glad you got yours on time but

My sons have been in Scouts for some time now...sm [2008-07-03]
My youngest (11 years old) was in Cub Scouts for about 3 years and crossed over into a newly chartered troop. My oldest son (17 years old) joined the troop also, mostly out of necessity (we needed his warm body in order to have enough boys to charter). My youngest loves it and my oldest is kind of lukewarm about it. I have also been a leader at the pack, troop, district and council level for over 4 years now. We are basically a scouting family and love it. With that said, however, I will say that scouting is not for everyone, and everyone does not get out of scouting what is there for them to learn simply because everyone is not interested in learning those things or because of poor leadership within the scouting unit. In your case, it sounds to me as if the latter may be true. You didn't say how old your son is or how long he has been in scouting, but it sounds to me like he has a very poor leader if he makes them camp this way. Some overly self-glorified scout leaders try to turn scouting into junior Army training which is not what it is meant to be. If there is another pack or troop in the area, you might consider changing and see if that improves his scouting experience by a new leader and better camping conditions. When we camp, each boy has his own tent (can be bought at Walmart for about $15) and we always have a campfire in a designated fire ring that burns pretty much all night. Each boy is safely enclosed in his own tent that zips up which greatly reduces the chances of spiders, snakes, bugs, etc. Of course the boys have to be trained to keep their tent flaps zipped closed at all times so that nothing gets in. My advice from a scouter's viewpoint is to talk to your son and then you and your son and husband talk to the scout leader and see what can be done to improve the scouting experience for your son as well as the other boys in the unit. If the leader does not want to chanage his ways to more closely follow the scouting ideals, then find another troop or pack to join. Sounds like there is a LOT of room for improvement here. Here is a link that may help, too. http://netcommish.com/askandy.asp

I am with ya. Having a hard time doing t his anymore. [2008-06-24]
I could not put a word to it but fruity describes it perfectly. My brain is just fried after 26 years. I cannot see myself doing this until I am 65, 14 more years. Holy Cow. No way. Gotta look into something else. Have to wake up my brain. Good luck with the billing job.

time for a reality check - [2008-06-23]
I heard this piece of wisdom recently. Judge men by what they do, not what they say, and you will never have any doubts about their intents.

All the time and it is awful. If I take something for it s/m [2008-06-19]
I am dragging most of the next morning. Wish I had a good answer for us.

Probably should not waste your time being angry or [2008-06-04]
hurt - she sounds like a loser - and better to just use this as a lesson learned and not share anything with her in the future. Be the bigger person if you can and put behind you - but take a lesson from it - she is not your friend. Praying that you get your dream home! Hugs!!

Poll time: What is the best vacuum cleaner out [2008-05-29]
We are talking hoses, cords, bagless, baggy, bulky, suctiony, heavy, you name it. I am looking for the perfect vacuum! Just moved from a house with central vac and I am going to miss it!!! Thanks!!!

I agree...not selfish at all..we have all felt like that at one time or another.. [2008-05-28]
although some of us probably don't want to admit that...glad she vented to us and not her mother...

Glad Ryan didn't bust his bootie on that remote control (nm) [2008-05-22]
x

I head that was a limited-time only thing. I never even got a chance to try it. nm [2008-05-20]
xx

Try this....I used to use it all the time...sm [2008-05-19]
Mix powdered dishwasher detergent with Tide 50/50. THen use the normal amount of this mix that you would normally use to do a load or laundry. This used to work great on my sweat socks and cotton uniform pants when I worked in a medical office. Good luck.

every time you stretch, you grow an inch. NM [2008-05-14]
/

glad you got yours on time but [2008-05-08]
that has not been the case for everyone. Friends with last digits of 10 that used direct deposit have not recieved theirs and another only got 600 and not the 300 for her child. It can be very frustrating for those who are not getting the stimulus according to the information posted on their website.

I'm glad you reminded me of Proactive. I'll never buy that again, either. [2008-05-07]
It did absolutely nothing for my son's acne. The only thing that actually did help was a very good dermatologist, and she had nothing nice to say about Proactiv. It's overpriced and just doesn't work for most people who use it.

i'm glad things worked out well. [2008-05-07]
kids do a lot of growing and changing in elementary school years so who knows, this bully could turn out to be your daughter's bff after a break from each other. my son struggled with a bully in daycare before kindergarten. now they are in the same class and get along great. granted neither remember the problems of 5 years ago but at any rate, the other child grew out of it and they have become good friends. best of luck to your daughter! it sounds like she has a great role model. :)

The second time around ... [2008-05-06]
is very different for me. My son played from age 5 till now in college. I can pretty much see myself in both you and the other lady. And nope, at times it is not pretty. However, I will say this -- I learned. My daughter is now playing softball. I no longer worry about the calls, who is playing where, ya da ya da. I keep telling her (and myself) ... just have fun, work hard and do your best - that is what matters. It's hard because I am very competitive by nature, and whewn it ain't fair - it ain't fair. But .. I realized we DID take a lot of the fun and pleasure out of it for him, not to mention the stress on us. Whether they win or lose in Little League, play great or look like they've never touched a ball before, keeping the love of the game and fun in it is what is most important. And it does embarass them when parents get up in arms, truly does. However, don't be so hard on yourself -- just work on it like you said. And trust me -- it aint' easy!! PS - and take LOTS of pictures! I wish I had more from those days. good luck to you!

I was so glad to read your post [2008-05-06]
You stated in the beginnig that you didnyour gonna miss this he is so right. Our oldest will be leaving for college in a little over a year and I am already having issues. Just have fun and enjoy. I remember one year my DS played basketball on a team that only won 1 game. We took them out for ice cream after every game and celebrated like we had won. I understand what really irks you, but just think about the kids.

glad to see you look at it this way! Really good idea! Have a good season! nm [2008-05-06]
nm

Wow am I glad my MIL is not like that. [2008-05-05]
She is awesome. I can't imagine having to deal with stuff like that, and I certainly can't imagine having a husband that lets his mother treat his wife like that. Sounds like some of youneed a new husband with a backbone.

All time favorite movie? [2008-05-04]
My absolute favorite, which I can watch over and over, is Grease. Dirty Dancing (the original) plays a close second though.

One time years ago we did CCCS. [2008-05-02]
It did help with interest rates. We made one payment instead of many, but not all companies will play along with CCCS. It all depends on what you It does put a dent in your credit score as well. I We were current, but struggling and needed help with all of that interest. It worked for us. Have you considered snowballing your credit debt? I wonder if this could work for you?

You did what you felt you had to do at the time SM [2008-04-23]
and I wish the very best for you and your family now. I think you did the right thing by reaching out. I am sure in so many ways he misses you as well. It may take some time, but I think this will have a happy ending. Try to take it one day at a time and rest assured in what you have done by reaching out.

Aww, poor thing. Glad you found it in time...sm [2008-04-19]
If it is still out there in the morning and you are not sure what to do, try giving a veterinarian a call and see if they have a wildlife rescue place you could call. The vet I worked for years ago had a list of places to refer caringpeople like you. Good luck.

Glad your day turned out well...and that was [2008-04-19]
great you huddled. After dad talked to them on the phone, and they came back inside they did their chores, made their own lunches, while I tried to get that headache to go away. DH just took them with their allowances from last week to Walmart probably to remind them the positive points of being cooperative. Yep, I love them too and don't want to think about the next 15 years when they leave. I just think for me and maybe some of us it is difficult working at home all day and doing double, triple duty. I have been worried about my MT pay and wrote my DH a note today I am indeed going to take some time off from MTing because I feel burnt to a crisp. He said something about a month in a house at the beach (with kids, and with him just popping in), but I know I won't be able to take much time at all off from work. Our production job is so tough, man, some days are difficult for mom, dad and kids. But it cheers me to hear your day got better. Mine is too because I rested and the kids are out at Walmart which they love. About my taking time off from MTing, we'll see how long that lasts LOL. Dream, dream, dream.

What do I think? Time for a divorce! [2008-04-18]
I will NEVER be able to understand why women put up with stuff like this. Your husband sounds like an ***. I have - or had - a friend whose husband was like this. Very controlling. They fought all the time because unlike you, she WOULD push the issue constantly. The fights eventually became physical. After so many times of her crying on my shoulder and asking for advice (my advice was pretty obvious), I finally decided I couldn I did care for her, but I can't be the shoulder ever time he hits her and then be waiting for the next time to say the same things again. It bothers me a lot that women put up with controlling jerks like that, and I just can't stomach being part of it. That is your sister! Who is he to tell you that you can't see her? Ugh, this kind of stuff makes my stomach turn.

dang! am I glad I'm single! [2008-04-17]
What are you doing putting up with this!?! WOW!!! Are you kidding?!?! Abusers isolate their victims, cut them off from their family and friends. Climb a giant ladder and STAND UP FOR YOURSELF!!! You and your sister are free to do as you please. This piece of work you are married to (and whose emotions you have obviously tip-toed around for ages) is going to have to get over it. He I cannot believe you have put up with this for ages --- grow a set and use 'em!

DOG BITE [2008-07-03]
I find this whole complete thread disturbing. This woman was coming here to vent her frustration and was basically attacked. How sad!!! I am sorry for your child. It is a terrible incident that I hope you win in court. Dog owners have a responsibility to take proper care of their dog along with keeping it on a leash. When you take on a pet you take on ALL INCIDENTS that this pet causes. If this dog had torn up property, not a child, and they just offered a couple of dollars for repairs, I would hope that something would be done to get the full amount. yes this is a child which to me seems a little bit more important than property. I would think they should be responsible for the whole $800. I want to know why who ever it was stated that she should get a fence in her yard? It is not her responsiblity to keep this dog out. It is the owners responsibility to keep their dog on a leash and under their control at all times. My suggestion would be EVERY single time this dog is loose you call the police or animal control until something is done. In Indiana there is a three strikes and your dog is out law basically. Call animal control and tell them about this neighborhood dog and your daughter. I would really suprise me if it is not picked up. Good Luck. Also, in the US, you can sue anyone for anything at anytime. That is the law. It is not like this woman and child are suing over nothing. A dog bite is a serious incident. This dog could potentially kill a small child. A friend of mine's mom has small dogs (under 10 pounds). One recently bit her child in a serious bite. The dog actually went for her 4 year olds neck!! Her mom was right there when it happened. The child did nothing wrong but bend down to pet the dog. Small dogs can do damage too.

He gave it a good try and simply does not like it. ALso, SM [2008-07-03]
the thought of the bugs and spiders makes my skin crawl, and I am not a young child. I say encourage the other avenues of his interest and don't force him to do something that brings him to tears after he has given it a reasonable amount of time.

This one has struck a chord with me. [2008-07-03]
I have been an assistant scoutmaster for 8 years now. Yes, I am a mom, and there are women scout leaders out there! My job with our troop was Webelos-to-Scout Transition Coordinator. My job was to help our youngest boys and their families become part of our troop and to make sure that the boys have fun and get all that they can from the scout experience. Summer camp was always the make or break time for the youngest boys. You didn't say if your son is a new scout, but I assume this is his first time at summer camp. Homesickness and living in the outdoors are always the biggest hurdles during the first summer camp. You are not over-reacting because your son is having a bad time. That's a simple fact, and he deserves to have those feelings validated and addressed. Since I'm female, I tend to approach the first-time scout's misery in a different way, and over the years, a lot of men have disagreed with my methods. But, they work. Men seem to like the stick-it-out approach, and I've seen some of the worst leaders actually tease and belittle homesick boys or boys who don't take easily to the outdoor experience. That really finishes off the boy for scouting. He quits. Do you think that is what is happening with your son? At summer camp with our first year scouts, I always listen to them, validate their fears, and then try to help them overcome their fears with knowledge. If spiders or animals scare them, we go to the nature lodge and find out all about them. We do a good cleaning of their tents or lean-toWell, it I and my fellow adult leaders have spent a lot of nights sitting around picnic tables talking to scouts, sometimes making a game of listening for owls or watching spiders crawl across the table in the lantern light. And if boys do call home, I would run like crazy to the camp phone to call the parents first to let them know what was going on and to tell them to expect a call from their son. In that way, parents were prepared, and we could coordinate our efforts to help their son. Basically, it just takes some compassion. The hard core approach doesn't work. Why do I go through all the trouble? Because I know the value of the scouting program. When it's done well, it goes a long way to help parents raise up honorable men. In our troop, our scouts learn to be compassionate, because we've modeled that sort of behavior for them. They learn about living in the outdoors, and learn to take care of themselves and others. That gives them a sense of accomplishment and makes them feel capable. They learn problem-solving skills and teamwork. These are all important life skills, and when scouting is done well, boys who come through are lightyears ahead of most of their non-scout peers by the time they are 18. But that only happens when it's done right. There are great troops and adult volunteers in the BSA, but there are unfortunately some real losers, as well. It's true that scouting is not for everyone, but there is no reason for so many boys to be pushed away because of issues that just need a little careful thought and attention. This is one of my most passionate issues with scouting. Even the BSA knows that the first year scout is the most likely to quit, and they spend a lot of money and time training volunteers on this subject. It seems that some adults don't learn as quickly as others, though. And there is a core of leaders who like to remember what it was like when they were boy scouts, and won't move ahead or adapt their techniques for the boy of today's times. A new 11-year-old scout should not be expected to act like a man and tough it out. He's still a boy, and living in the woods is usually a totally new experience for him. MOST boys are scared at first, but the men and other boys hate to admit it. A new scout just needs some patience, understanding and time to mature. He needs to feel safe even when he's struggling, and he needs to know that he is supported. I don't know all the details of your son's experience, but if you think that what I've said might apply to him, you might consider looking for another troop, one that will provide him with a good, supportive program. Not all scout troops are the same. Each has a different personality, so perhaps another troop would suit your son better. If that's not possible, or if at this point he is completely turned off by scouting, there are certainly other activities out there that can teach him the things that are learned through scouting. Encourage him to find out what his talents are and help him to explore all of the possibilities that life has to offer. I'm so sorry to hear that your son is not enjoying scouts. It really breaks my heart when I hear such stories, because I know that the adult volunteers could handle the situation better. My own sons had a hard time the first time they went to camp, which is why I got involved. I knew there was a better way to deal with such a common problem. My oldest, who is now 20, still works with scouts, and my youngest will receive his Eagle Scout rank in just a couple of weeks. I have seen many, many boys' lives changed for the better by the scouting program, including my own sons. I hope that your son can also have a great experience in scouting. I'm always happy to talk about scouting, and if you'd like to send me a private message, I'd be glad to share more of my thoughts on the subject.

thanks for your reply (please see msg) [2008-07-03]
I hope you don't mind, but I just pasted your answer and sent it to my husband - he is staying the last two nights of the campout and will get my email that is printed out by the staff at the camp facility. I also know that the leaders read the emails before distributing them and I thought your answer was awesome! I want my son to enjoy scouting, not be miserable. If he is going to be miserable, I would rather he not do it at all. I am a Brownie leader for my daughter and have a full-time job so I don't feel I can dedicate a lot of time to Boy Scouts as well but I think I am going to tell my husband and the other leaders that if things do not change, and my husband insists on making my son go to the campouts, I will be going as well.

Is this inconsiderate or what? [2008-07-03]
My son-in-law stopped by our house on the way to work this morning. My hubby was pulling out of the driveway and I saw him give a bag to my husband and he left. My hubby brought the bag to me and said I was told to give this to you until tonight. He said my SIL was going to have a surprise for our daughter this evening after work at a local restaurant but didn I opened the bag and there was ice cream and pickles inside (?). Well, the first thing we thought of was pregnant and needless to say, our first grandchild, the look on our face was shock, disappointment, and happiness at the same time. We just stood there staring at each other, wondering what the **** was going on. My hubby went on to work and called a few minutes later, saying my SIL had text messaged him and said for me nor my husband to call OUR daughter or him today. I have sat in tears most of the day. That jerk (and he is a jerk) just told us our daughter is expecting our grandchild but not to talk to her today. What is the surprise about? He already knows, SHE already knows, we already know. So I guess you have to know my SIL to know he is a controlling person.....my daughter just hasn My husband has been so upset all day about this. Shouldn We are told by him to keep this inside all day. They are going to see his parents tomorrow at their lakehouse and I suppose tell them together, even though I have a feeling he This is a day my husband and I should be so gloriously happy and we feel sad too. We don I have just seen my daughter and she said nothing and I can This is my baby having a baby and we don Our son was here and saw what we saw and he was so happy to be an uncle, grinning from ear to ear, but can I have to say I am so angry with him right now. You have to know how controlling he has been. My daughter wouldn Are you kidding? What sick pleasure does he get from spoiling all this for us by it not coming from her, the pregnant one, standing there. Our child. We still don After all, they already know, we already know, so why haven I have to say my husband is so upset by this right now, he has called from work several times today and could not even focus on an important meeting this morning. To be honest, I am not at all sure how I will react once we are together this evening. Is this just a dumb way of doing this or has anyone else had this happen like this? We are just dumbfounded about it all and think this is avery cruel way of doing this.

See message..... [2008-07-03]
Well, I have to say he definitely isn't thoughtless. Matter of fact, it seems he over analysis and thinks things out waaay too much. My daughter just rolls her eyes at it. What we felt for our SIL was not aminosity. We thought a lot of him at first, and felt he always had our daughter's best interest at heart. What we do know to be true, however, is that after the engagement the person we saw changed into someone who became manipulative, overbearing, and controlling. He just manages to do it in a way that seems harmless enough, but there's just something about it that doesn't feel right. Our son saw the same thing and he spent way more time around them than we have. He does come from a family in our community where some believe they are right up there with God, but unfortunately never have had to deal with them one on one. We have asked ourselves the same thing....why has our daughter not seen this. Our son tells us he has seen her chew him out before but never where she thinks anyone can hear. He's waaaay to interested in her girlfriends, as we have come to know, since they have been married. He thinks her girlfriend's problems/situations are his as well,as if he should be involved. We have just overlooked many many things but I have to say, we have done it for our daughter. We have been nothing but pleasant around him but he can be very rude and pompous acting. So if that sounds like we wish we had a different SIL, we just wish we had the one we saw before the marriage. His dad said he can be a little too over zealous about things, which may be the case here, but this just isn't thoughtful at all. Oh well, I guess we'll see tonight.

need some advice [2008-07-03]
Okay, what would you do? I have a wife who is on disability and will not be going back to work. At the time she was seriously injured I had a very good job and we were living the good life. At the same time she got hurt, I lost my very good job and ended up taking a huge paycut when I finally found a job. I am now back at a decent salary but of course, she is not. Anyway, fast forward to the now - we filed bankruptcy, sold our home and bought a smaller house so that we could have a manageable debt load, start saving money for our future , and still enjoy life in the here and now. However, none of that has happened. If we have $10 left after paying the bills, then that $10 is going to be spent. No savings yet, nothing paid off in advance because we (meaning she) are still blowing the money on unnecessary items. So here is my dilemma - we have the opportunity to take our smaller home and trade it in on a bigger home (along with the bigger mortgage, higher taxes, higher insurance premiums, etc.) and I cannot decide what to do. I really do not want to face that large house payment once again, but at the same time, I figure since we are not saving it anyway, it might as well go into something that might benefit us some day instead of all the unnecessary stuff we are spending it on now. Can I get some advice (and not get rid of her, that is not an option!)?

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved pet [2008-07-02]
That was so sad to hear your story. The worse part of it was that your beloved pet died and I feel such sympathy for you and what you must be going through. What has this country become when so many people are sue happy. DH and I have talked about wanting to start a business growing veggies and raising talapia fish to sell but I said in today's day and age there is no way I will sell anything anyone eats as there are too many people out there waiting to creat a law suit. Makes me ashamed to live in a country with so many scam artists out there trying to make a quick buck. You know what, whether your dog bit her or a bone scratched her, there were no marks or anything. If her foot was mangled or something I could understand but please - give me a break. I'm glad for you it wasn't any worse (money wise), but am deeply saddened you lost such a wonderful pet. I still grieve for my cats (and they died 8 years ago). I hope things get better for you and hope that person will get her comeuppance.

Gah...some people... [2008-07-02]
My ex-SIL used to say all the danged time that she was pregnant, once with twins, then a single, oops...twins again, on and on. Inevitably she'd always end up *miscarrying* for one reason or another! For this situation, however, I wouldn't believe it til I see it...some people just really get on my nerves with their attention-seeking behavior...I think they need therapy. Do please let us know when she stars on Jerry Springer, this sounds right up his alley!

Your little girl - sm [2008-07-02]
I can't blame you about the bill. That was unconscionable to be so petty about the money. They're lucky their dog wasn't put down and they should know it. About your daughter - I wouldn't dismiss out of hand getting her a dog. Not right away, of course, but after some time has passed. Let me explain. I saw my sister attacked by a dog when I was five, and although I wasnmagic cure for your daughter's fear as she finds out that most dogs are friendly and loveable. This also worked for our son, who was nine when we got our first puppy. He was so scared that he actually spent the afternoon in the garage rather than come into the house with Sam (who incidentally was a three month old golden retriever!). Now he owns his own dog and is considering going into veterinary medicine. Good luck to you and your family. And I pray the owners of the dog that attacked your daughter have an attack of conscience and do the right thing by your family.

Did you ask them...... [2008-07-02]
why they only wrote a check for 87 dollars? Did they say that $87 was all they would pay or could it possibly be because they couldn Just a thought. You did not give the whole story as to what kind of dog, was it in your yard, what was your daughter doing when she was bit....kind of thing. How bad was she hurt? Did she have to have cosmetic surgery to repair the damage from the dog bite? I think it would depend on the severity of the dog bite on how I would handle it. The police should have been called, a report should have been made, the dog should have been quarantined for so many days to make sure it didnt The owner should have shown proof of getting all the dogs shots, etc. I personally think that they should be held accountable for the doctor bills. You were perfectly content with just getting the money for the doctor bills until they made you mad and now you want money for losing work and money for your daughter It just amazes me how people try to be fair until they get mad and then they just want to get all the money they can out of someone. Sometimes I think people get lawyer happy. I think suing is going to be more a hassel than it is worth and if your daughter wasn JMO though.

Unbelievable sm [2008-07-02]
$87 was all they planned to give us. Her medical bills totalled $800, $87 was our portion. The other portion we figured for pain and suffering. We always wanted to getpain and suffering for our daughter. This was no surprise to the owner. Read the thread. I don My daughter was standing on the sidewalk in front ofthe ownerhouse when the dog attacked her. Again, if you will read the thread you Her dog has been loose on more than one occasion since the attack without a leash. The police were called, and there is a police report, along with ER and doctor notes. It is unbelievable how uncaring people are here on this board. Even though my daughter didn This is an 8-year-old child. The owners should be penalized because they are allowing their dog to be loose without a leash on a street filled with young children. I don't have any sympathy for them. It amazes me how people on this board show much more compassion for the dog that attacked my daughter than for my daughter. No one seems to care that this dog has been loose since the attack or that there were no penalties for this owner. The dog has never been impounded. A friend of mine lives next door to a dog that bit someone, and that dog was never impounded either. I think I I have been coming here for years, but for people to be so cruel here to my daughter especially is just unimaginable to me. I will do whatever I have to do to make my daughter feel safe in her own neighborhood. I have consulted with an attorney and will probably proceed in small claims court unless this owner wants to try to settle this with us. I pray that nothing like this ever happens to any of your children or family members. It It I'm done here.

for what it is worth [2008-07-02]
I understand where you are coming from. Your child was hurt through (probably) no fault of her own. . Their dog was loose and injured your child... The authorities in your town should have made them keep the dog up for a period of time and fined them for having a dog on the loose - most areas have leash laws. . They should have paid the medical bills. . If my dog bites someone (we live in the country and he runs loose some) I will be glad to pay the medical bills. . I'm sorry you were bashed on this board. . If you had rushed to sue when it first happened, it would be different - you gave them ample time and what you were asking was reasonable...

I would think your ex-SIL was [2008-07-02]
also my cousin. The thing is when she actually did get PG, no one believed her not even her own mother. Even still after she had a baby, every single time I see her she tells me that she missed her period, she is nauseated, her husband is trying to get her PG, her husbandjumped her last night. Then I get a third degree about how Iknew when I was PG.UGG...

Lucky you! [2008-07-02]
Man that sounds like a great time! I really don't think you will have a hard time. I bet your kids will just enjoy themselves. Be safe!

Okay, don't want to be a stick in the sand [2008-07-02]
We lived near the beach for many years and saw this one time too many. So, instead of being afraid of the ocean be more afraid of the sand. Please don't let your sons dig holes in the sand, at least not deep ones. We have seen children and teenagers have serious accidents or worse with this. The sand collapses into the holes and consequences can be fatal, so just heads up on that. It was also just on the news so I hope a lot of parents watched it. What seems like fun can turn quickly into a serious situation. It was just a known fact in our home..... no deep holes at the beach. Sorry to be a downer....just want to make sure the boys AND parents enjoy themselves. Do have a good time though!!!

near the coast myself, used to love [2008-07-02]
taking the kids down there. You probably don't have jelly fish that far north, but take a small bottle of meat tenderizer in case of stings. Familiarize yourself and the kids with flags and what they mean. Undertow is a big deal, never try to swim straight back in, let the current carry you until you can get past it and then swim in. Then again, you can get far away from each other without even noticing, so look out for that. I can almost smell the beach just reading your note. I hope you have a wonderful time. Sunscreen, of course, bucket to rinse off sand from feet and legs before getting back in the car. Been too long since mine were that size.

Dogs, fireworks, and... peppermint oil? sm [2008-07-02]
One of my dogs has a little bit of a problem with loud noises such as fireworksandthunderstorms. He doesnbut I happened toread an article about how using peppermint oil on the dogreally calm them,so I Ithas to be real peppermint oil (not the kind found in the grocery store in the baking section), so I went to a local health food store and bought a bottle. You put the oil on a cotton pad, then put some on each of the dog I did a Google search and found a lot of comments from people saying it worked for their dog. (Just type in Below isanother article I found while searching around. I know a lot of pets end up freaking out and getting lostthis time of year, poor things, so be sure you have an up-to-date ID tag on your pets, even if they will be inside the house. Dogs Fireworks Don't Mix! Every year on the Fourth of July America's skies are bright with fireworks, sparklers and Roman candles as we celebrate Independence Day. Bangs, explosions and bright lights are accompanied by screams, sirens and howling dogs throughout the country. Dogs do not like fireworks. Fact. Every year dogs along with many other animals experience fear and confusion, sometimes alone when their owners are away enjoying an organized event. It is not unusual for dogs to run away from home after being frightened by fireworks. Another problem for dogs is the fact that fireworks seem to be going off for a few days leading up to July 4th as well so there is no way of knowing exactly when your dog might be subjected to a loud bang. Below are some suggestions to help ensure that your pets can get through the fireworks unscathed. It is a good idea to bring any outdoor pets inside during the fireworks.Always remember how acute a dog's sense of hearing is. A loud bang to us can feel like a volcano erupting to a dog. It may be hard, but try and stay with your dog during the fireworks. Your presence will help to calm your dog and while the noise may still frighten them, they will feel better and recover much faster with you there. Always make sure your dog has his or her own special area where they can go to feel safe. Be it an indoor kennel or a place under the stairs, dogs love to have a den at their disposal. It sounds obvious, but try to keep the windows and curtains closed during the fireworks display as this will lessen the effect of the noise and bright flashes. Also, normal household noises such as the TV or music can help to distract from the loud noises coming from outside. Last but certainly not least, always ensure your pet has some sort of identification on him or her. It is a sad fact but many dogs do run away from home because of fireworks.Even dogs that have previously shown no fear of fireworks can occasionally take flight at the loud noises and flashes in the sky. Be prepared, your dog has never heard of Independence Day or The Fourth of July and he doesnHe needs your help to make it through the day.

Thanks, but I planning on being [2008-07-02]
right in the ocean with them or my husband will be. We But thanks for the reminder. Glad to hear your situation turned out okay.

what some of the experts say to do - sm [2008-07-02]
Pay off the highest CC debt first, then take the extra money from that payment when it is paid in full and apply to the next highest one, and keep going in that manner, but always make the minimum payments on everything. Most experts say do not by any means take out any type of LOC on your house no matter what because if something happened and you could not make that payment then where would you be? It took time to get in debt and it will take time to get out. Many experts also suggest getting a second job if that is what it takes to pay the debt down. You can do it!!!

have you ever thought about sm [2008-07-02]
have you ever thought about transferring some balances from the cc to a 0% interest credit card?? you can find those 0% for 12 months up to a year and a half and if you pay the balance off before that time is up, then there is no interest charged to your balance (hope that makes sense). that transferred some of my high percentage rate cc to a zero interest and that really helps me. i would cut up the cc that have the high interest. my only cc that has interest on it is only 6.9%. i have a bigger balance on it than i would like ($6800), but that is the only cc i have with an interest rate on it. my other ones (three of them) are no interest. i don congrats on your house!!! i, too, would also take that 5 grand and put it on a cc, not the house. good luck!!!

debt [2008-07-02]
I agree with transferring to 0% when the offers come. I have been doing that for years. Now, I just got an offer for 6.99% for the life of balance up to 12,000 dollars. Going to take that offer, (we are going to remodel our main but small bathroom) and pay off 2 1/2 cc; then what is left over, oh, and going to give my hubby 1000 to get out bike out of shop, so, what ever is left over, which should be 6 to 7000, will redo bathroom, payments won't be bad, like 190 a month and don't use your cards for a good while, just steadily pay. Hope this helps, and life is too short to stress over bills. Keep them in mind but at the same time, think of what you have.

Maybe that's why your scared. Your thinking [2008-07-01]
too big (moving out of state). Money? If you Hope there are no children involved. Being scared is not a reason to stay with your husband. Why continue to be miserable? I feel sorry for you. Sounds like you live to please others and the heck with your own feelings.

Well..... [2008-07-01]
She had a partial and they took her uterus and left her 2 ovaries. This was done about 13-14 years ago and she has not had a menstrual cycle since that time.

I believe they do sm [2008-07-01]
Unfortunately, we believed them when they said they would take care of everything and that we didn't have to worry about anything. We filed a police report, and the hospital filed a report with the health department, but the dog wasn In fact, just a few weeks after the incident, the son of the homeowner had the dog without a leash right next door to our house! I had to ask him twice to put the dog up. My husband told me next time don