One thing you might think about is a gift for grandma. I found a flannel print with "Grandma" written on it and have had a receiving blanket made for all my friends who are becoming grandmas. Or maybe a portable crib set up for Grandma's house? Or baby monitors for G'ma's if baby will be spending time there. One of my friends who recently had a baby says that they are now recommending that babies not sleep with blankets after they are out of the swaddling stage. They are still useful, but every shower I've been to they have received oodles and oodles of blankets. Since you don't know the mother/baby well, as lovely as that blanket is, I think it would mean more coming from someone who is close to the mother/baby so they can always remember this special blankie was given to you by Auntie Marie. The dr. recommended things like this for sleeping instead. And since you live in cold country (don't you?) maybe a nice snowsuit...perhaps in a size he can use in the future, along with some great snow boots? Here is a link that might be useful: Baby sleep sack

Marys1000 - Cheap shots? "If you want to think of yourself as a nice person you need to be nice." Are you the only one who gets to decide what is PERTINENT information? From ical71's intitial post: "what really gets me is the comment that came with that - they're (the sellers) apparently worried that we won't have the money to do the necessary fix-ups on the house. It needs a new roof...some new windows, some paint, some ceiling repair, etc. (For the record we do have enough money to do everything)." Later in the thread she states that she has roughly $1600 saved. Posters tell her that is not enough money. Is this the cheap shot? "o.k. we expected the interest rate thing..we put down money anyway ($500) and now they want more?" She later admits that she had a foreclosure 2 years ago. The sellers know that she has bad credit. But she did not mention the foreclosure to them. In another thread she has even suggested to another poster that nothing will happen to them if they let their house go through foreclosure. This is "naive"? This is "nice"? "my three year old son has been in love with that house since we first saw it and asks every day when we're moving in. If I have to tell him we're not moving there, please tell ME we're not moving there so I can break it to him." Nice touch. And, still, people took their time to answer and try to help ical71. Which, whether you appreciate the advice or not, was nice of them. And, probably a bit naive.

Sandibluffs. I don't ever use syrup so I can't help you on that one. Butter only, on my pancakes and French toast. Are you looking for a REAL ceasar dressing? Or a ceasar style dressing like they sell in bottles at the store? I wait tables in restaurants and we do a ceasar dressing made tableside. This has raw egg in it so it CANNOT be stored. It's a PITA to make at home unless you are having a dinner party, or have a lot of time and like to pamper yourself. 3 Egg Yolks, beaten 3 tablespoons Prepared Mustard 10 tablespoons Garlic 2 Anchovy Filets 6 Capers 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon White Pepper 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano Leaves 15 drops Tabasco Sauce 15 drops Worcestershire Sauce Olive Oil 5 tablespoons White Vinegar That's what we use at the restaurant and it is a pretty basic ceasar. When I make it myself at home I leave out the capers as I do not care for them. Make sure you use FRESH garlic and not garlic salt or garlic powder. Just like soups, dressing have a typical base. For instance, virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or you can use red wine vinegar) for Itallian, rice vinegar and peanut oil for Asian, olive oil and white wine and lemon for Greek, sour cream with buttermilk or goat milk for creamy dressing. Once you get familiar with the bases you add what you need - sundried tomatoes, garlic, dry mustard, sugar, dried onion, oregano, pepper flakes, ginger, fruit and what not. Make them up the way you want. I do not use "a recipe" for dressings I make at home. I just create knowing what end result I am looking for. I don't want to give you a list of recipes that you may not like. Do you like garlic dressing? A creamy gorganzola? Do you avoid sugar? Watch you fat intake? Do you like pineapples? What I like may not be what you like. Tip: Use granulated sugar for O/V dresssing and powdered sugar for creamy dressings. Granulated sugar in a creamy will make it thinner. Powdered sugar has a bit of corn starch in it when you buy it to keep it from forming a lump and it works better as a binder. Powered sugar in O/V dressing will make it cloudy and change the texture a bit. If you put soft cheeses in dressing make sure you puree them. If you just drop in the chunks they make the dressing watery. I think it is best to add crumbled or grated cheese on top of the salad just before serving rather than puree them into the dressing, but that is just my personal preference. If you use parmesean cheese make sure you buy the REAL stuff not the stuff out of the green can. Yes I know it is expesnsive, about $14/lb, but you are only using a little bit grated. It's not like you are sitting down to eat a whole pound of it. Use DRIED spices and not fresh in your dressings. You can dehydrate your own spices and have fresh dried spices that are packed with concentrated flavor. Avoid buying those dried spices in the jars at the chain stores if you can, or shop at a specialty spice shop where they prepare and dry them on a regular basis. Let your O/V dressing sit at room temp for a while before you use them so that the flavors meld and the spices are not "crunchy". Creamy dressings should sit in the fridge for a bit before using. Do not use low fat sour cream for dressings, use yogurt instead. And remember, these homemade dressing do not have preservatives in them and unless it is a dressing with a lot of vinegar, it will spoil or grow fuzzy mold in no time. Don't made up more than you can use in a few days. If it has raw egg in it DO NOT store any of it. Cooked egg dressings are a bit more stable but still do not let these sit atound for more than a day or day and a half. I've seen people keep those bottled dressings from the store around for MONTHS in their fridge. I do not think bottled dressing are even real food. They're scary. I saw one brand that said ZERO calories - then what is it? It can't be food. Is it plastic? Using squeaky clean sterilized bowls and utinsils will help avoid contamination and delay degadation of the dressings. And here is a recipe that I got when working at an upscale restaurant at one of the huge hotel chains. I am not going to say which one because I know it is a signature recipe of a certain certified chef. A waiter stole it and passed it around to the staff. House Dressing 333 15 yolks @ room temp 32oz oil mix (7:1 corn to hazelnut) 1C granulated sugar 2T horseradish 2T marjoram 2/4T thyme 1/2T dry mustard 1/2T white pepper 8oz lemon juice (use fresh sqeeze not bottled!) 6oz champagne vinegar Here is a tip. Gourmet recipes are more about technique than just mixing a bunch of stuff together. In this recipe it is very important to sloooooowly drizzle the oil in or you will have a clumpy oily mess. Transfer the oil egg mix to a bain-marie and add the remaining ingredients one at a time. This dressing tastes best when it is well chilled. You can divide the recipe for a smaller amount although since the eggs are cooked it has a longer life. I guarantee your guests will RAVE about this dressing. Use crumbled feta cheese on this salad and of course use a good spring mix lettuce with a high ratio of 'crunchy' to 'soft' lettuce in it. I never buy those bags of mixed lettuce at the stores. I buy the greens I want and wash and spin them, and mix them to get the ratio I want. Cooking is a hobby and an art. Have fun.

I am happy to inform you all, I have found a pet. In 6 weeks I will get a black female standard puppy. It is from a man who shows his dogs and wins. A brother of one of his was in The Westminster dog show. He bred his pair for more show dogs, not for the money. He will get the pick of the litter, then sell the rest. I told the lady who interviewed me for the invisible fence that the pup would cost $750. to $1,000. She wanted to know who the breeder was. When I told her she said, "honey get that dog, his are blackest poodles in this area and they are worth much more than he is asking." So my fence is in, a trainer will come when I get my pup for 3 training sessions for the fence. I am so excited I bought a few little things for the pup and am reading a training book. Also I will make arrangements for a kennel to keep my dog if I have to go to the hospital and arranged with my POA to call the breeder to pick it up if anything should happen to me. I looked online for names and I decided on Molly.