A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall coffee house 2175 ~ thankful we're all alive

i figured i'd get this one ready, the last one is ready to close

I am ready to sit for a while.
I got rid of about 50% of Ted's stuffed animals from the room I am working on. All boxed up and stored. I hid most of his toys that he insists belong in the middle of the room. He is not being intentionally messy. That is where he feels they go and puts them 'away' in their place all of the time. I move them over out of the way every night. He puts them back everyday. But we don't need trip-ables around right now.
Some more vacuuming and it will be called done for the moment.

Oh! And this is a very nice Coffee House you set up, Jiffy. I hope it proves profitable for you.

that's cute, tina. he feels they belong in the middle of the room.
well, our kids have no school tomorrow. a neighbor girl is going to watch them while me and hubby are at work. I'm trying to figure out how much to pay her. she really doesn't have to do much. they'll probably all just play guitar hero all day anyway. I thinking of giving her about 20 bucks.

cricket, you figure that out, and you will have figured out the all time question for parents on a budget

i never knew what was fair.

does 20 bucks sound fair? it's not like my kids are very young and need diaper changes or anything. they are 8 & 11, and she is 15.

Does she have a rate she charges? Is she leaving it up to you? Ask her before you leave if that is going to be good for her.

I don't know what she charges. she watches her little brother a lot, and her parents pay her 50 bucks a week. I don't think she watches any other kids. yea, I'll ask her what she charges.

well, 50 a week is 10 a day for one child. you could argue that she is helping out her family. you could say 20 is good, and if you get home to no chaos, then you can bump it to 25. which is what i would do if i were you. you can go up, you can't go down

and, after re-reading your post, if she over charges you, tomorrow is just a good test.

I am ready to sit for awhile... so may as well sit at the puter right?
Joe is cooking- I fed Mom...watching Bye Bye Birdie... funny how I know all the music after all these yrs..we did it as our musical in high school- was last thing I was in before I left to have my oldest daughter-back then you could go to school preggers but not married and preggers...LOL!
Tomorrow I am taking my doll collection down off the shelves and dusting them...I have 29 of them... I use a swiffer and a paint brush to do it - it's mostly just time consuming to do but I tend to put it off... not my favorite thing to do ......
Well gotta go and get my dinner... I am starving...
Nana

enjoy dinner nana!

sounds very tedious, nana.
yea, jiffy. tommorrow will be a test. we'll see how it goes. I'll need someone to watch them over spring break and during the summer also. and she is watching them at her house, so that will be easier on her as well.
I'm pooped. I could go for a nap before bedtime, but I know I'd just sleep all the way through. I really think I played way too hard this weekend!

Back when I was 17 I got $3 an hour for 2 kids.....7 and 9. And I slept there while the parents worked. So I got $30 a night for the 10 hours I was there when they needed me. Of course that was 15 years ago......and I went along with what she offered me. I had no clue what was fair or right. The only thing that I had to really do was get them in bed and get them up and ready for school in the mornings.

I think $20 is a really good rate to start her out at. Like Jiff said, you can always go up---not back down.

Watching football here with a snoring doggy by my side.

I need more doggy stories, Loz. You have a pm, too.

aawwww, a snoring doggie! I used to have a boson terrier that snored. it was too cute. he'd sleep on his back with his tonge sticking out and snore up a storm.
my lab's are 5 years old and still have puppy dreams where they make this squeeking (barking) noise and their little feet twitch like they are running in their sleep.
well, I'm off to watch a little tv before bed.

Once in a while, Black Butt will howl in his sleep. It is extremely eerie. He doesn't do it when he is awake. (Have you ever watched Snoopy and he has that soft howl he does?)

We are winding things down for the night. The plow has been here a couple of times; the men w/ the snowblowers will be here early in the morning to do our walks & porches/stairs before people have to leave for work.

We watched a two hour special on Martin Luther King, Jr., tonight. I got depressed.

I am trying to plan a party for Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and I need Ideas. So, I started a thread in the recipes forum. I'm wide open for all manner of suggestions.


Merme

I just answered in there, Merme. I haven't a clue for games.

Poofing doesn't sound good. Am I still here? You are not to stress over my virtual gardens, Cindy. Thank you.

Safe away home O my palies on this cold night and sweet, warm dreams to you all.



Merme

Morning,
Slept in today... till 7... Joe is still sleeing- Mom is up and had her first meds - reading the paper now- so have a few before I get her eating and second round of meds too.... I clipped my coupons too already this morning- got a double batch cause Joe brought me the ones from his coworkers paper at work too- every little bit helps... now just have to sort and file them into my box... usually do that while I watch tv...
It's supposed to get to 64 here today- sun is out and it looks nice outside already- really weird weather for us- there is a story in the paper about the stock show this week and a man has been coming here from Kansas for 66 yrs says he is loving the weather this time- first time he remembers not having to be bundled up in a heavy coat .. kids are going to have fun being outside too...
Well I have a couple free minutes left so going to go take my shower and then get breakfast ready for the boys ....
Have a good day all!
Nana

Good morning. Today is a hospital labs day. We might get a little idea from today if last week's episode is cleared up or just slowed down.
First cup.

Just dropping on for a minute to say "hi". I am on my second cup--firsdt one got cold--thank goodness for Microwaves.

Sorry I have not been around--all is well, I have jsut been real busy.---I am goong nope to begin some straightening up around the house & then I need to take my MIL to "town".---I'll be here a bit, to check things out and then I need to get to work--- :wink:

Carol, Busy is so much better than recuperating as you have been.

Thanks, Tina, I agree---However,I am still recouperating but I am doing more bit by bit.--(that and I was on a mission to get a few more rugs in webkinz)
Did you get the one I sent you ???


But then I miss being around here---

I made my dad some coffee,but I'm not in the mood for coffee. I'd prefer some water.

Hi all.

I just have to go back to the babysitting discussion. In my area, the going rate is $10- $11 per hour, and if it's over a certain amount of hours there is extra thrown in. That is for one child or more. You wouldn't find any teen babysitting around here for less, unless they were doing the family a favor.

That's why it amazed me that my own daughter wasn't interested in babysitting while in high school - easy money!

Hi Cindy--hi enrique----

Cindy I am sorry yo did not sleep again--
and Enrique---that was nice of you to make your dad coffee--

Lynne: I too am surprised that Amy did not go into baby sitting---that would nice money for her---

I would babysit for that pay. Wow! That is a lot! Parents can't afford to hire a babysitter at that rate. Not here anyways. I have never hired a babysitter...I have always had family that is willing so I can't say what I would pay or what they expect here but I know it is not that much. I always babysat as a kid but didn't have any set rate. They just paid me whatever they felt was right.

When it got up to $5 an hour here I thought that was a lot - when Amy was little. I had no idea it was as high as it is now, until my niece who is the same age as Amy started sitting a few years ago. She had never taken the "safe babysitting course" either, and was getting $10 an hour!!! She made quite the killing her first summer babysitting regularly for one family. She continued to sit at nights during the school year, when she didn't have cheerleading practice - she was team captain last year.

I agree, Jessica - I can't see paying that much, and one would have to be earning an awful lot to be able to cover that kind of expense as well.

Hi again,
Well got everyone fed... had to go get boys from Carrie's , her alarm clock didn't go off so she was going to be late if we didn't go get them up,dressed and over here... so made scrambled eggs for them and Joe- Mom already had breakfast by then... got that cleaned up and now have to clean out the fridge- going to scrub it out too... Joe is washing the Tahoe- since it's so nice today... got some laundry to do too... I think it hides and multiplies...
Well gotta go get it all started...
Nana

Nana I agree about the laundry, I sometimes think my laundry multiplies as well..

I am leaving now to get ready to go do my errands---catch you all later---

I went to check on my peas and found a pod that is almost ready to harvest. I'll pick it tomorrow morning. When my mom gets back from doing some errands I'll help her with the laundry.

Howdy all. Checking in.
I am not going to complain about the weather cause. Its always worse somewhere else.
spring will arrive in no time, And I will be again grateful for all the wonderful things that are reborn.
Its cold here, 20 degrees but brilliant sunshine and blue skies. No wind.
we got about 5 inches of really fluffy stuff sat and sunday.
I am always jealous of the floridians and Californians and texans, until I hear of their hot summers.
Nope I will put up with the 5 months of cold. I like my 4 seasons. Hope everyone is fairing well.
:wink:

Hi,
I know what you mean about the weather- it is so nice here and it is so not like the usual..so am appreciating what we have while we have it.... we really need it to snow for the water this summer so I try not to gripe to much about it .
Just did lunch for the boys- now they are back outside enjoying the nice day-
had a leftover steak sandwich for myself- they wanted pepperoni pizza...
little boy next door is here too- laundry is almost all done now too- so will iron later tonight while I watch tv...
I will have the next 2 days kid free - so hoping I can figure out how to make a draftdoger snake for my front door- there is a gap and no way to attach weather stripping to block it so am going to make a draft doger and attach it to the door with velcro dots... I must have some fabric down in my stash that wil work and know I have some batting too... I downloaded some ideas off google so think I have a good idea of how to do it- got to remember to get Joe to carry the sewing machine upstairs for me though, it's to heavy for me to carry up here...
Well better go and get the last load changed out.....
Nana

nana, please post your draft dodger when you get it done, i'd like to see it!

I will when I get it done-- it's all an idea in my head right now- I tend to cut up old clothes for material so think I will have to piece it together... may end up being a very colorful snake...
Nana

A colorful snake might just end up a kid toy. I want to see it too. Just got back from doing a bunch of odd errands. I am done for the day. Except dishes, laundry, cooking, getting ready for tomorrow.

Hi everyone ~

Today was an odd day with Maxi here & me going to dialysis & my girl not showing up.

We now have a big pot of homemade chicken w/ rice & vegetable soup simmering on the stove. He'll put some rolls in the oven later to go with.

Nana when I make door snakes, I stuff them with plastic grocery bags. It is amazing how many bags will go into one snake! It is nice you have a couple of days off from the wee ones, too.

We are planning what we will be doing tomorrow for our Inaugeral Party. Maxi is off because of teacher workshops & will be here until 6:30 tomorrow night. The Inaugeration is usually at noon, so we'll have time to celebrate this historic event. By the way, we would be celebrating regardless of who won.... a new President is big doings.

Babysitting rates are steep here in Maine, also. I was really surprised when I started checking into it when Maxi was 6. I babysat as a teen in PA and I didn't get anywhere near as much, even considering inflation/cost of living.

Merme