Articles written by Margaret Shauers - Page 5

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About me - Margaret Shauers

My name is Margaret A. Shauers. I have been a "working writer" for 40 years, with hundreds of children's stories published and 5 books. Short story sales include Vt. Ink, Red Herring, The Fiction Primer, Dana Literary Society, Web Mystery Magazine, Highlights

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Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Stories about differences for children: 2 of 12
DIFFERENT STROKES"Hi," Jack called as he pedaled his bike up the drive to Donald's garage. "What are you doing?""My dad helped me cut the pieces for this last night," Donald said after Jack had come inside, "but I can sand it and put it together myself."Jack looked at the wooden pieces of a little car that lay on the bench. "... More..
Home & Garden > Vegetables & Herbs Tips for harvesting vegetables: 1 of 6
Make Your Garden Pay Off in Taste and Value!Planting a personal garden no longer is so inexpensive as it once was. For one thing, most of us don't have access to natural sources (properly aged manure, for one) of quality garden soil unless we compost. Most "soil" today needs enrichment. It's been a long time since native gras... More..
Food & Drink > Cuisine & Food (Other) Money-saving tips for holiday dinners: 1 of 6
Be realistic about what you can afford. Plan your menu and make a budget-and stick to it as closely as possible. Remember to figure in "non-seen" ingredient expenses like extra sugar, flour, butter or margarine and the like. The following tips also will help.1. Watch sales for several weeks ahead for main ingredients. Turkey,... More..
Food & Drink > Cooking with Spices & Herbs The properties of bay leaves and when to use them in your cooking: 1 of 6
The bay leaf has a spicy, pungent smell and somehow just adds an extra zing to recipes. I love the bay leaf and, for me, at any rate, it's an absolute must in all meat stews and certainly all soups.This herb is great for big-batch freezer cooking as well as single pots...just add an extra bay leaf for extra servings. Even for... More..
Personal Finance > Credit Cards Should teens have credit cards?: 13 of 77
No one should have a credit card until they have the job and financial background on their own to insure payment. Hey, some teens do have both a working record and decent credit ratings, and if they qualify without an adult co-signer, let's hope they are wiser than most adults today in using these cards.My late husband and I ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Thoughts on small town gossip: 8 of 47
I have lived in a mid-sized small town (population ranges from 15000 to 17000) for more than 40 years. It's small enough to know a lot of people, but certainly not everyone. The gossip here is far diminished from the 301 population town where I grew up (some days-if a baby was born, the sign changed; if two people died, the p... More..
Personal Finance > Spending & Saving (Other) How to teach your young children to be money smart: 6 of 34
TEACHING CHILDREN TO SAVE MONEYChildren learn from what they see their parents do. Make savings a regular part of your own spending pattern, even if you cannot save a lot every paycheck. Then also save for different purposes and let children see the benefits of short-term savings while also emphasizing long term savings.Small... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) Trick or treating: Alternatives to treats: 4 of 22
Kids love trick or treating, but I love the idea of alternative (other than food) treats. My neighborhood has an extreme number of trick-or-treaters, though, so even Dollar Store treats would get really expensive. What I did this year was order tiny toys and stickers from http://www.orientaltrading.com/ where the prices go up... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Government & Policies Who should pay the high cost of new drugs: Patients or governments?: 4 of 22
The U.S. government is doing nothing to control the obscene costs of all medications, not just new ones. I am a cancer patient. Luckily, I have really good insurance, and I quickly meet my deductible each year so that my insurance company pays 100% most of the time. Also luckily, it's a large insurance provider that makes hos... More..
Hobbies & Games > Antiques & Collecting (Other) When to throw out a seemingly useless collectors item: 2 of 11
Who among us doesn't begin collections only to let them dwindle. Some things have value, like the depression glass I half-heartedly collected for a time after being given some from an elderly relative's estate. I'm sure it would gladden someone's shelves where people can enjoy it. At my house, it sits, protected by layers of ... More..