Thank you for your concern about my birth country. I appreciate it. It was somewhat of a shock to read the news. Thank goodness I have not had any phone calls/emails from family being touched by this madness. I said I was somewhat in shock about the news. But I'm not surprised at all. Norway has been part of the so called "coalition" in both Afganistan and Iraq from the start, someone from Norway wrote some comic strips about Islam, and Holy Hell broke loose. Re the children being killed on the island. I know that island, I spent many a summers there, I learned to swim there. The only way to get there is by boat, ferry or private boat. It took a lot of planning to get there and klll the children. Cowards all. Here is a link that might be useful: Why?

Very sorry for the loss, and best wishes for when you try again, US Marine. I could be wrong and it's okay to correct my wondering, but the white fungus makes me think....mealybug-nest or some-other-look-a-like-scale-type fuzzy whitebug-nest...or maybe even whitefly-nest...that live deep inside the stems....rotten little bugs that appear as a fungus of white stuff. Those ants may have been farming the white stuff and slurping up the honeydew (bug poop) before it resulted into sooty-mold (product of bug poop). About the old potting mix, let it dry out completely and compost it....and/or if there is a hesitate feeling then recycle it into the lawn by scattering small handfuls tossing far and wide with a skipping stone gesture. There's another palm that might interest you that is not as temperamental as a coconut palm. It's called a Licury (another way to spell it: Licuri) palm. It has edible nuts like the coconut, and I've heard it tastes like it, too. The Licury or Licuri (Syagrus coronata) is more cold hardy and more drought tolerant, and pretty sure won't get as giant, but looks every bit as tropical. It also sports a super duper way cool trunk, and is Lethal Yellow resistant. I sure hope the link thingy works again for me so you can have a look: Here is a link that might be useful: Syagrus coronata

Once they start turning black, I've never been able to save them. Is your soil light enough? I root mine in potting mix lightened with vermiculite and pearlite. I do mine outside under misters. I havce never tried them inside.

Thank you again so much. I cried long and hard this morning after everyone else left for school and work. The house is dreadfully quiet. Last night I woke up at 4:30 a.m. because I'm so used to having to get Casey up to go to the bathroom at around that time. It will be a while before I can sleep through the night again, I'm sure. Annz, what you said has helped me immeasurably to know I did the right thing. I was really thrown for a loop when the vet began discussing treating her and I've been plagued with guilt that I didn't think harder about giving it a try. I must have known in my heart that she was too far gone and that it was inevitable that the end was near either way. But hearing your words comforted me so much. My sister (the only other person I know personally who is as much a bonafide animal-crazy person as I am) told me essentially the same thing. She owns a pet-sitting business and they have had anywhere from 4-7 pets of their own (they, too, have had to put a couple of their pets to sleep during the past couple of years). She told me that renal failure is extremely serious and that Casey was so fortunate to have lasted as long as she did. It helps assure me that I did what was best for my girl. You're all right, though -- it really does just hurt like crazy. It almost takes my breath away at times. I'm grateful that I've been able to spill my heart out here, as I really have no one else who quite understands my grief, other than my sweet sister. In an odd way, I feel like the experience is giving me something, though. I hope this doesn't sound strange, but I've been grappling with feelings of guilt for all the things I didn't do for Casey (should have cleaned her ears and teeth more often, should have gotten her groomed more often, should have taken better care of her, should have walked her more, etc.) I suppose it's all a part of the grief, but it's pointed out to me not to take others for granted. There are a lot of things in my family life and even with friends, etc. that I realize I've been taking for granted, being "too busy" is really the excuse. I'm oddly comforted by the notion that I have the opportunity to stop taking these relationships for granted and really show them how much I care. I don't want to have "regrets" where anyone else is concerned. I don't mean any of this to sound strange. I know Casey had a good life and she absolutely knew she was loved. I just feel like maybe her legacy is to remind me how much I love not only her, but so many others in my life. I'll get through this one day at a time.