BUMP Learning From Experience. The above happened in 2014. I have done the same thing again this year (2016). I started hardening off on/about March 28th and planted out my first bed on 4/5/16 ( sowed seeds 2/21/16) . Some of those plants are about 14" tall now and few of them have tiny buds already. I want to share with you something about warming the soil up further on plant out day. first the picture: I have dug 4 holes (one per plant). Then take the soil out of the hole and spread it under the sun. Though the soil before doing this was close to 54F but by doing this trick I get it up to 70F around mid afternoon. Then fill half of the soil back in the bottom, put the plant in the hole and fill the rest of it around the plant.(day's high was about 75F..) Next , my watering can (full of water) was also sitting under the sun and got to almost 65F. So I water the plants with that warm water after planting (no need to go to the kitchen). Works ! So far I have planted about 30, in raised beds and pots. Luckily this year (2016) has been much warmer than 2014 but our night lows stay about 43F most of the time. Happy Plant out ! Sey Some of early planted beds.

Trailrunner - I was reading some of this to DH last night, he thought they sounded like great ideas btw, and when I was done reading the first thing he said to me was,"Wow, I can't believe people take the time to type that much out trying to help someone. " Ha. Gotcha on the wear them only for running. Oh I know not to wear the orthotics and insoles at the same time. I know now (didn't at first years ago!) to take out the pads shoes come with first. Powerstep is the brand of inserts I bought from the Podiatrist. Heard of or any thoughts on them? I forget what name my orthotics are they don't say anything on them but they came in a bag that did. The bottom is hard plastic but the top is blue firm foamy stuff. He said something about it being new stuff. Do you think the Podiatrist would give me a hard time about "put a good padded front made of the new high tech triple layer stuff they have or....you can get a good insert and cut it to fit flush with the front of the orthotic"? Guess I won't know until I try but I'm picturing them wanting to know what I'm diagnosing myself since they apparently didn't think I needed that. Oh, well. I wondered how the ball of my foot was getting any support if I'm use my new orthotics in shoes I took the insole out since there's nothing there. In the past (I'm sure from wearing heels) I've had pain in the balls of my feet. I tried to tell him this too while I was there but he wasn't interested in hearing it since I wasn't having pain. Thanks for the heads up about the glucosamine. I think it actually might be what DH takes! I need to check that out. He gets on me about how I really should take it. I can take all three of those types of pills. That does sound like a lot! I'm guessing it just kills the pain longer? Does that help with the healing process at all. Perhaps that's a dumb question. I checked out that roadrunner site and the chart and I'm not sure if I'm N or PN. I'm under 150lbs and I do under 25 miles a week for N but the PN says, you run races or enjoy fast running. I like fast running. When I said I never considered myself a runner it's because I normally don't do more than 3 miles at a time and normally it's intervals. The thought of a 50 or even 10 mile race makes me cringe. Figured I'd ask but thought N would probably be my best bet regardless? Also, the NB shoes look like they're for trail running and I'm normally on a treadmill, does this matter? I really like that site. It even tells you to order sizes up for some shoes. The current ones I have are on there and it does say to order 1/2 size bigger. Go figure. Onlines shoes didn't tell me that! How's this for the laces? It still feels kind of tight around the top. Probably just the poor fitted shoes. For now, I'll rest from running. I have other sneakers I can wear for biking or whatever. By the time I'm ready to hopefully run again I'll make sure to have good sneakers. Seww - Thanks for the link. It seems very common here that even running stores have people in them that don't really know what they're doing. They just find the size in the back room. I'm at least going to go and attempt to try some on in person. Deedee - Oh my, I laughed out loud when I read that. That wasn't real nice of him! For a long time I thought I must be the only person with wider feet! One time on ebay I bought a really nice and expensive pair of heels. I did not know B meant narrow (I think it's B - whichever one is narrow). There is no way I can wear them. Not possible. It was funny even trying to put them on. They're in my closet because I couldn't resell them. Nobody in the world has a size 5 narrow foot either. :)

Haven't paid a credit card fee in years? Maybe not a direct fee ... if you have a no-annual-fee card, have never exceeded limit, been late in paying, and pay off amount owing in full each month. But ... ... the stores usually pay rent for the reading machines, and a commission on all of their volume, e.g. if they present a bill for $100., get paid $96. - 98. or so. Which is paid by the patrons of the store. Those of us who pay cash say that we should get a discount. Some tell me that the store's agreement with the card co. does not allow them to do that. Which means that cash customers help pay for the credit card system, as well. Not only that, when I've discussed the value of cards at the check-out and a clerk says that it makes no difference to her ... I ask her whether she'd prefer that the store pay her from my cash purchase or from the credit card purchase of the person who preceded. Though she claims not to care, when I tell her that if it were to be paid tonight and were from my purchase, she'd get $100. of $100. owed, paid tonight. If from the credit card purchase ... ... she'd have to wait about 6 weeks ... and get $96. - 98. instead of $100. They don't like that scenario much. The credit card companies don't operate on hot air! I've heard that about half of the credit card users pay off the balance in full each month, but recently heard that in the U.S. it's in the 40's percentage, and in Canada the 60's percentage of holders who do. ________________________ Memo to folks who carry store-issued cards and don't pay off balances owing in full monthly: do you know how to make about 35% return on your money - guaranteed? Usually your favourite store that issued the card charges 25 - 28% annual rate on balances owing regarding purchases made on the card which are not paid by the next payment date. Most of the stuff that most of us buy using the card is not tax-deductible, so you must pay the credit card fee with after-tax money. If you are in 25% tax bracket, dividing 28% by 3 gives you about 9 ... multiply that by 4, gives you 36. So when you earn $36. and pay tax of 25%, or $9.00, you have $27.00 in after-tax residue in your pocket to pay the fee on the loan of $100. of credit card debt (if it could be carried intact for a year, without additional fees). Good wishes for increasingly wise use of not only your income, ... ... but your assets, too ... ... and shrewdly (plus honestly) increasing the assets, as well. You get 2 payoffs: - in the short and medium term - a measure of financial F R E E D O M! and - in the medium to long term - early retirement (more F R E E D O M!). ole joyful

JOURNAL IDEAS: what to write about: Choose a topic/question each day or week and start writing! YOUR CHILDHOOD/SCHOOL YEARS: 1- What was your favorite childhood story? Why did you like it? 2- What was your favorite childhood game? 3- What was your favorite school subject? Why? 4- Talk about a happy school experience 5- What did you do for fun that kids don t do today? 6- Tell about a non-family person you admired when you were growing up? Why? 7- Talk about a childhood swimming experience. 8- Describe your childhood in 3 words 9- What was the most embarrassing experience? 10- What was your favorite dinner? 11- What did you eat when you were a child that you don t eat today? 12- What was your favorite dessert? 13- Where did you go for dates? 14- What was your favorite movie? 15- Share a childhood experience with death 16- What was your favorite outfit? 17- What was your favorite smell to smell? 18- What subject did you learn that they don t teach today? 19- Tell about prices of food. Then and now. 20- Share a childhood memory about bedtime that makes you feel warm 21- Where did you go to school? 22- Where did you live? 23- What did you like most about the place that you lived? 24- Where did you like to hide? 25- What did you like to play? 26- Who did you play with? 27- What was your favorite toy? CHURCH: 28- What is your favorite church memory? Why? 29- Who was your favorite teacher and why? 30- Who do you admire at church? And why? 31- Tell about something funny that happened at church 32- The best part of going to church is 33- What is your favorite scripture? Why? 34- What is your favorite hymn? Why? 35- What is your purpose in life? 36- Talk about the importance of religious faith in your life 37- When I walk into the church building I feel 38- The thing that I love most about the church building is FAMILY: 39- Say something about illness and how it has affected your life in a good way. 40- Share a family ritual that has special meaning to you. 41- Share a family tradition that has special meaning to you 42- Share a new family tradition that you have started recently 43- Share a family tradition that you would like to start. 44- Complete: 5 things I like about myself 45- Name 3 things that you don t think your family knows about you. 46- Name 3 things that you would like your family to know about you 47- Who do you admire in your family? And why? 48- How do you think your mother/father would describe you? 49- How do you think your brother/sister would describe you? 50- How do you think your grandmother/father would describe you? 51- How do you think your children would describe you? 52- Share a compliment that a family member has given you 53- Name one person you feel close to in your family. Why? 54- What do you like best about one person you live with? 55- If you could have a committee of 3 people (living or dead) to help you make decisions, whom would you choose? FEELINGS/THOUGHTS: 56- Tell about a depressing time in your life. How did you get through it? 57- Tell about a wonderful time in your life 58- Complete: I hope 59- Share your feelings about financial security 60- What kind of emergency scares you the most? 61- Complete: the happiest time for me is when 62- Tell about a recent news story that has captured your interest 63- Tell about a time when you needed help and someone helped you! How did you feel? 64- Tell about a time when you helped someone. How did you feel? 65- Tell about a time when you secretly helped someone. How did you feel? 66- What would be the most difficult news for you to accept about someone in your family? 67- How do you feel about sharing personal problems? 68- Say something about resentment. 69- If you could watch only one hour of TV this week, what would you watch? 70- What seems to be the biggest problem in your life today? Name 3 things that you can do today to fix it? 71- How do you feel about donating parts of your body at the time of your death? 72- How does TV advertising affect your buying habits? 73- Complete: I wish I had someone with whom I could share 74- Share something that no one knows about you 75- Which of your senses do you value most? Why? 76- Tell about a time when you felt awkward and someone helped you? 77- Say something about poverty 78- Talk about responsibility 79- Share your feelings about changing jobs 80- Talk about your eating habits. Choose one thing to change today. 81- Talk about newspapers and how they affect your life 82- What roles do love and affection play in your life? 83- Say something about apologizing. 84- Say something about alcoholic beverages. 85- Describe divorce in 3 words 86- Say something about gambling 87- Describe the car you would like to own 88- Tell about the last time you were late for something 89- How would you want to spend the last year of your life? 90- Say something about suicide. 91- How do you feel about guns? 92- Tell about a mistake you have made recently 93- What is the best thing in your life today? 94- Tell about the most significant person in your life 95- Describe something you like that you know someone else does not like 96- What are 3 things you would like to be doing in three years? 97- Talk about competition 98- How does music affect your life? 99- Say something about surprise parties 100- When I am in a large group I 101- Share a funny dream that you have had 102- What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you were younger? 103- Tell about a time when you felt productive 104- What are your feelings about space travel? 105- What is your purpose in life? 106- Describe the funeral service you would like held for you 107- When do you feel most confident? 108- When do you feel most peaceful: 109- Tell about a time when you felt successful 110- Tell about why you want to go on living. 111- What is one thing you could do to improve your life? 112- Tell about something that you have learned to do recently 113- Tell about something beautiful you saw this week. 114- What have you done in the past 3 months that makes you feel proud? 115- Tell about an understanding person in your life 116- What would you like to achieve with your life? 117- Give 3 reasons why you like yourself. 118- Share a compliment you have received recently. 119- Tell about a book that you have read and why you liked it. 120- Tell about a movie you have seen and why you liked it 121- Describe the most pleasant job you have ever had to do 122- Describe the most unpleasant job you have ever had to do. 123- How do you act when you want to avoid something? 124- Say something about spontaneity 125- Say something about hitchhiking 126- Make a statement about honesty 127- What is your favorite sport? Why do you like it? 128- Complete this sentence: my favorite kind of music is 129- Complete this sentence: my favorite time of day is 130- If there were 6 more hours in a day, how would you spend them? 131- Describe your favorite movie star 132- Which fairy tale character do you feel most like? Why? 133- How do you decide between right and wrong? 134- Describe the greatest dessert in the world. 135- What color would you use to describe yourself? Why? 136- Would you rather be a sunrise or a sunset? Why? 137- Would you rather be a sports car or a family car? Why? 138- Would you rather be a lake or an ocean? Why? 139- Would you rather be a red light or a green light? 140- Describe the kind of house you would most like to own. 141- Talk about a time when you were locked out of the house 142- Talk about a time when you were locked out of the car 143- Tell about a time when you got lost 144- What musical instrument would you use to describe your self? Why? 145- Talk about your favorite TV show 146- Tell about a secret desire that you have 147- Describe an ideal vacation 148- What you like to receive on your next birthday? 149- What was the best gift that you have ever received? 150- Tell about your favorite magazine and why you like it. 151- Tell about a time when you were teased and LIKED it! 152- Talk about bragging 153- How do you think your mother would describe you? 154- Talk about the last time you lost your temper and apologized 155- Complete this sentence: I am the kind of person who 156- Describe the pet you would most like to own HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED IF YOU ARE WRITING A JOURNAL FOR YOUR CHILDREN: 157- When I was pregnant I craved 158- When I was pregnant I thought about 159- When you were born 160- When you turn/turned 2 161- When you turn/turned 5 162- When you turn/turned 10 163- When you turn/turned 12 164- When you turn/turned 16 165- When you turn/turned 18 166- When you turn/turned 21 167- When you go/went to college 168- When you get/got your first job 169- When you get/got married 170- When you have/had a baby 171- Your favorite dinner is 172- The thing that you like to eat that surprises me is 173- Your favorite dessert is 174- Your favorite movie is 175- Your favorite toy is 176- Your favorite outfit is 177- You go to school at 178- You live at 179- My favorite thing to do with you is 180- I remember something funny that you did 181- What I think about the guys/girls you are dating 182- How I feel about you 183- I am proud of you because . 184- One special thing I like to do with you is 185- We went here on vacation 186- Birthday parties were celebrated 187- Pets and names of pets that you have had 188- I remember when you got hurt and I . 189- I remember when you surprised me with... Compiled by Barbie Boop