My kids lost their dad when he was 48 yrs old. Went to work & died. It was sudden & 15 yr old daughter didn't react for awhile tho all 3 of us, my 17 yr old son spent the night holding on to each other in master bedroom . They were OK to sleep in their rooms after that but I told them to come back if it was a bad night. I think you are getting to age of driving, proms, boys, college or work & that means you are growing up without dad & that is scaring you. My son once said, who is going to teach me to be a man(lucky for him my dad & brother were there for him) but if you think about it you are wanting to tell your dad about these things in your life, good things & bad things but you can't & that really hurts. But you could keep a journal & write about growing up, wish you could have seen me today dad, you would have been so proud,etc. I got an A on my term paper, you would have said____ Just talk to him on paper & I think you might feel closer. I moved to Ca. when I was 20 lived at aunts but so lonely for my family & especially dad, I was only girl, 4 bros. calling him we'd both cry & it was expensive so I poured my heart out in letters to him. I was so lucky as I had my folks out here until mom died last yr & dad shortly before at nearly 96 yrs old. But I never had much in way of grandparents so I had a void when younger. So get your feelings down, notice how they change as time goes on, things will seem a little better, you will go with some kids & have a good time when you didn't think you would, you have so many new & exciting things ahead of you. Grab on to life & do the living for both of you. I've had to do that for my kids as a mom I couldn't just let them flounder. I tried to be happy when I wasn't but finally as time passed the memories were sweeter than the pain. We had a great marriage & wonderful years together. You have a wonderful life ahead if you remember that your dad would not want you to be sad & miserable. Shortly before my dad died he held my hands & said, look at me, I did & he said, I have to tell you something, I want you to miss me when I'm gone, but I don't want you to mourn me. Do you understand! I said I did but as time when on I often hear those words, Miss me, don't mourn me. That means remember me, don't forget who I as but don't grieve & fret & be miserable. Such a difference, miss your dad!! Come here if you need friends or advise. Is your mom doing OK? Can you talk to her? It does get better 4 yrs is not that long. Keep busy, have fun, be a kid & you will make your dad proud.

Fabulous now that we can see Cher in all her glory! Oh my, Maria, you took the leaf of faith, Cher looks great! I bet with the trim and repot, her elegant ballerina like figure (caudex ) will plump up a bit. She looks very elegant with her long slender look! I love that we can now see her in full :) You must be so happy to have accomplished this! I found the same with Harry when I repotted him, most roots where on the outside. Having only chopped Harry's heads off once... Here was my thinking: Cut them off in fall, allow him to sit in a low light area and water once a month at most. Let him gather strength for spring. Come March he had new sprouts starting. At first they were little bumps, then fully fledged sprouts and then by summer, he was on his way to his new stout look. I think late fall may be best as you will want to stop watering her due to her having no leaves, plus this will give her time to re-establish her roots between now and then. Harry did fine with watering him once a month in winter. I only started watering him once a few of his sprouts were about an inch long and green. If you look at the photo above of him with his heads cut off and the one before it, you will notice that his caudex is plump in the one with his heads and then it is more wrinkly in the one with the new sprouts. We do this same routine each winter. He looks dehydrated early spring from the lack of water in the winter but by spring he's re-hydrated and plumped up. Have you thought about how much you want to cut off? I look forward to the next update on Cher!

Raymond Dziezynski, well I keep this one in my office. It's been colder where I live in general, and I'm pretty certain the building turns off the heat at night. It'll be like this throughout the winter until we hit summer again (our springs are not very warm)...will this be bad for the calathea in the long-term?

I believe it is Crassula capitella; and yes, leaves will get even more red if in sufficient light. It should be growing more branches, and it flowers with small, white blooms on quite tall/long inflorescence.