Got my order. MAM was missing and they included Frances Grates Tea (was probably a simple mistake on someone's part who might need new glasses). I expect this could have happened since I changed the order. I'm okay with the mistake but don't what will happen. I emailed the person who processed my order and she has not yet responded. How are goofs on orders usually handled? Will they want the rose back that I don't want? Will they send me MAM as I really wanted it the most? Has anyone had this happen?? Thanks. Mary

Thanks for chiming in! Sherry, I did a search on the forum and saw your post about your Francesca being zapped..glad it's recovering. I'll be planting mine where it will be shielded from the afternoon sun. As for Pharisaer, it's a gamble. I almost got Soleil d'Or until I found out it was a blackspot disaster. I spray, so we'll see what happens...being an alternate, I might not even get it. They'll be coming the last week of April. The snow and ice wasn't too bad..it takes the first "event" of the season to get everybody back into Winter driving mode. Janelle, I would love to visit the cemetery sometime. I like them, even better with roses. Judith, that's good to hear about Royal Sunset :) You feel like it about how I feel about my Abe Darbys. I love Royal's colors. The form and color remind me of some of the tender climbing teas and noisettes that wouldn't do well here. Regardless, it sounds it'll be a winner. Thanks, and love to hear more! Eric

You guys are the best! Thanks for all your candid opinions and thoughtful insight. Whenever I have a dilemma pertaining to our house I always know where to turn for the best advice. While I personally find the mirror charming after seeing it on my computer screen aside the Cartwright vanity I have to agree that it would compliment a vanity with more curves (which is what I wish I had) and we definitely could utilize the storage that a medicine cabinet would provide.

I recently "let go" of a number of work clothes--fine wool skirts, pants, jackets. I'm still doing nearly the same work, and wearing professional wardrobe, but these either no longer fit or don't look quite right. I also almost exclusively wear pants and jackets now rather than skirts, and I previously had had a lot of narrow skirts that fit pretty closely and with not much forgiveness in the hips and waistbands! I had not worn them in maybe 5 years and had had many of them out of my closet for a year or more but could not "let go." It helped me to try on a bunch of things in my closet and to see that I had other clothes that looked better now and that I had a slightly new "look" that wasn't achieved by the old clothes. So, that actually styles HAD changed a bit and that I would buy new things rather than make those work. And there is the 5 extra pounds--that I might lose, or might not. But I really can't completely explain why I could collect this huge pile this month and could not do the same thing the previous year. Somehow I was able to see that I just was not going to wear them. And, that somehow I would be able to find other things (this idea is re: the hidden hoarding, being afraid I would not find other clothes. That's not so far off really, because "they" did quit making some fabrics and styles that I like--or at least, not readily available in local dept. stores.) I think also these represented a lot of my early professional years and investment in my work wardrobe, and there is some nostalgia for that young(er) working woman. I have had the same experience with some other items this year--things I could not have imagined giving away last year, now I look and say, why on earth do I still have this? So to me, it is encouraging not to be too hard on myself when clearing out things--that, if I seem to be struggling with something, I can either take a little time to try to unravel why I'm struggling--that does sometimes help-- or I can just put it aside, but that when the time is right, I will be able to let it go and it will feel right. This seems to be true for a number of things when you have a family--one year you couldn't imagine giving away some games, or puzzles, or sporting goods, and the next year, kids are different, now you realize nobody's actually used it in longer than you thought, and boom--give it to someone who will use it.