dayenu makes a really good point about breakfasts. I don't know what it is about breakfast -- maybe because we so often eat it alone? -- but it seems to be so idiosyncratic; the meal where we are most likely to eat something no one else wants, and the meal we are least likely to feel adventurous. A lot of people eat the same breakfast every day, or at most choose from a limited list; how many of us do that for lunch or dinner? Same for different menus; we sit down to the same dinner, but at breakfast, we each do our own thing. And some people hear "breakfast" and think of eggs, some want only bread or cereal and fruit, some want vegetables or fish, some want last night's leftover chicken, some want the last piece of pie, some can't handle anything but coffee and juice ... and NO ONE wants to have to discuss it. Plus, as a guest, I don't want to be putting my hosts to trouble when they may be hurrying out the door for work or otherwise trying to get through their morning routines (which, likewise, we don't like to have disrupted). It's hard to know how to be polite in that situation, because trying not to make work can actually be the most exasperating to the host. When I am the host, it used to be so awkward: "What can I fix you for breakfast?" "Oh, anything." "Well, I make really good omelettes -- how about an omelette? I have cheese, mushrooms, and onions." "Oh, no, not eggs." "Well, how about a bagel, or some cereal, or some cottage cheese?" "Oh, just anything." "Would you like juice? I have grapefruit, orange, and tomato." "Any kind; I don't care." [Honestly, now! Of course they care! But *I* don't care what kind of juice THEY drink -- I just want them to give me an answer so I can get on with it!] As you can see, this goes nowhere fast. It drives me, as the host, crazy, but I know that my guest is really trying not to put me to any trouble. Even worse is when they say, "I'll just have whatever you're having." BIG mistake -- good chance I'm having no-fat cottage cheese and a bowl of Cheerios and granola with skim milk, or maybe some leftover kasha. That would probably come as a big surprise! But if I just go ahead and make and serve a breakfast, the way I might just go ahead and make dinner and serve it without consulting the guest on the menu, that can be really bad -- even a breakfast that's a treat for some people is a real ordeal for the poor person who is accustomed to only coffee in the morning. It's just so much harder to be a good guest and eat what's put in front of you at breakfast time. I COULD just put out everything I can think of and let them serve themselves, offering to make eggs, pancakes, or whatever, too. That's what I do if there is a big crowd (usually a bunch of teens), especially if they will be wandering into the kitchen at different times and levels of fogginess. But for real houseguests, I have learned to do what dayenu does: I ask them in advance, "Tell me what you like to eat for breakfast -- it's so personal, and we each eat something different in the mornings anyway." They start to say, "Oh, anything -- " but then they "get it" and tell me. They and I both appreciate not having to try to find something we both want to eat or to do a complicated minuet about trying not to inconvenience each other -- especially not first thing in the morning!

Isn't it a law or something they have to be late? And dress for the part...what's that? For us, living in a small community has its benefits when service people are involved. Poor work usually means they DON'T get business just by word of mouth. On the other hand it may take quite a bit of time before a good service person is available. It took all winter for the furnace to be put in but they did a fine job, we are pleased. If we have an emergency, they are here fairly fast. It's to bad the septic service didn't work out. An hour in your case was a pain in the butt but an hour isn't so bad considering the job they are doing. If you were their first service job though, I would say you had every right to be upset. I still wonder, could the traffic be a problem or cell service? Were they behind in a prior job? I think it would be good if you and this company, if they could negotiate a time better for both of you. You mention going to the doctor. How many of us have sat and waited for them? I know I have.

I have the same problem. I have gotten good and bad cuts from chain shops and privately owned. I thought I had found an okay one, until a couple days ago. While waiting for my stylist a friend of my DD was leaving and I knew I wanted my perm to look just like hers, so that is what I told my stylist. Very short and curly on top and tapered in the back. Did mine turn out like that? NO!! It is not shorter; the back is "hacked" part way down and then tapered just a bit. As of now the front doesn't look any different from when I went in. This is the third time I've been to this shop and have the same girl. I've never been completely happy with the results, but it is convenient. She tells me every time that I have "good" hair. That it is fine, but thick, meaning I have a lot of it. I go there because it is only a short distance away. I'm sorry but I won't be going back. The search begins, again. (Flamey, I envy you!) Sue

When (if) you are mathematically challenged and .. . 3/100ths of an inch = .003"? 3/100 ... 3/1000 ... 3/0000000000 Didn't we learn at the age of 7 that zeroes = nothing? You can have all the 0's of something that you can get in your bowl and you'd still have 0. One or many!! Zero