LOL, no, I haven't looked that closely into the center of FM lately. But, your photo looks like it could be the basis for a Georgia O'Keefe flower painting. Good imagination! Laurel

zone_8grandma wrote: dreamgarden, I wasn't singleing out the OP when I said that. I've gone back and re-read all of the posts and a number of them simply display a lack of knowledge about debit cards. I understand. My point was that the OP's bank is making it difficult for the OP to get an ATM card. She specifically stated that she did NOT want a debit card and that is what they gave her anyway. I stated the reasons why they might do this. Frankly, I would prefer to lose what cash I have in my wallet then lose a debit card. This is why. "Consumers should understand, however, that while their credit card fraud liability is low by law, their debit card liability can be much higher, according to law, despite the bank's revocable promises of zero liability. Plus, it is your own money, stolen from your own checking account, that you're fighting with the bank to get back. Our best advice-- never use debit cards-- either online or in person, at big merchants or small. While many of these breaches may occur at small merchants, just one breach at a big merchant, TJX Marshalls, resulted in the loss of 45 million debit and credit card numbers. It isn't worth the risk." Posted by Ed Mierzwinski/U.S. PIRG at September 22, 2007 Links that may be useful: ATM/Debit Cards: What consumers need to know about greater fraud risk, card blocking, and debit card fees www.pirg.org/consumer/banks/debit/debitcards1.htm Electronic Fund Transfers www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/consumerhdbk/electronic.htm#loss

I tried the chalk line a while back--the ants apparently hadn't been told it was a 'do not cross' sign. Alcohol is the best way I've found to clean windows. Putting sugar in corn while cooking will add a little sweetness, but it makes the corn tougher. I just buy supersweet corn at the farm stands--it doesn't need sugar. for cleaning vases with narrow necks, I break up a denture cleaning tablet or 2, drop in and add warm (not hot) water. Interestingly, when I took a pate de verre class (molding glass pieces from frit), the instructor--who was a nationally known glass artist also used the denture cleaner method for cleaning the plaster bits of the molds off the molded pieces. Elmer's glue also works for splinters. Spread it on over the area, let dry and peel off the glue--the spinter usually comes with it. Murphy's oil soap also works well on crayon marks if they're on something like wood. Baking soda is my #1 go-to cleaner in the house. It takes those brown specks off frying pans and ranges, removes KoolAid and Grape juice stains from formica, safely scours surfaces that can't tolerate real cleanser or steel wool pads, it disinfects, deoderizes, is cheap, readily available... I buy it in 5 pound bags, and keep a decorative jar of it on my kitchen sink, since I use it pretty much every day.

Thanks to dim4fun for the interesting link. I am a lighting novice so I had no idea that there was a difference between one dimmer and another. Our cans were installed today and they put in temporary switches. Our contractor said he will put in dimmers, but I don't know how much he knows about different types of dimmers, particularly in light (no pun intended) of our intent to use CFLs. Davidr has posted dimmable CFL's on another thread. I wonder if they work with different types of dimmers such as the ones discussed in this thread. I'm hoping he's lurking on this thread to follow-up. Also, is there a dimmable CFL that doesn't look like a CFL (with the loopy tubes). It is OK for it to be a cool light as we will have xenon undercabinet lights and a couple of halogens (2 pucks in wood trim over sink and 3 mini-pendants over the center island and its attached table). Besides, our countertop is a light color and we want the cool light to bring out the accents in the granite. Anyone out there who can help here? Thanks.