Carol: Now is an ideal time to root pentas because of the natural heat and high humidity we are having. I use regular potting soil in a container that has drainage holes. Wet the soil and let it drain. This may sound silly, but be sure the soil is wet. For my small starter pots, I use a pencil or stick - whatever is handy - and "mix" the soil. You may be surprised to find that the soil in the just watered pot is still dry! If this is what you find, slowly dribble water into the soil and "mix" it with your stirrer until the soil does become moistened. I'm stingy with the size of my cuttings because I like to retain as much of the mother plant as I can. Therefore I take a cutting that has just two nodes (places along the stem from which the leaves grow). Any flower, bud, etc. is removed. The top set of two leaves is retained. The leaves at the lower node are removed. If I'm not in a hurry, at this point I'll put the end of the cutting into water and let it sit for about 1/2 hour just to be sure it's well hydrated. Then I dip the cutting end into rooting hormone. Pentas root easily so if you don't have this item, you'll still be successful. However, I have a bottle and, at the rate of use, there'll be enough to will to my next of kin so I tend to use it whenever I make cuttings. Make a hole in the drained potting soil with your pencil/stick and insert the cutting. Depending upon the container depth and the space between the nodes on your cutting, you can plant the cutting up to the top set of leaves. Water again so the soil settles securely around the cutting. Let the pot drain. Keep in bright light - but not direct sun - while it forms roots. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. New growth developing in the area of the top set of leaves is an indication that roots have formed and the plant is ready to grow. I use all sorts of containers for starting pots. For smaller cuttings, I especially like to re-use clear pudding cups. Poke 3-4 holes in the bottom for drainage and pot up your cutting. Because of the clear plastic, you'll be able to see when the cutting has formed roots. As you have success, you'll find it hard to throw away prunings because you'll see material for another plant! Good luck - June

I park my car very distant from my apartment on purpose. I also have a handicap thingy to use when I need it, however, I feel the exercise is good for me, the little extra walking. I use one of those old lady carts, I am an old lady (60) Well maybe it's not one of those. I think it is actually a luggage cart, it is made of steel, rolls easily, has to side flaps the fold in for storage. When I moved to this apartment, I moved every thing on it except for the tv, mattress and bedstead. you know all the huge stuff. For that I called in my neice and nephew. I also have five of those "go green" grocery bags. They are so much easier to carry then the plastic ones the stores use. They don't cut into your hand or arm. The old lady carts are actually laundry carts if I'm thinking of the same as you. The luggage cart does the same job, except it doesn't have side on it. I did get one of those plastic milk boxes to put on it, if there is a lot of smaller stuff to move. It comes with a strap to secure if needed. (the cart, not the box) Not sure if this helps but hope so. If all else fails, use a skate board, I've done that too. Now my neice goes to the gym every day (not weekends) and pretty well toned up. The other day, she carried my old microwave to where the trash is picked up, half way across the parking lot with out setting it down once. She isn't very big. So that too is another option, if your too embarressed to use 'old lady cart'. Build up your muscles. Here is one last option. Get a room mate and make him/her push/pull the old lady cart and pretend you don't know them. Too bad you wouldn't be caught dead useing a very useful item.

Before refinishing trim in a house a number of years ago I made test boards with every brand of poly I could find (about 20, as I recall) to assess, mostly for appearance. The Minwax products were fine, in the middle of the range (I didn't mean to say there was something wrong with them, only that I don't have much experience with the most ubiquitous brand), but I ended up choosing Last-n-Last as looking the nicest, which might be translated as "least plastic-y". Some were really terrible! That's what I've used ever since. Formulations have undoubtedly changed over the years and this test should be repeated with the newer products. This was strictly a subjective assessment of appearance, not a real quantitative evaluation of any kind. I don't know whether the brand affects the ability to burnish the finish with steel wool. The Last-n-Last comes in three different VOC levels, I've been using the highest VOC product, which I'm told is most like the product was in the past. I may soon have to go to New Hampshire to get it, as it is being phased out in MA.

As you cut, one side of the material goes 'up' and the other goes 'down' as though you are unzipping it as you cut. Best to think about which side of the cut you want the material to go up and which should go down. I'd say if cutting counterclockwise, the piece you are removing should go up - usually the best way for the scrap/cutoff to go. This site: https://www.ise.ncsu.edu/processes/laboratory-equipment/various-hand-tools/hand-tools-snip-safety/ says you would want a left-handed snips for a left curving cut. Those are normally the green ones. And definitely get offset ones so you can stay above the cut with your hand.