Vegan_Mom

Last week, when I saw Gabby and Nick's wedding that wasn't and again today, when Rafe and Gabby mentioned their mother, I wondered where she was. Rafe, Gabby and their sister (whose name is escaping me) have all spoken of their mother as though she hung the moon or something. I was surprised when the mother wasn't around for the sister's will reading via video.

I just find this odd.

Is the guy in the clerica collar Brady? My husband and I were watching on Thursday (I think) and we were trying to figure it out. (It was an afternoon in which our two-year-old and five-year-old were at his parents'.) We assumed he was a Catholic priest as everybody on that show seems to be Catholic by default. (My husband is a Lutheran, ELCA, pastor. We immediately excluded Episcopal.) Thank you.

I have shares of Tim Horton's stock. (I'm not sure how many, I got them when TH and Wendy's split.) I've been negligent in cashing the checks. That's rather amusing, because I'm cheap and will take free things however I can get them. Yet, I don't make it into town often and I forget to give them to my husband. Sure, they are "only" about $1.50 for each check, but it's still enough for a cup of coffee for when I go out for a "me trip" and I can't drink. (I currently have a six week old son.)

My husband asked my father about it and he wasn't sure. My father has a very sharp business mind and was the one who got me started in the stock when I was 16. (I still have Wendy's stock. Yes, I see the irony. I got the stock long before I was even concientious of what I ate. Now, it's worth more to me as stock, especially since I forget about it most of the time.) I havent' thought to do an Internet search on it, or even phone Tim Horton's or contact them. While my son is napping and I'm still drinking my coffee (before I pry my butt up and get some housework done), I'll at least check out the website. I'll also check out unclaimed funds sites. (Anybody know of good ones besides the Unclaimed Funds one?)

Also, I still have most of the checks that I've received in the past two years. They are either in the built in drawers in the dining room or in my desk. I know one disappeared. (My in-laws visit and my husband's sister still lives with them. She likes to move things off of the dining room table to make room for her laptop and not think that the stuff is not hers to move. She did tht once and the check disappeared.)

Anyway, thanks for any help you can give me. (My husband said he was gong to cash his check today and I told him to remind me to give him my stock one, which just came yesterday.)

Also, can I really claim it as income when I've not been cashing the checks? (Just curious. I'll ask my dad that. He spends tax season doing taxes for a CPA friend of his. Had he not been called into being a pastor, he would have mad a great businessman.)

Thank you.

Not too long ago (well, within the past couple of months) my husband, who is knowlegeable of musicals and music, and I were talking and I mentioned this song and asked him. He did not know. I first heard it when I was in high school and watched a bit of a beauty pageant. (I'm not into those; I was just bored.) Anyway, the song touched me as I did not have a good relationship with my father. Anyway, I'm watching "Glee" for the first time and it's not bad. I may not make it a weekly thing, but I thought I would check it out. (Surprise! Fox has something that's halfway decent. Well, they have "The Simpsons", but that show is still great. However, the football coach plays on stereotypes, which I don't care for.) I digress.

Anyway, the song was on the show and I really liked it. I did a quick Yahoo! Search and did not find anything that I thought would go with it.

Any help would be appreciated.

A few weeks ago, I went Treasure Hunting in my university town when the kids moved out for the summer. One of my nice finds was a nylon brief/messenger bag (somewhat similar to this in style: http://www.walmart.com/ip/CalPak-Negotiator/124259... ) that is a great size for my laptop. However, I'm unsure as to how to clean it. (I also found a very large nylon duffel bag that I would like to clean as well.) If anybody has any tips or ideas, I would be greatly appreciated.

I'm pretty sure it exists, but I am not sure where to find it, other than Whole Foods when we go in a few weeks. I've thought of coming on-line and looking a few times, but haven't actually thought to do so until I saw something on Beliefnet with an illustration of alphabet soup with "Thank You" spelled out in it.

Any help would be appreciated, and I will do a search as well. I just thought to come here first.

This afternoon, I wanted to reheat leftover coffee from this morning. I poured it in to our stove top coffee pot and accidentally turned on the wrong burner, as my attention was also diverted to my two-year-old and her broccoli. (However, my husband and I constantly turn the wrong burner on when we want to use the back one. It's a running joke.) While it was cool watching the beads of water in the pot move around (still had water on it from when I washed it, I guess), it was not cool trying to carefully and quickly take it to the sink to cool off. In the process, the bottom of the pot came off (high quality stuff, I guess), and fell on the floor, leaving a black mark and melt spots. (My poor daughter, in her BabeeTenda table, knew something was very not good from my reaction. I could tell from the way she was shirking and the expression on her face. I assured her that things were find and she referred to the spot as a "big mess". That's an understatement.) The black spot is bad enough, especially since it is dead center. However, my husband is a pastor and we live in a parsonage. Therefore, it is not our house, we are essentially tenants. So, I REALLY need to fix this. I figure if I speak with people (i.e., council president) and explain the mistake and own up to it, it might not be that bad. Also, the other pastor seemed to be passive aggressive, from what I hear. After he moved out, church members found cat feces in the basement, as though that was the litter box. The sins of the past pastor (in other ways as well), are kinda hanging over our heads. At least we've gotten friendly with people and seem to be on

good terms with parishioners, but still. It is not our house and I feel very guilty.

Oh, yeah. There is also leftover linoleum in the basement and the print is a tile pattern. Is there a way I can cut and paste?

I boo-booed and I want, I need to fix it. (In the past, I've not been good at owning up to my mistakes and not fixing them/taking care of them.)

Thank you for any help and reading through my venting. (My husband's not home to vent to.)

I have had an iPod video for two and a half years (I got it from my husband Christmas 2006, so I guess it's the first generation iPod video), and it actually gets little use. I'm leaving for NYC tomorrow and I would like to take it along. My husband, the family computer geek, doesn't have time to load them, and I should have started this a couple of weeks ago when I was home. (Last week, we were on a trip to NYC to take my husband's sister as her college graduation gift. This time, my husband is sending me alone for my anniversary present.)

I wouldn't mind taking advantage of LimeWire, or other free downloads, but I really don't have the time to download LimeWire today. (I'm very good at thinking of things last minute. Plus, my husband said last week that my older computer would be the computer for LimeWire. Before downloading it, I am going to clean my computer of unused apps and documents.) However, if there are other places for free downloads, I would like to know.

Thank you.

I don't want to look "perfect"during the day. However, it seems as though just from daily wear, some of my clothes (jeans, shorts, golf shirts) start to look stretched out and pulled out during the day. Part of it, with the golf shirts is from having to pull them up for breastfeeding my daughter. (Only my golf shirts, I think, but not with some of my sweaters...) I like to look put together, not frumpy and I like my clothes to look fitted, not baggy. (I went through that stage when I was in HS and trying to hide behind over sized clothes.)

Also, my shorts and jeans are all too big. I have shorts that are 11s, 12s, and even a 13. The 13 seemed to fit at the time I tried it on on Sunday, but it was a bit of a desperation buy, having tried on at least a dozen shorts and not finding anything and almost walking out of Goodwill with nothing.... Again. Even with a belt, (D-hook loop belt), my pants/shorts slip down to the point I can pull them off without buttoning them. Actually, it seems as though my jeans and shorts get stretched out during the day with wear.

I like my clothes to look fitted and on, but it's easier said than done. If I could just gain weight so they COULD stay on, it would be okay.

I think next week when I'm in NYC and can't easily change, I'll just stick to things that don't look too stretched out, though advice would be nice.

Thank you in advance. I'm posting this while my daughter is sleeping (somewhat late) and I don't know when I will be back to look for answers. (Sleeping this late might mean no afternoon nap, which is when I would get on again. Otherwise, I may not see anything until tomorrow morning.)

It seems as though, several years ago, I have seen products from like Dove and other companies for products that either get soapy when wet (I have some of those already) or are already pre-wet (like the Stridex pads that were out when I was in HS in the early 90s).

I'm going to NYC in two different trips next month. Unlike past trips, we are not staying in the city, but in New Jersey. (The hotel at which we used to stay got too expensive, so we're staying in NJ for about $60 a night, which is where I will be staying when I go alone.) Therefore, I cannot easily go back to the hotel to wash up and change for the theater. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about dressing (i.e., chaning from shorts to my dress or skirt or just wearing it and flats around the city until I go to the theater...)

Anyway, my question is about the face cloths. I know that schlepping around in the city in June will make me hot and sweaty and icky-looking. If anything, I can just pull my hair up, but I want something for my face. I have the face cloths that get soapy when wet, as I said, but they're messy. Is there a pre-moistened alternative?

My daughter is up so it might be awhile before I can come back and look at responses, so thanks in advance.

-- That's the other thing: My first trip to NYC this summer will be with my husband, our 20-month-old daughter and his 23-year-old sister, so I want something easy and low-hassle. The second trip I will be going alone. (My husbnad is sending me for our eighth anniversary.) However, I will still want something hassle free. I think I will look for the Stridex pads or something similar, but they have/had alcohol in them and can be drying. (I will stick my small tube of face moisterizer in my bag I will take to the city.)

Again, any help is appreciated. (Sorry for the rambling. The coffee's kicked in.)

I need new shoes. I could use a pair of dressy flats for skirts and pants and a pair of loafers. I don't want to spend much money, becuase I don't like to do so. However, my one pair of brown loafers are tight with socks (my feet grew during pregnancy, they used to be too big) and are scuffed and look good with no socks and my khaki and white pairs of bermuda shorts.

I understand this is a tall order. (Pun intended, seeing that I am six feet tall.) However, I would like something. I got a new outfit the other day and brown loafers would look good with it, but I don't have them, and I was hoping to wear it to church on Sunday, and to my husband's birthday dinner on Monday.

Thank you.

Monday, while cooking lunch, I dropped the cap to the bottle of olive oil. That in itself was annoying. However, when reaching for a spatula from the canister on the counter, I bumped the opened bottle. Oil on the floor. Risking burnt tofu, or at least over cooked, I cleaned up the spill immediately, using a wash cloth and natural cleaning spray (Meijer grocery store brand). I thought I had it taken care of. This morning, while getting cinnamon for my cereal (just regular generic Cheerios, but cinnamon on cereal is good), I slipped on the spill. I think I was aware of my daughter's toys on the floor as I grasped for a place to hold on to. I finally was able to grab onto the corner of the basement door and the opened cupboard door. (I have an 18-month-old, so even having a sprained ankle would not be good.)

So, it needs to be cleaned up. Not only for the safety of my husband, our daughter and me, but my in-laws are coming for a visit and they have trouble enough walking. My next thought was to use one of my Swiffer cloths (I don't normally use those, especially when an old washcloth on the sweeper, sprayed with cleaner and the floor sprayed with cleaner works just as well, but cheaper and more ecologically friendly), but I don't think that will be any, or much more, effective than what I have already done.

Thank you.

Over the summer I got a couple of Vera Bradley wallets. One has a zipper pocket and a plastic pocket for an ID. The other one looks to be a business card holder and all cloth.

I just went to eBay to look for a style like the one I have and found an identical one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VERA-BRADLEY-RET-PROVINCIAL-RE...

I decided to keep it for now, instead of trying to sell it (even if just got $10 for it, it would be straight profit, which would go to clothes that I literally need and to a donation somewhere) because it's a nice small size, smaller than what I already have. I ahve a small hobo style purse and while I don't have much in it (phone in the front pocket, wallet, a pen or two, a tiny bottle of sanitizer, a granola bar and other little things) my current wallet takes up most of the purse. Also, I could more easily fit this one in my diaper bag, jeans pocket or blazer pocket.

Anyway, any information you can give me would be helpful. Thank you.

On Monday, I'm flying from Columbus, OH to Chicago, Il to Austin. I don't really have much extra money and I'm taking the trip to Austin to see my brother before he gets shipped to Iraq next month. (We've not seen each other in two years.) Also, I'm vegan (obviously), so I'm guessing I won't find much to begin with, even if I had time with my layover. (I'll have just enough time to grab my luggage if it's not being transferred and go to the next gate.)

I'm sure that there are restrictions on what I can and can't take, but I'm not finding anything on the American Airlines site. (I think that's the airline. My husband booked my ticket so I will have to ask him.) All I plan on taking are some nuts, dried fruit and maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (or two) and some fruit and grain bars and granola bars. No meat and nothing overly funky. (Though some would say that my all natural PB and all-natural jelly on all-natural whole wheat bread is overly funky.) I might overpay for water and coffee at the air ports (unless the airlines still provide that in flight; It's been a couple of years since I have flown).

Also, I plan on taking my digital camera. Can I take that with me on the plane, or does it have to go in my suitcase? How many carry-ons am I allowed? (I plan on just taking my brief bag [messenger bag], but if I can take another, that would be good.)

Any information you can give me will be appreciated.

Yesterday, I recieved some clothes from a friend that she no longer wanted. Most of them were not my style and I'm not sure about the Vera Bradley jacket. I like the square cut, but I'm not sure about the design, as I like small subtle designs, or pin stripes, but nothing major.

There is an upscale consignment shop by me. I've only been there once in the three years I've lived here because I forget it's there and usually go straight to Goodwill or get my clothes from other second hand sources. I would like to take it there to try and sell or put it on Craigs List. I figure if I can sell it, I can use the money for clothes I do need and will use.

I looked on the Vera Bradley site and didn't find anything and searching through the listings on eBay and Yahoo! Shopping seems too tedious and I don't have the time to do so.

I don't know when I'll be back to check answers. Thank you for any help you can give me.

This morning, while going through some boxes, I found some old shoes (mostly Converse All Stars) that are way too old and beat up to put in a yard sale or to take to Goodwill or a charity that gives away stuff for people who can't afford anything, like homeless shelters or my church's clothing giveaway.

Yet, I don't want to just dump them in a landfill if I can do something with them. Once, a few years ago, I heard about a program that Nike does-- Take old shoes and recycle them into play ground equipment and stuff.

I checked www.earth911.com and the only results I got for the Columbus, OH zip code (we're moving from a Michigan suburb to Columbus; I may as well move them back, what's one more box?) and just found a couple of listings for Salvation Army.

Anyway, I would appreciate any advice.

Thank you.

I was typing on another message board and typed this phrase, "most of whom are more knowledgeable than me," but wondered if the proper phrasing should be, "most of whom are more knowledgeable than I". When I've heard "proper speak" I think I've heard I instead of me. ("Proper speak" is my phrase that I use for when I talk more properly/formally for more formal situations, than just regular everyday conversations.)

Anyway, I'm digressing. I'm just curious as to what the proper phrasing is. Just because "me" might be more common, doesn't mean it's right. Yet, I think "me" is more common, so I'll just stick with that. It's "just" a message board, but I credit wasting time on boards with helping my typing, grammar, spelling, etc. which has transferred into the "real world".

Anyway, thank you. (Also, I'm sure that there are a few mistakes here, too. I'm human.)