Best/Worse &What did I learnt today/Chat with Friends #101

Moved us over from here...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/978076/

Spending a bit of time early this morning catching up on the computer..lordy it makes for a long morning when there is so much to do and can't do any of it until Step 1 has been done...

Waiting for the work force..hard to play lazy...

Betty - when your fingers aren't working, your mind is.... Lazy??? Never. Enjoy your day and I hope it all gets done...

Totally exhausted, actually beyond exhausted..
Off to bed..

Really quiet thread today. Where is everyone????

I don't know about anyone else but I am working my B_____ off. HI ALL HUGS BEV

Just dropping in as I forgot to ask for your prayers for AnnMarie (1Anjl)..she's in the hospital..getting meds...thought you might add an extra prayers for her over the next while...

Hey All

Bev - Me too....catching up on chores and we had a gorgeous day so ended up planting. :)

I'll be back for the night shift.

Hugs,
Mary

Prayers for 1Anjil. BEV

I hope Anjl is okay! T & P for Anjl...

Hey Bev - is that from today? We had 2 hibbies in bloom today. I didn't get pics since I had posted blooms before.

I'm trying to find room for more hibs....LOVE THEM.

Planted more portulaca today and my blanket flower. Blanket is a bit too close to the rosemary...but hoping it will spread towards the sun....

Hugs,
Mary

No this is just one I am waiting to bloom. Mine won't blom till about JUly here. BEV

Well - it's gorgeous!

I think I would have been better off to have stayed home and worked all day than go to town to do errands. I am exhausted but did get a lot of things done DD and I had been procrastinating about. It was really hot today and being in the traffic didn't help much. Well all this is done for a week or two. Thank goodness.

Loved the picture of the birthday cake. Great job!!! Don't dare let my daughter see the picture, might give her to many ideas for my 70th.

Mary, so glad the play went well and you enjoyed it. Wonderful picture of some very lovely young ladies. Sorry about the BM causing stress but happy you didn't let it stop the way you felt. I don't know if I could be that gracious.

Betty, you have completely exhausted me just reading all you have been doing. Take a break.

Hey Marion!

Well - I've been on disboards. It's amazing to me all the different opinions about taking a Disney vacation.

One "newbie" has 4 different parks in one day! I told her to plan 1 hour for every time she moves to a new location. We never park hop......so much to do in each park!.

Thanks for your feedback! I am not usually that gracious...It's definitely something I'm learning... :)

Betty does keep quite a schedule doesn't she!

Glad you got all your errands done! In Tally - I presume! My niece is at FSU....and My Aunt/Uncle and some cousins over there....possibly in Havana - is Havana large? Is it considered a subarb of Tally?


Hugs,
Mary

Glad to hear you all enjoyed the cake picture. DH was very proud of his creation. My DD"s keep threatening me with a yard full of flamingos & a flamingo party for my 50th. I have 15 months to leave town! LOL

Busy day here. All the seeds I "started" yesterday, took a trip around the porch last night when the wind decided to pick up. This is my second batch of lost seedlings.

Then after I got that mostly cleaned up...it was beautiful today. Suddenly a black cloud showed up, wind picked up to 35+ mph....and then it was raining sideways! Yeppers! Thunder also. Betty...I hope you didn't get any of that. It did hit 77 today!

Gardening question...are the hibiscus and the rose of sharon the same family of plant? I wish I could get hibiscus up here like Mom grew in FL, used to suck the sweetness out of the flower stem. I do have two Rose of Sharon, one white with magenta center...the other purple with bright center.

I so loved Tubbys Peace rose...and also the color of Dragons beautiful flower.

Well, going to turn in I think. Although I managed to stay out of the sun...the heat wiped me out.

Sweet dreams,
Debbie

ROFLOL, no Havana is not large. It is a quaint little town, very laid back, friendly and just comfortable. Funny thing is, I don't actually live in Havana, just have a Havana mailing address. I live closer to two cross roads called Midway--about 6 miles south of Quincy on US 90. This is such a refreshing life change after living in Gainesville for 35 years. I like being close enough to a larger city for things I want and need but I can't wait to get back to my house in the woods on a lake. Very relaxing to me!!!

I can only imagine how difficult it was to not let things bother you and you are to be commended!

Well, I think we have decided not to go to Disney this upcoming weekend. Daughter got to thinking about everything that is happening from now until the end of May and it just was going to create more stress than pleasure. Besides, I am having a great deal of trouble with my knee again and it is rather painful to walk. Guess it is back to the doctor for me!! In addition to having to pack all her materials in her classroom and the language lab in preparations to move to the new high school, she took on 2 cake orders for the weekend of May 9th. At least that does relax her --wouldn't be with a the tedious decorating that is done on the cakes. One is to be large enough to serve 100. Yikes!!!

Hello All!

Debbie - If you love flamingo's - you NEED To come to Baton Rouge's #1 Mardi Gras Parade - the Spanishtown Parade! Flamingo beads, hats, can huggies, the works....I'll have to look for some beads to send you..... (OR are the Flamingo's a joke?)

well - here's a "Beginners" take on it. We have a Rose of Sharon...white with red center. It is somewhere in the hibiscus family but I would not call it a hibiscus....

There are "Hardy Hibiscus" that DH is trying to sell me on.....he just planted a bunch....they love a lot of water and DH says they are 'as good as' the tropicals that I love...but I don't agree...and they die back completely gone in the winter here...

Then there are Tropical HIbiscus....in special "micro-climate" areas...I had a few survive...planted another...trying to save the ones in pots that barely made it...but wanting to plant more & more...

Marion - DD is a Cake Baker/decorator?

My Aunt/Uncle lived in a beautiful subdivision.....Tallavana Trails or something like that....it was on a lake but Aunt said they got gators.....

They have moved closer to cousins...so not sure if that's back to Tally.......

Yes - get your knee fixed! Need it for the gardening! I seem to recall you said you have a lot of shade areas?

Hugs to you all,

Mary

The flamingos are a joke. One day we were looking at pictures from when I was very little, lived in FL. Almost every house had a flamingo in the yard. I mistakenly told my children....that is one thing I don't miss, flamingos everywhere!

So, now ever time my girls go somewhere, they bring home a "gift" for Mom. A flamingo of sorts. I have them in the front yard! And what do my DD's say...Mom, it is a gift, you cant give it or throw it away...you won't love us if you do! Yeahhh right! LOL Last Christmas, I rec'd a flamingo...with two green frogs in santa hats riding on his back...and he bobbles! LOL

I have a lot of shade areas here....entire north side and north west front are mostly in shade. I have hostas...flamingos...bleeding heart and a hydrangia planted in those areas.

Debbie

Debbie, I am laughing so hard. My son doesn't like flamingos for the very reason that everyone seems to have them in their yards!! Not us! So his sister found some Christmas wrapping paper with flamingos wearing Santa hats, she bought several rolls and you have probably guessed--his gift is always wrapped in the flamingos! A family tradition now.

Mary, yes in addition to being a teacher, she does cakes as a hobby. She has taking the Wilton courses and it is something that is relaxing she says. Not me--way to tedious work for relaxing as far as I am concerned. She says that about sewing so I guess we counter balance each other.

Debbie - that is so funny - Your DD's MUST contact me so I can send over some Flamingo Mardi Gras necklaces for you to wear!

Since the Spanish town parade is so huge - we have entire gift shops with Flamingo gifts and accessories...

Marion - I don't think of sewing or cake decorating as "relaxing"....would be to me....actually quite stressful....!

Do you ladies have any Mothers Day Plans for 5/10 ?

Hugs to all,
Mary

PS: Trisha / Sharran - where are you tonight?

Nope, not that I am aware of at this time. Saturday we have ballet recital for my 4 and 6 yo granddaughters. That should be a trip!!!

Well I am tired so I am off to bed.

Oh btw, Mary, was your Aunt and Uncle in Lake Tallavana development? It is very pretty there but we didn't find any houses nor lots that we really liked. Accidentally found this house by just driving around to look at this development. It isn't as large as Lake Tallavana.

Just got back from Church and trying to get a Pizza done.....wanted a nice cheese pizza with tomatoes and Basil............DH comes home with a load of Iserno Chicken Sausage. mushrooms and olives :( Neither one is on the diet but after reading Bonnies segment of "Surprise Child" I got this craving for Pizza and you never have to ask DH twice where pizza is involved......timer just went off will be back soon.....

Disney Orlando?????my niece works there......ithink they said something about the jungle Boat tour not for sure....

evening all.

betty, all is good!!!!!!!
she apologized to me for all the drama and its all behind us all now!
so im flying her out from oregon and his son from tenessee for fathers day which is my bday too.
now we can have a big celebration lets see if i can pull this off and keep kenny clueless lol

Marion - that sounds like it....they had a gorgeous house but didn't seem to agree with the neighborhood association...so they moved out....

Wait - I just checked my Christmas database....they are still in Havana - on Valentine road or something like that....

Have a good nights sleep!

Hugs,
Mary

Morning All rainy here today, started early this AM..Shirley is at work.I'll be in my shop..Cool all day yesterday (cold to me)..Damp air & windy..

The Price of Children

Here is something absolutely positive for a change. We've repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice!

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family.
Talk about price shock! And that doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down.
It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is: don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up.
You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars..

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck.
You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat in history to witness the:
* First step,
* First word,
* First bra,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and, if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great- grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match..
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God.
You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.
That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!! It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic Tubby sometimes we do not realize all that we have!!! Thanks

Oh Tubby that was beautiful..where do you get such lovely posts..you remind me of my girlfriend Liz from Ireland, always sending such words of wisdom..thanks

Liz, how wonderful..see it pays to generous to someone who has greatly offended you..don't want to throw in a negative, but remember I've heard about her quite a lot, praying that she wasn't putting on an Academy Award performance as well..let's hope everything turns out ok and that Father's Day/birthday will be a family reunion that bonds you all ...

Debbie, I have several rose of Sharon...might have place one or two in the wrong garden because they just didn't do well last summer so just maybe I'll move them before too long..

Bev, nice to go back into the photo archives and see what treasures bloomed last year..such a pretty colored hibiscus

Thanks for the prayers for AnnMarie, am sure she can feel them...hope she knows she's being missed....

Disney lovers, I also would park hop but only if I visit but for 1 day and want to see some of my favorites..did you know that not far from Disney AND in most little establishments that sell tickets you can purchase a ticket that allows you to do so..all 1 day tickets allow you 1 park entrance, but lets say it's cheaper for a family to each purchase a 5 day ticket but they are only staying for 4 days, these establishments sell off that (all parks entrance) for same fee as you would buy the one day ticket..being a Disney lover you most like ly know that...

Oh what a day...it started out early, Lenny came over with the trailer to take a load to the garbage, old door/filing cabinet,window, cooler (Suzanne will be angry, here he's suppose to be purging but when he saw the new cooler that I was throwing out it would have to go home with him) lol, then Darlene and Mike arrived..Mike brought his own equipment, why I said when I had the same, he said and how in this mess will you find them, so quickly he set up and to work we went...

Where am I while this is going on, I stand with hand on hip coffee in the other and am goffer...lol

No sooner was the last piece of trim put in Jeff my youngest dropped in, was on his way north to join friends for the weekend..had enough time though to help Mike put tools away and bring in the tables..Cathy had arrived 1/2 hr. or so earlier to see how our project was going...

Darlene and Mike, never without a project on the go..for 3 weekend prior to this he built a family room for friend Linda who just lost her DH...now, off they were going to cut down trees so they can begin building their woodworking shop...

Again, Jeff was amazed at what I had undertaken, we gabbed for 1/2 hr. outside (beautiful sunchine day) and off he went..but before leaving I said I'd see him in 2 weeks for Mothers'Day..as he nodded yes, I said I've my to do list for you boys..shaking his head he said 'are we still doing that?' yep..'and I guess you want a pressie also' now I get to shake my head yes as he's shaking his with a laugh..'so mom what could you possibly want?'..doesn't take me long to say "MONEY-there's always another project or garden piece I want'..I'm just sooo easy to shop for..lol

Now my work day starts, the purging and wondering where I'll put all my craft items without making the room cluttered...
First things first..cleaned all my 'stained glass' supplies and equipment and got it organized...

Cathy didn't seem in a hurry to get anywhere so she stayed and helped out for a few hours...got everything out of the basement den, this morning I've just got to vacuum and dust and it's back into shape...

Was getting mighty hungry as I hadn't eaten anything since Friday at noon...had got a call from Ross and Bernie saying they'd be back to finish their project tomorrow if weather co-operates but only if I'd have all the trim bought and painted..well Friday night I did go purchase trim, but then Mike and Darlene thought the back door into woodworking area/laundry room should have new trim and door painted so told Cathy if she wasn't doing anything we'd go into Midland and I'd pick up the Barrel and the works, more trim, do banking..so off we went..I dropped her off at the $$ store and Home Depot I went...those trees they had for $15.99, so wanted some but no room and no time..maybe this week Greg can bring his truck and I'll pick some up..

Within the hour we were home...actually made a plate and sat near the pond, sun shinning, just so relaxing, I was fighting falling asleep knowing I still had 1/2 day of work ahead of me...

Told Cathy I was sorry I couldn't visit with her because if I sat but 2 more minutes I'd be done for the day..now the trim, put 2 of the Adirondak chairs together, covered them and I was ready to paint..you could hear the storm moving closer...I no sooner finished painting the last piece the downpour, thunder and lightening, thank goodness I hadn't taken the plastic off the back deck..wouldn't take long in this heat to dry..

Back in and started to organize and purge..of course you have to look at each item, put it down, pick it up, decisions, decisions...still one I must decide on..I have an entire box of oil paints..heavy suckers..because I now use the new heat set Genesis I'll never use them .. so garbage they go..now wait a minute, I've got a knitting machine, t.v./radio waiting to be put into my trunk, might as well include the paints for Value Village..an artist might want them...

Upstairs/downstairs/outside/inside...by early evening I could feel the muscles in my legs starting to cramp so I called it a night...

This morning I can feel that if I moved the wrong way I'd be having a charlie horse..so I'll move more slowly and take a few minutes to rest now and then..

On my 'to-do' today, I won't list it as you'd not believe one could accomplish that much work..but I'm going to try..

Although they said it would be a sunshine weekend, it's raining out, maybe it will clear so I might as well try and get everything done I can do inside just incase I can get to spend an hour or so outside...

I do hope you are all enjoying this summer like weather..that you are doing exactly what you want to do today...

Talk to you on my next break..hey, do I get a break?
Best I do..

Ohhh, forgot to say Carol, art teacher wasn't at all pleased that I didn't attend my afternoon class..ooops, just one person here, priorities/priorities..

Room is kind of start isn't it..
Found 2 watercolors that I did, will check to see if I've any frames they would fit into if not I'll purchase a couple and hang them..give the room some color...

Can't you see I'm trying to put off my workday..lol
This time I really am off to work..

I'm back, didn't take me long to make a mess on that nice clean table...

Bev, anyone else??? I've all these beads, heads, charms, chain....if anyone wants me to box it up and ship, will do if not, into the trunk of my car for Value Village..maybe I should be getting a truck to make this drop..

Betty did you post this on the swap forum?

Betty, slow down! Get somethng to eat, and take a break! Geeah, I get winded, just reading what you have done!
Thos ebeads are so pretty, I know someone will speak up for them!

LK

I've another cupboard to go through as well girls...Trisha, who would also want some..think maybe Bev might take a few, I've a few gorgeous pieces she made for me..

Greg/Noah are coming for lunch (thank goodness I bought a 12 piece meal and fixings last night) ..

Forgot to tell you, they told Noah NO sports for a month after his accident..Friday at school he couldn't participate so decided to play ball on the field himself..don't know how he did it but ended up running right into the metal poles..big egg, sore head..best he stay inside for a month before he does himself mega damage...

Am still in jammies and plan to make an easier day of it..going through one box, one corner at a time and taking it easier..work week ahead of me, that usually is my rest period..lol

What are you 2 up to today..it's pouring, saw a daffodil in bloom, my very first flower of the season, want to go take photo but, not in this rain..

betty, hope noah doing better..
wow craft room looking great! well off to get ready to go to inlaws
dd will follow us up and leave back from there, lol i know what your saying will be on guard
ds is driving me nuts!!!!
he is sooooo excited well off for now

Enjoy your day Liz...

still raining, hungry but don't want to spoil lunch so just going to have coffee and toast...

Carol, you getting this rain as well?

Betty are you getting rid of the seperater drawers or just what is in it. Honey I have 100 times the amount of stuff you have pic there. Thanks so much tho. on second thought someone else better take it. I have plenty. HUGS BEV

Not a problem Bev, just hate to throw it in garbage...

Had a few hours break, watched t.v. with Greg, "Top Gun", each and everytime I'd go to turn it off he'd wake and say he wasn't sleeping, so much like his dad..

Great visit with mom..lol

Melanie went to a spa for the weekend, Kyle went to Meaford to visit his other grandmother and Noah hung out with dad...

His visit was spent on computer..

Now if I can figure out this disc of my photo's that Kyle took for me I'll be in business and can post a few..

Betty post the beads on the crafts forum. Don't throw them in the garbage!!!! BEV

OK taking a break (again) have the cd that Kyle gave me, put it into the upper disk..nothing happens, any suggestions..not that computer savey....