Hello, Al. We had some electrical stuff going on here and my power conditioner was going nuts. Today I had to chkdsk my drives and just got back online. I'm not sure yet what it takes to get started. No idea how much of anything I need, though I know I'm not ready to make large quantities yet. I would be mixing in small amounts since I would need to use a container that fit on my rather small table in the garage. If I only need three ingredients, I suppose I could talk my husband into storing three large bags, though I'm not sure what large means since fifty pounds of a lightweight material would be a lot larger bag than fifty pounds of stone. Would the T67 Soil Sieves at $17.97 be sufficient? They don't seem like they would be heavy. Someone mentioned esj collanders. If that's like the one I drain pasta or greens in, it sounds managable. I'm thinking a dishpan to mix the ingredients would be easier than something larger. Mid May seems so close! I know you say it wouldn't be a hardship to come early, but it feels like it would be such an imposition. At the same time it sounds so promising. I could check with my daughter (who has offered to help me) and see if she could be here to work with us and keep my brain less scattered. Since the fibro has gotten worse I get overwhelmed easily. Frustrating because I used to be easy going. I would need to get started now to have things here that we need, especially if I have to order them. Would you give me a better idea of what I would need to have ready and set up? Meantime, I'll check with Mary (my daughter) and see if she would be free on the 13th. Please, if anything comes up that makes it inconvenient, don't hesitate to let me know! Just a side note. One or two of the plants I bought seems to be planted in some kind of bark. The water just runs down the side of the pot and doesn't absorb at all. Is this a danger with bark or did they use the wrong kind/not enough other things mixed in. I don't usually let plants sit in water, but it seems the only way these can get a drink. I don't mind watering often; in fact it would be better because I would be less apt to forget if it was a more regular routine. Reminds me, I need to have pots also. So much to think about. Will wait to hear from you. I don't manage to get online every day but will try and check often. Bless you so much for your willingness to help, Al. Peggy

In gen people who are in this situation shouldn't IMO keep pets unless they have plans for what happens to the animals in question, and the species they keep. Most people like this cannot afford good/decent pet food, or are too lazy, ignorant to see to that, stats show diet is often the most neglected aspect of pet care. I think this is an excellent idea though KF88 because people are not going to just wake up and see sense,and it is true there are curtain arrangements where I see it to be very very good. I'm lucky my parents will take my cats in the future, so bad things don't happen to them in the group home or the other way around with the people. Cats especially are by law, in MN at least, (only if loose and at large,free roaming) considered wild animals, and the ways group homes use to limit/control. problems such as scratching are barbaric as well as possibly dangerous to the people who live with them, we had a woman get bit by a de clawed cat- and I got bit by the cat when she brought the cat to work . On the other hand I understand why de-clawing would come up- my dad got a blood infection from a clawing that one of our previous cats in my childhood- the answer is then just not to have um in the first place. Many people do not like cats/dogs/pets, or are ill equipped to live with them especially those who are violent and unstable, we had someone throw a chair at one of my friends, at work, she, the attacker, probably lives in a group home, a lot of the people at my job do.. The victim got a bruised leg. - I asked what happened to stop the behavior from happening again., the victim reported to me the attackers mother was "rich and powerful" and so nothing was done. On the whole through if everyone is okay with it, accepts its what the animal does without resorting to cruel solutions, and no new people are going into that arrangement who may have an allergy, its a good idea.

mariend, thank you for your quick response. I forwarded your info to my mother last night, but have not heard from her. I'm sure partly because my cousin is with her now, visiting for the weekend. I have already told my mother that if she feels like she simply has to go, to take all of the precautions, but if anything at all happens to her, that we will hold our cousin accountable! (I'm only partly joking.....) The ironic part of it all is that my brother-in-law (sister's husband) is Canadian. His father spends more time here in the South, especially during the winter, because of the frigid temps. I really don't get where my mother is coming from. This whole trip came up very suddenly - it's a group trip that my cousin has had planned for months. One of the women recently backed out, and that is when she asked my mom if she was interested. I pray that it falls through. When it does, maybe we could plan a trip in the summer, if she still insists on going.

Oh, your last post raised HUGE red flags. The drug situation is very serious. In several ways. Unfortunately, this is another area where I've had very unfortunate experience. My SIL was demanding drs prescribe specific medications (mood elevators, narcotics, etc) to my in-laws. We don't have absolute proof, but there is circumstantial evidence that SIL was stealing those meds and subbing things like aspirin. At other times, she was doping MIL (who has Alzheimer's) up with other people's prescription sleeping pills to make caring for her easier. Then things got really hairy--SIL started stealing from MIL to support her drug habit. I'm sorry to say, we didn't believe a relative could do that--so by the time we got involved and got the courts to do something, SIL had misappropriated over a QUARTER OF A MILLION $$$$ that had been earmarked for MIL's end care. Sadly, your last post is the one that concerns me the most. You have to sit down with your husband and the far-off brother, and discuss what you're going to do to protect your MIL and her assets. Drug users have no conscience--it's the first thing drugs seem to destroy. But they're very, very, very good about scamming their relatives. And it will happen--sooner or later, for more or less $$$. You have a very serious problem on your hands. I'd strongly advise that you engage an eldercare attorney to properly set up your MIL's assets, and I'd further suggest that you and your husband need to sit down with an attorney, lay out the situation you've described here, and find out what you need to do to protect yourselves in this matter. Unfortunately, in our case, we're up over $20,000 in legal and forensic accounting fees, out of our own pockets. That doesn't include the fees that have had to be paid to the court-appointed guardian for managing MIL's affairs properly. While we've managed to stop the stealing, the situation is a long way from being resolved. I truly hope your SIL doesn't go the way mine has--but sadly, it sounds as if she's got no scruples when it comes to feeding her habit. Stop worrying about making her angry--she's USING your guilt to get over on the family. Best to face this now and get the appropriate protection in place, than to wait until you've got an expensive mess to clean up. We're 7 years into our battle, with no real end in sight. Wish someone had opened my eyes in 2002! I'm truly sitting here with my heart in my throat, thnking of the terrible time your family is likely to face. I wouldn't want to put my own worst enemy through the stress and strain we've had dealing with a thieving 'out-law' (I refuse to call her an 'inlaw' any more). My heart really goes out to you.