As far as a simple project, lettuce is an easy crop. You can surface sow your seeds on moist Perlite & transplant them later to a system. Given the age of the group you are working with, they would probably like building their own system. A simple raft system can be easily made by purchasing products at your local dollar & hardware store. Below are some links to some systems made by forum members: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hydro/msg121151236631.html http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hydro/msg0510515721118.html

Oh dear. 1. keys 2. wallet with driver's license, money, credit, library & insurance cards 3. Band-Aid 4. card with 3 Gas-X pills 5. card with 8 Meclizine pills that seem to have expired last October 6. inhaler 7. key to my daughter's house 8. case for reading glasses that I wear whenever I am inside 9. checkbook with bank card & a couple of discount cards pen Blistex lipstick lip liner emery board package with 3 Stim-U-Dents 2x3 mirror in plastic case paper towel in baggie with 3 more Gas-X that are coloring the towel lavender a $20 bill so I'm never broke ticket stubs for "Julie & Julia" and "Harry Potter" Admit One stub, to where I have no idea receipt for a key fob battery that I bought in June receipt for gift shoes for my husband receipt for his birthday dinner at a steak house business card for a medical office one Quality Stree chocolate five Breath Savers a red & white wrapped hard candy that I just threw out large paper napkin (the nice, soft kind) Sigh - I suppose it could be worse...

I do what Chispa does--the chimes are on and workers know I have an alarm system. And yes, I arm it every time I leave. That's what it's for. Several years ago when we lived in the suburbs of a large city I was at home working at the sink, which looked over my driveway and the cul-de-sac in the neighborhood. I noticed a woman that appeared to be in her early thirties with some type of flyers going up to doors. The television was on in the den/living room, which unfortunately, my glass door allowed full viewing into the middle of the house. The doorbell rang, the dog barked, and I was in the middle of something and just didn't want to answer. She rang twice and I assumed she went to the next door. Still at the sink, I looked up and this woman was MARCHING up my driveway, looked at me as she passed the large window over the kitchen sink and went straight to my back wrought iron gate and opened it, she was as mad as a wet hen. I immediately grabbed the phone and opened the back door (not a good idea I suppose but that area was all windows and she could see me anyway)and met her on my patio and she was sceaming, "Why didn't you open your GD door? I could hear the TV on in there, who do you think you are not answering when I am at your door?" I yelled back she had better get her backend off of my property immediately as I was calling the police. She went back out the gate, still cursing at me. I called and the drove around but couldn't find her anymore. There are a lot of nuts out there, and the people that are the "nicest" (movers teasing me, etc., found my jewelry box and stole a diamond ring, took it out of the ring box) are sometimes the ones that are the worst. I don't like not trusting people but you just can't. The magazine guys came here about two weeks ago in pouring rain and thunderstorms, long predicted. I did not open the door but talked to them through the glass and they do take advantage of your courtesy and inclination to be nice and listen to them, particularly in pouring rain. I do think it's a good idea to let them know you are at home, and if you can, to have a dog or and alarm system, or weapons, or all three. I do.

My mother was the Leader of our local Girl Scout group, so of course I was a member of the brownies and Girl Scouts. When I had children I was the den mother to the boy scouts which my son was a member. Also, a Brownies and Girl Scout leader which my girls were a member. It is more work than you can imagine. It is like a full time job and overtime, with no pay and very little thanks. What use to annoy me the most was when mothers would drop their children off as if I was the town babysitter and then when it was time for the kids to go home "no show" mammy would never come to pick up their child. It was left to good ol' me to take them home. Our group would let out at 7:00 pm. and sometimes it would be 11:00 pm. before I got home with my own children who were in the group that I had. I had to go home, get my children ready for bed, and then get myself ready for bed. Get up the next morning at 5:00 a.m. to get kids and me off for the day. I really felt bad for those kids that were from families who did not care about them. I often wonder how they are doing now that they are all grown up. I hope they are doing well, and maybe, just maybe I made a difference in their life. I sure tried.