When Massachusetts split dialing codes the most recent time, you had to start dialing the area code, but not the 1. So now I do get a little confused sometimes.

MD has this too - area code for regional calls, 1+area for long-distance. But IIRC, if you do dial 1+area for regional calls, nothing bad happens. Your call will still go through just fine.

Baraboo! Circus Museum! Crane Foundation! Boo Zoo! I wanna go!

This drives me nuts, though, because between that and cell phones, I'm so accustomed to dialing area codes that every time I have to dial someone from work who's also in 312, I have to hang up and start over w/o the area code.

Took me a while to readjust in California.

I had canned chicken noodle soup to which I added chicken and stir-fry veggies. Also hot cocoa to which I added a dark chocolate candy bar and vanilla.

No tots here.

mmm that hot cocoa sounds scrumptious

hivemind: "It was placed under the counter to prevent its being stolen"

or "it's being stolen"

or should I rephrase that entirely?

I would simplify to "was placed under the counter to prevent theft."

that works. thanks

But I believe it would be "its," like "He was placed under the counter to prevent his being stolen."

That's what I was wondering: does it own being stolen or is being stolen something it is. It's clear when you swap "he" for "it" that it's the former.

edit: but the note now says it was placed under the counter to prevent theft.

I need potatoes now. Do you people not understand that Saturday was the potato party and I had at least 30 different permutations of potatoes ( plus corned beef and cabbage and pie and whiskey and fernet) and that I should have no interest in potatoes.