I have to tell you, I sat here this morning and ATE 1/2 a TJ Belgium Dark Chocolate Bar that Maggie sent while doing some computer work. YUMMY oh quite Yummy. I have to tell you Abby "Had to have a taste" I told her you're not going to like it. She didn't of course.... not sure if she really didn't or the power of my mind game worked. BECAUSE I know she'd clean me out if she did. OK onto those Alfresco Hanging Jars that some of you have mentioned. So neat! They remind me of pint size jelly or canning jars. These jars are tinted green glass they also reminds me of our West Virginia Hand Blown Green Glass (anyone know what I am talking about?).... anyway The jars have a wire attached for "hanging" purposes. There were no instructions so...... Here are my thoughts of uses... Please inform me if I am off base? 1. Growing herbs in my kitchen window hanging down from the ceiling. 2. Hang them from a corner of ceiling at different lengths with vines coming from them. 3. Add candles and hang from those iron hooks coming up my walk way? Light them or use solar candles for evening parties or guest? Not sure how I am going to use them yet. Feel free to offer any suggestions? Thanks Bunches Stacey

So today's the day?

Thanks everybody! So, pretty much we just have to grin and bear it, while sticking to the "no, you don't need that" and hope it gets better. Oh, thinking more about this last night before I fell asleep - we may be having a little success. I was thinking about how he used to be at the grocery store: He used to ask for everything, including things knows he doesn't like, and then get MAD MAD MAD when he didn't get it (apparently, not having chutney bought for you when you won't eat Indian food is worth sobbing and hiding behind the eggs)... But now he still asks for lots of things, but they're mostly things he actually likes, and he doesn't get mad when he gets told no. FD - I totally agree that a 9yo doesn't need $200 for his birthday. GM gave him ~$60, so did Papa and SGM, and then some of his friends gave him cash instead of toys/books/games/etc. IMO, that money should have been collected by an adult and at least half been put into savings, with the remaining portion to spend under adult supervision. And just to clarify, our plans for this aren't ever explained to A__, they're just things we've tried that don't really seem to be working... But I see your point that we may be overthinking this. IIKD - "The kid couldn't even go get gas with DH without coming home with *at least* a pack of gum" This sounds all too familiar! He's just not allowed out of the car at the gas station anymore because taking him into the store starts the barrage of "Can I have..." Mom2 - ""if my mom was here I would be able to get it"" I hear ya! I sometimes play the "I don't have enough money for that" (whether it is true or not) and he says "Why don't you get my dad to pay you back?" Psuedo - "I won't invite you out to lunch again." I got fed up awhile back when we were out doing something extra cool together (a children's play) and the "I want" parade began. I calmly said "Look, A__, I don't have to take you places and do cool stuff with you, I do it because I want to. We go to plays and museums and so on because I like for us to have some extra fun together. But when you do that, it's not fun for me anymore and makes me not want to make special plans for us. So let's just enjoy the play. Kapeesh?" Maybe there was some better way to react, I don't know... But that's what I did. TOS - "I think this (and the fact that he is nine) is 99.9% of the explanation." Any suggestions on coping mechanisms to try to teach him? His decision-making and anger-management have come a loooooong way in the past 6 months, but I don't know what do to about this one.

Thanks for the encouraging and sage words. :) Skypathway1 I love to cook but am not a fancy cook. My husband is and makes tasty meals for us often. Our grown son cooks and bakes frequently as well. You re-sold me on the induction with your words, which are echoed by many here. Unfortunately I can't really pay for one. :) I wish wishing worked. :) Texas Gem I believe you will get what you planned for. You sound very level headed and practical in your approach. I did get a few things I wanted. For that I'm very happy :) I had to be practical too. Which is why I appreciate this forum so much. Many including you have waited and bided your time just as I've had to do. Much of what we have now in our kitchen is due to our concerted effort in purchasing everything gently used, including the stove, dishwashers and cupboards and counters. It took years but we finally have a truly useable if smallish, kitchen for the first time ever. I had never had a good stove or lots of space to prep and cook on. We did get the long expanses of counter and the good used fridge so this was a dream come true for our kitchen but the induction just wasn't meant to be. I liked the idea because when my adult son cooks his illness makes it hard for him to stay standing and tend the stove. He times everything and gets up and down frequently. I wished to take that burden away from him after all these years. What makes it harder is that I've been saving and planning our kitchen for years. Life and illness take their price, so reality is that there's little chance of more. We're in our late 50s and must think about when we are older, as our son continues to need extra care. Thank goodness we have made this little house accessible already because of our circumstances. so we can grow old in it comfortably and inexpensively. The kitchen is what it is going to be. :( So now I've had to accept it. Begrudgingly. Okay maybe not accept it but live with it until I do. I'm practicing faking it. How am I doing so far? My big consolation is that I'm able bodied and can still work so we can stay in our home and not be driven out by the illnesses etc. Count my blessings. 10 years GWer mostly lurker and TKOer Yeona