We have Bert and Ernie, and thanks for the food info, I had no idea about onion or potatos.

As for composting, no we don't.

Hi, Lie2me. When is your open house?

Found this for you: Johnny Lang's "Lie To Me"

A great book is My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme. It's about Julia Child's life when she and her husband first moved to France after WW II. We read it in book club and I enjoyed it even though I am not a foodie.

As for "talks" with children, I got to have "the talk" with my not-quite-8-year-old son last weekend. (His b-day is in 2 weeks.) H wasn't around and DS7 was asking provoking questions that deserved answers -- part of my radical honesty. My DS7 took it all rather seriously and listened closely. I've also ordered What's Happening To Me which explains what happens to both boys and girls and was very helpful for me when I was young.

DS7 said he's not going to have kids until he's 26 so I guess I did my job.

I'm loving your house, Alan. You've done a fabulous job with the place. I do feel welcome here. Thank you for opening your doors and for paying attention to raise two lovely girls. If they're our future, I'm optimistic.

Let me know when the official open house is so I can bring a plant, some beer, and grub for Bert and Ernie.

Well thank you for the kind words, and thanks for the Johhny Lang.

The official open house is going to be soon, we are in need of some paint, so that is the new plan for the weekend.

I must say it seem's hard for the DD's to pick the color's they want. It changes every day.

The cavies are doing well, no tough questions from the DD's yet I am looking up as much as I can thanks to all the help I have got from you guys.

We could have an old fashioned Pounding party for you, Alan.

In the olden days, when people got a new house, everyone would come over with a pound of something.

Pound of Butter
Pound of Sugar
Pound of Nails...

You get the picture?

A pound party sounds like great fun.

Butter, sugar and nails, what do you call those cookies I wonder.

I was sitting around a little upset with the ww and feeling a bit sorry for myself and my sister came over and gave me a book called The Glass Castle.

WOW, don't think I will ever feel sorry for myself again. Great book if you have the time to read it. For me it was the type of book that made me look at my life and go, it's not so bad after all.

I like this much much. I saw a poem on the wall at school today along the same lines, meant to copy it for myself but forgot.

Really makes you stand up tall doesn't it?

Just saw that quote at the beginning of the thread and had to comment. I have now read the rest of the thread and have to congratulate you on your wonderful warm and friendly house.

I'd like to offer a pound of hair bands ( we can never find any in this house) and a pound of spinach triangles. I went to a Pampered Chef Show last night and they were delicious. No fear of hormones - they were vegetarian (just pesticides and fertilisers).

ST

Thanks we try to make this an open and warm house for all to enjoy,

Hair bands, wow I never have enough, no matter how many you buy, they go so fast.

Spinich triangles, have never had them so that would be cool.

And I love that quote, it rings so very true for me.

May I suggest... It can save time if you get samples of what your daughters are considering, paint swaths of the colors on the same wall in 1' x 1' squares, then look at them at different times of the day (differing light) over a couple of days. Something you like in the store can take on a completely different look on a wall. And how it feels in the morning might be different at night.

We just painted my oldest dau's room with grape purple walls and a hot pink ceiling. There are jewels around the walls where the ceiling meets the walls. Her ceiling fan we spray painted turquoise blue. Her curtains will be orange, red and yellow sheer ribbons to the floor. She has hot pink and purple satin bedspreads (she has bunks in her room), and the sheets are hot pink with purple paisleys. We're looking at an orange faux fur throw rug.

It's all very Arabian Nights.

Oh, and I dread when she goes to college and I have to re-paint over the bright colors!

That must be some room. I don't blame , I would not want to re paint after that.

I am looking for one color each, perhaps two thats about it.

It just comes down to the DD's picking what they want in the way of color. They have changed their minds so often, I am afraid to paint as when I am done they will want a new color.

There are kid's room decorating mags at Lowes and Home Depot.

Perhaps you could start there...OR if you want free ideas, both Lowes and HD have color idea pamphlets where the paint swatches are.

Thanks,

When we get back from the hospital tonight We will go to HD and pick up some color and paint swatches.

I think purple may be DD 10's choice.

Well today is a good day,

A dear friend of mine that I have known for about 24 years is recovering very well from Brain sugery.

The doc's found a tumor about 11 months ago, and well yesterday out it came.

He was told to prepare for the worst, make sure his will and finances were in place, all the normal stuff I guess.

Well he went in for surgery on March 31 at 5:30 am, and on March 31 @ 8:00pm he was able to watch a hockey game.

Tell me that is not amazing, tell me he was not touched by the hand of god!

Makes all my complaints about my life seem secondary, this man with the strenght of his family went through the impossible and came out better for it.

I don't know how much better this day can get.

My ww can say and do whatever she wants, as she and her pathetic rants now seem even more childish.

She has no hold over me, my friend and his struggle has taught me what really matters in life.

Wonderful news about your friend.

Paint-- I did my DD's room in a clouds/sky theme. She picked a medium deep blue for the background (alls & ceiling.) For the clouds I got 3 shades of pale-medium grey and a sponge. Then I used glow-in-the-dark paint and painted little stars all over. Years later, it is still a fun room!

Oh, Chrys! That sounds so NEAT!

I know they have magnetic paint now, too. You can make one wall magnetic, and buy pretty fridge magnets so kids can display their artwork.

They also have an additive that makes the paint dry into a chalkboard surface!

I'll have to tell the Wookie about the glow in the dark paint. Maybe we can paint DD6's room with sparklies!

I am not much of a painter so I don't think I can do as much as you Chrys, although it does sound very cool. I knew about the chalkboard paint, I had no idea about the magnetic paint.

It all sounds very cool though.

Guess I have some work to do.

The craft stores have little bottles of the glow paint, I think. I may have gotten mine online but it was a very small bottle. I also think I used some sparkly-glitter paint for stars here and there. Then we strung white Christmas lights all over, and got her a white mosquito net to hang over her bed--- must be a princess in every way, doncha know?
I love love love the Arabian nights theme. I wouldn't have thought of that!

It sounds wonderfull, I hope I can pull off what they want to do.