Eluned, I think I can help, but youmight have to clarify a bit, if this doesn't help.

If you have an "Active Messages" at the top of the threads' titles, just click on that and it will take you to your Personal Page, where you can click on the subject of any message sent to you adn read it. To reply you need only click on the sender's name. To archive the messages you are done with, click on where it says "archive", (on the same line as the sender and subject).

As for finding old threads, you can click on your name,at the top of in any posting of yours, and it will take you to all of your postings. You can also do this on anyone else's name in the threads.

For finding old thread, put a keyword in teh search box and keep it simple, then set the age filter and push go. To keep track of specific threads, just click on "bookmark" at the far right hand side of the thread titles and it will post a link to that thread on your Personal Page.

Good luck!

kat