Hi jrock, I see you are in Northwest Iowa. Are you close to Sioux City or Sioux Falls. Always love to hear from someone in my area since it seems more gardening folks are from the warmer zones who write. I had two brugs about the same size as yours which I overwinter in a small green house, but think I totally killed them by spraying them with an insecticidal soap which I use on my many hibiscus to kill the white flies. Have had the hibiscus for over 15 years and though they invite the flies, the soap doesn't seem to affect them. Think my brugs are dead though. Really sad!! Mary

We were just told that the power outage today is weather related (this time). Still...3'4's of the downtown area is without power and it's only 30 now at 8:15. So, hopefully your inlaw's aren't affected by this outage, Beaver. If they are....they can go to any casino or shelter to get warm,etc...one of these days I would like to meet them!! My husband is volunteering at the sherriff's dept again. Oh-We found out that the outage on Saturday was caused by some morons who thought it would be cute to shoot out the power line to Las Vegas!!!! Unbelievable to think we have these kinds of people out here. Maria: I haven't looked to closely at my plants yet. My palm tree got hit bad with the first frost in Oct/Nov...I am really hoping it'll make it through this. My container roses look like ----- now. We had 2" of ice on spa yesterday. We have the filters on the pool at night...then we switched to the spa...after breaking up the ice,etc...got some foam layered boards to put on top of it and plywood on top of that with cinder blocks too. Hopefully, it'll keep it from getting ice again. Pool & spa equipment is fine. We did have a sprinkler valve bust yesterday...Dan quickly fixed that. Hopefully this is the last of the sloppy work by an unlicensed landscaper who knows nothing about installing sprinklers. We have learned from his mistakes. My husband Dan is from Minnesota....he is beginning to do things to the house & yards for this cold weather that normally would be done there and not here. LOL. Beaver-please take your cold weather back...we have had enough!! Oh, it is funny but I've had these 3-4 hummingbirds at the house ever since we moved here in 2005. No hummer shelter yet...LOL. I thought they would migrate too. I suppose they are spoiled now. Take care and stay warm Maria...geez we will laugh at this in July. Beca~

There are differences in pre-heat times among various ovens and types of ovens that have been discussed here previously. Less-discussed is the fact that just because an oven's thermostat indicates the selected temperature has been achieved, it may not be fact. This is pretty easily researched via placing thermometers at various places in the oven cavity. The location of the oven's own thermostat usually shows up-to-temp. indication earlier than other oven locations. And then there's the stabilization thing so dear to the hearts of bakers. Like everyone else, bakers want to depend upon the temperature selected but they also want a temperature-stabilized cavity. Stabilization-at-temperature requires some dwell time beyond just up-to-temp indication regardless of type or brand. Basically, they want to wait until the walls and racks are up to heat and stabilized at the selected temperature as well as just the air inside. For myself, using a GE Profile electric oven, I generally plan on waiting 10-15 minutes after indication of selected temperature before I put my loaves of bread in. Other brands and types would probably be different but the principal is the same for all.

If you are putting him in an acredited day care he will be stimulated, because they have activities for their charges. Some things my grandsons do at daycare are painting, crafts, story time, and interaction by play with other kids as well as outside play. These activities are always supervised and the daycare workers spend time interacting with the kids too. My grandsons and my friends grandchildren love daycare. If you are asking will one person will dance attendance on your child that won't happen, but he will get stimulated play and sometimes be left to play with other kids. However just getting someone to watch your child is a crap shoot. Some will do things with the child and others will plunk them in front of the TV. If you do your homework though, Daycare can be a positive experience