Sorry Ines, I didn't realize that this had happened before on this forum. Not too often I hope. USPS priority does come most of the time within 2-3 days, but there are times that it doesn't (USPS doesn't guarantee the 2-3 day delivery - it's essentially first class mail for packages larger than an envelope). For example, a nice lady that lives quite literally 2 hours away sent me some cuttings priority mail, but tomorrow will be day 4 of my wait for what I hope will be cuttings that are still alive. I typically read the shipping and handling charges before I order. For example, there is an online nursery that has spectacular hoyas for sale, but I don't purchase from them because they have a minimum shipping and handling charge of $20.00 and each additional plant adds more cost to that S&H charge. I have a feeling (and I am NOT suggesting that this is anyone on this forum) that a lot of people don't pay attention to these charges until they have already commited to buy, then its often too late (especially on ebay). Nonetheless, the point of the people who started this thread is valid - there are certain expectations that we have that should be met when we make a purchase. Like you said before, we are dealing with live plants and all sorts of things can go wrong. So, as long as the dealer refunds the purchase price or provides a replacement if it was his/her fault, then everything is fair - regardless of future decisions to buy or sell to a particular person. My local tropical plant store has a three-day only return policy - if the plant drops dead on day four, I'm SOL. This three-day time limit came about because people would purchase a plant, not take care of it (or improperly care for it), then try and return it saying something was wrong with the plant two weeks later. The owners got tired of this and said "after three days its yours good bad ugly or dead". I do hope dealers take these kinds of discussions to heart, because it is people like us on these forums that purchase their product. It's always good to reassess costs and charges in an effort to find a way to reduce the cost to the consumer whenever possible. Ann

going to be loading my car as well soon, just in case we get some rain - I would like everything to be in there, I have other things I did not mention before - plants that is, that I am bringing too- sure there will be people there who are just starting- and I started doing clippings and now have way too many of some things out here.

Ahhh communication! We wrote letters, or if we knew the person we waited until Sunday when the rates were cheaper and called by phone. But couldn't talk long because of toll charges. Yes the AVSA was an important way to find out what was being hybridized and registered. There were no NOIDS then. I don't think there was much trading leaves thru the mail. Mostly you bought your violets in the stores. They all had tags in them. I even remember that some of the tags were hand written with big black marker. (didn't have sharpies then!) Trading thru the mail was not something anyone did. If a violet came in the mail it came from a greenhouse that you ordered it from. Also there were a lot of florists in my area that also had their own greenhouses (for raising bedding plants, glox, cactus etc) and they also raised violets from leaves. They would order leaves from Lyon, Tinari etc., put them down and raise them for sale. A wide variety of plants would end up for sale. The same violets that were registered (AVSA) were the ones in the stores for sale. Imagine that! Optimara was just coming into it's own. There were some of them also for sale. One of their early ones was Opt. Elfriede. Would love to have her again. Guess you call her Vintage! Yes there were tons of color catalogs you could send for cheap or free. I would dream about the violets in them and would be sooooo excited when I would be at the store and be able to actually buy that violet!!!! As I have said before,,,I still have some of my favorite catalogs and I look at them for reference. AND memories. AND information. Just this morning I was looking thru an old AVSA mag and saw the color pix of mini Pip Squeek sitting in the top of the head of a ceramic Snoopy dog. How cute. That is what we did. That was my world in SE Michigan! Rosie

Laura, I look forward to seeing the pictures. Hobby, it was a Hirado Buntahn Pummelo. I have not received its replacement yet, but, asked that Harris ship it out with my new order that I placed last Thursday. I talked to Ruth yesterday after I did not receive a shipping date for the order. Harris is putting shipments on hold at least a week until the temperature cools down across the country. It has cooled down in my neck of the woods, but, still hot in other areas. So, hopefully next week. :) I am still hoping to get a Cocktail Grapefruit.. It could be back in stock in a few weeks. That is the one that I would like to get for the last of the year.. We shall see.. lol