Coffee and...part 10! :-D

Why didn't someone tell me that if you have 2 boys, you need to keep having kids until you get a daughter!!! LOL Too late for me now!!

Still have my headache and (shame) on me - still swigging a diet coke.

Wood, join up at Curves again (I go to contours...) I go daily - have met some really nice gals there and we laugh and laugh. Plus, it is the only activity I get in the bad weather (which we have a lot of in Mich) My weight has not changed much, but I am much more fit (and down a pants size)

I laughed at myself - found myself sitting in bed at 3:30am looking at seed catalogs. I think I will order from Parks today - the seed selection in our area is the pits this year. Probably won't get the darn things until July 4th!! Oh well, there's always next year!

Well, cat is at the screen scratching and wanting to be let in, so I gotta bamboose...

looking at seed cataloges ar 3 in the morning that really would put me to sleep in a heartbeat LOL
Maria

I discussed returning to Curves with my spousal unit and he is all for it. Our local hospital has a program to help people pay for prescriptions and we qualified. This will save us about $300 a month for our regular prescriptions that we have to take perennially.
It may sounds like indulging and taking advantage of the system, but I really believe the health benefits way outweight the costs.

Hi Y'all,
Well I'm safely back home and totally exhausted from the trip. Its going to take me a week to catch up with you guys!!!
Just popped in to say Hi and have a quick coffee before I start on the laundry - I don't think either of us has any clean underware left so its urgent! catch y'all later.
Carol

HI everyone...
It's been a pretty good day around here. In spite of DH finally getting out of his chair for the first time in 3 days (the dreaded flu), we went outside to survey the yard and the spring projects. The first thing he did was pick up a shovel (gingerly, I might add...he's still pretty weak) to check the frost depth. Hip Hip Hooray! It's coming out really fast! That means he'll be able to build the shelf and frame for my mini greenhouses. It also means that I will able to move some Russian Olives and daylilies away from the area where we're going to put the new "garden bench". Ahhhhhh Spring! (well...almost! :-D)

I've been spending a lot of time over in the new Coleus Forum. If you're interested in these wonderfully color-filled plants...I personally invite you ALL to visit us. I'll bring a link to the forum next time I stop in.

Well...time for the meds...better go before I forget it again.

~julie~

Nah, Maria, I'm with Sarv - a seed/flower catalog at three in the morning will have me making lists and plans the light of day knows I can't really handle.

Julie one May I lost so much weight I became a bit concerned. A nurse friend of mine pointed out a diet of cottage cheese and grapes eaten on the run was not enuff to balance the increased activity in the garden. Now I admit to countin on that burst of activity to rid me of my winter's gain. So far so good.

I wasn't really living on cot chs and grapes but they are a fair sampling of my food inclinations. Throw in 'taters and I'm a happy camper. heehee ~Blooms

Blooms...we need to have dinner together sometime. I think we'd do fine on that kind of food. (Oh...a few potato chips with that cottage cheese helps when nothing else sounds good. ;-))

~julie~

and you speak pretty casually about moving 'russian olive[s]' -- ?they're trees aren't they? actually I know the russian olive is a tree. it's one I'm allergic to and quite prolific... considered a weed tree here.

taters in any form... home fries tops, followed by baked, and smashed... and i've made many a meal outta cot chs and chips, with the addition of salsa it's even a balanced meal . right?

Did someone say FOOD???? Peanut butter cups are all gone!! But, I've had a day and a half migraine and now I'm wondering if my crummy diet had something to do with it. Man... I just hate those headaches. I made my self go to Contours, but I just wasn't into it. Spent the rest of the day in my chair, dousing myself with aspirin. I haven't had a migraine in months (stress induced I think) and this shower stuff is sending me over the edge - again!!

I am living for next week when the temps are supposed to hit 50's - get out the shorts!!!

I think I will start the rest of my seeds. I continue to have horrendous fungus gnats. I smoosh them all and in an hour, I see a dozen more flying around. What is a sure way to rid myself of them???

Love that new coleus and datura form. I am still fighting with my yellow double datura - started three pots of them and none of them sprouted. I think maybe I have unfertile seed. Anyone have any double yellow they could share???

Well, mother nature is calling, so see ya later!

Lots of gardening activity here when I'm off work. I'm supposed to work 1/2 days, but sometimes I have to work more and today I have to work even though it's Saturday. The office manager is taking off a day to be with her son who is going to a home for boys next Thursday. I hope this helps him, I swear this kid could go ballistic and shoot up a school or some other public place. He's sooooo angry! It's so odd because he can be so sweet and he's very intelligent. Kinda cute, too, so he's not ostracised because of his looks. Go figure.
I have 8 pots of sedum, "Autumn Joy" ready for the GA RU and have to dig up a bunch of liriope in the next few days. Trying to pot them and get them over the shock before the trip in April.

Sarv, your migraine headaches could be triggered by the aspartame in the diet drinks...

Betty, I'm really looking forward to the GARU next month. Too bad I will have little to trade, but I mostly go to socialize anyway. Sidney (Sugarweed) wants to share my cabin so that will help on $$.

My sister's kid "ran away" again Thursday night. When 11 pm last night (Friday) rolled around, my sis called the cops and told them where she thought the kid might be. The cops brought the kid home about an hour later, said the house where they found her smelled of pot in the air. That kid is headed for trouble, and now determined not to move with her mother this summer when the house sells.

I plan to go to Jonesborough, TN next week to look at a house built in 1948 as a single family home, now 2 apartments needing LOTS of work. Could be a charming house and the price is right. Plus, it's in a commercial zone so we could start our backyard bird business in the downstairs unit. Maybe.

That looks like a very nice place, Darius, love the trees in front, it must help to keep the house and porch cool
Maria

I'm hoping so, Maria. The agent says the rhododendrons on the back side are up to the second story windows and 12-14 feet wide, filled with buds.

the rhododendrons sound like what I left behind in our farm house I planed 41 years ago, in several shades from white to pink. Now they are tall enough to reach the second story and wrap themselves around the corner of the house from one window to the other.
Maria

Love the house- I've always wanted a big porch like that!! Is your sister moving in with you?? Bird business?? Something new? Ohh dear, that kid sounds like a problem...wish I had some good advice. Those were the worse years of my life (shuddering)

Pending DIL just called about easter dinner today- asking what time. I told her 4pm - she said she couldn't come as she is performing tonight (bellydancer) - now wouldn't you have known that last week when they were asked?? Good thing I don't say what's really on my mind!! LOL

Darius - ya I know about the diet stuff - will stop on Monday (always start over on a Monday!!)

Heading off to the store....sun is out!!

LOL...Blooms, those Russian Olives are just some 'starts' I bought from mailorder last spring. I guess they can be trained as a tree or as a shrub. I bought them because I love the color (or lack of) the foliage. Not to mention they are supposed to grow fairly quickly...and in my 'flat as a pancake except for the reforested pinetrees' lot, I *need* something to break the vertical movement for my eyes. :-D (And yes...add a little salsa to that dish of CC and chips and it's a well balanced meal. At least for you and me. hehehe)

Sarv, I'm sorry to hear you're having headaches...they are the pits for sure. Hope you find out what's causing them but I think the stress is probably a good place to start. Glad you visited the new Coleus forum. We're have an absolute ball over there right now. I just love Coleus first because they're so easy to grow and propagate, and second because there is just so many varieties I can find something to fill in every space...they're just the perfect plant for me and the way I want to garden.

As for the fungus gnats...if anyone figures out how to get rid of those pesky critters, I want to know immediately. I have them really bad in a couple of my trays right now. Move the tray and a cloud forms in an instant. arghhh

Did someone mention sedum? Ohhhhhh...I'm doing a little surf shopping right now and remembered that I really wanted more for my yard this year. Just looked up to see who it was. Betty, I wish I was closer, I'd love to have one of those pots you're taking to RU. :-( Guess I'll have to find someone in my area who gardens. (That's not an easy task, let me tell ya. LOL)

Darius that's a great looking house. It has character and a gorgeous yard. But what I like best is that it has trees with LEAVES (not pine needles!) in the yard. (Ohhhhh how I'd love to have some mature trees)

That 'kid' needs to get a shot of reality...real quick. To my way of thinking most of the kids I *know* need it. I'm NOT going there...al it does is raise my blood pressure to the popping point. ;-)

Maria..good morning to you. I was also looking at the Rhodies on the Klehm's site this morning. I've heard that they make a good understory planting for these wretched pines I have. I wish I had a few of those second story sized ones.

Well...I don't have much else to say. Today, I'll be potting up a couple of petasites starts that were so generously gifted to me by a DG member. I know, I know....they can be invasive. But I think in my area they'll do good just to survive. AND they will help with that 'vertical' problem I have. LOL

Y'all have a good day...and I'll be later to see what everyone is doing.

~julie~

Sarv, yes my sister and I plan to live together in a house she will buy when she sells the one she is in now. I'm retired, although I cannot live on my SS income and have no other income, nor savings. She's 8 years younger, lost her job to the hurricanes last fall. It's hard to get a decent job at 56 unless you have a profession, so we are thinking to open a backyard bird business where we both can work, part-time for me.

I had a girl friend who ran a 'bird' business from her garage and she did pretty well with it. Good luck on getting that house, it looks positively wonderful. A house divided into two apartments sounds perfect for the two of you.

If the niece manages to make it to her twenties things will mend themselves. what ever happened to the days when a minor HAD to do as told? LOL at least til they were outta high school. guess I'm being naive ... Evian [water] is naive spelt backwards. ~Blooms

Blooms, in FL a minor child at least 16 can "emancipate" themselves, by law. I think the real problem is that her mother never enforced any discipline from the time Jessica was born. No wonder she has no sense of it now.

Is this your sistes only child, Darius? How sad she does not respect her mother
I have never been able to understand why young people want to hurt their parents this way if their background is that of caring parents. I have one of them who does have a faulty behavior pattern, totally the opposite from his other three siblings but that 's how it goes some times.
Maria

Maria,

"Faulty Behavior Patterns". That's a refreshing way to look at it. Seriously.......with difficult offspring, we need lightning up some times. Thank you for that.

Molly
:^)))

Got back from the store - what an absolute zoo!! Took me forever to grab what I wanted - how can a couple of heads of lettuce cost $50 bucks~~~

I've sure been laughing as I reread this forum today - how can a bunch of gals, who for the most part, have never met each other, bare their souls so??? I've aired more dirty laundry here than ever in my life!!! Sometimes I am embarassed when I tell so much.. I do have a wonderful sister who I share most everything with, but I only talk to her on Sat. -she lives in Indiana. For me, anyhow, I feel better telling someone - things always work themselves out and it gives me hope when others have gone thru crappola too and still can talk about it with humor.

As a sideline- prospective DIL called and apologized for being so short and crabby with me earlier in the day. She said she is over the edge worrying about this bellydancing gig she has tonight - AND the DS (who never attends) is actually going to his brothers for Easter. I ended up telling her that someone would have a shower(wedding ) for her!! (she sobbed so after I told her!!) Makes me laugh, just thinking about how frazzled I was a couple of days ago. See, my mom is right- things do work out!! (why don't I listen to her!!)

Got everything all set to go - think I will wander out in the barn and see how DH is coming along with the greenhouse. Last I checked he had three of the four sides done for the base (greenhouse is all assembled, just needs a base)

Take care everyone - and Happy Easter!!! (I'm hoping I'll get black jelly beans - just love em)

Yes, this is my sister's only child, born when she was almost 40 and between husbands. (She had 6 of those.) This half-sister is my mother's only other child, from her second marriage. I believe that's why Judi never enforced any discipline, trying to raise her alone.

My dad re-married and had one girl and then 3 boys. Haven't talked to that half-sister since our dad died 11+ years ago. I do talk to the oldest of my brothers weekly, and occasionally to the other 2.

Sarv, I was trying to figure out why my bread, milk and eggs cost $50!! Seems to average at least $10-15 per grocery store plastic bag no matter what...

Darius, imagine 6 husbands or was this a typo error??
If not more power to her!
Maria.

No, it wasn't a typo. LOL. I suspect she was always looking for the father she never saw after about age 5. The last husband (in Hawaii when Jessica was 3 months old) only lasted about 4-5 weeks. She doesn't know if she's still married or not, and since she doesn't want another husband, she doesn't care.

What I'd call a really truly optomist. .

Hello everyone. Any goodies left to go with the tea? I should bring something, it is a good day for making cookies, raining and snowing, all sideways. I'm glad not to have to be out in it. We need the moisture desperately as most of the northwest is still in a drought, but it would be nice if it didn't happen in the daytime. I'm still checking for new lambs at night so it should wait until about 3 am. If only I could arrange that!

Darius, your sister sounds like so many who grew up without a father in the home. It is sad. Police, social service agencies, and the courts, etc, all have lots of contact with these kids who haven't figured out how life really works. Raising a kid alone is no picnic, and when you haven't got a good role model it must be totally baffleing. The kid will probably emancipate herself, she might as well because it doesn't look like she is likely to turn around and follow rules of conduct anytime soon. Also sad because she is likely to make a lot of poor choices before she gets smart. I sure do like the looks of the house you want to look at, that porch is wonderful. A bird business would be great, there is plenty of money in "high end" birds. I know somebody who raises them, she makes good money with a home based business and all her birds are hand fed and gentle. She ships them all over the US. Her cheap ones are $600, yikes!!

You know, it just amazes me how a person can go into a store for one or two items and come out with bags full. Grocery items appear to be quite mobile, especially if you are hungry when you shop! Do you ask for paper bags or just let them bag everything in plastic? We like paper, most of it is recycled, and there are so many wasted trees in our National Forests that cutting a few more trees is no problem. Also, some tree farms raise trees just for making paper. One farm in Oregon has 17,000 acres of fast growing poplar trees planted in rows about 8 or 10 feet apart, watered by drip irrigation. As soon as a section is harvested it is replanted, a 7 or 8 year cycle. It provides a boost to the local economy and a needed product. Everybody uses paper.

We have 2 small Russian Olive trees that have been brought to us by birds or deer, they weren't there last spring but are about 3 feet tall now. Maybe I should transplant them. The nearest ones are over half a mile away, so I know these didn't walk. I also like that dusky gray color, it is a nice contrast. We have a lot of sagebrush around here too, it is sort of a blue gray. I guess I should find a picture to show you folks who don't live in the western desert. Blooms is the only one here that has that color growing around her naturally.

Julie, try some double faced tape on something yellow (even construction paper on a stick). They fly into it and get stuck. You'll have fun catching them, make 'em fly and watch 'em stick. Cheap entertainment!!

I'm going to get busy baking now, I made myself hungry. Already made a batch of granola and it smells really good so my tummy is already growling. See you later, I'll bring cookies.

Sarv...I've often thought the same thing about how easy it is to make ourselves comfortable with people who are willing to *listen* to us and our troubles. For me, it's always nice to know that if I listen to someone else, more than likely, they'll be willing to listen to me when it's my turn.

Tell me about the price of 2 heads of lettuce! :-D Man my DH will go to the store for toilet paper and walk out spending over 100.00. (Expensive paper? ;-))

Darius...only one word...*KIDS* (and I'll second it with *PARENTS!!*) I guess at my age I'm beginning to fully understand the point of "When you're *my* age..." LOL And yes, I have many many of those kinds of things that were said to me when I didn't listen...and yes...now I wish I had. hehehe

Mary, we just made a contribution to the pulp wood business...between ourselves and our kids we had well over 5 acres of scrawny red pines. The tree cutter has been on the property for about 2 months (off and on and only one guy). I think he's hauled out 4 or five flat bed semi trailers of logs...and all of it going to the paper mills. Frankly, I couldn't be happier to have more space for my gardening. :-D But when it comes to clear cutting forest areas, I'll take the recycled paper bags anytime.

Good to hear things are slowing down a bit with the lambing. And a 'rain day' is always nice.

It was a *glorious* day here...in fact it's still very warm outside. I got all my plants in place and sat at the picnic table surveying all the wonderful things that will happen in my yard this summer. It's *such* a turn on! :-D (At my age...never mind. ;-))

Well it's time for supper...I think it's steak and baked potatoes tonight. And I might make one of those 'No-Bake' cheesecakes for a quick dessert. Blooms...looks like I pulled a "Blooms" again today. I forgot to come in to eat. Maybe I need to get some grapes in my fridge...what cha think. LOL

See y'all later...
~julie~

OH ...P.S. I got my Weeping Pussy Willow tree today. Got it from Spring Hill and I'll tell ya, it's BIGGER than I expected! Probably 4-5' tall! I'll come back to tell you the *rest* of the story later. ;-)

Back again for just a minute to show you a picture of the sagebrush range country where I ride my horses. The overall color is this bluish green and it smells so good! I'll try to find another picture of the big sagebrush in bloom. We have about 5 kinds out there, collectively referred to as sagebrush but some have other names like rabbit brush. Anyhow, here is the view from behind the horse's ears.

Thanks, Mary. I absolutely LOVE that I get to glimpse your area from my computer in the east!

This is a variety called Big Sagebrush in bloom. It has greener leaves than some of the others and can grow to about 10 ft high, usually is about half that. The blooms and the leaves are quite small.

Sheesh, ya miss a day and look at all that happens! Sarv, have you been drinking diet Coke or caffeine free diet Coke? I get the caffeine free, and dont get that withdrawal headache like with the regular. I was grinding decaf coffee beans too, but just switched back to half and half to get that "kick start" in the morning.

Kids! If they don't drive you to the nut ward, eventually they manage to get their feet under them...although some times I still wonder at the choices my younger daughter makes. I admit to biting my tongue a lot, because she views any suggestions from me as criticism (who, me?) and always has a chip on her shoulder. Probably because I was so often right about her choices. Who in their right mind has a second family at the age of 40? Particularly when she has fibromyalgia and Hepatitis C........and not just one more child, but two born 10 months apart. Hears nothing from the father, naturally. Sigh. Of course I love her, but that doesn't make me stop wanting to smack her a good one.

We had a huge Russian Olive at one time, in our first house. When it bloomed in the spring, the scent was enough to make you dizzy. They are considered a weed tree by the DNR here, but I still think the color is beautiful and if one happened to pick a spot in our yard, I wouldn't be unhappy.

Was sunny and almost warm here today, saw a couple of yellow finches this morning so I put out some thistle for them. The cats are ecstatic when the birds start hanging around the feeders .

I almost always ask for paper bags, good for all kinds of things besides hauling home the family fortune in groceries. Bag up newspapers , magazines, drain greasy food if you happen to need a large surface, wrap packages, etc. Although I do get the clear plastic ones from one particular supermarket because they make such dandy wastepaper basket liners...

SIX husbands..........omigod. She's either a glutton for punishment or believes in fairy tales. I got mighty careful after the first one! And I wouldn't trade this one for anything, but if anything happened to him, I wouldn't risk it again. That house looks charming, and two apartments would be ideal if you are going to be housemates.

BTW, with all the controversey about Terry Shiavo, we've both signed living wills. I didn't designate him as my decision maker though, because he was a basket case when I had my heart attack, so I don't expect he'd be in a good decision making frame of mind. You also have to designate a back up person, and there are a number of choices other than just "pull the plug" so you have to really think about what you want.

Well, that should cast a significant pall on our conversations!! Sorry, but it was on my mind. Now we need to update our wills, because his family will be on me like a flock of vultures if anything happens to him, and I'd have to shoot them. Then they'd send me to jail, and you know what awful food they serve prisoners...even Martha lost weight!!

We went to the Home and Garden Show today, which had all the usual hucksters selling kitchen gadgets. And twenty or so spa sellers. And realtors up the wazoo.The landscapers had some nice displays and one vendor was selling "decorative" branches of red twig dogwood and some kind of curly branches. They looked pretty fresh, so I bought some and now they are sitting in water w/ rooting hormone added, hoping some will sprout a root or two. If not, I've still got some pretty branches...............LOL

I'll have to bake something tomorrow, that counter top is looking rather depleted. How about some more chocolate chip cookies ...Sarv can have the ones with the least chips and nuts, and I'll take the ones with the most, and the rest of you can share the remainder! Gonna go check out that Coleus forum.

I was surprised the house was built in 1948. It must have been built at the very end of the Craftsman style homes, which started about 1905. Then after that, we got the lovely matchbox "ranch" style, ugh!
Does your sister have her house on the market yet? I would have thought fall would be the best time to sell houses, when the newest snowbirds start looking for a warm place to spend the winter.
My daughter wanted to move out when she was 16. She had job at McDonald's and her boyfriend was "looking" for one. According to the laws in NC, she could move out at 16 and they could bring her back home, but she would just leave again.
So I let her move out. She didn't go to the trouble to emancipate herself. I told her if she failed or dropped out of school she would have to come back home. The real plot I had formulated, was that if she did fail or drop out of school, it would prove she wasn't ready for emancipation and that would fail in court and she would be stuck with staying with us until she was 18. She did well. Finished school, didn't get on drugs or booze. We stayed in touch and helped her out a little and that kept communication open.
Now we are very close and see her often. She has become a gardener! She has a beautiful 16-year-old of her own and I don't think Diamond is interested in moving out. My daughter is actually a lot better mother than I was, although a little slack on the discipline, imho.

Betty, my sister hopes to get the house listed in about 2 more weeks, considering she will lose this upcoming week to travel here. A few more details remain like cleaning paint and drywall compound off the windows, touching up paint, setting the stage, etc. Her neighborhood is becoming very hispanic, typical family bedroom community in the suburbs, lots of kids. Doubt this community would appeal to the snowbirds who are mostly retirees.

Sounds like you made some good choices with your daughter. I think it helps if they are raised right.

Ohhhh...SUPER! Lots of people had time to stop in and leave a note!

Mary...that view is breathtaking! Especially for someone who rearely gets to much of the sky at all...being that I live in a river valley, the only time I see 'sky' is when we travel the ridges, which really isn't all that often anymore. That sagebrush is so pretty...and I'll bet there's a nice pungent scent to go along with it. (Something in my mind's "nose" tells me I've smelled it before...maybe when I was kid in OKla...).

Hi M5, Betty and Darius! Good to see y'all!

My story about the Weeping Pussy Willow is typical of internet ordering. I first place the order for several items from Spring Hill nurseries back in the beginning of Feb. Sometime around the middle of Feb I went looking for the confirmation email to see when the order would be shipped. I didn't have one. SOooo...I figured I'd just forgotten to place the order (that happens sometime when you get older heheh)...so I placed the order again. This time I waited and watched for that confirmation email. Three days later it hadn't arrived...so I emailed the company and told them what had happened.

They told me that there had been a glitch in the ordering system and that neither of my orders had been processed. They suggested that I call and place the order. SOoooo...I did. I got an immediate email confirmation so all is well, right?

Uh uh....not so fast! A second confirmation showed up...I wrote to Spring Hill and told them. They quickly wrote back and told that the order had been cancelled and that I definitely wouldn't be charged for the duplicate.

Ready for this?

I got a THIRD confirmation on the same order...different order number and date..,.just like on the second one. I wrote AGAIN...and again I got the return answer that the order had been cancelled and they were "very sorry" that this had happened and gave me a discount coupon to prove it. (~grin~)

Ok...the beginning of last week I got a shipping confirmation that my Weeping Pussy Willow had shipped on Monday. Wednesday, I get ANOTHER shipping confirmation that my Weeping Pussy Willow had been shipped on WEDNESDAY! Saturday came...and one huge box was delivered...ONE Weeping Pussy Willow tree!

hehehehe I wonder what MONDAY will bring? LOL If it brings *another* Weeping Pussy Willow...I won't know whether to plant it or cut it up in little bitty pieces (along with my credit card!) and send it back to them.

It's really not funny...but it *is*...and if I get another, maybe they'll tell me to keep it (free, of course) for all the trouble they've caused me. Who knows, if I get THREE of them I'll have one to share. hehehe

And that's my story, I'm sticking to it...and no one can change my mind. ROTFLOL

~julie~

Hi Julie. I am enjoying these threads. Glad you started it. I'm actually unpacking summer clothes and trying to decide what I'm keeping and what is outta here. I have packed away all my heavy jackets and pull-over sweaters and cords. I'm glad I put my bed up on casters, lol, so now I can store stuff. Did I mention I have a small house?

HI Betty...sounds like you're well on your way to summertime. I think I'm kinda glad that I still have a little time left before the real planting rush begins for me. (If I think about that, I'll get overwhelmed in a hurry. LOL) As for packing away my summer/winter clothes...they're all the same (sweatshirts and jeans) about all I have to do in that dept. is dig out the tee shirts for the hottest days...and I'm all set.

One thing has to be said in favor of small houses...if you have one you can't accumulate as much 'stuff' as one with a basement and/or attic. Just ask me how I know. LOL (And I'm getting worse now that I save 'stuff' "just in case I need it for plant seeds. ROTFLOL)

~julie~

Happy Easter everyone!! We had our dinner on Sat, so I am free to lay around today. Ours turned out very nice. My two sons were actually great with each other and everyone stayed for hours. Three of the people there were deaf, so a lot of hand signing took place. Ate, played cards, and laughed tons - what more could a mom ask for. My dear DIL got me a gift - one of those new shavers with the lotion built right in - now that is a practical gift!!! And one I can use!! She is such a total sweet heart- I am sooo lucky...

For dinner today I had 4 left over deviled eggs and two pieces of ice cream pie - what a feast!!! I think I enjoy the day after food ever more!!

Cloudy and gloomy here today, but the upcoming week is supposed to be glorious.

Went to a wild church service this morn - real contemporary - loud drums etc. I could feel the thumping in my chest even. It was packed - standing room only. A young girl sat next to me. She kept rummaging in her purse and applying make up throughout the entire service - mascara, lip goo, blush - then tried on bracelets - had on no shoes. I was so intrigued with her, that I had a hard time focusing on the message. When it was singing time, she really belted it out. Takes all kinds to make up the world I guess!!

Gonna go and read a bit, then maybe even snooze. Need to light a fire as it is chilly in the house!! Take care and save me some dessert...

HI, and Happy Easter; am behind in what's going on. Only visiting Daves' a bit lately -paws are sore.
Darius-looks live a lovely house, hope that it works out.
Julie-maybe you will have trees to trade!! Klehms' is now near where I went to HS-got to get there this season!!
Fungus gnats-the sticky yellow stuff works-( didn't realize how many there were, until I saw the loaded sticky pads and this from only a few orchids plants etc. Will teach me to be careful about bringing in plants to hold over and to watch the potting soil (the blasted plants died anyways!) also started with the liquid from Gardener Supply.
M5- I have curly twig willow, if yours don't root.
Woodspirit-I still have snow and mud-sigh!
MaryE-hope that the lambing is going well, sure wish you folks in OR and ID would get gentle rain to fill up the ground.
Sarv-hope the headaches go away-I echo getting off the aspartamane-also many allergies and sinus stuff in this area-must be that time of the year. Glad there is going to be a shower :)
Will talk more later-need to check in at P forum and get stuff back on paws.
Hugs to all.