<p>dte, My older kid was poor like yours straight out of college. Lived with 4 other guys initially to save money and pay off some Staffords we had him take. We’re very grateful he has been able to become very self sufficient since that time. First year out, we continued to help a little-paid his cell bill, AAA(he had car only his first year in DC area and then realized he didn’t want the hassle or expense),etc. Expect to do the same for S2 but expect him to pay his own rent. And if that means a roommate or 2 to save money,so be it. He should have a good job but he will also have some Staffords to pay off so he will definitely not be rolling in it!</p>
<p>D says its 1000 a month with roomates.</p>
<p>shawbridge - How about Tom Hanks in Lucky Guy?? I don’t have any reviews…it’s just in previews.</p>
<p>Congrats to TA’s son! May he be one of many of our 13’ers with jobs locked down.</p>
<p>D has been offered an interview in NYC with a company she interviewed with near school, and now she’s dithering. She’s worried that they’ll make an offer before she has time to consider other offers/situations. She’d be much happier with the B school/Law School routine where all the interviewing & offers take place in a short span. </p>
<p>Shawbridge: Hands on a Hardbody is in previews; Today’s NY Times sort-of review of it was pretty positive (reviewer had seen it where it started in La Jolla).</p>
<p>Snow has arrived. D2 coming home later today to help clear the driveway and sidewalks. H is feeling inadequate since his back is keeping him from doing it by himself.
D2 is really having fun with her roomies this semester. She just made them dinner last night and they loved her Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin! Made me laugh that she is getting them to eat dinner together and that they like her different “healthy” meals. </p>
<p>We asked D2 if she wanted to get an apartment after graduation while she is at grad school. Of course she said no, she wants to live at home and commute. For some reason it bothers me to think she might never live on her own. The same for her BF. I just think it is a valuable life experience.</p>
<p>NMN - I could perhaps handle a kid moving home for grad school, but I wouldn’t promote it as the first go-to option, and as long as she isn’t asking that the BF be allowed to move in with her I think you’re good. Plus, you’ll be spending all your time at the new cabin when it’s finished. I know I would!</p>
<p>Funny how kids are frugal with their own cash, but seem to think mine is dispensable. S is living in a house for his final semester at school. He’s already seeing the downside of having to drive to campus, find a place to park and then walk to wherever he needs to be. We sent him a flat fee check to budget for the semester that he refers to as “his” money. Funny how that works. But considering it didn’t arrive on Monday due to President’s day and was panicked about his gas tank being on empty, I am concluding he is beyond poor. Interestingly, we had encouraged him to get a credit card some time ago for emergencies, but the only credit card he seems to ever want to use is one of ours! He had one in his name that was attached to one of H’s, but his abuse of defining an emergency had H not sending him the renewed card back in November or December. What also strikes us as funny (in not a ha ha way, but an ironic one) is that he apparently borrowed $40 from a friend to get by and said the rule or expectation is that it would be paid back in 48 hours. Not sure he’s ever paid me back for any money 'borrowed" in 22 years, so … </p>
<p>It’s a learning curve for sure. While his college mostly encourages kids to live on campus and does not usually make it financially appealing to live off of it, I agree that paying one’s bills, utilities etc is something every kid should experience before being tossed into the harsh realities of life after college. Had he not obtained a special student status due to his need for only two classes to finish the year, he’d still be living in his dorm.</p>
<p>Our next door neighbor’s S is moving back home after he graduates this May. He has already secured a well paying job doing something with computer programming, this is a low cost of living area, and he knows tons of kids living locally so I am mystified by that decision. However, his mother is delighted. This is a social kid who plays an instrument in his spare time, so I am a little concerned about the increase in noise level at night particularly since we keep our windows open in the summer since we stopped using air conditioning. I suppose his plan is to save a ton of money for a downpayment so he can buy a house in about two years.</p>
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<p>That’s how it seems to be at my house!</p>
<p>Today’s my day off, already got a bunch of stuff done including baking S’s birthday dessert (the big day is tomorrow, but I’m volunteering at his school event all day). </p>
<p>arabrab - is your D still going to the interview anyway? Hope so.</p>
<p>Remember my lemon tree? It is happily wintering in my sunny dining room and had blooms a few weeks ago. The blooms are gone but very, very tiny green fruit is appearing so I may harvest a second crop this year.</p>
<p>D’s career field does not have opportunities in this area, so unless something changes I don’t see living at home as an option for her. I think it is a good idea in certain cases such as analyst’s friend’s 2 year down payment saving plan. I wouldn’t want either of mine to stay with us indefinately though.</p>
<p>I am thinking of getting some miniature citrus but first need to make sure I can keep sabadog out of them. He seems to enjoy house plants…snacking on them, that is. S will most likely move in with us to save $$ because he wants to move to Seattle and go to school out there. </p>
<p>Happy bday to FGS!</p>
<p>I have to say… H & I have managed to create a lifestyle which the kids seem to cramp. Don’t know how I’d take any of them moving home on a longer term basis. They seem to too easily waltz in her like they OWN the place vs here by our grace. :)</p>
<p>This morning I was cleaning out under the kitchen sink and found some tarn-x clearner that clearly stated it was intended for gold and diamonds. I don’t even know how old the stuff is, but I cautiously dipped my grandmother gold charm bracelet in and OMG… it is now stunning. Amazing how dirt can hide a shine. I also cleaned my wedding rings. Who even knew they were as dirty a they were!!</p>
<p>OMG! I JUST FOUND TWO MICE!!! Seriously…there were two little mice curled up in my kitchen trash receptacle! Screamed like a little girl but grabbed the plastic trash can and threw it out on the snowy deck. My heart is still pounding! Now I am cleaning like crazy. Still haven’t found any droppings so I am wondering where they have been staying! ish…</p>
<p>FallGirl, I did buy my H a lemon tree for Christmas but it is not doing well. Had some blooms but they all fell off and some leaves have dropped off too. I think it has gotten enough light in our kitchen . I bought it on Amazon from a vendor that had good reviews. Any tips?
Is it hopeless?</p>
<p>Oh no,mice! Hope there aren’t any more,NM!</p>
<p>MN, how convenient that they were in a portable container! Hope that’s all of them. </p>
<p>Back in my special ed teaching days, I went from school to school. At one school I worked in the library and had noticed mice from time to time. One day it was very quiet and I heard some rustling and looked in the trash can and there was a whole large litter of baby mice. I went and got the custodian. The sad end to the story is that rather than setting them free outside, I later heard that the custodian took them to the playground and let the kids who wanted to stomp on them. [This was a school with a rural population and I was probably the only one who found this alarming.]</p>
<p>^^^OMG!!!</p>
<p>Oooh, northminn. Once that snow comes down and the mice are inside, it’s pretty hard to leave.</p>
<p>Just got in touch with H. He thinks they haven’t been here long as he keeps permanent traps in the basement and garage and nothing has been found. We live in a wooded neighborhood…deer, fox, raccoons, coyotes…so we thought we were prepared for mice. They freak me out but I just reacted when I threw them out the door. missy…thanks for the laugh! Another friend said to check the silverware drawer. Guess there is an urban myth that they like to hang out there for some reason. I am dressed for combat as I open all my kitchens drawers and cupboards to clean. Wish me luck! Onward!</p>
<p>I think it would be healthier for our kids to be on their own when they are done. ShawD will proceed, with a possible period of work as a nurse, directly to an MSN and then presumably will find employment as a nurse practitioner. She has a job but I’m sure that doesn’t cover expenses.</p>
<p>ShawSon asked us at one point if he and his startup team could live/work in our house for the summer. We’re going to be gone for at least 6 weeks of the 12 weeks. But, one of his partners’ parents goes to the Cape for the whole summer, so the team is going to stay at their house and the company is going to pay for cleaning services. So, we’re off the hook. If ShawSon were to come home, we’d have to enforce the rule of his cleaning up after meals rather than waiting for a critical mass to emerge.</p>
<p>Good luck with the mice.</p>
<p>^^^ Yuck ! I have had mice a few times this winter ( well ever since Hurricane really ) They keep getting into the drawer where I keep my potholders and kitchen towels. I have an exterminator, but will NOT put poison anywhere since I have dogs and cats.
I put traps in that drawer repeatedly this winter. Just when I think all is well, I find more droppings. Drives me crazy , but I suppose I am lucky that they haven’t gone near any food or other cook wear</p>
<p>Thanks lje!!! That is where I found the evidence! In the drawer above the trash pullout where I store my hot pads/potholders beside the stove! So very gross! I have bleach everywhere and all my drawers and cupboards open. It looks like the house has been ransacked! No other “evidence” anywhere else so far. I needed a break from the fumes! 
No pets or children here so I am not afraid to use lethal methods! H is getting quite a chuckle from my texts…I don’t see the humor as much. He just called to wish me happy hunting. grrrr…</p>
<p>No mice yet this year (and hoping I am not jinxing myself by saying so), but several years ago we had an infestation of sorts and I found out, trial and error, that de-con covered mousetraps baited with fresh cheese worked best.</p>
<p>I had to mail order them; for a while I was using the standard traps from the supermarket or hardware store, and I could have sworn that all I was doing was breeding a smarter type of mouse, as they first worked occasionally, but then almost never - but bait went missing within minutes, and I continued to find mouse droppings in the house! After a few weeks of setting out the de-con traps, and a scary number of trapped mice, I no longer caught new mice or found droppings.</p>
<p>I now have renewed respect for the old adage, “to build a better mousetrap!”</p>
<p>And yeah, my husband thought the satisfaction I got from trapping the little critters was hilarious.</p>
<p>You ladies are much braver than I am. If I saw a mouse, I would run screaming from the house and not return until H got home and declared it safe. I also don’t think I could look at an occupied mouse trap without getting physically sick.</p>
<p>S2 got a packet of paperwork on his job offer that he said was larger than one of his textbooks. He called HR to check on how quickly she needed all the forms returned and she told him he had several more packages coming so to hold off until next week. He also told me he was selected to interview with one of the mega-privates next week but he didn’t sign up for a slot. I told him that since nobody has committed on either side yet until all this paperwork is processed he could see what else is out there if he wants. He said he had no interest and is completely happy with this job decision. That’s comforting to know.</p>