to salons to have it done. Before I turned gray (I'm more than 50% gray) I had dark brown hair. Right now my hair is a medium golden brown. I have old highlights. I need root touch up BAD! I bought some Nice n Easy Natural Medium Golden Brown and now I am scared to use it! :tongue_smilie: I don't know if the color will be close enough to my other hair color to just do the roots. It says for really color resistant hair I can leave it on for up to 45 minutes!!! That long?? That won't burn my hair?? Do I leave it on just the roots for 45 minutes...or all of it? I don't know anyone else with as much gray as me that colors their hair themselves. Can anyone help me? RhondaM.

We knew a guy once who had his alarm clock hooked up to a skill saw. Set up in his bedroom on a work table. It was the only thing that would wake him up. Not suggesting that you try this of course. ;) RhondaM.

I honestly have never cared what anyone calls me. As long as it is not a bad word. :) Maybe I don't take myself seriously enough. LOL

That is not mean, that is just real and I agree. In the past it was not something I would consider, but now that she is much older it might be the solution to the problem. Thanks.

See this is what is scaring me. That maybe she is starving to death. Everyone (not on this board) has been telling me that no, she is eating, she is just getting old. So she could actually be starving to death?????? Thanks for your help.

Although I've not had sick pets often I've had experience pilling cats as I've had many over the years. And I can pill this cat. But...it is not easy. She is an abyssinian and she is very, very quick. She will let me (gently but firmly) pull her head back but then right before I drop the pill in her mouth she shakes her head HARD. It usually slings the pill away and I have to find it and try again. She is the only cat I've ever had problems pilling. I tried liquid meds on her ONCE years ago. Noway I'd do it again. She will NOT let me. She is a very nervous cat. I mean this cat can be sleeping with me right next to her and I can reach out to stroke her and it will scare her so bad she goes ballistic. Jumps ten feet high, runs and hides under the bed. She does not get over things and she WOULD hold a grudge, believe me. With my other three cats, I agree with you. They'd get over it if they had to get a pill every day. But not her. I do agree with you somewhat. If there is some non-invasive way to help her so that she could stay with me, gain her weight back and not have constant diarrhea then I'd do it. God, I wonder how much a blood panel would cost.

I am so very sorry that you are going through this. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with DCIS. (ductal carcinoma in situ)I had a double mastectomy in January '09 and reconstructive surgery the following May. I started out with testing at MD Anderson, but in the end went to Methodist Hospital (in Houston) in order to get a (wonderful) surgeon who worked hand in hand with the doctor I had picked for my reconstruction. Please be picky about your reconstruction. You want someone really good. I had the type of reconstruction called a DIEP. Can't remember what that stands for...but they take your abdominal fat and make breast out of it. Not an easy surgery, and my tummy is probably forever numb, but nice results. If you come to Houston, check into Methodist. Dr. Baker is who did my mastectomy and Dr. Aldona Spiegel did my reconstruction. She is one of the best. I know MD Anderson is good for testing, but I would not want them doing my breast surgery. You are not much more than a number there. Dr. Baker is so very kind. Breastcancer.org is a great place. Please e-mail me if you need to talk or ask any questions. RhondaM.

See...that is just it. She does not seem sad. Just tired and old and frail. But honestly, she just lights up when she sees me. She loves me so much and hardly leaves my side. This is very hard.

Right. I was reading about this problem in older cats too. I really don't want to put her through a surgery...even if I could afford it. If she was younger this is something I would consider. I've been through 3 surgeries myself. Not fun. Can't see putting my sweet girl through it. Thanks. Rhonda

My abyssinian is almost 15 years old. She is an indoor only cat. For years she has suffered with what I think is IBS. I took her to the vet years ago but as she was doing well otherwise I never got an official diagnosis from her and just treated her with added fiber in her diet. This worked like a charm for years. It is not working anymore. She is loosing weight. She is frail and old. She is using her box to urinate but that is all. Her stool is very loose. Sometimes has a little blood. I know that these symptoms (weight loss and diarrhea) can be signs of other things. I've been researching these other things: liver disease, kidney failure...and all of them require medication of course. This cat has always been a nervous cat. She LOVES everyone...but she is just a nervous nelly. And now she is so frail as well. I just cannot see stuffing a pill down her throat every day. It would break her heart and her spirit. She would hide under my bed everyday and not come out. I also cannot see sticking her full of needles to find out what is wrong with her if every diagnosis will be something that requires me to pill her every day. In a situation like this, with an old frail cat who is loosing weight and suffering from diarrhea all day long...don't you think it is just cruel to subject them to this?? I am so so very torn. I don't want her poked and hurt. But it is killing me to just watch her get frailer and frailer. What would you do? This is killing me. I don't want to put her down. But I feel so cruel letting her get so skinny. (She is eating fine. I give her as much as she ask for. I feed her canned Iams) She does not seem to be in any discomfort. She is getting around fine. She is loving. Her eyes are bright, her coat looks good. But she is just sooo frail. :sigh: RhondaM.

:grouphug: Praying....

Never mind this post...I found the name of the dumb old movie I was looking for...it is called Hitch Hike to Hell.

I am SO not a confrontational person and whether or not parents choose to circumcise their boys or not is none of my business and not anything I care to worry about. BUT...as a breast cancer survivor who had a bilateral mastectomy and who is now nearly completely numb in that area....I don't see how anyone could liken it to a male circumcision. Believe me, my circumcised husband is not numb and unfeeling in that area. And I'm sure you didn't mean it exactly as I'm taking it.... But I'm probably a little extra sensitive about this. So...don't mind me...carry on...;) RhondaM. (taking time at 4am to put her foot in her mouth)