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I had a copy of Canning for Dummies but GoodWilled it a while back. I didn't have an issue with the book as such; I just had too many books (still do, LOL) and that focused so much on the basics it wasn't particularly useful to me. IIRC, that book relies heavily upon USDA and BBB standards. I just did a search "inside the book" on Amazon. All appears pretty much as I remembered, safety-oriented and conventional. Such methods as oven canning and steam canning are prohibited, steam pressure canners must be used for low-acid product, altitude adjustments are provided for pressure canning, etc. etc. One remark which stands out is that canning is not the place for "recipe innovation." Careful measurement is critical. All very good and appropriate advice. I would guess that the instructors chose the book as less dry and more "approachable" than the BBB. On that count I think they're right. My one concern is that the book was published in 2003. That's 8 years (allowing for at least a year to write and come to publication), and I doubt it's up-to-date on such changes as the wait time at the end of the boiling water bath and pressure canning cycles. I do think you will find 99% of the information reliable and beneficial in terms of demonstration; hopefully the instructor has kept with changes from the last years. I really think a lot of it has to do with the instructor's credentials and commitment to staying up-to-date. Keep an eye out and if you hear/read anything which seems at odds with what you remember from this site, post and ask. Also keep the NCHFP bookmarked as a favorite and check it frequently to verify anything doubtful. I would always check the NCHFP site for processing times. Being online, it's generally ahead of print on the latest. One good test would be to see if the course instructor can provide the NCHFP URL without looking it up, LOL. I hope this helps. Carol

I guess I should be thankful that my parents do not shower my kids with toys and other material things. I remember when my kids were little and were always getting stuffed animals as gifts. My mother saw how many they had and vowed never to ever give another stuffed animal as a baby gift to anyone-she didn't realize so many people gave them as gifts that kids were overwhelmed by them. My mother, as mentioned before, frugal as well as extremely practical, asks me what to get my kids for Christmas and birthdays. Much of the time, I can't even think of anything much, so often she'll get them one thing they want and then give them cash for their personal savings accounts. MIL used to give us things that my kids had no interest in or were just clutter toys they didn't use (she lives far away) but thankfully now she sends Visa cards or a check. Coincidentally, today I went to visit my parents for lunch - my father wanted to show me where he kept all their personal financial/bill paying info in case something should happen to him (my mother is mostly computer illiterate except for googling on an iPad). While there, my father mentioned that he was going to clean out the attic soon. When I mentioned that I didn't think he had anything up there, he said it wasn't much, but much of it apparently mine! I didn't even realize they still had it (an old bike rack from my car, an old ride on toy my kids used to use). I looked around their kitchen and told them I was so thankful they were not collectors/consumers. If they ever downsize or when they both pass, it won't be too difficult a task going through their things. Well, except for the hundreds of books on my father's office. Aside from that, not too much stuff. For the most part, my friends, though consumers, do not live amidst clutter. In fact, the majority of my friends have fairly well-kept, clutter free homes. Even when I stop by unexpectedly...their homes are not full of clutter. Do they look lived in? Sure, but that doesn't mean clutter necessarily. There might be stuff on the counters from breakfast, or a laundry basket full of clothes waiting to be folded, but not toys everywhere or piles of stuff everywhere. Offhand I can only think of one friend who has a lot of clutter...mostly toys, and yes her kids are totally spoiled and are the definition of spoiled brat. I totally agree with TheRedHouse that it doesn't take much energy to acquire things, especially in my family with four kids who seem to bring home paper and more paper from school despite being a "green" school. As for projects, I stopped being sentimental long ago and throw most of their projects out. If something took a lot of effort and they want to save it, we take a picture of it. My son has a science project due soon and they've even stopped doing the tri-fold displays...now all the info is entered into a google doc online where they can be creative using downloaded images, fonts,etc. Heaven!!!!! And to think I saved my other kids' tri folds for him to use as examples-now I can throw them out! Oh, does anyone have any use for Madame Alexander dolls? :) I'm not sure why MIL thought they made a good gift but for years she gave them to my dd-knowing we had absolutely no storage/display space for them. And why a kid would want a doll that just sits on a shelf? for years they've been sitting on a shelf in her closet in their original boxes b/c I couldn't bear the idea of just giving away these expensive dolls! And too lazy to try to sell them on Craigslist or eBay. See, this is how some of us obtain clutter....

Have to be careful with these kinds of "classes". I see the same thing - seems like once a month - with folks who are hawkin' that they can make you into a color consultant in a matter of days for "as little as" a grand or so. Offered by downloads, or books, or boxed programs, just name it. I can't believe that some people will actually PAY a company for not only color training but the "chance" to sell product for that company. Not only do they ask you to pay for training, but you also have to buy all the support materials to sell their product for them -- and people do it! Some of these programs or classes lump staging and color together. Content is usually what they've *borrowed* from some place else and the classes are taught by people who have never actually done anything with architectural color. They just take color concepts from other sources and then talk about color in strange, abstract terms. So the first question would be who exactly is teaching the classes and what experience do they have that's relevant -- really relevant. Second question would be if they're so good at it, why aren't they out there doing it? Are they really so accomplished that they are now in a position to just talk about the topic and ask other people to pay 'em for simply speaking well in front of a group and their ability to make a nifty Power Point presentation? I know several people who are stagers. Couple went through training with a specific stager's organization, not the one mentioned. Some are better than others and do/have made money. From what I understand, connections are more important than a certificate from some whack-a-doodle source. They either knew someone or made a point to get to know someone who hooked them up to the market so they had access those in need of their services. Meaning those people who are trying to sell or those who are tyring to get that polish for their space and just do not have the know-how. The network thing seems to be a huge factor. The other thing I see is the stagers who really aren't all that good or expert at any one thing in particular and they have a business model that includes everything but the kitchen sink. They're a stager, a color consultant, an expert in traffic flow and layout, they sell fabrics, window treatments and wallpaper, they "specialize" in faux finishes and all the products to go with, etc., etc., etc. Jack of all trades master of none. Maybe they have to offer all of that stuff because staging alone might be too difficult.