The weatherman is Austrian but has no other accent. My guess he is several generations here. My German grandmother always talked about downshprouts on the gutter, but she was tough on people who didn't speak english. But she wasn't on TV influencing children we are trying to teach proper english. Oh well! I'm half German and 1/2 Irish, and if you think German is hard try Gaelic. Ever try to read Baewulf? We sure are drifting aren't we! My hostas leaves aren't falling off yet. Neither are their leafs. Just covering my six! (lol) Les

Crikey? Strewth mate. Haven't you heard the late Crocodile Hunter say it? It's a bit like "golly" and is kind of twee, which is why I like it I guess....I was born in Ontario but have lived in Australia and New Zealand since 1974, moving back to Canada only last year....so I kind of picked up a lot of sayings.... If you want mad and eccentric, you can't go past a kiwi- NZ'er.... Take this for example: http://www.asciimation.co.nz/beer/ Or this guy: http://www.interestingprojects.com/cruisemissile/ Aussies have their mad inventors too, but they're not half a patch on the Kiwis, who have produced some brilliant export earners with their innovation. Personally, I think it's the Scottish Engineer influence (lots of the early European settlers in NZ were Scots) Here is a link that might be useful: THE JET POWERED BEER COOLER

You guys are so kind and sensitive. I'm thinking it was about a year and a half ago, I suggested that he may be depressed to him, mainly because he would get very angry very quickly, which was very unlike him (keep in mind, I've known him 28 years, married 25). I've never considered our problems in the bedroom was because of this...hmm. He went to the Dr. and started an antidepressant. You guys are right, I should take him at his word that it is him and not me. I do love him, still, but my feelings have changed, to what I'm not sure. I think I don't trust him with my feelings- or something like that. I do think that my perimenopause may be one reason I am reacting more. I'm 50, and feel I've taken care of everyone for so long, and am hurt that my needs are the last one anyone considers. The most bizarre thing happened yesterday. We were at a extended family event for lunch, and he took my hand. First time in well over a year. On the way home he told me that he wanted to take me out last night, and that he wouldn't take no for an answer. I've never told him no - he was teasing me (so unusual these days). We went out to dinner, and while we were there he told me he has tapered off the antidepressant, and that he wants to make love to me everyday for 7 days in a row, like the TV show, to see if it would help. I was shocked. I said Ok, why the change?, and he said that it was the antidepressant messing him up, and if it wasn't better that maybe it was loT. (Guess its obvious, we watch too much TV!). I'm wondering if he read what I posted day before yesterday on here. I haven't written anything I haven't told him. I know I felt better after I vented on here. Folks on this forum, thanks for listening, and obviously caring; and Honey, if you're reading this, I do want things to get better, and I do love you. Me

Hi, fellow new-ish gardener! Just wanted to offer a little reassurance since we seem to have quite a bit in common. I am also relatively new to gardening, and many of these kind gardenweb folks can tell you they have offered me plenty of advice and answers over the past couple of years. I live just a tiny bit west of you, also 6b in Southeastern Pennsylvania. We had the same wretchedly cold and snowy winter, 108 degree heat indexes all this week, and are currently getting your same thunderstorm and flash flood watch. I have a bit of a plant collecting disease, so I have a huge range of plants, shrubs, and trees in my yard, even after just a few years of gardening. Many started life on the clearance rack because I don't have an unlimited budget. However, we do seem to have a different approach in terms of plant care. My plants get amended soil, mulch, deadheading and weeding. They get divided when I want more. And this week, I watered them, which was the first watering the ones not in hanging baskets got all year. They are absolutely thriving, even with my benign neglect. Plants mostly want to survive, and my thought process is that any plant that needs such specialized care that it doesn't thrive under my natural conditions was not going to do well in my yard anyway. I can't control the weather, so there is no sense in overstressing it. And I embrace our very cold and very hot temps - I need the cold for spring bulbs and the heat for summer flowers. If my flowers are rewarding me with a yard full of blooms and pollinators, yours will be fine with your much more attentive care. Lose the tarp and let them do their thing!