Here are links to 4 places that are supposed to stock 'Valentine Day'- I'm also adding a link to the ACS list of retail nurseries. It might also be worthwhile to see if there are any wholesale nurseries near you listed at the ACS web site. Sometimes you can purchase from wholesale nurseries by appointment, or at least they may be able to tell you of a retail source they supply with their camellias. http://www.countylinenursery.com/documents/63.html https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bob-Wines-Camellia-Gardens-Nursery/174732278512 https://squareup.com/market/larry-bates-nursery http://www.nucciosnurseries.com/index.php/camellias/hybrid-camellias/valentine-day-r-detail Here is a link that might be useful: ACS listing of retail nurseries

I know all about Dachshunds - the good, the bad (back/neck disc issues). We have had 5 - my 2 special guys being SUPER Alpha - but Benevolent with their Dachshund siblings and the cats. You need to know the temperament of the Dachshund - at age 2 it will be apparent to the current owner - if the pup had been with you prior to puberty you would know this already - and if you do take the little darling in it will probably take a couple of weeks for true temperament to show itself. Personally, I love the Alpha Dachshunds - smart, stubborn, loving - and I was very fortunate to have had 2 of them. The love of my life - passed on Sept. 13, 1997 - leaving behind 3 Dachshund siblings and 2 cats who missed his leadership - and the house felt empty - as silly as that sounds considering the menagerie we had. Then we heard about a little/big guy - who was also Alpha and like our first guy, was having difficulty finding a forever home because the people who took him in thought they were getting a funny, "stuffed toy" type of dog. Many Dachshunds - especially these days are mild-mannered, but then, not always the case. So not the best beginnings. So we adopted him, brought him home and peace was restored. We were very lucky to have found a second soul mate - not quite as close to our hearts as our first guy - but pretty darned close. Of course these 2 special guys were the ones who had worst case back/neck disc disease - and they did have the surgeries. I am very familiar with Boxers because our current dog's groomer has 2 Boxers, loves Boxers - and of course many of her clients are Boxers. Both of her Boxers are of even temperament - but as with any breed, temperaments can vary. I went to the Woofstock dog event in Toronto a few years ago and had my Dachshund fix when I saw a whole group of people with their Dachshunds - all discussing their tummy issues and I couldn't believe how mild-mannered all of the dogs were. My guys did not have any stomach issues - just the opposite - and boy can they eat. We had a Beagle prior to adopting our first Dachshund and figured the Beagle was piggy #1 - not so! And smart - especially our first guy. In your particular circumstances, if the pups get along I would probably take in the Dachshund. And as I am sure you are aware Boxers have their health issues as well. We decided not to get another Dachshund because of the back issues we went through twice and I just couldn't do it again. But Dachshunds will always be the dogs of my life. Re the steps another poster suggested. I would have to disagree based on my experience and recommend ramps instead. A ramp to the bed and to the couch etc. You could move it around. They are easily obtainable these days at stores like PetSmart (even in Canada) due to the number of small (teacup) dogs these days. I would severely limit the climbing of stairs etc. But bottom line is that while you can minimize risk, you can't prevent back disease if it is going to happen. There are many Dachshunds who never experience a back event - but others that do. I don't know the size of the Dachshund you are considering - but I wouldn't go with a teacup - would want the dog to weigh no less than 8 lbs. Ours weighed 10 - 12 lbs (others might disagree, but a dog needs to be able to step up a curb). I once met a 2 lb. designer Dachshund and felt sick - fully grown. I really hope you are able to give this pup a home. I don't want to scare you off by the possible back problems - it is just that we did not luck out with our 2 special guys - I know that sounds awful - as we loved all of our Dachshunds and did not treat any of them differently - it was just that they were our soulmates - the other pups had no back problems. I doubt that there is a Rainbow Bridge, but am hoping that there is. We now have an American Eskimo who gets nervous when we meet a Dachshund because he senses the bond - particularly with the Alphas. They love me - what can I say! Please report back if you take in the big/little guy - and remember Dachshunds are small in stature only. They get along famously with Dobermans. Actually a baby Dobe (before the ears are cropped) resembles a fully developed Dachshund. (I would not bring a baby Dachshund into the house until fully formed if a cat lived there since they do look like mice.) By the way, my 22 lb. Eskie (a boy who looks like a girl) gets along very well with the Boxers - one being one of his many girlfriends.

Hee! I always read "cow slip" (not that the image is any better). Looks like I can't post links directly in this forum (as in kitchens). Here is another vintage yellow kitchen from rejuvenation: http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/settings/settingdisplay.html?setting_id=112&category=kitchen And again, the image of cow's lip from Lowe's that I just love: http://valsparatlowes.com/project-ideas/design-gallery/la_co_foy1.html And here are 2 photos of Butter on opposite walls of my breakfast room (the darker sample card is of RH Saffron for the trim). Same color, same room, opposite walls. What a difference! Now, I DO like both of these incarnations of Butter. And they look to me like the Rejuvenation and Lowe's photos linked above. But darn that butter! It also gets lemony in my kitchen--both in bright sunlight, and if I use cf bulbs. (I don't have a photo of the butter-turned-lemon for you.) I need a never-lemony butter. Maybe I just need to board up all the windows in my home, and control the yellow with artificial, unchanging lighting? ;-)

When my sons were little, we used to do a Valentine hunt. I'm pretty sure I've posted about it before. When they were done eating, I'd have them turn their plates over and taped to the bottom was a heart with a clue. That would lead to another and another. When I started, the younger boy couldn't read yet, so his clues were pictures not words. The final valentine led to a small gift, such as a pack of character underwear. I don't remember how old they were when we stopped. They each got only one thing and like I said, it wasn't something expensive or extravagant. It was just for the fun of it.