another reason why i check the box, is because half the dang time i forget where the heck i left a message, so when i started posting and then i found that precious little box, OMGoodness!! that was so awesome!! Hee Hee!! i was glad, because i used to go all over the place just to see how big this place is, and well its just huge, then i'd forget where iwas. and of course where i posted something, or i'd see something that would catch my attention. i still do that and forget. LOL but ya know. LOL ~Medo p.s. who is that familiar face up there????? **big grinn**

Ann, did you get me new email address? I sent it to you a few days ago thru Gardenweb. I am having a heck of a time getting on my work email from home so I can give you a new email to use. Let me know, I am soooo anxious to start thinking and plotting! janet

My bank hasn't sent the checks back for years, either. The scams mentioned by dreamgarden predate Check 21 by at least 30 years or so. (That's how long I've had a checking account.) The fact that my name, address, phone number, signature appear on my checks, that's been true for 30 years as well. They have nothing to do with Check 21. And in thirty years I've never had need for a "recredit," whatever that is. DH spent 13 years in the banking biz, and he never heard of it either. The articles mentioned do recommend balancing your checkbook every week, and actually examining your bank statement, to make sure that all is in order. A very wise move, if one decides to continue having a checking account. I might add examining your credit card statement as well. Some identity thieves take advantage of the fact that folks give their CC statements a cursory glance and make a payment to the company, and keep their illicit purchases small. Oh, I work part time at a department store...Please do sign your credit cards, or write "See I. D." in the space provided. You wouldn't believe how many people don't. The rational is that then someone will have a copy of your signature, (as if they couldn't find that in your wallet!) I actually saved some money using a CC, when my internet service provider went out of business. Had I written a check for services, I'd have been out of luck. When I called my credit card company, they refunded a pro-rated portion of the charge based of the service I didn't receive. I was pleased to find out that they weren't all heartless. I was surprized that they did that for someone who pays off her balance monthly, (so they make no money from me)

Cathy and I are still in. My base is done. It is a pig (not very "out of the box", I know) The clay slabs I'm using for the mosaic are being fired early next week, then they'll need another fire after that, since I'm writing on them and stuff before I break them up. So, if you're stumped on a base, mine is a porcelain ginger gar on its side with polymer clay feet and ears. The stopper is a cork I ordered from widget.com Cathy's will probably be the same sort of base, but she's kind of stuck on wanting to involve part of her collection of Barbie parts.