This is so funny to read. :tongue_smilie: My DDs both have sensory issues: DD1 can't stand any fabric that feels "slick" to her (silk, polyester, etc.) and hates to hear the slick fabric rub against itself DD2 can't stand touching any type of fleece

It's not the same as being rude or unfriendly. :glare: Many people simply feel awkward in social situations. I can greet you with a smile, make small talk, and politely take my leave. You may not even realize that I'm socially awkward. . .or you might notice that I don't make as much eye contact as you expect. However, I feel incredibly awkward the whole time I'm with you. It's not that I don't like you; you seem like a perfectly nice person. I'd just much rather be with family, close friends, or by myself. I'm sometimes surprised by how offended folks seem to be when someone assumes that homeschoolers are socially awkward. No one wants to be stereotyped and you'll find socially awkward folks in every type of schooling situation. However, I view it as a descriptor, not an insult. --Socially awkward Pegasus

Awesome website link. Thanks! Can you share some ideas from your DD's Brit-themed room? DD15 would LOVE to have a room like that.

I wonder if the open house is a regional thing. I've never heard of it. Anyway, this was just a graduation announcement, not an invite to anything. DH delivered a card with a $20 in it to the boy. I really liked the idea of a $20.12 check but DH prefers to give cash. Pegasus

We are friendly in a casual way but not close friends. They've borrowed yard tools, we've sold them Girl Scout cookies, they've sold us school/band fundraisers, etc. We say "hi" if we see each other out in the yard. That's about it. So, now we've gotten a high school graduation notice from their oldest. They'll have 3 more graduations over the next few years so we will be setting a precedent with this one. Do we give money (if so, how much)? Just a congrats card? What's the proper response? :confused:

*ouch* That hurts. ;) Bowties are cool, as are fezzes, and stetsons. DD12 now has a bowtie that she wears on special occasions in honor of the Doctor.

We have spiders too and we mostly just let them be. However, now they must have had babies because we are finding tiny spiders dangling on threads from the ceiling EVERYWHERE. . .one is hovering in front of the screen as I type this. I consider it exposure therapy for one of my DDs who is phobic about spiders. :D Pegasus

Make an itemized list of expenses that you expect to be covered (rental van, gasoline, hotel room for a week, tolls, a reasonable amount for food over and beyond what you would spend if you stayed home, etc.). Present this to your neighbor to give to the friend. If it is too high for him, you won't have to say "no" anymore. If he is willing to pay it, then you have a vacation with most of your expenses covered. :D Pegasus

Everyone in this house is a big Dr. Who fan. I started watching when David Tennant was playing Dr. Who and he will always be a favorite of mine. I was hesitant when Matt Smith took over but he has very quickly grown on me as well. We occasionally watch an older episode (before David Tennant) and I don't care for them as well. DH, however, is a fan from way way back and loves all the older episodes. The episodes are not all scary but a few are very scary. We watch it mostly for the humor. Oh, and the daleks are a classic Dr. Who enemy but I don't like any of the episodes where they play a large role. :D

Ack! Yes, I found a list from a link in another thread. Apparently, NO ONE is supposed to eat swordfish. Yikes. Tilapia is a low-mercury fish though so we will probably try that one next. Pegasus

One DD eats it like a typewriter (biting all the way across the cob and then rotating slightly) while the other DD eats it rotisserie style (biting and turning in a ring and then working down the length of the cob). They wanted a poll posted to see how common their "style" is. :D Poll coming...

I appreciate the suggestions so far. If you don't grill the fish, do you bake or broil it or something else? Do you use olive oil or butter or seasoning? I'm all ears! :bigear:

I'm slowly trying to introduce my family to eating fish. DH and both DDs claimed not to like it. :glare: Tonight, we grilled swordfish and it was delicious. Everyone liked it. :D It's too pricey to have regularly, however. What other fish do you recommend for folks who don't think they like fish? Thanks! Pegasus

How long do you boil fresh corn on the cob? We aim for 5 minutes while my MIL cooks hers for 30 minutes. Who is the oddball? :tongue_smilie:

A dull achey pain is probably from bruising the ligament. If it is sharp throbbing pain, I'd worry about an abscess in the root. Have the crowned teeth had a root canal?

We've used MUS all the way so far, including Algebra I, Geometry, and now Algebra II. DD has started taking ACT practice tests and is scoring in the low 30s for math. It seems to be working well for us. Pegasus

I like the idea of going ahead with geometry and THEN reviewing algebra I before starting algebra II. It just may be the time the student needs. Pegasus

Along these lines, I've found a few of my local high schools have scholarship opportunities listed on their website, usually under the Counseling link. Also start scanning the local newspaper early in the high school years. Announcements for scholarship winners usually start appearing in early spring so you can find out what is available in your area. The danger of having scholarship money replace financial aid is only a concern if you are likely to get financial aid. We are counting on ZERO need-based aid. Pegasus

Thanks for the information, everyone! It must still be the same misinformation traveling around since 2010, as you've pointed out. Pegasus

I don't have any experience on likely puppy size. Sorry! Like you, I've always had my pets neutered. I just wanted to comment on what an angel you are to take in this mama-to-be and caring for her. I'd advise calling a vet for advice but that's pretty tough on the weekends! Please report back on how everything goes. Pictures would be great too! :grouphug: Pegasus

My MIL is visiting and commented that after the election this November, all bank deposits (including automatic deposits and walk-in deposits) will be taxed at 10%. I told her that this couldn't be right and that she must have misheard. However, she insists that she spoke about it to the manager at her credit union and that the manager confirmed it. I know that this is false but I'm trying to find the source of her misunderstanding. I've tried google searches, the politifact website, and snopes. The only thing similar I can find is a rumor from 2010 that all bank transactions (e.g., debit card transactions) would be taxed at 1%. Politifact called this "pants on fire" and snopes had it listed as "false." Any idea where she is hearing this? Thanks! Pegasus

There is not a lot of information about Write Guide on this board so I thought I'd give a quick review. DD15 has been using it for one week so far; we signed up for 1 month to give it a try. We mainly wanted to have the Write Guide consultant work with DD on revising essays. DD has been working through Jensen's Format Writing and cranking out draft essays. However, we haven't really stressed the need for revising and I know this is a weakness for us. The main "con" of Write Guide that I read about was their ability to stretch out assignments and make them take up the full month. Advice was to be specific about your expectations. So, when we were assigned a writing consultant, I let her know that DD already had several draft essays written and that I wanted them to work on the revision process at the rate of 1 essay per week. In this way, DD could work on 4 of her essays during the 1 month subscription period. The writing consultant has been very amenable to this. What's working well for us: DD was initially very resistant to the idea of having an outside writing consultant but she is working well with our assigned consultant. The feedback is always positively phrased (instead of saying that something is bad/wrong, she states that this part could be improved by. . .) The consultant provides ideas and guidance for improvement but does NOT tell the student what to say/write. I was concerned about this at first as I wanted the finished paper to still be DD's, not some professional writer's! The writing consultant's feedback is always very prompt (we seem to have an assigned time of 11 am and her feedback always pops up on the website at exactly that time). After 1 week, they have finished working on the first essay so the consultant is honoring my request on pacing. What could be improved: First, we seemed to be assigned an 11 am time for feedback while DD would really prefer to work on her writing much earlier in the morning. If we renew our subscription, I'll ask if I can request an early morning time. Second, the amount of feedback that DD is getting on a daily basis can be incorporated into the essay with maybe 10 minutes work. I know they don't want to overwhelm students but I really think they can expect a bit more from high school age students, at least. That's all so far. I'll try to come back and update my review when we finish the month. :) Pegasus

DD is currently using Jensen's and we plan to use Wordsmith Craftsman when she is finished. Pegasus

Concern #1: Yes, he may decide that he no longer desires to go to college and that he already has an established career. If he decides this for himself, I don't really see any deep regrets setting in. Now, if he feels "trapped" into staying an electrician (now responsible for supporting a spouse and/or babies), then I could see possible regrets. Concern #2: Not going to happen. I've known too many people who have gone on to get their college degree later in life (certainly later than 5 years post high school!) and they have done BETTER than they would have earlier. Older students are more mature and take their studies more seriously. He will certainly be accepted into a college or university. Pegasus

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)