Directions For Finding Your Way Aound Northeast Gardening

and this is what it looks tonight.... the main rose garden is framed... tomorrow the dahlia garden, and the purple garden should be framed ....

now is just to decide where each rose will be planted~!~~

Turned out fine! What kind of wood is it?

Enjoy the planning! That's so much fun but have tissues ready or a wig in case you pull out your hair.

lol!!!!! pirl, I am loosing my hair... went to have it cut today... it's short now... so I can't pull what is left!!!!

Victor is just regular pine.... I hope that will last at least one year... I should have a chance to save some money and have a border made with stones (I forgot the name) next year!

Kassia, You just got a little overwhelmed. It is good advice to start small when you start gardening and to do one smaller space right

Kassia - you just needed a 'wife' to take care of everything for you! Isn't that right Dave and Victor? Boy, it doesn't take much time to miss a stuff around here!!! It's funny that my friend and I were just speaking of the wife duties yesterday over lunch. She was telling her husband that she was not too thrilled with the fact that all the things that he used to take care of when he was single has become her job since they got married. Now, I know I can't label every guy out there, but why does it seem to be a good majority follow the same thought process?

It's too depressing to think about, Anita, and so true for so many.

Exactly Anitabryk2! Before I married DH, he could cook, clean, etc. better than me. I thought "Eureka!" I will have a non-traditional marriage, where I work, and he stays home and writes. Four days after the wedding, DH announces we should get into our "traditional roles" - I was so young and dumb, that I fell for it.

Now that we are in America, I am the only one with a work visa, so DH has to stay home and take care of the domestic responsibilities. He spends his time restoring Our Old House, while I enjoy a fabulous job. All this was made possible because DH worked for 20 years at a job he didn't particularly like, and that made it possible for me to go to university. What a sweet guy. So the traditional gender role thing served its purpose - and I got what I wanted in the end :-) I must be the luckiest woman on the planet.

Enough man bashing already! I for one have made the transition. I am a stay at home dad these days and do all the house stuff. Did many when we were both working as well. There are many more men sharing responsibilities these days than ever. And more and more stay at home dads too. I'll be doing this until the boys are old enough to be trusted - 30?

Good for you Victor - notice I did say that I "can't label every man out there" - you know that totally included you :) I think Al made it clear that he's in that category too. Especially when he shares his recipes!

Thanks Anita. I was only teasing. Maybe I can get some recipes from Al. (How macho does that sound?!)

To a woman's ears it sounds heavenly, Victor!!!!!!!

My dad patience was put to the test last night as my son had 5 , 8 years old boys sleep over for his birthday. I think it was like having New Year's Eve and then Christmas the next day. Couldn't believe all those kids were up at 6 after staying up past midnight.

Yep! I am the envy of my women friends. . . I think you have your priorities right, Victor - please the women, don't worry about impressing the guys (unless you prefer the company of men, of course) .

Thanks, Seandor. I still like the idea of the extra woman though. Al, I can only imagine! My son is 8 and most of his friends are quite hyper. My dad has NO patience. He would freak.

How about a paint party for the next birthday. Here's the results of my granddaughter's birthday......15th.......last year. NEVER to be repeated, per my daughter.

I am worried about your daughter, pirl - is she okay? NEVER in a million years would I let my crazy kids have a paint party. I suppose a coat of primer and new paint could be used in the future. I assume this is grandaughter's bedroom.

My youngest wanted to paint her room black! I said okay to black curtains and bedspread, and would okay black wallpaper (strippable only - never did find any)

But she would have to wait until she was paying the mortgage on her own home before she could paint any room black.

My daughter was outside, with the baby, due to the noise. Every restriction she placed on leaving the bedroom was violated so my granddaughter had the great joy of scrubbing woodwork, steps, sink, tub, etc. and it will never happen again, you can be sure.

My eldest once held a toga party when we were away. I was furious! But she had gone to all the neighbours and told them not to hesitate to call, if the party was too noisy. Her invitations (we found one) told everyone that they were to surrender their keys to her - no one was to drive home impaired. The house was reasonably clean, although there were some cases of empty beer bottles in the garage.

So, on one hand I was very pleased that she was responsible - on the other hand, while it was her home, it was not her house. Now I remember why we sent her to Japan for a year . . . .

I wouldn't mind that punishment!

Oh - the Japanese iris festivals. To die for.

No - her home punishment was total grounding for six months. I was VERY angry.

She was recommended by a high school teacher to work for a publishing company in Japan, teaching kids ages 4-12 English - in spite of being a total screw up in high school. But she has great social skills.

We have another DG member who taught English to Japanese students but she's been quiet/busy for the last week. I did write to her and will ask her to come visit this thread.

Good for you Seandor. I'm big on discipline. Seems I am definitely in the minority these days.

We will be hosting an 8 year old birthday party in 2 weeks, but no sleepover. I couldn't imagine that!

My DW and I had a gender equal type marraige with both of us working, cooking and cleaning. But it changed as she was between jobs and we became foster parents and parents. She became a stay-at-home Mom and our roles became much more traditional. But it's about having the choices, not just what your family looks like.

Amen, Dave.

Dave - it was a one time thing. His next birthday sleepovers will only be a few kids. Those kids run around were running around so much they even broke our zone defense we were using.

If we could only bottle up all that energy!

Looks like they still have you running you running, Al!!

The major hassle is the first night with their driver's license. Hearing the door shut is the best sound in the whole world.

They're gone now.
Hey Dave ,the 8 year olds loved this 'puddle jumper' activity.

oh my goodness, just looking at the boys walking with the tin cans made me think of my childhood !!!! I used to that!!!!! but that was a century ago!!!!! good to find this kind of things these days!!!!!

Pirl, is the paint still up??? wow... I am never leaving the boys in this house by themselves!!!!
well, Alec just turned 6 today and Victor is only 4... (and he is not here yet!!!!)

Alec just had the coolest party today... in his Tai kwon due class... the teacher provided the place, a lesson for all the kids that showed up and we had pizza and cake... Alec was in heaven.... he got to wear a black belt, his teacher got a samurai sword to cut the cake... and theacher held Alec's hands and they screamed :hayaaaa" and cut the cake.... I almost jumped.... and Alec's face was of amazement.... so cute!!!!!

I am so glad I find people that still discipline with love and common sense... Good for you guys!!!!

Thanks - looks like a fun party Kass. I'm a firm believer in 'tough love'. Worked for my parents.

I talked with my brother's girlfriend on the phone last night and found out that her black lab, Shelby died. A Little background on the situation: She has three grown children who don't live near her - lost her first husband to cancer about 8 years ago and never really got over that - met my brother who had some learning disabilities and had prostate cancer - they had a couple of years together but the last one was horrible on her and he died last summer - she now comes home to a really empty home every night and has to face reminders of everything she has lost. I feel so bad for her. Her fisrt husband's family abandoned her after his death. She is doing remarkably well under the circumstances but it is still so overwhelming. The rest of my family is near her in the Syracuse area and we consider her one of the family even though they never married and include her in family activities.
I'm sending a photo of the little water garden that my brother wanted to finish before he died last summer. It is a little over grown but it is the last thing he enjoyed doing. thanks for listening. Grammyphoeb

Auntie and I are taking this cute little one year old to visit her. That will cheer her up!!

Trying to get him to blow out his candle - Auntie had to do it for him!

You have to put up with one more photo from grammy! It's the chocolate cup cake!!!
Mmmmmm good!!!!!!!!!!

So sorry to hear all that has gone on with your "SIL". I'm glad you are keeping your friendship with her, sounds like she is a good friend (taking care of your brother in his illness) and good friends are hard to come by these days.