Wow, Knotz. I just ordered from them a few days ago. I got 3 Acai Plams, from which come the Acai berries, that all the health nuts are talking about, and an Abyssinian Red Ribbed Banana. I got the name of the vendor on the Tropicals Forum. Can't wait to get these. The banana is going to really make a statement, in my yard. Hopefully, the berries will make a statement in my health! The photos are from the seller's listings. Traveler Palms (not really a palm) are amazing. They grow really fast. I had to remove some from my backyard, after about three years, because hey were reaching the power lines. Now that I've got extra land, I may try again. Congratulations on your great find! Bob

Dave what great pics! Did you meet anyone besides Bush? This was nothing like that. When your children are invited you know it's not going to be anything sophisticated. lol Pat it was all sweets, not to my liking but the kids enjoyed it. I didn't really take that many pics. There wasn't a whole lot to photograph and I had no idea who any of the people were that were there except for the one that invited us. I might have ended up taking pics of Joe the plumber. lol I've been to more impressive affairs at the French and Netherlands embassy holiday parties. Bruce did mention that I was disappointed that I didn't get to see more. I wasn't trying to sound ungrateful but I really would have enjoyed seeing the "flower shop". That's the reason for our connection to begin with. And believe it or not I really wanted to see the main kitchen (ok I'm weird lol) and the West Wing. Most of the other areas I've seen on a tour. Bruce said that arrangements would be made for me to at least visit the flower shop. It's not a "shop" but there are 3 full time designers and a floral studio in the WH.

Wanted to add a couple study help suggestions. I made old fashioned 5x7 flash cards for my drugs that I needed to study for each unit. Of course this was pre-anything as far as all the gadgets that you can carry around now . I will say that the act of looking up the material and writing it down is in itself a way of studying. I carried the cards around with me and used them at free times...when I was sitting in line, at the pool with the kids, on the kitchen table as I did laundry etc. I have a good visual memory and when I took a test I could " see " the cards . It was an amazing tool. The other tip is to get all of the Nursing Journals at the library and copy the articles that will be in your syllabus for each semester. Print them out and sit with them and do the quizzes at the end of each article. Journals write like the inst. teach and they also ask the questions in the format that the school will use. All tests are in multiple choice with 4 answers. Two will be completely wrong and 2 will be ALMOST the same. The trick is to answer as many questions in articles and study guide books, you can buy them when you get ready for state boards, and get used to the format. There are only so many questions and believe me the instructors many times use the ones from the articles almost verbatim. When you read the articles most of them are set up as case studies. You will have person X and he/she has Y and the RN came into the room and " what was the prudent NURSING " thing to do ? Also what did the RN do FIRST ? You will see this time and time again. Remember it. You are not the Dr and even though one of the answers is the right thing to do the NURSE can't do it. Also you remember so much better when you can think of Mrs C who was SOB ( short of breath) and had a DX ( diagnosis) of CHF ( congestive heart failure). Now the best tip of all. When you take a test remember what I said.... there are going to be 4 answers. DO NOT look at them . Read the question and answer it in your head. Now go down and quickly find the answer that matches what you KNOW to be right. Choose it and move on. DO NOT change the answer after you mark it because just maybe one of the other answers sounds good too....gotcha...don't fall for that. If you are really well prepared you won't fall for that trick. Please do contact me any time. I loved nursing school and did a lot of tutoring and help sessions with those students who were willing to work hard. It is an exciting time and I know you will do well. Ask away and I will be glad to help. You can email me through GW. c

Thank you. I am pretty excited about it, even though it is a temporary posting (3 years max). It's mostly legal and other specialised translations. It will be a good solid work experience to have on my resume. I plan to go back to school next winter and re-take some courses in German and maybe learn Spanish. I would very much like to have more languages to translate from because it means I could get work for the EU or UN.