Plant Propagation part XXXV based on my own ex

Couldn't have said it better if I had tried!!!!!!!!!!!! ROFLMAO Lee

ARRRRGH!! Jeanette ~ Did you send me your thunderstorms? We had rain all night last night, snow this morning, then rain, then hail along with thunder, then more snow. It has stopped for now. (Yes, manzanita is good for BBQ.)

What is going on? We had snow mid-May last year too, though this year there were more warm sunny days in between the storms. We worked hard outside for most of the day yesterday, though it was cold and breezy.

Dawn ~ You just need to see the property. No we are not getting rid of ALL the manzanitas and ceanothus, just in certain areas where they are a fire hazard near the new garage. In certain areas they are so thick, you could not get through them. Both of them are hard wood and burn green so if there is any danger of fire, we need them clear from the buildings. We live on "wild property", not in the city. A lot of the property needs work.

rj ~ heh, heh.....

Here is the new garden bed....

Evelyn, if you took that today and it is snow, that is disgusting.

I am so disgusted. Our power was out for 4 hours tonight. Seems it always goes out on a Sunday or holiday. OT pay maybe? Anyway, called the PUD and they had 2 guys on it. A 4 mile area and 2 guys could not find it. So why only 2 guys? This outfit is the only one in the county who doesn't answer to anyone. They just raise the rates and spend money like it was water.

They bought new turbines from Austria of all places. Can you imagine? Like nobody in this country makes turbines? And then the shipping etc. And they are probably obsolete by the time they get here. If they need repairs or new parts, guess what!! They have to come from Austria!!

And we can't even get our power going. They got 2 grants and still are not going to replace our lines. They re so old I cannot get caller ID on the phone. I know, that is phone lines. But, they are both installed together. I pay almost $200 a month on budget so that is year round. $2400 per year for the cheapest power in the country.

Sorry guys, but I just had to vent. It is almost midnight and the power just came on. Hopefully to stay. It flickered 4 times during that 4 hours. Evelyn, I don't know how or why, you guys do it when yours goes out for days at a time. There is no excuse for it.

Once aqain, President Obama is trying to upgrade the infrastructure of this country and gets no help at all. We are getting worse than third world countries in everything.



'nite,

Well, just goes to show you can not trust your friend. Talk about me behind my back like that. "cross" "drunk".....not so. I am a peaceful loving person until someone makes me angry. Then of course I lash back and speak my mind and then it is over. I get quiet before I explode.............just remember that.............my kids always said, when she is quiet, run.

I was not feeling well yesterday. I did my deposits and got my cuttings ready to plant, tags made, etc. and it was an icky day. Cloudy, rain, storms, sun.........no snow but lots of pollen.
I get so tired and my eyes feel like I just want to sleep. I laid down for awhile but I could not sleep so I got up and did some easy chores around the house. I stayed close by Barney too because he was not himself.

Today I must go make the deposits and go to the hardware store and market place.
Have a good day and please keep the bad weather out west. The Mississippi River is wild and I have friends who have family living in the area that must be evacuated. It is so sad. We should count our blessings and thank God for what we have. They will loose everything. Yet, I am told that before they moved there, they were told of the fact that someday this could happen and were compensated for moving there. I never knew that.
It still must be painful to have to give up your entire farm so the city down the road is saved. I would be really a mess if that was my problem.

Later MISFITS.................GOTTCHA!

Good morning everyone,

I'm having mood swings like a darn yo-yo. Still have a little bit of the cold and pain from arthritis, etc. My right shoulder has decided to join in the pain game and has been making it hard to sleep. I don't do well without sleep.

Also a yo-yo in the garden. Happy about what is doing well, depressed about many failures. I have enough cherimoya and arhat plants to share if they all keep going.

Scout my visiting dog always seems sad. My other dogs all still think they are playful puppies but Scout is withdrawn. She always has been since so it's not just because she's not with Jon. The other dogs jumpa and around and do play fighting - poor Scout just looks at them like they're crazy. Which we all are. It's more fun.

Tony isn't here yet. I hope he's not sick. He's usually very prompt and he's half an hour late. I told him I wanted to hook up the trailer and get palm logs - maybe he's on strike.

Jenette, be glad you don't live in Mexico. There might be things you can do - most states have a public service commission; all states have politicians; and you might be able to contact other electric companies and get them to petition to take over your area.

Most of the seeds that have germinated are taking off and the papaya from Loggees has several new leaves after loosing all the big leavces it had when it arrived. Their plants are expensive but seem to be among the best I've ever gotten by mail.

Plumarias are blooming and my new tangerine trees are doing well. Two pomegranites have small fruit which will probably be eaten by the hummingbirds. Lots of small citrus fruits which will be nice if I survive our hot, humid summer.

I'm not very patient. I want to go from seed to blooming plant in no more than two days. Think I need some of those solar flowers. I have lots of aloe.

Big news here - last week people from the local government came around and, for a fee of $20, we now have a street address - #17 Oriente. We still don't have mail delivery and I hope the concrete road they are building will get washed away ina hurricane like all the dirt roads that preceeded it. They are still working on the first half-mile or so. At this rate it will be years before they get here anyway but I like the quiet that being on a one-and-a-half-lane road gives us.

I stilll have a lot of seeds to plant. I am reminding myself that I should not expect to catch up on a ten (or more) year collection in a week or two. I got GA-3 from JLHudson and am using it as a pre-soak on the older seeds.

I'm going to plant some aloe. It always does well here. And helps to disguise the tires which I use to hold soil.

hugs, katie

Good morning everyone:
well I survived another gsale. made a little bit of $$$ so it was worth the effort.

Sharon: Thank you so much for send the boxes to me. Its going to be Christmas in may when they come.

well its another shipping day. light orders so i should get some things done today once the boxes are done.

Kim is having surgery on thursday to remove the one Parathyroid. She will be out off work for the weekend. I don't know what to say but I am concerned.
Have a great day
Dave

Wow, found what pulls her chain. Just had to wake you up JB. Hadn't heard from you all day. But when we do hear, it is a shout!

The storm that was is a cloudy day with a little rain. Boy, big deal. I should have left my plants out last night. I doubt that it got below 40 degrees. It got up to 107 in the hoophouse yesterday tho. When I plant my stuff in there I will have to take the ends off during the day. Then it should be fine. Will drop them at night.

Just a day or 2 of not watering and those alfalfa bales dry out something fierce. So will have to really watch that. I don't remember the straw being that bad.

Well, must get busy. ttyl,

So far this has been a productive day. For a change. Got the errands done in town and was on my way out of town when I went to turn on the AC in the Jeep and I could not turn the button. I thought it was my arthritis in the fingers so when I came to my garage man's place I stopped in and ask them to turn it on for me. They looked at me like I was a nut case (no comments Jen), and very manly he came over and reached in the jeep and he could not move it either. HA HA HA HA HA......well, it seems that when I had it painted they glued the knob on the AC switch cause it kept falling off, and they also glued the switch. HA. It took some doing but they got it loose and now the knob falls off again, but I have AC.
Life in NJ is such fun.

Planted 5 dozen cuttings of yellow, peaches and cream, orange and magenta and white holiday cactus.......actually they were Thanksgiving Cactus. I am learning the difference at last. I am late but they would not stop blooming. I then sprayed the little Aimees and instead of throwing away the ones that froze and got brown, I noticed they are starting to sprout new leaves, so I cleaned them up and put them aside after giving them a shot of fish emulsion. The big ones outside look great. They are blooming and I do not see any aphids, but that does not mean they are not there. The GH looks really good as far as the aphids go. I am going to wait another week and then call for another inspection.

Just ate a turkey sub and chips and a big fountain coke. No wonder I am gaining weight. I am such a mess.

It is very cloudy and humid outside. I have to change a hose that is leaking then I am going to stay inside, make some potato salad and sew some sleepy huts for the birds little beds. I would much rather watch a movie and lay down, but I just can not do that.
It is so easy to get really lazy as you get older and if I do that, I will die. I know it for sure.
I must keep myself moving. I can stiffin up like a board if I do not keep moving.

Hey, Katie, those mood swings are nasty, I am so sorry you are having them. I had them when I was depressed and it took a long time for me to get them to stop. I found listening to music was good therapy, especially good music. Exercising was also a good mood breaker. I do not exercise enough anymore. I must really do that. Write that down.

Off I go to get moving again. Later. JB

I agree with you, JB. Tony arrived two hours late as he'd taken his father to the local clinic. I had him hook up the trailer and we got a load of palm logs. I was gasping for air most of the time but we filled the trailer. Tony unloaded it down in the arroyo. If he's able to get here earlier (8am) for a feew days we may be able to do this every day for awhile.

Tony has just gone for a second load. It's really dirty work as people often try to burn the palm logs. Wish I could turn the areas into gardens but they are too public. And too dry. Would be great for pomegranate orchards but people would take the trees.

I'm tired. Not so depressed.

hugs, katie

Wow, I just finished in time. Got the hose replaced that runs from the side of the house to the South deck. It was leaking. I want to tape it and use it in the GH but now I can not find the tiny leak. And, it started to pour raining when I was outside trying to find the problem.
Now everything is wet and no way can I find a tiny pin hole leak. I hate rainy days when I am busy trying to get organized. LOL It is really coming down now.

Katie, I have a papaya that lost almost all its leaves but those on the top. My friend gave it to me who has the Farm Market. She had a couple and gave me one last year. It does not look happy, so I put it outside. Do you feed yours anything?

I must get my veggie plants in. They are in the GH and growing too fast. I like to plant them when they are small. Now it is too wet. Never easy. I tried to keep it down to cukes, canning pickles, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers and I think that is it. Garden is ready but it has rained ever since he put the string down for the row. That was three days ago. Cats are using it for a litter. UGH!
I am sending you a pic of my yellow bearded Iris behind the feed barn. It is massive and needs to be separated big time. I just have to do it this year. On the other side the blooms are so heavy they are falling down on the ground.

Jnette- It is true re the 3rd world, and I've lived there too. When I go to the local post office, or go to renew my drivers liscence, it reminds of places I've lived in Africa. I long for the days when knowing if it was done in the U.S. it was done right and effeciently.

howdy:
JB: Make sure all the water is out of the hose fill a bucket with water and run it through the bucket. the pin hole should show itself by bubbling air. just a thought.
RJ: yes we have moved from done right and efficient to "that'll do next"
Have a great evening
Dave

"NUT CASE" huh? Boy, if that didn't hit the nail on the head. Hey old woman would you just slow down a minute. I can't keep up with you. Been running behind you.

I am going to have Bob help me plant the tomatoes tomorrow. In the hoophouse. But then I have to keep opening the ends during the day so they don't cook. It was 107 in there yesterday. Only 50 now 'cause it is cloudy and raining.

Your irises need dividing. Just like my peonies. Only they are slowing down their blooming. Your irises aren't. I don't know what time of year you are suppose to divide the peonies. Probably won't get it done. I am still hoping to move.

My sister wants me to "stage" my house but then I will be paying storage and I do not want to feel like I have to take a house I do not want and I don't want to rent unless it is a lease op or something like that. I want to move real bad but I have only moved twice in my adult life and wherever I go I want to live there the rest of my life. Therefore, I want it to be something I can do something to to make it the way I want it.

Does that make sense?

LOL rj that is why my crack about FedEx. If you retire are you going to have to go back to using the post office?

JB, this is for you. I read this on facebook. I tried to find you on facebook and could not.

When mowing the lawn: Remember that riding mowers put more stress on your lower back. If you can, alternate between the riding and the push mower to give your back a little rest.

I know you cannot use a push mower but wanted you to know about the riding mower.

Dave, your boxes did not go out today because I could no get to them. Landscape workers coming by about 5:30pm to help me put out recycle from cleaning garage on Saturday and then I can get to them. They are surrounded by recycle.

I will return. I need to read what you all have been doing. Sharon.

Well, I take Effexor XR for my depression. I always get it refilled about 30 days before I am out. When I opened my new bottle, the pill was different. It was a new annual prescription written on my annual visit. She had written it for the wrong Effexor. I called on Thursday and left a message with the "Nurse". I took the Effexor that was filled but by yesterday I saw a "witch".

So today I went to the doctor's office, gave them both bottles, told them my story and I was in and out in about 15 minutes. They called in the prescription and I went to the pharmacy and it was ready. I guess it is a big deal. I did not realize there were bad withdrawal effects but you can ask Vern.

I have PT tomorrow and Wednesday. I did some dead heading today and cleaned house. I was going to do some clean up in the garden because of wind yesterday but we have a high wind warning for tomorrow and snow in the mountains. We are suppose to be in high 60 Wednesday. 90 degrees then mid 60s in 3 days.

Evelyn, I hope your pretty pink and white lantana made it.

Guys are here to help me put out the recycle. I will return. Sharon.

I just typed for about 15 minutes and lost it all. I am done for tonight. Probably just nonsense anyway. Sharon.

Sharon you know better than not to copy as you go, a large post. lol

Thanks so much. I had no idea what they were. I figured garlic to ward off gophers. It smelled my whole kitchen up in no time flat. I doubt gophers will like those bulbs. I have to look it all up now. The tree is it fast or slow growing?

My crystal ball says those idiots and their end of the world date is garbage and I hope they all apologize to the world next year. I am not so sure that the Lord is not coming soon, but as for a date, the Bible says no man will know the date or hour, except God the father himself, so I am inclined to believe that.

My husband was in the union that caused that strike at the ports. His was last year, but there was another one that was the Longshoremen themselves striking. Last year was a slow down of imports, while my husbands union was locked out of their jobs by the company, so the main union held up some ships.

Our weather took a crap, it froze again last night and the poor roses are going to suffer, if it goes on as long as they say.

Can't wait to go on our trip for our anniversary.

hugs,

Dawn

Where are you going Dawn?

I've had my pills different Sharon and when I called about them I was told it was a different manufacturer.

You are lucky you caught it. I probably would have figured different mfg and let it go.

Morning, rain, wind and pollen. And I hope you all have a great day. I must make a trip into town again today. I hate doing that, but my glasses need to be adjusted again and I have another HP deposit to make.So, I will be out in the rain which I hate.

You are so right about the mower Sharon. I need to change my Chiropractor appointment from Wed. to Fri. now because we mow grass Thursdays and I am sore from Friday until Wednesday. It does make a difference.

You really need to be sure you check your pills every time. I do it before I leave the Pharmacy. They are all human and they can mess up like anyone else.

Want to share another one of my new Iris. This is the first year bloom for it and it is a beauty. Cream and yellow and a bit of rust color.

Gotta go. Jb

Sharon, you can find me on facebook under Jacquie Beyer Berger

Good morning everyone:
Sharon: its fine I am sure they will get here when they are suposed to. I am sensearly greatfull for the boxes as I really need them. I have a lot of stuff I need to move up as well as some fresh stuff that really needs the larger pots.

JB: Don't you have someone to take over the job of mowing for you? It does not sound like the activity is worth the extra pain. I realize you are like I am and will deal with the outcome later. I have been reanalizing my activities and I try to use a helper as much as I can. Especially when it comes to moving a lot of stuff. great pics by the way

Well one more box to do today and then its time to get a calculation on cost for shipping my flats. and of course an inventory as I sold a few things at the garage sales.

The greenhouse is full again but I have some seed flats that I need to take out and it will give me room for more cuttings. Its the 130 flats of perrienials thats eating up space in my area really bad. The nursery looks great with all the little plants in a row one right after another but they need to find a new home so I will most likely sell them off wholesale so I can recoup my $$$ and replant a smaller crop that takes less room. Oh well live and learn.

Well its time to get moooving.
Have a great day
Dave

Everyone is busy today it sounds like. JB, the iris is beautiful. Think Sharon is on to something about your chiro appt. Then you might feel good for 6 days instead of one. LOL, yeah I'm a brain surgeon too.

Dave I could have told you that. LOL see above.

Well, we, Bob and I, are going to try the South Beach diet. Has anyone used it? My sister does and swears by it. However, she, like the rest of us, does not eat right after losing the weight. Maintenance. So, every year or 2 she has to do it all over again.

But I would be happy for a year or 2.

The problem with all diets is the cost. I suppose the first trip out to the grocery store is the most expensive if you are getting the stuff to start it. So, have to think about the cheapest grocery store. Not easy now when they are all raising their prices like crazy.

I love mowing grass and will suffer I know, but I can not see myself giving up my mowing.
Growing old becomes a reality when you start giving up things. When I list the things I have given up or can not do anymore, I just want to cry. NOOOOOO...........I am going to keep mowing and bitching.

I have tried that stupid South Beach Diet. Bought book, etc. Well, the truth is, I am too old for any diet to work. My metabolism is slow and I can not burn off the fat, even with exercise. I give up. Last one I tried was Weight watchers Point System online. I did loose weight with that and it was cheap. They have a special for men now.

Arnold Swartzenbugger has a baby to his maid. So, what makes him any different that some of the other people in the Kennedy family. I used to have such respect for that family but after the mess with Teddy and the car in the water (wasn't the girl killed in that car pregnant?) how he lied and that is all documented, anyhow, then John and his extra marital games, the old man was a womanizer.....so what? They have to live with it and I wish people would stop talking about it. I can forgive and forget anything as long as those involved are not hypocrites. I hate when they lie about it. Admit it and forgit it. Life goes on. I sure can not cast any stones, can you?

It is now raining again. I have some things to do on Plant Scout. Back later. JB

I agree with you and the liar's. I feel if someone will lie then they will steal and we all know its a short hop from thief to cerial murder. ("officer jones what do we have? it looks like a cerial murder. How do you know that? look at the frosted flakes and banannas")

I have tried a few diets but my issue is I love chocolate. and of course sugar. I can loose weight I just have to up the protien and reduce the sugar and eat a little something every 2 hours. but then I am tied to a timer and where is the fun in that?

JB can you tell me why people from canada don't realize they can't order plants from the usa and get them through customs? Had a person order a hosta from canada. told her it would most likely be thrown out at custom's and I will not take a risk like that.

Jeanette: what are you refering to? I did not see the reference but of course I am having one of those days. think I am going to fit my timers and go to bed.
Dave

OK weight issues---I am finally losing...I am not hungry, but you have to like veggies, and fruit. a typical dinner for me is 3-4oz chicken, or pork, with all visable fat removed, and about 2 cups of veggies. sometimes cooked, sometimes half and half, and sometimes all raw. I got some of the diet bars and when I want something candy-like, I ear one of them. I have not been cheating at all and as I said, I am not hungry. If I need crunchy, I eat celery, radishes, peppers, seems like it satisfies the craving for crunchies. It is working for me. Also I love popcorn, and dear Orville R has come out with a 94% fat free one, ( just for me, you know) so I have that a couple of times a week. For the ice cream craving, I use frozen yogurt fat free. Dont know if this helps, but works for me,
It is cold and rainy here, but I am planting anyway. Tired of waiting. I do have a tiny bit of green showing on a couple of the cells of grass, hope it will continue to grow. Have put fresh bark mulch down so the beds are looking a little fresher. DH has put hogwire around the beds in the back, to keep my gardener shepherd from his chronic transplanting.
ttyal, Lee

Good for you Lee!! Years ago, many years ago, I went on WW diet. It was when they were fairly new so you know how rigid the diet was. I actually went down to a size 5. Way up there now. Anyway, it is the only diet I have ever been on that I didn't gain the weight back, and more too, as soon as I went off of it.

It was a couple of years before I gained any back on that one. But, after eating 5 meals of fish a week I couldn't look another fish in the eye so I went as far off of it as I could.

Are you still taking the VD? I listened to something and instead of the 3K a day I started taking 2 per day and now I have the blood pockets that look like bad bruises coming back on my arms. Guess I am going to have to take that 3rd one.

Well, we went up one of the logging roads and Bob picked a couple pounds of Morel mushrooms a bit ago. He loves them, but after eating Chantrells on the coast, the Morels don't show me much. There are very few places where the Chantrells grow here. They hang out with the Douglas Firs, old growth.

Going to go plant the tomatoes in the bales, ttyl

Jnette,
Naaa, I'll have the time then to stand in line!

Well my PT was great. I bent over yesterday to dead head a petunia and felt a twinge in my lower back. I immediately did not move and slowly came back up. Escaped a big problem. She put that L5 where it is suppose to be and then worked on my balance. Going tomorrow again.

Dave, your boxes are on the way, by UPS Ground. Coming from the West, it is probably by stagecoach.

My garage looks great. Recycle is gone, Dave's boxes are gone and all plants are planted.

JB, when I grow up I want to be just like you.

Well my trip was off and now it is on again. I am just going a little later.

Lee, is the grass showing green, my dead headed seeds or your normal grass in the ground. When I went to Lowe's last week, they had guards with guns by all the plants with seed heads. LOL.

We are having gusty wind today and tomorrow so I will just do the things I need to do in the house and then I can clean up on Thursday or Friday. I am going out tonight with a flash light and look at the petunias. I found one very very small green worm on a half eaten bloom this morning when dead heading. Same kind that was on my lettuce last year.

My little birds are to busy making baby birds and have forgot they are suppose to be eating these bugs.

Housekeepers will be here tomorrow. Laundry is all done and I have a few downstairs french door windows done. Mostly dog nose prints.

I have some tomatoes turning yellow. A few more weeks and I will be eating fresh tomatoes.

I am going to take the dogs for their evening walk and get the mail. Later, Sharon.

It is 57 right now, but with the winds, it is about 47. I was just watering for the last hour and My nose is running and my hands are so frozen, they won't type. Cut off the leaves off the Black eyed Susan and have been keeping them all alive, because It got so cold. I could have on the week end, but I did not know what I had. What are the bean pods? They look like one of my trees pods.
What is the wire vine looking plant?

I am going to Morrow Bay for my anniversary. We just spent a fortune on tickets and room to reserve for Phoenix in November so we are only staying one night and two days but we got the delux room overlooking the beach with a jacuzzi on the balcony over the water. So that will be fun. We love the drive up the coast in Central Ca.

I see bugs eating stuff too. I need to get some diazinon.

Hey Sharon, you think the guards are bad, I answered the door this morning, two plainclothes were standing there asking if I had received any packages from NV. But I covered your ****** and said nope. LOL The green showing is in one of 70 cells that came from the contraband. Hopefully the rest will come up soon., Yard grass has been out or a little while sure is a lot of winter kill this year darn it
BTW all---I hit the -20# this morning. Started at 186 down to 166 Yay Yay. Sugar not as good, but still better than it was @ 127 instead of above 200.
Jeanette, no fair, mushrooms are part of this diet of mine and all I can get are cut up buttons, good, but not nearly as good as those. Of course Bob is probably really glad I don't live closer, we might have to argue, (after he teaches me what to pick) Love mushrooms. Later, Lee

I may have sent your wire vine. I have it everywhere. Post a photo please

The pods should be the nearly white California poppy pods. When they dry out, they open and the seeds POP everywhere. Each pod has about 25 seeds.

I do not use insecticides so my fingers will have to do the walking and smashing.. My birds usually take care of them.

Our high today was 68 and suppose to have hail tomorrow. I dislike hail because it rips all the leaves to pieces.

BUT, I could have farm land near the Mississippi. I hate to see grown men and women cry because it breaks my heart knowing they are losing everything. Where will they go? What will they do?

Later friends. Sharon. The dogs did not take a walk, they took a fly around the neighborhood. They did not hesitate to come home.

I think it is a wire vine? Looks like one. Where is the best place to grow it, east, west, wet dry?

Cross Post....

WOW, Lee, that is wonderful. 20 lbs is two dress or pant sizes. And that is a great drop in your blood sugar. Good for you.

I am so glad you got rid of the plain clothes officers. LOL.....

I have all my wire vine in pots or hanging baskets. They live through the winter but I do not think I have it anywhere in direct sun. But, I do not have many places with direct sun because of the way I built the house, trees and shade neighbors houses and trees provide.

Lee that is so great!! Good for you!! WW huh? When did you start? That is wonderful. And your sugar drop is great too. Boy, you have willpower. How is the diet now on WW?

We haven't started the diet yet. Have to go to Spokane when the SAS shoe store calls that my order is in, and then will go shopping. Most at Costco and then one of the Grocery stores. Everything up here is so expensive. It is bad enough down there, but up here they charge for the gas to bring it this far so they really hit us.

They are charging $4.25 for gas when it is $3.85 down in Spokane. So that makes a big hit on the groceries too.

Oh, with the common people huh rj?

Your trip being to Spokane Sharon? Are you driving, or flying? Is Vern going with you?

ttyl,

LOL, looks like we were all typing so fast and mine almost got knocked off. Saved it tho. Good thing, 'cause I doubt I would have written it again.

I am going to Portland to see the Irises in bloom and then to Spokane. I am leaving Vern with his daughter in Vancouver, just cross the river from Portland.

Jnette, I hear the new Weight Watchers is a good thing. And you can do it on line. I am going to go on WW when I get back from Spokane to lose another 20 lbs.

Thanks Sharon. I will check it out. How long are you going to take for your trip?