No, I haven't even tried an exercise bike, lol. Pushing anything gets me unless I can somehow not use my arms... pretty much anything that uses my arms gets me at some [too quick] point unless it's just the forearms. My lower back is seriously strong as a bull - I use the well-known 'bad for the lower back' positions TO lift, lol. Legs are still best of course. My pain never travels up - there's always a nerve spot beside C6-7 that starts the ball a'rollin'. Then that always-hateful spot through the trapezius and eventually making my scapulas wing if I keep it up or if the movement is too severe. I put the med patches on that spine spot, BTW. It's a little monster, I swear. So it's all the arms and head movement [or just holding the body/head up like sitting too long]. Bikes still take arms, so I'll try one for a day to see if it's nice like a ride-mower or one of the bad-arm positions. Of course, Dad has his mind set on a car it sounds like [he always has free rentals 'cos of work]. Perhaps he can drop me off closer, although Oxford is largely a pedestrian town. They mailed info on exams and a link to OLD EXAMS! Yeah! The tutors are emphasizing that the exam isn't as hard as the coursework, so that's one worry minimized. Here's one from facebook: "Oxford - where your best isn't good enough since 1117". Bwahaha!

Donate everything. Some people buy things at Goodwill for the fabric for crafts, or for the buttons if they sew, with no intention of wearing the item 'as is'. That 'ol Prom dress with the yellowed underarm stains still has yards of nice velvet or satin, in the skirt that can be used to sew a little girl's dress or to make pillows or even a valance. The beading from that 80's cocktail dress can be removed and used in another sewing project. People who work jobs where their clothing and shoes get ruined, buy stuff that may look shot to you with its "pilling" and fading", but is perfectly servicable for wearing while laying asphalt or working in sewer tunnels or working with caustic chemicals in a factory. I am not being snarky about this. It is true. I know people with jobs like this and they are not even going to buy new cheap stuff at Target that is going to be ruined in three days. They don't even care much if it doesn't fit 'just right' or is faded or missing a button. They only wear the stuff a couple of weeks and a few washings, until it gets a hole burned in it from a caustic spill or splattered with tar or stinks so bad of sewer gas that washing it doesn't help anymore. I used to toss t-shirts and socks but I read that thrift shops make money from selling these types of items to rag vendors. They can still make money off of rags. A lot of people shop for vintage items, and believe it or not, what youngsters consider "vintage" is what some of us still have hanging in our closets or attics. The 70's are cool again and the 80's are bound to come back. A lot of people shop Goodwill for items to be made into Halloween costumes. That wacky orange jumpsuit that you can't figure out why you bought it in the first place except that you were going through your 'Solid Gold Dancer' phase, will make a nice Halloween costume for some college kid. That ugly bridesmaid dress you had to wear for your sisters wedding, can be refashioned into a lovely Princess costume for a little girl for Halloween. Theater groups also shop at Goodwill for costume type items. Believe it or not some people collect vintage undergarments, not just Victorian items like you see decorating in Victoria or Southern Living magazines. So even grandma's old girdles can be donated. As far as donating items that are 'out of style' I don't believe in such a thing as 'out' of style. One reason I shop Goodwill is because I do not like the new styles being featured in the stores. A middle aged woman can't wear micro minis or baggy pants that hang so low that the butt crack shows. And when was the last time you saw casual skirts at mid calf length in the stores? You can't even find skirts, much less the longer ones. I have been recently shopping for a dress to wear to a summer wedding, and all I see in the stores this season, is a lot of 'baby doll' styles with high waistlines that make one look like one is wearing a maternity top without any pants. I found a simple sheath dress for $3 at Goodwill that looks mature. It still had the tags on it!! Brand new. Donate everything, and let the buyers decide if it is 'good enough'.

Great idea! My daughter's gown is still hanging in the closet... your idea is much better!

I didn't get the chance to take any pre-party photos since I had several family members helping me set up and felt rather silly taking photos of the setup. However, the flowers are holding up great in the mason jars 5-days later--SIL thinks it may be due to the citrus in the water. I sent DS to choose flowers and he did a great job, keeping it simple. Here is one of the mason jars (5-days post party): DH has my camera with memory stick at the moment so when he gets back home I will look and see if there are any more pics there I can share.