Update: I have a pumpkin! I hand pollinated a few flowers according to the instructions posted (thank you, thank you) and one started growing right away. Unfortunately I broke the main vine before I went on vacation so I wasn't able to get the vine back to the ground to do laps :) I made a hammock out of fabric to support it - tied between two tomato cages. Now the vine looks terrible, probably because it's been in the 90's and it gets full afternoon sun on the black nursery pot, but the pumkin looks about ready to pick. Almost all the way orange and about as big around as a salad plate. Not much of a crop, but I'm happy with it. Should I let the vine die or just cut it off now?

Natesgram, I've worked in a NICU for 15 years and I can't tell you how much we appreciate those fleece blankets for our babies. We also have local volunteers who make isolette covers to keep the environment dark for our babies because it is developmentally appropriate (they shouldn't be born yet). Have you ever seen one? And when my late grandmother was getting chemo for pancreatic cancer, she was really appreciative of the person who made her a cozy fleece for when she got her weekly chemo infusions. I just want to send a big thank you to you for your work, because I know how much such those small things mean from the other side of the fence. Yes, I volunteer. I have volunteered in the medical tent for the NYC marathon for several years. This was before children. After 911 I volunteered making sandwiches for the rescue workers at ground zero. Before I started my career as a PA I volunteered at my local hospital transporting specimens to the lab and escorting patients out of the hospital. Currently I volunteer as a girl scout leader for my 9 year old's girl scout troop. I was never a girl scout as a child, so I am learning as I go. Even though I rolled my eyes when I was asked, I truly enjoy the girls and having a positive influence on them. We are currently involved in a project in building butterfly gardens in our community to restore monarch butterfly habitats. It is so much fun seeing these girls get involved. My mom is getting ready for retirement, she has been volunteering at our local animal shelter. I think she has always been involved in some sort of volunteer project for as long as I can remember. I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree. :)

Keep advertising flyers printed only one side using typewriter paper to use to write notes, make calculations, etc. The ones written on both sides I save in a grocery bag to put in the recycle bin for fine paper. Got a heavy paper/card flyer, regular office size from a local deli in the mail today - will punch holes in it and use it for subject divider in ring binder. When I get their flyers half that size, glue a store flyer printed one side to them - then can use it to write material that I want to use frequently (e.g. phone numbers, listing of area codes, frequently used web site, e-mail addresses, etc.) on that blank sheet. Newspapers saved in different bundle. Use large sheet of scrap cardboard to build open-top box to organize magazines that I wish to save for future reference, to stand up on bookshelf. Cardboard pie boxes will do the job, as well - but they don't stand alone as well. Need to cover plastic window on inside so doesn't catch on mags with a sheet of (used) printer paper, held in place with a dollop or so of glue. We just had a shot of snow this morning - much earlier than usual. Brrr-r-r-r. With electric baseboard heating (and inadequate insulation in this rented townhouse), I can adjust heat room by room, so keep heat level low in kitchen, where I'm usually moving around. Turned heat up in bathroom yesterday. Keep it rather low in office, as well. Put on winter underwear this morning. When it gets cold I wear a sweater, batting-insulated vest and light jacket. Wear a hat to cover my head (only lightly insulated by hair). Get along O.K. until fingers get cold. My 22 year old Ford van has couple of leaks in roof, small holes in body and major hole in floor. Am getting some body metal, pop rivets to secure pieces that I've cut and shaped, tar to coat the outside under floorboard, fender, etc. and body paste to smooth over new metal to blend in with current body, then can sand and paint. Retrieved several spray cans with a dab of paint left from garbage, a couple of years ago. Several colours - but I plan to use only black and white, thank you. Not really a hard job. Should cost approximately $50. Better than scrapping the vehicle - which looks rather scruffy and some said that I should do four years ago when I did last body job. Takes a lot of materials and energy to build a new vehicle - so I say it's best to run the old ones into the ground. There are some rust spots on the hatch at the back of the 13 year old car, so need to use wire brush in electric drill to clean off rust, then smooth out with body paste, and paint with primer and finish coat. (Don't have right colour paint on hand). If I don't do it soon - I'll have rust holes to deal with. Much more effort required, then. Annual insurance (I don't carry collision coverage, of course) on both costs about 150% of what I paid for the van, 13 years ago. It had around 150,000 mi. on it then - about 190,000 now. Originally used it to deliver corn-fired heating stoves that I used to sell. Anyone know where I can find some hot air? Surely not produced by anyone around here! joyful guy

Our official workplace asks us to donate to the united way we get the envelopes, this is as far as workplace fundraising should go. There is no negative response if you don't, no one knows if you did or didn't so there are not any judgments on your character either way. Fundraising by individuals does not belong in the work place. Anyone who brings in such fundraising junk into the lunchroom at work finds it moved off the kitchen table and shoved on top of the fridge or the shelf unit in the corner of the room. Expecting co workers to pony up for your kid is not ok. If you want to walk you kids all over your neighbor hood or hit up relations more power to you. But I suspect many don't want to make that effort when they can just dump it in the lunchroom and guilt there co workers who they see everyday to just give them the money. Our department collects money at least once or twice a month for showers, going away gifts secret Santa etc. There are also people requesting to be sponsored for this ride or walk as well. Those fundraising say if you don't want to donate you don't have to. But when you don't what they really mean is why can't you just give us money everyone else gave whats wrong with you. They speak negatively about those who do not want to participate. It doesn't matter that you may not have the money to share or you don't want to give to that charity or school, or you already give to you own favorite charity. I ignore their request regardless of how they feel and move what ever it is away from the table. And let it be know that the table is kept clear except when you are eating at it.