I went in Belk last week to return some wrong sizes from my order. Store inventory was crazy low. I’ve never seen a department store look like that, that wasn’t having a liquidation sale. I wonder if that is writing on the wall.

$5 each sounds right. I’d opt for the PPs suggestion of take out pizza and a batch of homemade choc chip cookies.

I think the irs/Congress is going to really lower the bar on claiming the home office deduction in the next year or so. As it stands, you have to have dedicated space in your home for work, but so many people just don’t have the space to dedicate work-only areas, yet were expected to work from home for extended periods of time. I’m watching this with interest.

My dh went through two at work, and then back to paper. I'm not sure if he still uses one at work for certain things or if he just retired them outright.

Just as a suggestion, cost generally goes down per night the longer the rental, so if you choose one slightly smaller than needed and staggered people's arrivals and departures over two weeks, you could get away with a smaller house. My mom and dad do this. They have 5 adult children and 4 sons-in-law, and 6 grandchildren. They can get away with a five bedroom house by taking the master suite themselves (they pay!) and letting the rest of us stagger our trips. This way, there are only a couple of nights where the overlap requires someone to sleep on a couch or floor. Usually there is one couple/family that never actually sees the other, because they don't overlap. This is not a downside to some, since there are some who prefer to be on vacation without nieces and nephews.

For a week, I'd be willing to chip in up to $1000 for my family, plus cost of food. I'd want beachfront, no pool, because I'm not gonna get stuck as lifeguard.

I happen to know this as former bookkeeper and then treasurer. Church members or regular attendees may contact a pastor, elder or deacon about needs. The Diaconate takes care of this from their fund, and the fund is used to pay for specific requests, such as rent or utility payments, health care costs, etc. These are paid directly to the vendor on the members behalf when possible. The church office also has a stockpile of $25 grocery store gift cards. There is is a second small fund, closely guarded by pastors for privacy, to help needy members pay for outside counseling. These are the official monetary helps through the church. Additionally, like most churches, there are members that arrange meal trains for families with new babies, illness in family, etc.

I have: a pair of sneakers a pair of flip flops black flats brown heels a pair of light snow/heavy rain boots heeled boots for with skirts (I used to have slippers but I hated them, I like slipper socks better)

My yard/garden.

I don’t know! I haven’t filled my tank for a month! 😳

😂🤣

My overwintered spinach is bolting, kale already bolted. I’ve got a nice patch of spring lettuces coming along, so mostly we’ve been using spinach and some nice heads of volunteer lettuces that came up mid winter (it’s been a weird winter and spring). My peas are about six inches high, and I have chard, sprouting broccoli and carrots making their emergence. Peppers, tomatoes and basil are living indoors until May. My garlic is dying. I have no idea why. Possibly a fungal infection.

I’d toss the frosting, it was made with inexpensive ingredients and has no nutritional value. Make a pilaf with the barley. Rice flour -no idea.

Okay, I’ll give the caveat that ours was one when we got her. I didn’t want a puppy. 🤪

A big hound. The only real drawback is the bay. Coonhound, foxhound or the like. I had no idea how perfect they were for children til we got one. I’ve been around a lot of breeds and mixes, so I feel like I have a good sense for how they compare.