This is a little different, but it's the same idea. We like to do this over cocktails before the meal at dinner parties. Note that we try to have a group of 8-10 people who do not know each other well (or at all), mixing ages, marital status, careers, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. -- you'd be amazed at how different the conversation is from when it is a group of friends. (Both are good). Anyway, this is a game I learned from college students who did it as an orientation ice-breaker. You may have heard of it: "Two truths and a lie." Everyone has to tell 3 things about him/herself, one of which is not true. Then everyone guesses which is the lie, and then on to the next person. Wow, what fun and fascinating conversations this leads to! People seem a bit weirded out at first that we are making them play a game, but they always get into it fast (it's not really a "game," anyway -- you don't keep score or anything). By the way, a popular "truth" for kids coming from here in central Ohio is, "I used to work for Victoria's Secret." Limited Brands (including VS) is based here, and working on the phones at the VS catalog center is a popular part-time/summer job for students!

OK, this is sort of an unrelated follow-up if that makes any sense. Thought this might be of some help to some people but not worth it's own thread. So I mentioned I purchased this faucet (and the matching beverage faucet, which honestly was the reason I picked the faucet in the first place ... I wanted them to match) from homeperfect.com. They had the best price on the beverage faucet by far and the best price on the kitchen faucet by maybe $25. I do this all the time ... I buy it from the cheapest place without regard to anything else. I mentioned that I had to call the manufacturer. I was a little irritated about this because I feel like that's something the company I bought it from should handle as I was sent a defective faucet (I bought my last faucet from Faucet Depot and they dealt with Delta for me when there were issues). However, Hansgrohe was very nice and told me to tell homeperfect to issue an RGA and send me a new faucet. That was last Monday. The homeperfect.com rep I was working with said he'd send me directions on what to do in 30 minutes. No call or email came. I called back Wednesday and he said he was waiting for his manager to do something related to this. He would send me information within two days. Friday comes, no info. I called and my rep I was working with wasn't there. Initially I was told no one else could help me but I got to a manager when I raised a fuss (it is extremely difficult to speak with anyone at homeperfect unless you know their extension or go through the "sales" option). The manager told me there was nothing in my account that suggested anyone had even started the process of getting me a new faucet. Said he put in the request and that I would hear back by this Tuesday (tomorrow). All of this is ridiculous. Thank goodness I don't need my faucet right now. At this point I'd rather not even do business with this company but if I return the faucet I'll get hit with a 25% restocking fee and if I try to return it because it is defective I have to fill out an online form and then wait "up to 30 days" for a return authorization. Anyway ... just a little aside to the ongoing faucet issue.

" I have alarms along the driveway to alert me that someone is approaching" I want to know what it is (brand, make etc) because I want one of those! about a yr or so back I looked at some online but so many of the reviews were all over the place that I gave up. I gave up looking online, but I still want one! I want to know when someone comes into my driveway before they get close to the house. Usually my dog will let me know if someone gets close to the house - but I'd like to know before she goes nutso on me. My security doors are all metal with little holes all over them - you can see out enough to know who is out there and talk to them. If I see my mail person or UPS out there I don't have a problem opening the door - but still my dog is barking at the intrusion. if I know it is them, I just shut my bedroom door with her in it so that she isn't interrupting or escaping. I tell Mr UPS that she wants a ride in his truck, he just laughs and shakes his head. Amazon delivery is often done with someone in their personal car and that does bother me some. I do check the tracking so that I know when something is out for delivery and expect them. fyi - I've lived here 19 yrs and have never had a trick or treater. the 1st yr I knew of 1 kid (behind me) so I just bought a candy bar for him. He never came over, so the next day I took it to him. He was six and told me that he didn't like candy, so I ate it. Where I live people have several acres and there are no street lights on roads around us or usually in driveways and often coyotes out there roaming around.

Well, the extra $50 is now history. I bought the "canyonlands" cutting board, and can't wait to get it. Love that it can act as art displayed in the kitchen when not being put to use, and especially love that it brings to mind so many places in the high desert that have captured my heart. We tend to make entirely too many juvenile jokes about "cutting the cheese" at our house (while, I might add, actually slicing fromage -- not the other thing it refers to), and maybe this pretty piece will compel us to show a bit more decorum. Actually, that's quite unlikely, but we can have a goal. ;-) Here's more of the artist's work. I think his freeform pieces are quite nice: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Inlaidwoods?ref=l2-about-shopname I've so enjoyed seeing how others would spend a $50 windfall, and have definitely gleaned inspiration for things I might like to have in the future.