Hi Nay. I loved your one post, and hope you will continue popping in. Your rose skills are awesome, so someone ought to help you with the computer skills. Sammy

In addition to the ideas shared by the others, our guild members in January write a New Years resolution....which the person writes on a 3x5 card what they plan to accomplish in quilting by the July meeting. Some of these have been to reslove to complete somethng that is 'almost' done; or learn a new method, clean out the scrap closet. You must bring the item completed, or a picture of before and after what you reslove to do. If you do not complete the project you must bring a yard of fabric. Those who completed the project get their name in a box and the winner drawn gets all the fabric. We also have one meeting where we spend working on the charity quilts -- done with membering bring their machines, irons, cutting boards etc... and we complete the quilts. Members submit completed quilt tops to help speed the process along. We have a table set up each meeting where members can bring their unwanted fabric, magazines, patterns and books... anyone may take what they want... what is not taken goes into the trash... usually there is not much going there. One of the fun meetings was to bring something that you made ENITRELY from your stash -- I am amazed at what ideas everyone has... and often ideas are tossed around for a real fun 'why did I not think of that' kind of meeting. We also take day trips by bus to a fabric or quilt show out of the area. This is fun...get to really chat with the members and go to a new place. Barbara

Jkayd, please don't let the complaints and criticisms of a few to deter you from joining in and giving your thoughts and opinions. When some poster admit to, "long time lurker, first time poster", I just don't get it. The fun of this place is to be able to vent your feelings, give your opinion and get feedback. It should be a place where everyone feels comfortable. Along those lines, I once vented something that very minor, I wanted to know opinions about going to a neighbor's son's graduation party. We received an evite just a week before. I was taken aback getting an invitation so late for a party that was obviously planned so far ahead. Anyhoo, one poster felt I shouldn't have posted something so trivial! But over all I liked the advise I received and made my choice accordingly.

Hi hisown, My mini washing machine doesn't sound like the one you describe. Mine was fully automated with the exception of I had to plug it into an electrical socket after I pushed and pulled it into the kitchen and I had to hook the intake water tube to the kitchen faucet then I would set the faucet for the temperature I wanted to use for a cycle. It was just like a regular top loader from that time period, but about half the size. For example, to wash our king size sheets, I had to wash top sheet in one load, then fitted sheet in another load. It filled, agitated, drained and spun just like a regular top loader. When I say life was splendid with that washer, I really mean it : ) For my work laundry, it did take many loads to get a week's worth of towels, my aprons, client smocks, etc to get washed...pretty much an all day event because the capacity was half the usual size. I loved that I could soak my work laundry as much as I needed to with bleach or ammonia get them very clean rather than the laundromat washers which did not offer a soaking. I don't remember for certain which brand the mini portable washer was, but I want to say it was a Maytag. But really, I'm relying on a fuzzy, long ago memory on that. I sold the w/d set to some lucky person when we moved to Nor Cal, and while I brought a hand me down full size w/d with me on that move, I did miss those machines very much. They were wonderful trouble-free work horses. Your old semi-automatic washer sounds like a great machine too! I kind of wish more washers such as these were still made for people living in apt/condos that don't have w/d hook ups and don't fancy the whole communal laundry room/laundromat headaches.