My locale is not in the path of most natural disasters so in my lifetime, I haven't had to deal with them the way others have (Thank God!, I don't take it lightly or want to devalue the contributions of so many) I did stockpile for y2k and still have cans of seeds in the basement. If I lived in an area known for extremes, Oklahoma or the beach anywhere, for instance, no question about needing ample emergency supplies. We live on 5 acres bordering a creek so if the aliens attack, we can hunker down and plant those y2k seeds. For your amusement: for y2k, I stockpiled olive oil, chocolate, coffee, ibuprofen and wheat. (with a few other necessities-cash- thrown in).

I know a lot of the moms(and maybe their daughters)are interested in how things are going in this situation with the gym class difficulties(which almost became a phobia of avoidance for Kimmy). A lot of the girls on the gURL website(her own peers)told her to SUCK IT UP and get on with life BUT many have offered her EXCELLENT suggestions for solving these issues and showing improvement. She was upset at the SUCK IT UP Comments but she realized the girls had all passed PE Class and she has not. Kimmy and I do have good communication(now that she is living with me and the Gossip Girls type social clique from her past is a thing of the past with me). She and I read her own entries on the gURL website about this issue and they were WHINEY and immature for a 9th Grader.Kimmy is making progress toward solving this. Again many of the comments on the websiteto her from girls who have taken an interest have been supportive and several offered excellent strategies to improve her physical fitness. Here we go with the progress as the First Nine Week Grading Period ended at the school on Friday. Her two PE Teachers met with me and Kimmy will get a C (passing grade) 70 (lowest possible passing grade at that school)for Physical Education. With the P(Passing) Grade brought with her from that class at the public high school in North Carolina for five of the nine weeks(PE/Health was taught in a computer lab with interactive software...casual clothes,flipflops,snacks,you get the image. Actual physical activity -free choice-was 30 minutes on Fridays there... I know many of you,like me,don't see the logic of Physical Education taught by computer,but very few public schools even require specific physical fitness classes with vigorous fitness requirements even as the state of youth health in the U>S> declines. Health Education could certainly be taught with software but Physical Education....GIVE ME A BREAK as they say on the television program with John Stoessel.With the emphasis in the public schools on basic ACADEMIC SKILLS testing many public schools have or are eliminating physical education requirements,health/safety ed.,the arts,home economics/consumer living,vocational ed.,continuing on and on.I know it my heart it was the right decision to transfer my daughter to an all girls private school here in Virginia. I really think there is an opportunity for Kimmy to experience support but demands,high standards,and leadership development/community service. The comments many of you made to my original entry(OP) about a week ago have been both helpful and thoughtful,most recently from plumbly 22. Because Kimmy's PE grade was passing from the transfer school,she got an excellent(28 out of 30 points)on the written Field Hockey Skills Test for the first unit this year,30 of 50 points on the performance skills testing(fitness,field hockey,beginner ballet,beginning swimming class-Red Cross Level I completed---one step forward) and 12 points participation(including a very generous 10 points from the transfer class since it was ungraded at that school...S/U or P/F symbols;2 points were granted for Kimmy completing 2 hours of the PE Detention last week as the grading period ended)resulting in a score of 70. The ladies told Kimmy that the non-participation/dressing out/not showering after PE Class/ballet/swimming was at an end. The transfer points from her previous school was at only for the first grading period. Kimmy told them that she was going to get the remaining 4 hours of PE Detention served next week and NEVER AGAIN. Those sessions are very hard on her (think two PE Teachers,several girls as gym assistants,and constant activities...military boot camp style...you get the image.. Kimmy was proud of herself for getting through two afternoons of that and not passing out but yes,you guessed it,she did throw up both sessions but the other girls did not laugh at her the second day. They offered her some of their bottled water and helped her keep going until it was finished.) The ladies told Kimmy that the girls serving as student gym assistants were there to help them but Kimmy doesn't buy that part. It's a peer thing and that new kid at school situation. When you see some girls able to do the activities so well and yes,look so good in their work out clothes which of course,the assistants get to CHOOSE,its easy for a younger student to see the "glass half empty" instead of half-full. The PE teachers explained to Kimmy the solution for the wet hair(except the chlorine remains on swim class day) was a shower cap since PE/ballet/swim class for 9th Graders is first class bell(90 minutes) each day. Except for the swim class day,no wet hair for her the other days at school. Hair that air dries sticks out on her..she says she looks like a porcupine. The TEMPORARY SOLUTION to the gymsuit issue is the combination blue shorts/blue leotard with white knee type athletic socks/athletic shoes...you get the visual image..I am still trying to find some remote source for the blue onepiece gymsuit Kimmy threw away(not "lost"). The reason the school does not have any larger size (XL) gymsuits remaining this year is that they repurchase them from Senior Girls at the end of each school year to use for the upcoming school year as needed. The school has massive amounts of the gymsuits in smaller sizes from years in the past(think 1950's,1960's) but they don't fit Kimmy due to the one-piece style. I'm still trying to locate a source and feel perhaps there may be some girls private school somewhere they may have an XL size. 5'6",150 lbs.(Kimmy and I are both working together on the weight issue too). Showering after PE Class/ballet/swimming is not an option but Kimmy was allowed to wear her bathing suit except on swim class day itself when the suit has to be removed because of the chlorine. This is really a compromise Kimmy understands - 1 day butt naked instead of 5. With PE/swim Class being first class of the day(you can imagine how the 9th Grade Girls react to that when Senior Girls have PE last class period then go home or to activities/dorm rooms,etc.)I explained to Kimmy the hygiene aspects and that swimming pool chlorine can affect the body as well as the hair color. I talked with Kimmy about my getting her doctor(still a pediatrician and you know how she reacts to those office visits with the little kids staring at her and laughing and their moms quieting them but that's another story for another day)to write a note of permanent excuse from Physical Education Requirements or a note requesting the Adapted PE Class but Kimmy almost jumped out of the car. Then I realized the true impact of peer pressure on girls today. Something may be difficult or embarrassing,but they are in together and have to solve it together(with hopefully their moms support and understanding). As she put it,Kimmy said it was tough for her,but she knew she was going to solve it not drop it. Being the ONLY 9th Grader in a study hall(instead of PE) or the only 9th Grade girl without a true medical restriction in the Adapted/individualized PE /swim Class would have certainly resulted in more negative peer pressure and emotional scenes. In no way is the problem solved but there has been progress. The PE Teachers told Kimmy the PE Unit next grading period was Gymnastics/Tumbling (you should have seen her eyes as she was thinking about the balance beam and rope climb requirements),beginner ballet continues(PINK Leotard and everything although we both laugh WITH each other now that she looks like the Energizer Bunny on the television ads....you can only imaginethe image of PINK everything from the hair tie down to the slippers)and she now has to start Red Cross Level II Swim Requirements(she still sinks but I reminded Kimmy the girls serving as pool assistants who are on the swim team get her above the surface again and that her skills and swim endurance will improve with practice). Passing the Skills Level I swim test was a boost to her confidence. The school swim test comes again in January as first semester ends. I continue to show Kimmy all of the entries on this forum as I think many of the moms (and their daughters) are pulling for her success and do understand improvement is difficult but possible(the "glass half full" Concept not half empty).Kimmy understands that. I also have her in Aquatic Fitness Class with me to improve confidence in the water and endurance. She is in the Red Cross Babysitting/CPR Class two evenings where the Red Cross instructors also take the time to review swimming test requirements with her;youth bible study is one evening,and I am starting her activity with a neighbor (she is a Certified PE Teacher and teaches at the elementary school level not at Kimmy's School) to help Kimmy prepare for the Series 10 Physical Fitness Test in mid-November at her school(the Monday-Wednesday of the Thanksgiving Week)(10 fitness tests in 3 days,100 possible points,passing grade of 70 C required,which counts as the first semester exam;testing repeated in June for second semester). Each student has to choose the order of the events they will do(4 events day 1,3 events day 2,3 events day 3 with one retake allowed on day 3 among all the events if a score of 70 had not been earned). Maybe some of the moms(and their daughters) might remember those physical fitness tests since obviously there must be a strategy from a physical standpoint,as to events to group together. In my days of PE(1980's) we simply did them as one group,everyone doing the tests at the same time. At this school,to develop decision-making and self-responsibility skills,the girls rotate to event stations in the order they choose but they are responsible for the results and their endurance over the 3 days. Any ideas for a strategy there or maybe your daughters might have some ideas. Kimmy is now interested in being on the Field Hockey team next year and it seems to be a sport that could be started at high school age. She is still trying to come up with a solution to the whacks on the butt and back of the thighs with the hockey sticks during the PE Class hockey activity but I told her on a team,her teammates would look out for each other. She has not yet come up with a solution in PE Class when some of the other girls come up behind her during the game with rough stick play...new kid experience again...and again) and Kimmy does not want to risk more PE Detention Hours. She feels she would be the one punished for fighting/lack of sportsmanship. She is trying to be cooperative with the gym teachers. Those ladies made a believer of her with the PE Detention. I knew I could not show up there but you can only imagine how bad I felt for her getting off the activity bus last Thursday and Friday at 6:00 and simply going to bed. Please keep the ideas and support coming. It's good karma. I show Kimmy all the feedback here(but you guessed it,she only shows me SOME of the girl feedback from the sisterhood of the gURL website,as I think about it,probably very little of the girl chat,it's like a diary in our day). Kimmy's other report card grades first 9weeks were 4 A's,2 B's,C(Latin) and the C(PE) but Kimmy knows the PE Grade could have been much worse and there is an opportunity for success. Now it's own to gymnastics/tumbling(new experience for her as well as me). Fencing and Girls Basketball from the 1980's did not prepare me for all the fitness opportunities girls/women have now. Thanks for your feedback and support.Kim J.

It's a very personal thing to tip or not. It is my choice to do so. I realize delivery people are not dependent on tips to survive, but neither am I, nor any service industry employees. They, just like I, can choose to do something else. That, however, makes their work no less difficult (and I thank God they chose to do these jobs) as many of these delivery people contract for whatever and find their tips their salvation. This is a whole new economy. (As an aside, waitpeople in several states are often union employees whose income far exceeds minimum wage but I do tip them anyway). I tip because it is my Christian belief and the way I was raised to do unto others as I would have them do unto me. My husband had issues with that when we married, but he has come to see how blessed we are if we do for others. I figure if I can buy that $1500 dishwasher, the least I can do is give the guy who brings it to my house risking his back and hernias, a $5-10-20 (depending) and a smile. We don't do cookies. Some of the nicest people I have met here are the ones who have the most materially, but who are willing to share with those less fortunate. My family and I have very little monetarily, but we lack nothing as far as basic food, clothing and shelter but how could we not share since we have it all. Clothes, food, shelter and a great family.

When I had to use Peapod (a delivery service associated with some grocery stores) due to a broken ankle, I tipped between 5 and 7 dollars each time they came by. I was simply grateful I didn't do one of those "Blue Apron" things where they would just leave the stuff at your garage door (which I could not access) but came up personally to deliver. (You have to sign off... a good thing in my mind... as a temporary "shut in", it was essential so I could get my food...) Whether it was a $30 delivery or a $80 one, the guy had to do the same amount of work, and I know he didn't assemble the stuff in the delivery, so there was no reason to base my tip on the cost of the food. I figure if I tip the pizza delivery guy (a bit less than this one), I can surely tip this guy! These people kept me sane during a bad time. ***EDIT BELOW*** I seriously doubt that in any of the situations I'm reading above, that the delivery person is the actual shopper. The person who shops the stuff for you will not get a wooden nickel of the tip. (The pizza delivery guy doesn't make pizzas, either...)