Yes, I haven't had any vermiculite around in too long to talk about, but there are no plants still alive here that had that in their pots... Not that it will kill your plants, but like said, it gave me a false impression about the moisture in the pots. If memory serves, it acts a lot like peat but isn't so hard to get wet again once it dries. I feel your frustration about taking the pics. And I so often take a pic while I have a plant separated from the herd, getting a drink, then people say, "it's too wet." Glad this was just an optical illusion. It really looks like the rocks in the pots are swimming in water, puddle in the saucer of the Dief. The moisture on the clay pot looks real though, concerning if it's not looking much more dry very soon. You should be able to adjust the exposure after you put your pics on your computer. Sometimes that's not enough, but helps a lot of my pics look as bright as the scene is in reality. A lot of plants I just have to move to get a good shot of them though. Don't tell DH but I sit a lot of them on the bed for a minute to do it. Hey, that's something. If your plant isn't dry enough to sit on your bed, it's too wet.

You'll be surprised what those free bowls are worth....at least if the creamery and lumber yard are in your area.

Still going through over 20 pgs of small-type print, but I wanted to drop in to clarify a couple of points really fast. 1) DD has no "problems" socially. She tells me often about how people react with disbelief at the fact that 1) she's really smart even though she wears mascara and straightens her hair (quiet laughter on my part here--such a HUGE change from last year!) and 2) she homeschooled up until last year, because she 'seems so normal' (makes her laugh every time). We learned through our years of homeschooling that stereotypes are powerful and can be powerfully misleading, and often say more about the person who's making the assumptions than they do about the person who's being stereotyped. She's made many people reconsider their stereotypes and pigeonholes. It's eerie how quickly and easily she slid into complete comfort at this mega-size school, but I give lots of credit not only to her but to the atmosphere the school creates - so far, people seem to fall over themselves to say sweet, supportive things to each other. She's got a wide circle of social friends and a good tight circle of close friends. She's got no fear at all, and is happy being id'd as a 'music nerd' since the music program at the school is big and high-profile. In fact, the one time some of the 'popular' girls tried to do a 'mean girls' thing to her in science class, she laughed at them and acted it right back at them (at least I did my homework preparing her by having her read all the 'Reviving Ophelia' and Queen Bee' -type books--thanks, Amy!!) so hilariously that they ended up inviting her to their table and have become good friends (I've seen it corroborated when I pick her up from things). Those aren't the kids she prefers to hang out with, but I mention it to show that she's got social skills that people may not associate with the stereotypical 'homeschooler'. Our world-learning wasn't stereotypical, either -- I hardly taught her anything, actually -- I was more like the concierge who found resources to facilitate her exploring her interests, and chauffeur to her various classes/activities. She's also comfortable being in advanced classes, has no problem with it, and she'll be doing AP classes next year and IB after that, and there are always options to take more advanced math at a local CC or state U. My only problem is that she's now letting the institution determine how curious she is about something--if she does enough to meet an assignment, she's done. No more investigating something for its own sake. It's *sad* to watch that really exciting drive in her life extinct itself (or more hopefully, go dormant). Which leads me to 2) A couple of years ago, I started volunteering solidly back in my field, and I'm gearing up to try to find paying work in it, albeit at a much lower level than before. I love what I do, I'm *thrilled* to be back in it, and I'm seriously not a stereotypical 'helicopter' mom. So not. Since she was about 10, I've actually tried not to be too involved, so she can have her own space in her activities. A somewhat extreme example: DD keeps asking me to be an orchestra-mum in the city orchestra she's in (you sit through all rehearsals and do volunteer work), but I just won't do it. The vast majority of those are stage-moms who make my skin crawl--the ones I think I talked about in another thread who seem to think that nonstop bragging is the highest form of conversation, and I don't want to be around them because they feel toxic to me. I want to relate to her orchestra in a positive way without all the drama. So I take her there and pick her up but don't prostrate myself before the altar of the conductor. We did arrange to have DH's company match our donation to this group, though -- the first time an employee had donated to the group at all, which is really strange, considering my DH's company's dominant position in the area. So we give in the way we feel most comfortable without hovering or pushing. I'll let moms who want to do that have the face time with the conductor. So I hope these further details maybe clarify some vaguenesses or misconceptions. I also hope you all know how unbelievably much your thoughts and support, and individual stories you've shared mean to me and my DH. He's reading the printout too and we'll have more specific thoughts later. The folks who come to this forum are gems, every one. And beyond that, the web is phenomenal, and not at all just a replacement for RL relationships; as you have pointed out, it offers opportunities and resources that RL just can't, sometimes. Anyway, I lerve you all : ) (oh, and the Greece thing -- I realize it may sound like she was sitting in a closet coming up with plans for the world, but it was actually for Model UN and is documented in her position papers as Greece's "Environmental Minister" (LOL) from last year. She actively participated in MUN with her resource center's team last year even though she was only an '8th grader', but this year at the huge/high school, MUN is overenrolled, so only Juniors and Seniors actually get to go to the event. There's an example of a very tangible difference in activities/involvements available to homeschoolers and to public schoolers...: ()

I believe crime is further down the list way below economic conditions of the neighborhood and here is why: Crime makes news story in an upper class neighborhood as it is abnormal. We know crime happens everywhere in every neighborhood but upper class folks don't like to be disturb with it or have it lower their image so cops are called in, etc. e.g. Beverly Hills Middle class neighborhood also may make a news story but not as shocking as upper class. e.g. Irvine In lower class or depressed neighborhood - it barely makes the news as it is expected. That doesn't prevent more criminals from setting up shop. e.g. Watts or Compton We must keep in mind in the US many neighborhoods and their social economic were forecast by US government policies after WW2 and it is no shocker that interstates/highways (Interstate Highway Act) cut through previously good neighborhoods and some inner cities are predominately one group or another. Until you have a renaissance those communities will attract crime and less than ideal living conditions resulting in unattractive housing market for outsiders and businesses. No business owner wants to risk opening shop in a poorer or increasing crime neighborhood if they can pay a little more in rent and have business in the 'good' part of town unless it is fast food or church. The next biggest attribute to neighborhood downfall in the US - is companies/business relocate to cheaper or elsewhere. E.g. We have heard of Walmart killing a downtown or example Schenectady, NY which was HQ of GE until they moved elsewhere and it went from one of the most desirable destinations in NY to one of the most depressing (never able to turn itself around). Most of the mid-west cities follow the exact trend of losing a big employer footprint while continually receiving low-educated residents looking for employment/future. You are left with uneducated folks without money in a place with little upward opportunity. A family with no job and kids will probably foucs on some type of illegal activity to obtain $$$ eventually (even if they can hold out for a long time) or some dependency (gambling, drugs, gangs) to escape their desperate condition.