Set in Paris will work, thanks! I'll check them out. I think I actually have Elegance of the Hedgehog sitting in a pile waiting for me to get around to reading it.

Thank you! She has read Asterix. I did think about getting them in French, but I don't think she's ready to figure out the puns in a language she's just started. Not much of a Harry Potter fan, sadly. Fantasy does not seem to be her cup of tea. I'll check out the books you linked. At first glance, they look like she might really enjoy them.

Does anyone know a good memoir or possibly fiction set in France? I'd love to find some appealing books for dd17, who is studying French and dreaming of possible study abroad in college. I've read On Rue Tatin and enjoyed it, and I see some other memoirs related to cooking, like Mastering the Art of French Eating. Dd isn't very interested in food, though, and I wondered if anyone could suggest some other, more general possibilities. In case it's helpful, dd has loved Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce books. A set of mysteries might work, but nothing really scary-- no psychological thrillers, lol. But also, if there's anything like a French classic equivalent to Anne of Green Gables, or The Penderwicks, that might be good-- sort of cozy French adolescent fiction, but available in English. Or maybe with a historical bent, as she also loves Latin and Roman history. I'll be very grateful for any suggestions.

Thinking of you all. Stay safe.

Thinking of Lillian and you, Dawn.

Oh, my dh said to mention resurrection plants. Take a look at the time lapse video on Wikipedia if you're not familiar with them. Easy and amazing. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selaginella_lepidophylla

In the sunny window, for something fun, try a sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica). If he touches a leaf, it will fold closed immediately, to reopen after a bit. Don't overdo the touching, but it can handle a few times a day for a few days, then maybe less often. Care is pretty easy, just sun and water when dry. Logee's is a good greenhouse. They seem to be out of it at the moment, but this will show a picture, and they might be getting some in by Christmas. They're pretty steep, though, and you might find a cheap one elsewhere. https://www.logees.com/sensitive-plant-mimosa-pudica.html Pothos, like everyone said, is easy. Christmas cactus is easy too, has the advantage of flowering, and also loves sun and survives neglect. Just water it when it gets dry. When we were little we had Mother of Thousands plants. They're entrancing because on each leaf, lots of tiny baby plants appear, grow, and eventually drop, hopefully to root in the same pot (or get swept up and tossed in another, or tossed out). The babies are cute and ridiculously easy to grow in a sunny window. Just don't overwater. Be aware, though, that they are poisonous. If nobody is going to eat them, all is well. https://www.houseplantsexpert.com/mother-of-thousands-bryophyllum-daigremontianum.html

The scammers cheated the wrong victim that time. I'm impressed with the postscript about the FBI contacting her the day after her article was published, but disappointed by AirBnB's response. We have used the platform without problems so far. When we travel, which isn't often, we need more space than hotel rooms offer. At this point hotels just aren't an option. I do spend an lot of time going through reviews, and will probably be even more careful in the future. In pictures, I want to be able to see how many beds are in each bedroom, and what size they are. My pet peeve is people who advertise a three-bedroom house, but when you hunt through the listing, you find out they have two bedrooms and a sofa bed in the living room. I do not want pictures of just a vase on a table, or whatever decorative details they have. Spare me the artful shots of pillows at the head of the bed. Just give me good shots that show what is in each room. I agree that I'm not interested in general tourist attraction photos, but I do appreciate seeing exterior views of the neighborhood around the house. AirBnB has intrigued me as a business opportunity. I think it (and VRBO, etc.) provides a really valuable alternative to hotels, but I am not impressed by some elements of how it is run.

Yikes. Take care. How is indoor air quality?

I'm glad you all are okay, and away from the areas affected at the moment. It's scary to think this is just the beginning of the fire season.

Bump

This looks awful; I hope all our boardies are safe. Anyone able to check in? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50341207

Okay, now I understand how this happened. OP, if you want to make friends with people who have dogs which could play with Shiloh, how about getting involved in obedience classes? You'd see people over weeks, have a chance to see how they handle their dogs, know the dogs were vaccinated, know the dogs' temperaments...just a much better chance to evaluate people and situations.

Saying it is normal, sure. Doing it? It would never occur to me that someone was serious. Or, if they kept on about dropping the dog off until I thought they really meant it, I'd find them uncomfortable company and would make myself scarce. I can't imagine dropping my dog off with a near stranger, neighbor or not.

I tried to look at a national map of what is going on where. It seems to vary enormously.

Every election is important, so find some time to stop in and vote today if there's anything on the ballot in your location. Our polling place had no lines this morning, but a steady flow in and out. How does the turnout look in other areas?

I'm so sorry. That is terrible.

Terabith, could you talk to the pastor over the phone instead of going in? You really shouldn't be driving if you're getting dizzy. Just seeing klmama said it already. Stay in bed, phone or skype. Seriously. I'm so sorry you still feel so bad.

Holding you and the baby in my thoughts.

Terabith, no answers, but many hugs. My anxious, not-quite-ASD, high achieving dd is harder to help than her sister with multiple diagnoses. Yup. Similar here. I think the *really* high functioning kids might be kind of the next frontier in autism. Can you directly ask her about suicidal thoughts?

N/m

Storygirl, I just wanted to thank you for this thread. We're in a very similar position atm, with dd (almost 15 yo, ASD, etc) starting public school in 9th grade after years of homeschool. I spent what seemed like all last spring getting her an IEP for this fall, and we're also running into issues with how it actually gets implemented. Obviously this is going to be an ongoing process. Hearing how it goes for others is helpful.

I am so very sorry, and so very impressed by your mom. What a brave, caring reaction, putting concern for others ahead of her own comfort. I hope she recovers fully and quickly.

Spryte, others have offered better suggestions than I could, but I wanted to say how sorry I am this happened. I hope you get answers and your mother recovers quickly.

Pot fillers just came to my notice as I started thinking about some minor kitchen renovations here. I will say, I've been wishing I could get a sink adjacent to the cooktop. Years ago, when we were dealing with my parents aging in their home, I read that it was much easier for older folks to not need to carry pots of water from sink to stove. We're also constantly tripping over each other to use the one sink. Trouble with pot fillers, as Annie G pointed out, is that they only eliminate the initial sink to stove trip. The water still needs to be emptied later. I imagine a pot filler could be useful, but I think I'd rather have a second small sink, if there's room, with an extendable faucet that would reach pots on the stovetop.