Sounds like a lot of totin' and haulin' to me.

I hope she gets the care she needs. It's very scary as a parent to hear these stories. Even if your kid isn't on the social media, the other kids are and "talking" behind her back and she knows something is going on. Schools need to stiffen the penalties for cyber-bullying as much as physical bullying - I don't know, maybe the state has to get involved, if it takes charging kids with a misdemeanor, or issuing restraining orders to prevent driving another kid to suicide then that's what it takes! DS is 15, has always been a thoughtful, sensitive, private kid with a few close friends, not into the "popular" activities but seems to be happy, is definitely busy with Scouts, track, and church. I don't know what other kids may be saying about him, but at least he doesn't know either - or doesn't care. He is going to camp counselor training in a few weeks, and then to National Youth Leadership training for Scouts, hopefully next summer he will get a job at the Scout camp. OK, I'm bragging I guess but I think he's a good role model, and I *think* he's not at risk for depression. DD is 5 years younger and starting puberty - she has 2 very close friends, and watching others coming up to her after school concert she seems to be "popular" but again doesn't have the same interests as many her age (she's also almost a year older than everyone else in her grade, both kids are Nov birthdays and we decided to start DD later than DS since he had been in daycare/preschool and was an early reader, she was a late talker/potty trainer). She's more sensitive to peer pressure - I suppose girls usually are? I wouldn't pull her out to HS unless I thought there was a serious problem, I want to wait to see if she keeps/makes friends in middle school. I hope that keeping her in Scouts will help - if the leaders can keep a group of girls aware of the problems that bullying can cause, and keep them believing in their own value in spite of other people (peers, even some siblings and parents I know of) telling them otherwise. Girl Scouts just doesn't seem to be as organized as Boy Scouts though, and not too many girls seem to keep up with it through middle and high school, from what I can tell by the size of the troops in our town. But "mean girls" start early - DD ran into one her first day of kindergarten. Add a mean teacher, and in 1st grade she was begging me to HS her! At least 2nd - 4th she has regained her love of school, is actually disappointed to have only a few days left this year.

Greetings, everyone. I thank you all for your good hopes and wishes. What gene did I miss out on? Must have been the gene for sensible driving, I guess ... ... cause I flunked! Didn't look as much as I should have, starting out, didn't drive fast enough on highway and expressway, turning in a double lane from expressway to multi-lane road (with pavement markings, but some obscured), I turned too close - he said that was a dangerous action. I wasn't close to the parallel car ... but - you don't argue. Didn't check blind spot enough, when I was asked to park, didn't put brake on. Didn't come to a complete stop at a "STOP" sign (and I didn't stop behind the white line, either, but he didn't refer to that). There are 343 boxes that are to be dealt with - I don't want to tell you how many have marks in them! I haven't counted ... I guess that I'd say, "yet", as I imagine that I'll be checking it later. Can't read all of his written remarks. So - I now have a temporary learner's licence, meaning that I must have a licensed driver in the seat beside me when I'm on the road. Can't drive on expressway (unless with licensed driving instructor), and can't drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. I must wait 10 days before I can try it again ... and they have me slated for March 31. My friend, who went with me to the test, said that they gave him a hard time, and he had to make do with a learner's permit for a month and a half - thinks they want to shake us seniors up a bit. That makes me a certified member of the Senior Citizens Second Childhood Club. I got some milk on the way home, have a well-stocked freezer, can make my own bread ... but will have to make arrangements for milk. Or get a bunch of powder ... which, for drinking, makes me go "Uugg-g-h!". Again - I appreciate all of your good thoughts and hopes. Looks like I'll need even more of 'em, in nearly 4 weeks! Good wishes for safe driving - and your thankfulness that you enjoy the privilege! ole joyful

Thank you so much Pluckymama. That is a great help (and you are right, they do look great). I am off tomorrow to see a few more slabs of SS (Minas and Beleza) and will take another look at the Nordic Black. The Mumbai Grey SS that I took a sample of is doing the same watermark thing you are experiencing (and wow, the mineral oil only holds for a day at most). Soapstone International has told me it has to do with the finish (which they 400 grit, but that sounded kind of crazy considering). As I was thinking about the watermark issue, I just wondered if anyone has tried carnuba wax? I say this because it is used on cars (stay with me), and on the glossy coating of candy (like M&Ms). My thinking? Food grade, OK. And if it buffs to the point that it protects car exteriors, it is obviously durable.