One thing I notice repeatedly on the forum is that people describe--with words--their problem. Time and time again, the words are insufficient to convey, in a complete way, what is actually happening. Almost always we want to see pictures that help explain the problem. It makes me wonder if you have a plan (like a map) that shows the layout of what you're going to get? Personally, I would want to know that. It's something that costs to produce, but it is worth it in my opinion, as otherwise you might get things in places and ways that you never expected (or wanted.) The plan does not need to be elaborate in order to explain simple placement, size and shape. Then there are some items mentioned (like landscape fabric, flagstone, proper grade, etc.) ... I would want specs. for these: landscape fabric that can be torn is worthless. "thick" ... what is min. thickness for flagstone? Will water "roll away" from the patio over the course of a day ... or speedily? How about stating the min. slope to be achieved? Lately, I've had a lot of dealings with downspouts (not mine) that were run into underground drain pipe and ended up causing HUGE problems. I ALWAYS avoid underground drainage unless there is no possible other way to drain water above ground. Naturally, the mention of underground drainage and downspouts here has me concerned. Has it been determined by a qualified individual (as opposed to just the person selling the product) that underground drainage is needed or will be beneficial? How the water is transported and in what kind of pipes and how it comes out of the pipes can make a big difference. It's a red flag and I would obtain a THOROUGH understanding of all the issues involved BEFORE agreeing to a solution. If the agreement has already been processed, I would attempt to obtain understanding rapidly and try to temporarily put the brakes on implementation. Even if it costs something to alter the contract, it may be better than getting something that is unnecessary or causes problems later.

Durham: (copy/paste from NHPR website calendar) Spring Plant Sale in Durham Date: May 13, 2006 Time: 9 am -2 pm Occurence: May 13, 2006 Price: free Presenting Organization: Durham Land Protection Working Group Telephone Number: none entered Email Address: malin.clyde@unh.edu Web: none entered Location: St. George Episcopal Church Main Street Durham, NH Description: Stepping out to the first of the Garden Sales! Walk, ride or bicycle (with a carry basket) to the spring bounty for sale by the Durham Garden Club this Saturday, May 13 from 9 am-2 pm at St. George's Episcopal Church on Main Street in Durham. On the eve of Mother's Day will be a colorful range of perennials, bulbs, shrubs and annuals hand selected by the garden club members to perform well in your garden this summer and beyond. Take the opportunity while there to discuss the idiosyncrasies and intimate preferences of these species by gardeners who know and love them. By enhancing your garden you are also contributing to local scholarships, including the newly christened Margery Milne and Joe Parks Scholarships in horticulture and agricultural science for achieving students at the University of New Hampshire.( The Durham Garden Club has also recently formed an alliance with the Organic Garden Club at UNH in recognition of their energetic pursuit of sustainable gardening practice and the generous community dinners and other outreach programs they run). Part of the fun will be the raffle of special items given to the Club by local greenhouses (including new cultivars from the University greenhouses) and garden shops. This annual plant sale has been sponsored by the Durham Garden Club for over 50 years, so come and continue the tradition of supporting the Club's mission of environmental education, charity and beautification of our community.

I finished a bunch of books this summer while hunkered down. My favorite was Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. It is the story of an unlikely nanny to two high profile children who have the annoying habit of combusting. It is so wonderfully done and the nanny is a jaded badass with a soft side. Highly recommend. (Plus, every reviewer--NPR, NYT--has loved it.) In a close-second is Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara. In this book, the impoverished inner city of Delhi (I think) becomes a character. The story is about three nine year olds in India who try to solve the disappearance of a classmate. The main character, Jai, gets his detective smarts from what he sees on crime shows, although it is his smarter female friend who seems to ask the right questions, much to Jai's annoyance. The story is rich in details about community living, from schooling to the public toilets, to street food. It has a lot of "Slum dog Millionaire" about it. And like that movie, (which I loved,) It is both funny and heartbreaking as the book is loosely based on the huge numbers of children in India who go missing each year. Yes, life for Jai and his family is unimaginably difficult, but it would be wrong to say it isn't joyful as well. I also read Louise Penny's A Better Man. I love the Inspector character, but I felt the plot on this one was really weak. But in the end, it wasn't so much of a whodunnit than a conscience wrestling match. And for that this book was good. Eta: I also read 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand. Meh. It's a hallmark movie by an author who writes two novels each year. If you like your chick lit set in Nantucket, you'll love it. I found it formulaic and the characters did nothing for me. It should come with a bottle of Barefoot brand white wine. I also read The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. It was captivating, sad, joyous and funny, though usually never at the same time. I passed it along to my parents who both loved it too.

I just finished The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer. I found it to be a mixed bag of a compelling pre-WWII story, intense and beautiful, narrated in mediocre writing, juxtaposed with the challenges of current modern day descendant. The latter parts about the current day granddaughter and her family were subpar, pat, flat. Both in writing and content. The parts about Alina, the young Polish woman were far superior in quality, even with the relatively unskilled writing. Reminded me of Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, in the way the older generation’s childhood and youth felt like they were from a different book than the parts about the descendamts — so starkly different in authenticity, intensity and writing. 2.5 or 3 stars. (Could be higher.)