Yes, I know its abit late now but here's some ideas for next year, and for your present giving, I thought alot of the ideas where great previously by the way. Get the e-mail addresses of the parents who children you want to invite, and send a e-invatition, ask them to e-mail the reply. yes electricity, but no paper or fuel in postage and no hassel. wrapping presents, use newpaper, old magizines, they are going to rip it any way, paper bags, for some reason my state you have to have your wine in brown paper? like no ones going to guess what you just brought! or if you have fast food for some reason, save these for wrapping but get your children to decorate them, at the age they are, people think it really cute, make cards out of old paper and pictures in mags, get your kids to make papier mache plant pots and decorate them, if for an adult, stick in a packet of seeds you know they like and if a child, a couple of seeds could be a bean, pea, nesturtium, radish something that shows a result quickly, and some planting medium in a bag, the bags I use are the ones manufacturered bread comes in! Party Favours same thing as presents except you could present something growing athough maybe difficult in October, I am sure someone will come up with an idea, all I can think of is lettice and even my veggie loving children won't eat that! and brussel sprouts just too big, haha!, keep the party simple, my boys love picnics and love indoor picnics even more, I actually produce a more authentic picnic indoors than out, cos I don't have too lug the picnic basket around! rug on floor etc, old fashioned games such as pass the parsell, wrapped in newspaper easy to rig so every child wins a prize, prizes well, I just keep the merriad of rubbish my boys have accumilated over the year in favors, which they examine and then discard, currently I have 9 pensils, 6 mini tubs of playdough, 10 erasers, 6 flying discs and 1 tub of assorted beads from frendship braclets. once you start looking for ways to reuse stuff it becomes easier and easier, your brain just seems to make new connections you will find yourself hovering over the trash can with a used item, thinking, I wonder! today our washing machine died a death, repair man could repair but only if we where prepared to spend $600+ we brought a new one for $420 and on looking at our old machine, I kept saying could it be a composer, husband (who is not a natural recycler but buys second hand most the time and is a great bargin hunter) could it be a fire pit, get away says I! look on the garden forums and sure enough people have used old washing machines for both these purposes, so yes! if I was really really green I would have had it repaired (well I would probably have a wash board and Mangle) but I live in the real world and needs must but there can ways to do it. BTW paper mache pots can be planted straight in the ground and decompose, but I would only do this if decorated for flowers not food! last but by no means least, don't force you ideals on any one by asking them for green toys and paper, it will only get backs up, for example do not judge them, just as you should not expect to be judged for your decisions, it was my birthday the other day and ony one person asked what I wanted, a watering can, okay I expected a big cheepo one and recieved a dinky red posh one, put it does the job and looks pretty, I also got cut flowers which have lasted very well, 3 weeks and counting and as they die off, into the compost they go, a huge scented cantle which is now in the energancy draw for power cuts etc, the pretty cardboard tub it came in will become something to keep sewing bits in or I will put someones gift into, the bags other gifts came in have been squirelled away for rewraping presents for others, and the wrapping paper is in my boys craft box, the Best buy Voucher...oh I used that today towards a new washing machine! Grurr! Just do what you can, we don't need to be tree huggers, and force our opinions, lead by example, and use what others waste, the link I enclosed is of a childrens TV program I loved in the 70's in the UK last verse sums it up We're so incredibly, utterly devious Making the most of everything. Even bottles and tins. Pick up the pieces and make them into something new, Is what we do! Here is a link that might be useful: Wombles

Hi all, I'm still here too. Inspite of the ammount of food I ate this week, I am another pound down. This is a psychological breakthrough for me as it puts me in the 40's. Knowing I have to fight to keep it will hopefully give me incentive to say no to the little extras I let slip in. McPeg being idle is hard. I don't know where you work. Could you bring something to keep you fingers busy like quilt squarers, needlepoint or a crossword? It helps me that I made a rule that I cannot eat anything while doing something else. Reading,television,at the computer,outside, talking on the phone....if I eat I must focus on that alone unless dining out with others of course. Otherwise I would be thoughtlessy inhaling my food. Erica, hope things perk-up for you DH (and you) soon. Kathy, use your time with DH gone to do something nice for yourself. Oh how we love them, but sometimes I dream of how easy it would be to be single. Then reality hits and I realize how much we both need each other in so many different ways. Fortunately we are both ones who need alone time and understand that. Alice I just discovered Diet Rite sodas are now made with Splenda and have no calories or sodium. It sounds like you really like your gym. Which do you belong to? I would like to go but I don't like the way most are run today. Everyone have a great holiday weekend. Be safe, eat as healthy as you can and play hard.

Dear Susies, I am waaay behind with my blocks. I love doing them, but we have a crisis in our family (not health, but a legal problem) which will most probably require that my husband and I to go to Germany for probably a two-week stay. We're waiting for a trial date and have been waiting, but the government works very slowly usually. We could hear about going at any time and I have been in a bad depression. Anyway, I'm sure I can complete all the blocks eventually if no one minds waiting an undetermined amount of time, but if there is anyone who wants to take my place, that would be good too. I am not the type who doesn't fulfill responsibilities, but I have never had a family problem that wasn't related to health of this magnitude. Thank you, Mollie.

What a great birthday! THREE SQUISHYS!! tdsully brought her's by on friday, a lovely Christmas Star in lovely reds and greens. THANK YOU! Lisa sent me TWO embrodierded (sorry about the spelling) blocks, a white dove and snowmen in a snow globe, too cool. Bonus Points! THANK YOU! Benken sent me a lovely Ohio Star made with a deep rich midnight blue and tan/black, it is beautiful. THANK YOU! DH gave me EQ6 and a new printer! WhooWhee!! Now if he could figure out how to get the printer working. LOL I'll probably end up getting one of the kids to do it, I'm not going to touch it. Girlfriend came over and gave me a coffe cup that says " Birthday Queen" she suggested that I might could wear my tiera for the day and I did consider it but thought it might be a bit much. hehehe DH is a good sport, said it wouldn't bother him a bit, but I would have to buy my own dinner! I've had a great 50th birthday. Aunt Net