A couple of notes because the rest is going to be rather long and involved: Lynda, I have the Vitex marked for you and in your baggie! And thank you for the marigolds! They will be very interesting with my others! Dessie I would be more than happy to receive your little helper's seed packets! I think it's great! Wendy Try some Chai Spice tea, it works wonders in helping clear up colds and flu. I always add a dollop of honey to help sooth the throat. It's a staple in our house and really does help. Alright, here is my take on this.. I can understand how many were hoping that the two swaps would not coincide, but, we all knew there was a fair chance of that happening. For myself, I know that I continued to update my list, even well after Patty's swap's mailing deadline. I did my updates using the same method we did for Patty's swap- using an updated date. Even had I not, I knew there was a good chance the two swaps would overlap. I joined this one knowing full well- according to the guidelines posted for it- that I may NOT receive as many as I sent in. That I would receive as many as were sent in FOR me, up to five packets of the SAME item. I recall there being some issue with this and a member who became very rude in their comments about this fact. Yes, my package from the What's Left swap is in the second batch to go out. No, I did not keep strict record of what I sent to those who were in the What's Left swap. I did keep better records of what I'm sending for this swap. I also know that a lot of people will be sending in baggies of seeds marked as extras- not dedicated for anyone, but to add in when it's seen those items are on someone's list. No, these may not be some of the rarer or more exclusively wanted items on someone's list. But if someone has some of those rarer or more specific items to share, I'm sure they would have put them into your baggie before they mailed. So, I don't see that anyone would be missing out on anything. The only way I could see having updated one's list further as complicating Patty's swap would be if someone had removed things from their list. Updating and adding items would not have conflicted. Because if there were any extras of what you were wanting, Patty would have included them. So, I guess I'm not really understanding how there is such a need to update the lists just because one is in both swaps. If I receive duplicates, wonderful! Because the things on my list are things I want! If I don't receive something on my list, then no one had it to share. If I receive so many of something that I can't plant it all, then I can bless someone else by offering it up for a trade. So, perhaps I'm being dense here, but how would one not receive something sent in specifically for them (up to FIVE packets of the same item!) that was on their wants list in this swap? Everyone has the chance to see your wants as posted and you have had the option to add to that list, as many including myself have this whole time. The only thing I could really see the two swaps happening almost simultaneously possibly affecting would be one's have's list. I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset or offend anyone. I'm just honestly trying to understand why this is such an issue. So please don't take this as meaning to offend or as pointed to anyone in particular. This is just me trying to understand why so many are upset about this. If you prefer to email me privately and help me understand it, I would be pleased with that and please do! Perhaps there are aspects and issues with this that I'm not readily seeing and should consider. I don't want to keep the thread off track by my question becoming a debate here. Perhaps there can be some adjustments of dates if this swap happens in the late summer or again next winter, but for this year it is as it is and personally, I'm really enjoying it! Nancy, I hope you don't decide to drop out, because I know that I should have at least a couple of things from your list, perhaps more. But I'll respect your choice and be your Garden Buddy either way :) Fran, you have a real job ahead of you and I don't know how those like you and Patty do it! Leave me hosting my "pair em up and let em go" or true RR type swaps! I think those of you that host this kind of swap are awesome! Angela, you have been a wonderful help to Fran and all of us in this swap! I know the time it can take to code pages like that, though updates are easier once the initial work is done, and I want to say THANK YOU for the time and work you are putting in on this swap for everyone's benefit! Kathy~ heading off to stuff more little baggies and envelopes.

I couldn't resist this piece since it is to all political parties it doesn't seem to be partial to any one: Wal-Mart vs. The Corrupt Morons 1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart Every hour of every day. 2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute! 3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year. 4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target +Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined. 5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people, is the world's largest private employer, and most speak English. 6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world. 7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only fifteen years. 8. During this same period, 31 big supermarket chains sought bankruptcy. 9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world. 10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago. 11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.) 12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart. You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy. This should be read and understood by all Americans Democrats, Republicans, Independents, EVERYONE!! To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature, It is now official that the majority of you are corrupt morons: a.. The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke. b.. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke. c.. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke. d.. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more. e.. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke. f.. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke. g.. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure. You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars. AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ??

Well, today was really nice. Lunch was from CPK. Thai chicken salad, a chinese salad, bolognese pasta with chicken, spinach pasta with light cream sauce, and spaghetti with meat sauce. Then the cookies! There were so many, and all so good! I only tried three varieties, an almond bark, chocolate espresso cookie, and cheesecake cookie. We brought a lot home, and the kids are looking forward to tasting them. We will do the scratch offs tonight. I've attached the link to the photos below, I am wearing a red sweater with black scarf, and have blonde hair. Near the end of the photos, I'm holding up my lottery tickets. Just click on Laurie's Cookie Swap photos. Thanks so much for your support! Here is a link that might be useful: cookie swap photos

I have spoken to elderly women to not leave their purses in the cart as they will steal your purse and they immediately thank me and grab their purse to them. Watch out too as they can slice the bottom of your purse thinking you are safe. I heard that they watch you put your purse in your trunk, have a friend that does that all the time. If I had to go to park or somewhere, I would only take my wallet and put it in my pocket, that is why I like pockets on everything I wear so I could pop them in and so if need to go to store or stop somewhere have money and card on me to use. Also all the ones that leave their cell phones, lap tops and other valuables in car and wonder why they got broke in. Anything including change they will break in your vehicle and take. And putting your purse way back in the tunk and putting something over it won't work, if they break in they will go at everything and find it. also heard that most women put their purses in their kitchen when they come through the door and keys too and if they are outside in the backyard, someone will come in and find those and steal not only your purse but your car too. Also people are still not locking their vehicles, lock them up at all times no matter if you run in and run out, YOu could get delayed and time goes by that someone could have watched you, with all the remote keys they can tell by watching if you clicked it locked or not. I had always thought those in chair or scooter hanging it in the back was a calling card to steal the purse and nothing they could do about it as they probably wouldn't even know until they go for it. Or the ones that have baskets in front, same thing grab it so fast and run like crazy and its gone. Warning, don't leave windows down in car as I had looked after my two nephews on time years ago and they had a friend over who came with us to bank and we all got out and I did the instanbank and suddnely the friend had zipped ahead and he could put his arm in the window and unlock the door. I couldn't believe it as the window was not down that far either and he could put his arm in it. So, be careful about that too. Just try not to carry anything more that you need in your purse. They do tell you not to take valuables traveling as they can get stolen and absolutely no money left or your passport or birth certificate or tickets, have them locked up in hotel safe. Wear money belts. I learned a hard way you can't trust anyone, I worked in a day care waiting for the last kids to be picked up and they came and I put my purse down for some reason instead of taking it with me to click out as I always did and came back and just like that gone. I had to call home and police as keys, and everything gone. And then report it next day to the head person and they questioned who they were, didn't know them except knew that one boy due to his class he went too was by the toddler room I worked in and his dad who was always late in picking him up. But didn't know the other parents or kids but could you point them out, yes, I could and went to classrooms and pointed them out and the mom worked in a bank and don't know where the guy worked, they were living together, Found out their house was on the way home and next thing I knew the mom got fired from her bank job and the house was up for sale. They moved I believe to Ontario, nice to do in front of their kids. It was right before christmas and had all my christmas money to go and buy gifts, I didn't get anything back either, then also next day called and called before got through to cancel out cards, they were stolen and yes, police was called about it. Next spring I get this phone call saying found your purse as they threw it in this huge snow bank by church across parking lot and the sisters found it. I never could use that purse again, its horrible having it stolen but when parents do with their kids right there, wow.