Mine started a week before Thanksgiving. I didn't cancel our rare trip out of town to visit friends because I thought it would be much better after a week. My dry, unproductive cough was still hanging on by then (and still is). I am hoping they didn't get sick. Erica in OR

Agree with another poster that this can vary and to specifically check details. Back when I researched several medi-share organizations, one specifically excluded motorcycle accidents. This was a deal breaker for us, since my husband was using his motorcycle for his daily commute at that time. He's a safe, defensive rider, but that doesn't mean something won't happen. Erica in OR

A super solid chemistry curriculum for middle school is the free curriculum from the American Chemical Society http://middleschoolchemistry.com. It uses worksheets that are part of the curriculum, so the writing is not too heavy. Hands-on things to do, but they're straightforward rather than "blow 'em up" which is what many people think of as fun chemistry. Combo of hands-on, with video and simulations that are built into the curriculum, plus lesson plans. Erica in OR

Ours never had staff roaming around to help answer questions—it was all self-serve, including the dressing rooms. It ended up on the list of stores the company was closing. Disappointing, as it was one of few places in town to get decent women's clothing that is not too expensive. Erica in OR

Staples has been having them for the past few weeks through their Staples Easy Rebate. You need to pay the usual price up front for the paper, but after you do the rebate, Staples sends you a prepaid Visa card that you can use at any store (not just Staples) for most of the money back. They have been doing it with 4-ream boxes of printer paper and also 750-sheet packs of paper. You can buy up to three of each for the rebate. Erica in OR

Thanks! Just combined it with an order for a Latin book we need for this year. Erica in OR

We had our very elderly cat put down last spring. We gave each child a choice as to whether they wanted to come along with us to the vet. All came except one, including five year olds. So I wouldn't dismiss out of hand your six year old's desire to be part of the saying good bye process at the doctor's office. It helped that the assistant first gave him an injection outside of the room without us there to sedate him. She asked us what he would most like to eat (tuna) and brought a dish of it for him to have while we made a fuss over him and said goodbye. Then we were there when they gave the final injection. For me as well as the kids who came, it was part of our farewell/grieving process. Erica in OR

Maybe a local tailor/seamstress has a tool and would put your snaps on inexpensively so it would be cheaper than buying the tool yourself? Erica in OR

$12,000 family deductible. It was one of the very few choices the insurance marketplace offered for HSA plans. Erica in OR

You might consider going all-in with a steamer that you could use to do your own carpets instead, for roughly the same price that I'm seeing spot cleaners on Amazon. We follow Mary Hunt's recommendations from her Everyday Cheapskate column—the post is The Best Thing I Ever Bought. She recommends a specific Hoover Steam Vac, with directions on how to use it with boiling water and no detergent. I used the camelcamelcamel site to set up a price watch for it and waited until it went under $100. I've been very pleased with how it works on our carpets and think it would help loosen or maybe even dissolve the candies. Erica in OR

Does that "final" quoted cost include your insurance company's negotiated discount with the provider? When I receive the explanation of benefits from the insurance company after office visits, procedures, etc. have been sent to insurance, there are typically significant reductions in the cost, which impact how much I actually pay to the doctor for that visit or procedure. Erica in OR

Look up lymph drainage massage by Heather on YouTube. When my ears are clogged due to allergies, I follow her self massage cycle a couple times a day. Erica in OR

Being where I can hear someone else flossing or clipping their fingernails/toenails. Erica in OR

Some of the listings I've read are like that, but it's usually made clear in the description. My introvert self prefers to avoid those. :) Erica in OR

I just read a good eclipse viewing safety link from NASA: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety. Erica in OR

I bought my last set from JCPenney's website. I looked at all the local stores, but it's difficult for them to carry a large selection to see in person. I appreciated the wider selection online, although you have to trust to the pictures a bit. My sister-in-law was looking at furniture at Crate & Barrel and I tagged along. They had some bolder curtains, but the price was out of my range. I've also made my own, if you found a fabric you loved. Erica in OR

Yes, consider the roads and other facilities on the drive and at your end point if you're heading somewhere. The police in our region have already warned those who will be driving in, particularly on the day itself. To get to the best watching in our area, it's a two-lane highway through scattered rural towns. If people aren't already booked and there a day or more ahead of time, a day trip is going to be a nightmare. Erica in OR

My oldest just took it at the June SAT date. The main school she's interested in doesn't require it (although it does require it if you take the ACT, for some reason), but I figured better to have it than to have to retest later if she had a school that wanted it. She was wrapping up a dual enrollment writing course that was heavily rhetoric-based at the same time, so she was ready for the current SAT essay style. Erica in OR

My son liked making stuff from the Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction series. I think the book we bought was the Siege Weapons of the Dark Ages. He also likes to make things with duct tape—wallet, etc. I saw a book today at a rummage sale with duct tape projects. I also got him started on a plastic canvas kit where you stitch the individual holes with yarn and then stitch them together to make a little house. Does your local library have summer reading program activities that he could tap into? Ours has some great STEM, crafty, and tech stuff that kids that age enjoy. Erica in OR

I am guessing it's not a common thing at airports, but ours happens to have a grand piano near the food court (in public area outside of security). Not sure how they arrange for people to come play or if it's random people who have music memorized. Our farmers' market also arranges for local musicians to play for an hour or two on the Saturday market day. Erica in OR

Based on his experience as a self-learner, you might look at Lingua Latina/Familia Romana. It's an immersive textbook—all in Latin, telling a (sometimes funny) story about a Roman family. As you read through it, each chapter gives you more of a foundation in the language, with new concepts built in. There are supporting materials that you or he could use to go along with it that give more information and/or practice. Or, having Wheelock on hand (I believe there is an older edition for free somewhere online that someone on the boards mentioned). From past threads I've read on the board, covering the first 15 chapters would be a reasonable Latin 1 high school course. Finishing the book could be Latin 2. We have combined it with the National Latin Exam. Erica in OR

I wouldn't wear jeans. Maybe upgrade to khakis or such, along with your button-down (or other nice shirt) and flats. I think it's just a professional interview appearance rather than overdressing. Erica in OR

I have read many of the threads on the boards related to thyroid tests, including many comments on doctors seeing a number that is in the "normal" range and not wanting to proceed with further testing, even though many people would feel better if they received treatment that put them into the "optimal" range. I recently had testing done and am wondering what to do next. Vitamin D 25 hydroxy was 29.26 ng/mL TSH was 3.00 ulU/mL Symptoms have been fatigue, brain fog, mood problems. I typically have seasonal affective disorder, but this year it just never went away. Dr sent a message this morning that the test results look ok and suggests starting a couple months of antidepressant. I feel like the less than optimum levels of both of these could be enough to push me into the depression-type symptoms, and I'd rather try to address them first than automatically go antidepressant. I have been taking 2000 UI Vitamin D3 daily since last fall (gel capsule form, has soybean and corn oil). I am wondering whether to ask for further thyroid testing? Try a different brand/type of vitamin d3? Something else? Erica in OR

Yes, I was reading some of the SAT fine print yesterday when I added a score report to my DD's list. They warn against cases like that and others—that there's no real guarantee that you'll absolutely get to test that day if one or more situations crop up. Made me glad that her test date went off without a hitch. Sorry that your son's day did not go as planned. No thoughts on your other question, but interesting to consider. Erica in OR

This page and its links could answer some questions, specific to 2017 gaps in coverage: https://www.healthcare.gov/health-coverage-exemptions/forms-how-to-apply/. The maximum gap is two consecutive months. If you have health care for even one day out of a month (like if your husband had coverage for June 1), all of June is not counted as part of the gap. My husband and I needed to apply for an exemption for an unintended three-month gap in coverage in 2016. The paperwork was reasonable, but it was still extra to do, on top of the regular tax work. Erica in OR