Well, let's see - - the day that you were writing . . . I set up the market booth, hauled two pickup loads of produce down. Disbudded then sprayed Miracle Gro on about 1500 square feet of cutflowers, ran the weedeater around the perimeters of the 2 small gardens, sprayed fish emulsion on the leeks, rototilled the paths in the small veggie garden, took down the market booth, and NEVER got my afternoon nap! Went to bed early and got up LATE today . . . it was nearly 6AM! I've got garden chores to do but there is a nice, late start and then there's Sunday dinner! It's nearly 10 AM, gotta go . . . DigitS'

Beautiful pictures. I planted 3 this year and they didn't come up. My friend said I should have dug them up and checked the tuber. Didn't. She is having her open house this week with 800 dahlias. She sells the tubers in the Spring and people can tell her which ones they like when they come and look and place an order in advance.

I have a daughter who is a single parent. She is finding it to be a real struggle. Maybe your DIL has got the message that being a single custodial parent is not a good option for either your granddaughter or herself. Your posting suggests that your DIL is involved as a visiting parent and that her relationship with yourself is reasonably civil given circumstances. Considering what I hear about couples who have split up, I would be thankful for small mercies. As to what to tell your granddaughter. I would tell her that her mommy loves her very much but that mommy cannot provide a good home and that you can. I think that it would be helpful to see if you can get/keep a good relationship as possible with your DIL. After all you are likely to be involved with her for a long time to come. You might have to work hard at being non-judgmental. If your son objects, tell him that it is for the sake of granddaughter. Ian

$70,000?!!! Joyful, that's a lot of money for a rental. I guess that's one reason I bought. Got tired of giving my landlord all that money and not being able to do what I wanted with the house. I saw my old rental house in the paper today. They've put in central air and recarpted...now asking $50 more a month than I was paying.