How to throw a grandmother party for your daughter

"I'm tired of always being the youngest in the family," sputtered the rebellious Linda one day. Her mother laughed at her crossness and then had an idea. "How would you like to be a grandmother for a day?" she asked. Linda forgot her crossness and brightened up, "How?" "How could I?" "We could plan a Grandmother's party and invite your friends in for an afternoon tea like Grandmother used to enjoy when she was young." And this was the start of Linda's "Grandmother's" party. To give her invitations an old-fashioned touch Linda pasted colored rickrack braid around the edges of small white cards. On the cards she printed "Come to Linda's for Grandmother's Day." When her excited guests arrived they were directed to the back bedroom where they found two large boxes - one filled with old long dresses (one for each little guest), the other filled with hats, gloves, beads, and other fancies. Around the room Linda had pinned a few old-fashioned pictures which the girls studied to get ideas about hair styles. Also they were not familiar with the black court-plaster beauty spots until they saw an old photograph. After considerable hilarity over "dressing-up" and a proper time devoted to primping, Linda announced a style show to discover the prettiest costume, the funniest, and the cleverest. Winners would be judged by the applause of the guests and awarded prizes. After all this excitement the girls went to the living room for a "Quilting Bee" - so popular when Grandmother was a girl. Each girl was given a small square of tarlatan and enough tiny squares of gay cotton material to cover it plus a tube of glue. Each girl then glued her cotton squares to the tarlatan back to make a doll-sized quilt. The girl with the nicest looking quilt was awarded a prize. Because even interested girls do not like to sit still too long, the next game was an active one. Linda put a work basket in the center of the floor and around it circles of various colored tissue paper which represented balls of Grandmother's yarn. Each girl was then given a cardboard fan (file folders make good fans). Then each girl tried for one minute to fan as many balls of yarn as possible into the work basket. Linda's mother timed each contestant and awarded a small prize to the most successful. This game is very tricky because the thin paper blows out of the basket as easily as it blows in. In Grandmother's childhood homemade feather beds and pillows were common in every home, so Linda planned a feather relay. Her guests were divided into two groups. The first player of each group was given a feather. Each girl keeps her feather in the air by blowing on it while she crosses the room and returns. She then hands her feather to the next in line. The side finishing first wins the relay. The next game was "Grandma." Linda was the first Grandma and stood with her face to the wall. The other players stood in a line across the room. The idea of the game is for the players to creep up on Grandma without being seen. Grandma could turn at any time to look over her left shoulder or her right shoulder, but she could not at any time turn all the way around. If Grandma caught sight of a player moving she sent her back to the starting point. The player who first was able to creep up on Grandma and touch her took Linda's place and became the next Grandma. Teatime came all too quickly. It consisted of thin nut-bread sandwiches cut with fancy cookie cutters, and cocoa. Old-fashioned snowballs and plenty of ice cream satisfied the sweet tooth. Snowballs, so popular in Grandmother's day, are squares of white cake frosted on all sides with white coconut frosting. Linda and her guests all decided that having a "Grandmother's" party was lots of fun.

People in glass houses

Predominantly glazed room additions and incorporations into house design will prove to be the most significant development in domestic architecture since we moved out of caves and into living spaces built out of logs and bricks and mortar! Although at a time when so many homes in the UK has a conservatory (1 in 4 is the latest estimate) is it not inevitable that a downturn is likely if not already taking place? As the rate of order intake decreases across the UK what are the real trends? The industry has become enormous. It is the biggest ever in terms of home improvements, easily outstripping its rivals in terms of expenditure. It is the average family's third highest spend after the house and the motor car! Additionally there are all the purchases that take place after the conservatory is built such as furnishings, blinds, and conservatory plants. Acquiring these items is a continual process of buy and replace with what is fashionable and what has worn out. I would suggest that the same is the case with the main 'conservatory' itself. The glazed conservatory frames can be replaced (the part above the base and walls) with, in many cases, something more visually appealing and technically worthwhile. Can we really expect conservatory replacements to prevent a downturn? Or, can we expect that in a couple of years time 1 in 2 homes will have a conservatory. For expectations such as these to achieve reality the industry must take a long look at itself, and re-examine it's past attitudes. The product must be more fully understood in it's technicalities. Visual qualities must be addressed to make these structures far more appealing and to create new looks. To have a conservatory has become highly fashionable but fashions wain without some sort of re-invention. Most suppliers have lost sight of their real potential, concentrating too much on the 'bottom line' for the ever increasing number of repetitive installations. Over the last 10 - 15 years we have seen the creation of a this new product and of it's industry. Estimates vary greatly as to it's size but Ј15 billion per annum in the UK ($25billion) over the last year alone wouldn't seem far off the mark. The amazing thing is, is that the product is in it's infancy! Why? Are these structures not just live in greenhouses, a combination of frames and glass. Isn't a window a window at the end of the day, no matter how many you place side by side? Quite frankly the conservatory AND their integration into domestic buildings and architecture will prove to be the most significant development since we moved out of caves and into living spaces built out of logs and bricks and mortar! The point here is that we are now learning to create and control, beautiful light, warm and airy spaces. We are only now beginning to move out of our cave like existences! Technically, the most powerful developments so far have been in glass and glazing technology. Then there has been the advent of multi-wall translucent polycarbonate sheets and the development of roof and window frame glazing profiles. The achievment of transparency without enormous heat loss has been one of the greatest challenges - at least at economical cost. It has been the same problem even in warmer climates except the challenge was to keep the heat out. The end result is naturally light and far healthier living spaces. Most of the work required to achieve growth in the industry is to be ultimately far more professional in it's attitude to the product and to it's customers. What can we expect from future developments. It is now possible to flick a switch and a glazed area will immediately become blackened out, or greyed out or any other colour for that matter. The technology is called 'smart glass' and the cost is falling. Not only will we be able to create privacy as required, but a further control on heat energy flow is introduced. The public is becoming more aware of the benefits and the potential downfalls in having a conservatory built. Some of the so called conservatory structures built on homes to date leave a great deal to be desired. They are a long long way from environmental control technology. Many suffer from uncontrollable over heating when the sun comes out. Suppliers who continue to offer a product which is sub-standard on the false ill-advised premise of being cheaper (you don't need roof ventilation attitude) will bring themselves down and put the whole industry at risk. You might say that I am bound to say it, but including real design capability within conservatory supplies will add real perceived value. Just offering design drawings for customer approval and a copy for the customer to hang on to, properly presented, will ensure that friends and neighbours will benefit from your design knowledge and expertise.

Choosing an electric or battery powered stair lift

Choosing an Electric or Battery Powered Stair Lift The advent of technologies has made great impacts on human lives. It has improved ways of doing things in various health related concerns and disability issues. The Stair lift is one invention that has provided tremendous effects in easing the need to go up or downstairs for people suffering from painful joint or back injuries. Many lives have improved and become more comfortable after installing an electric or battery powered stair lift in their homes. It is important to take note which type of stair lift to choose if you decide to have one. There are advantages and disadvantages when opting for a battery powered lift over an electric one. Electric or AC powered stair lifts used to be the more popular option. It is directly connected to a main power supply through trailing cable. It generally runs on a 110 to 115 grounded VAC outlet. At the top of the stair is a spring-loaded drum that stores the cable. Obviously, its main advantage is being free from the hassle of changing and charging batteries. This is very important when you expect to use the stair lifts regularly or when more people is likely to use it. Also, AC models are usually cheaper than battery powered stair lifts. The major drawback is the dependency to power connection. If your area frequently experience power outages, then electric stair lifts may not be the best choice. AC models are also more prone to irregular stop and start motions. This of course can bring discomfort and even pain to users. The cables that it uses can be also a risk for anyone can trip from it accidentally. Also known as DC powered stair lifts, battery stair lifts are apparently operated by a battery that should be recharged after a certain period of usage. There are DC models that provide charging stations anywhere on the trail or at both ends of the rail. The best thing about battery powered lifts is that you can use it anytime you want without worrying if a power outage or blackout suddenly occurs. It offers a smoother maneuver compare to AC models and are also quieter – a big difference for people with delicate health conditions. The main disadvantage is the time and effort you have to exert in charging the batteries. This is a real trouble when a lot of people are using the stair lifts too. Also, even though most batteries in the market now are inexpensive and last for many years, you still have to replace it over a period of time and you have to take note that this kind of battery does not come cheap. The most important thing to consider when choosing which type of stair lifts to get is the need and requirements of the people expected to use it. The health condition of the user should be also taken into account. The frequency of use should be considered as well. After that, it will be easier for you to decide if an electric or battery powered stair lift is for you.

Finding the right birth control

There are many different options for birth control, which gives different couples many different options depending on their needs and reasons. There are many resources that go into great detail on this matter, planned parenthood being one of the most widely known, but here is a brief run down of many the options that active couples have. 1. Abstinence: This is the decision not to have any sexual relations, period. This arrangement can be for any amount of time, and is the only 100% guaranteed effective way of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The drawback is that it precludes sexual contact, period. 2. Male Condoms: If the condoms are always used properly by the male partner, then the chances of a female getting pregnant after one year are approximately 2%. While this is far from fool proof, it is a very viable option and also protects from a wide variety of STDs. Thicker condoms are better than thin. The main drawback is that a lot of partners think condoms take away from the feelings and sensations that make sex enjoyable. 3. Female Condoms: This is a pouch with flexible rings that is inserted like a diaphragm. The ring with the open end stays at the opening, and this works as a way to help prevent STDs and help prevent pregnancy. These are not nearly as effective as male condoms, as almost 1 in 5 females using female condoms will become pregnant after one year of use. 4. Diaphragms, Caps & Shields: These are different types of either latex or silicone barriers that are used to cover the women’s cervix. Each of these methods requires spermicide cream or jelly. These are used solely for preventing pregnancy, and will not stop any transmission of STDs. The Diaphragm is more effective than the female condom, while the caps and shields are much less effective. None of them compare with the condoms designed for males. 5. Cycle Schedule: With a little study a woman can figure out the times of the month where she is far more likely to become pregnant than at any other time. Once this is figured out, some couples will choose to be abstinent during the times of the months where the female is most likely to become pregnant. These are all viable options, though aside from abstinence the best way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy is for the male partner to wear a condom. As long as it is properly put on, the chances of breakage are low, but as with anything in a relationship, the partners have to agree on which method works best for them.

How to keep predator fish

: Many people like to have fish for pets because they are low maintenance, and can be very relaxing to watch them swim. Most first time fish enthusiast like to keep cold water fish, because they are cheap and most of the different types of these fish will get along together. These fish have some bright colors and have some very fancy fins, but they are mostly large goldfish, and eventually switch to tropical fish to get a larger selection of fish. But keeping tropical fish can be a bit of a gamble, the fish cost more and some of them are very aggressive and will eat your other fish. There are more different types of tropical fish for you to choose from, and they have a larger variety of colors then cold water fish and keeping them in an aquarium together with other tropical fish does not have to be a gamble, it is not like a trip to the casino to play blackjack, if you do things right there is no gambling involved at all. The first thing you need to do is some reading before purchasing any fish for your tank. Reading about fish will give you an idea of what species of fish eat other fish, and which ones do not. It will also let you know which meat eating fish will live with what other fish, and make it less of a gamble that you are just buying one fish an expensive meal. Cichlids are a type of fish that eat other fish but they are a school fish and prefer to be in a tank with other Cichlids, but you want all the other Cichlids to be about the same size, or one day you will come home from a day of playing the most Popular Casino Games in the casino to find several fish missing and one fat fish swimming around slowly. Cichlids are a surface to medium depth fish. This means they will swim on the top and middle of the tank and will generally not go to the bottom of the tank for very long. So many people with Cichlids will get a bottom swimmer to fill the tank out. A very popular type of bottom swimmers is catfish. There are many different fish in the species of catfish. Some of these fish are non aggressive and do not get very big, but a fish like this may not be aggressive enough to be in a tank of Cichlids. You may want to get a more aggressive type of catfish, but if you get a large one it will surely eat the Cichlids, but if it too small you are gambling that the Cichlids will not pick its eyes out. Just remember that no matter how much you read each fish does have a personality of their own and no matter how much you read that one fish will be friendly with another it putting them in an Aquarium together is gambling. There is always the possibility that some of your fish will get eaten, but the only way to make keeping fish not a gamble is to keep each fish in their own separate fish tank in the hope that this will keep them all safe, but this will not make for happy fish. With trial and error you will learn what can live with what types of fish and save the gambling for Las Vegas casinos.