I would never leave my dog outside alone. Around here pets are frequently stolen from people's yards. On one occasion someone attempted to lure a dog into their car while it's owner was there! I hate to even imagine what awful things they want them for.

Yes. I keep everything. I even brought my placenta home from my first delivery (the staff must have thought I was nuts). I was going to plant a tree over it, but it was February in Maine so I had to store it in the freezer. By the time spring came, I had lost interest so ended up throwing it out :closedeyes:

I have been to many different churches and didn't feel right in any of them. Either too luke warm of a message or too focused on tithing, or too loud of a band, whatever.. I would love to find a small, quiet group of folks who like to pray and talk about the bible, and share their gifts of the spirit. I don't agree with hierarchy or really even pastors, because once you have enough people to require leadership, then rules start being made, fundraising begins, and things become too complicated. I read my bible, pray, watch/listen to sermons online, and visit a couple of favorite websites. But I keep praying to find that group..

I really dislike the secret santa thing. My son put a lot of thought into a gift for his recipient, only to receive a used business magazine as his gift (maybe they thought it would be a hilarious gag). He didn't let on, but I could tell he was disappointed - and of course I was mad as heck!

What's with all the cry-babying about prisoners working? Having been an employee in a prison and two jails, it's considered a privilege to get to work - one which is taken away as a form of punishment for misbehavior. Inmates sign up to work and get very upset if they can't for some reason (e.g.; not being able to work in the kitchen because of a health condition). Imagine the sheer tedium of whiling away the endless days in jail with nothing productive to do. They would probably work for free!

My doc told me that too

We moved back to the US from NZ in 2005 because of the high cost of living in NZ - we were tired of being so poor! Then health insurance costs in the US sky-rocketed and completely erased any benefits of lower living expenses. We may as well have just stayed in NZ. Actually we probably will move back there in a few years.

I was on a plane (not in the US) full of Korean tourists. They all went absolutely gaga over my 2 small kids - neither are blond or blue-eyed. It wasn't unnerving, just weird, like they'd never seen kids before. Or maybe I just have the cutest kids in the world :smilielol5:

Sesame Street. Small talk. My teen has decided to stop shaving her legs, which have become excessively hairy (like giant spider legs)- I feel waves of revulsion whenever I see them.

Long before bike helmets became commonplace, kids would walk to school with plastic ice-cream containers on their heads during nesting!

I'm a kiwi but have lived in the US more than 20 years. I miss NZ a lot but I doubt I could move back there unless I won the lottery - it is so expensive - homes, groceries, utilities, gas. Most people I know back home barely scrape by. Some of my observations from my visits home are; - everything is so green (tho as another poster mentioned, it does rain a lot) - food is so wholesome tasting compared to the pre-prepared stuff you get in many food establishments here. I love the bakery items - custard pies, dough nuts (which are not really donuts, more bread-like and filled with real cream), pies - especially chicken. - random people walking around town barefoot - if it's cold inside, you just bundle up (I have painful memories of getting up in the morning before the wood stove was lit and the house was freezing) - it's scary driving there when you're used to multi lane highways - I had to re-learn to "overtake" on 2 lane roads. The roads have improved a lot over the years tho. - my kids noticed how small the cars were compared to the huge gas guzzlers we drive here. -seems to be lot of cafes everywhere and the coffee is so much better! Plus you get a lolly or wee bikkie with your flat white. - my parents are semi rural and their internet is sooo slow. I don't know how they can stand it. My cousins in the sticks don't get internet at all. - boring animals (aussie got all the good ones) - this

I was too lazy to change my name. I never had any issues, except that I think my husband was a bit miffed, although he never really said so (his first wife took his name, so I don't feel too bad). Also, I may have gotten a few raised eyebrows at my kids Christian school, but that could be me being a bit sensitive.

I lost 90 pounds after a sleeve gastrectomy (was going to do the gastric band until I saw the huge failure rates associated with it - including a cousin who had it done twice and is bigger than ever). I'm not one to stick with diets or hard exercise - I walk 40 min to an hour daily - so I would never have lost weight that way. It's been over 3 years and I've kept it off easily. I still have to mind what I eat though, and not fall into the trap of grazing on junk food. I now have a tiny stomach so what goes in has to be quality nutrition.

I slept through the whole thing because I worked nights. My husband came home as I was getting up - he said that something terrible had happened. I turned on the TV and watched the horror in replay. As I drove to work at around 7 pm the streets were empty - it was like a ghost town. I guess everyone was inside, glued to their televisions.

I used the monkey backpack leash on my son, who was a runner. Got plenty of "dog" comments but didn't care..better than a lost or injured (or worse) kid.