I used to buy it regularly and mix it in with regular milk, or use in cooking. But I always kept my eye on the price, since Amy Dacyzyn pointed out in one of her Tightwad Gazette books that sometimes it's cheaper, sometimes it's not. For the last few years fluid milk has been much cheaper. If you want to make the switch and don't like it - try a different brand. We thought most were OK, but the Smart & Final one was awful tasting and could be used only in cooking. I guess I wouldn't go back to using it now at any price, as we are drinking organic and/or raw milk almost exclusively, at almost $6/gallon. :001_huh:

I would have to stay off the internet entirely. :D

:grouphug: Denise, I am so sorry this happened to your sweet pig. While you are grieving, you still have to remind yourself that it was an ACCIDENT. :grouphug:

I wonder where kilts fit in this conversation. I love the way they look, but...I've always heard that undergarments aren't to be worn underneath, which makes them a little immodest...:tongue_smilie:

We eat these mostly during the winter, and cook up with a bean/potato/sausage soup. Delicious! But we just got some in a CSA box, and I wasn't sure how to serve them in the summer without putting into a heavy soup. In searching some recipe databases, I found a couple of good summer options: include in a stir-fry, or serve with pasta ( stirred into a sauce, usually with tomatoes, garlic, onion, and lots of parmesan or romano). We had chard with spaghetti last night. I will probably blanch and freeze the kale, and then include with a stir fry next week.

That sounds like a really wise course; letting your son play with her only if they are under your direct supervision.

I have been thinking about this after reading the responses yesterday. And I agree with this in most circumstances concerning guests. For example, if a young person is having a meal with us and gets grabby with the food - I'm not going to cry out, "You pig, leave some for the rest of us!" I'll say, "Hey, there are 8 of us sharing those pizzas; let's all start with 2 slices until everybody has had a chance to get some." But I thought the Playboy comment yesterday was more than an etiquette violation. It was crude, and insulting to my son. If it had simply been a passing remark about her own reading habits, I probably would have just said, "TMI!" But addressing it to my son...ick. I found out from dh last night that it wasn't the first time she had made that implication - she had recently asked ds for help with something on her laptop, and warned him that he couldn't access the porn sites because they were password-protected! Double-ick! I really wish dh had addressed it then; he probably would have been more tactful than I was. But he and ds both ignored it, which is why she felt free to say something similar again. So that's too bad. It's interesting that both times, the comments were not made in front of my 14yo - they were directed TO him. We exchanged texts late yesterday afternoon about something unrelated. So it has blown over. I understand that some of you think my reaction was an over-reaction, or just rude...but, I am pretty sure she won't talk to my ds that way again.

I was thinking of this, too. We packed food for a trip once, and it was either my husband or I who neglected to close the freezer door firmly. When we came home 3 days later, everything was melted/defrosted. So I would do what others have suggested; try to come up with ways to make sure it doesn't happen again vs. trying to administer punishment.

A little more info...it was not a "young" woman. It was an adult relative who knows better. Hmm, I hadn't even thought about asking for an apology, and don't think I will. My ds wasn't offended; more just wondering "What the heck is she talking about?" So I won't bring it up with her again. She ended her remarks with, "Well, that's how the world is" and really seemed to think she was justified. So I guess that's what had me wondering if the comment was as crass as I thought it was.

My 14yo ds wanted to show some visitors his Ham radio setup in his bedroom. An adult, female, visitor asked, "Can we see it now? Or do you have to go up and hide your Playboy magazines first?" :blink: I was flabbergasted. She smirked like it was the funniest thing she'd ever said. I finally managed to say, loudly, "That was NOT appropriate!" At which point she got defensive and continued along the same line, until I said "We are changing the subject!" Is it just me? Or was she out of line? What would you have done?

My 17yo dd is sensitive, and she cried at the end of season 2 at the event you mentioned. (But I thought it was kind of stupid and did not cry). If your dd has seen LOTR, I can't imagine it would bother her, but if she's really "attached" to the characters like you mentioned, maybe it would. You know her best! To me, the last episode of season 3 is a tear jerker because of ... I don't know how to "hide" the spoiler like you did, so let me just say all the stuff surrounding Alan broke our hearts.

You can buy 3-day tickets at the grocery store right now for $108. (I know you don't have 3 days...but even if you only have 2 days, it's still cheaper to buy the 3-day ticket this way). Disclaimer: The tickets say they are for SoCal residents only. But I have had visiting friends and family use these, and know many others who use them without problem. Unfortunately discounts for 1-day tickets are almost non-existent. Even my sister, who is a travel agent, only got a tiny discount when we took her to Disneyland last year.

The whole point is it WASN'T a golden retriever. Yes, they bite, but they don't kill. According to statistics at http://www.dogbitelaw.com, exactly one dog bite death over a 25 year period (1982-2006) was from a golden retriever. 110 were from Pit Bull purebreds or mixes.

Thanks for saying that. :) After reading the other responses, I was beginning to wonder if my hubby and I should be taking walks in the evening instead of having Tea.

I am not usually one to easily take offense. But gosh, did you really just title a post asking "are we too pushy, too greedy?" and then describe a situation in which the white kids were all pushy and greedy, and the hispanic (I am assuming non-white) were sweet angel children? What exactly is your question? Because it sounds like you are asking if white people are pushier and greedier than others. If somebody had phrased this question the opposite way, in which the white kids were the polite ones, and the non-white kids the brats...is that OK?

I have the brown and love it. I mix it with peacock, turquoise, sunflower, persimmon, rose...well, it goes with ALMOST every other color! And it doesn't make the food look unappetizing or blah. But I don't set out a whole table of it. I love it. (oops, already said that...) :)

This is one of those subjects we decided to outsource and I am so happy we did. My dd took the AAA driving course which was recommended to us by friends. I honestly believe she is a much better driver than she would be if my hubby or I had attempted to teach her. It was $350 well spent, and in another year when our son is ready, he will take the AAA course also.

Are you talking about Kloss' A History of European Art on sale for $109? Do it!! My dd and I watched this course over the last few months as part of her prep for AP Art History. We LOVED it! My dh also watched a few episodes with us, whenever we watched in the evening, and he enjoyed it too. We thought the course was well organized and interesting, and Professor Kloss is so personable. I just noticed he has an American Art course on sale, too. But I have a couple of unviewed courses on hand already, so I don't want to buy anything right now. And as much as we loved the art course, I'm not sure we want to do another one so soon after dd took the AP exam. Happy shopping. :)

I'm surprised you had residual vinegar smell. When do you add it? I went to Home Depot about 3 months ago to talk to them about water softeners. As I told the employee that the main problem I had was my dishes not getting clean, she told me what she does: Add about 1/2 cup of vinegar to a custard cup on the top rack when you start the cycle. I have been doing it ever since, and it works perfectly! If my hubby starts the dishwasher (he doesn't do the vinegar trick) the dishes come out cloudy and spotted.

No, he is too old for any of the unaccompanied minor programs. My kids have flown alone, and I just make sure they have $$ - and a credit or debit card. I also put them on early flights to lessen the chance of having to spend the night in an airport hotel if a problem should arise.

Fancy-looking swirl cupcakes. Store around here are charging $3 - $4 for a single cupcake! So my dd and I looked up some videos online for how to decorate swirl cupcakes. We found some easy directions, and she made a beautiful batch of expensive-looking cupcakes for an event. She sprinkled a few nonpareils on top. The whole thing was easy and inexpensive, and you could probably charge $2 each.

I remember being glued to the TV (Greta Van Sustren covered it every night) when this happened 5 years ago. I cried BUCKETS for her poor mom. I am sort of glad we no longer have cable so I can't get obsessed this time.

You poor thing. I have been where you are, more than once! How can you get a break? Can you pay a teen babysitter from your hs group? Can you share afternoons with another mom? I did that for a while with 2 moms, when my kids were littler. I had all kids over at my house 1 afternoon...then the next week, the next mom would do it, then the next. So we each got 2 afternoons off every 3 weeks. It was just what we needed!

I haven't read the whole thread. But just in case it hasn't been emphasized enough, the answer is NO The author of Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House says having an indoor animal is one of the most unsanitary things you can do to your home. I read that right after we got our adorable furball, and she's right, it's a constant battle. Despite daily sweeping (our downstairs is mostly tile), we periodically find "A new puppy!", AKA large furball, lurking under a chair or in a corner. Even in the pantry, ugh.

I bought non-pareils from King Arthur Flour in...well, I am not going to tell you what year. They said they expired in one year. We are still using them and are not dead yet. Since they are mostly sugar and VERY highly processed, and the amount used per serving is so miniscule, I am not really worried. But I am out of some colors, so maybe I'll buy a whole new big batch this year and toss the 10 year old ones