This is a bit of a tangent, but if you'd like to carry over a bit of the garden theme into the wedding--miniature terracotta pots make cute placecard holders. I had fun making these for a friend. Each pot was planted with Irish moss (I got a flat of it) and had a silk flower sprig and a toothpick with a sign that had the guest's name and the table number. Arranged all together, with different colored flowers, they got a lot of attention at the wedding. And everyone got a little souvenir to take home. Crafty placecard holders = a good thing to delegate to a friend who wants to help. Wishing you happy wedding planning (or at least comparatively argument-free wedding planning)! --cowper

Today we cannot simply click to download and install programs because so many companies allow other things to be piggybacked in for a fee. During the install we now need to carefully view each screen where choices are available to ensure we not not have the situation you have found yourself in. AVG itself is good, no problem there. To get rid of the Google toolbar click on an open areas on the top toolbars and in the drop down menu you should be able to remove the check mark beside Google. Regarding the critical files you had listed you could download and install Superantispyware, update the definitions and run a full scan. Be sure to click on the blue button for the free version, not the green free trial version. This is an excellent program. You could/should also do a free online scan at Housecall or a similar site if you have a favourite. If this happened very recently you might consider using the System Restore feature on your computer and go back to a date prior to these events. However you should still seriously consider doing the scans.

Well...is this about the GIVER or is it about the couple getting married? I don't know all that many young people well enough to give them a truly memorable item that I *know* they would enjoy. To be honest, I think it's about both. The woman who gave me the knife didn't know me at all. She picked out something she loved and hoped that I'd love it too. Could've just as easily worked out that I threw the knife in the trash of course, but the gift meant something to me specifically because of the thought behind it. She took some time to think, what do I love that a new bride might also appreciate? And then she made a point to tell me the thought behind the gift. That's not to say that every gift needs to be that special. I'm just saying how nice it is when it can be that special and that it's up to the giver to make it that special if they want to. But if you don't feel the need to, that's ok too. As far as the use of the word "greedy", I think it's all about perception. We preceive that a newlywed couple NEEDS dishes and towels and blenders, etc. But they don't NEED a honeymoon in an exotic spot. In reality, of course, even the dishes, towels and blenders are "wants" more than "needs". So maybe if they have those things already, or for whatever reason, don't want them, they are asking for their real "want", the honeymoon. But ultimately, the giver must decide what s/he is comfortable giving. As an example, a few years back, the son of a good friend was getting married. On their registry were a lot of (what I perceived to be) useless items. Warming socks and mood music cds and very expensive decorative items. Now, normally, who cares! If that's what they want, fine. But this couple was low on funds. Neither had great jobs, and they were still sort of struggling. I just could not bring myself to buy them something that would not help them establish a home. That was totally my opinion of course, but I'm plopping down my dollars and I want them well spent. I ended up giving them cash because, in my perception, that's what that couple needed more than anything else. I don't know how they spent it, so it could have been on totally silly stuff. But at least the gift was something *I* was comfortable giving.

*looks around library that's currently functioning as a tool chest for ideas* For your own sanity: gift cards for home improvement stores. There is always a billion little things you need. gift cards for the liquor commission - for when you can't deal with the billionth problem that goes wrong massage gift certificates - for when painting makes your shoulders and neck ache, but your STILL not done painting... movie tickets - for when your exhausted AND broke, and just want a night out. For doing work yourselves: Painters tape. Don't ask how much of the stuff you'll go through! Brad nails for the nailgun when installing trim. Again, its amazing how many thousand you go through! rags. For staining, cleaning paint of surfaces it shouldn't have gone, dirty hands... tape measures...because even if you have 6, you'll only ever find 1 at a time a GOOD stud finder spackle for when you accidentally knock something over dent your newly painted walls, and new knives for when your SO washes them and leaves them in the sink to rust... respirator with replacement cartridges - so that you aren't dying with a major headache and sore throat after staining all of your doors/trim... long screws to match your door hardware. (We found these hard to find in certain colors). It sucks when your builder drops them, and replaces the missing ORB one with a shiny brass one... undercutting saw (if installing flooring), or one of those multi-tools with the undercutting blade. plastic-type prybars - for when you install something wrong and need to 'delicately' redo it... Other 'things' you may not have thought of including in your home, or want to upgrade: whole home surge protector fancier doorbell exterior lighting outdoor bench/seating BBQ! yardwork tools - rakes, shovels, lawnmower accessories, garbage cans, recycling bins tool chest and/or pegboard and hook set for the massive amount of tools you've bought! decorative air/floor registers