Hi WinterCat: Thanks for those great pics. What's the name of that gorgeous green hedge you planted? If I had seen those when I first moved here, I would NOT have bought wimpy white pine trees. Here in zone 5a I'm lucky if my roses survive the winter. I laughed when I read Roseseek (Kim Rupert) described his soil/climate: "I received 5" of rain with several weeks of 95 - 108 temp . Mine soil is corn meal and talc with ZERO organics. Mine is a 24% down hill, western and southern facing grade." I'll describe my soil/climate in Chicagoland: "I received 40" of annual rain, plus 38" melted snow. My soil is rock hard clay, pH 7.7, that broke a rototiller machine. My garden is shaded with many trees that it should be considered a mushroom farm... I'm vitamin D-deficient and take prescribed mega-dose ... if this gloomy weather continues, I'll turn into a vampire. The wind here is so strong that it blew my kid's playpark onto the tomatoe garden, it also toppled over a portable potty ... I feel sorry for the construction worker inside."

Nicole,thanks so much for the suggestions! I am having DH pick me up sidewalk chalk today. I am going to use both the chalk and the Sage,double whammy on them! :) I will have to wait until the rain and this flu like thing I have going on passes. But I am really hopeful this will work! The Boric Acid is out,I dont want to hurt anything ,not even the ants really,but my little feathered friends are important to me,and the last thing I want is to hurt or kill them,I would never forgive myself! Thanks again! :) Bonnie,I also thought they were after nectar at first,but looked closer and they were all over where they flower was already gone,that is when I knew that was why I wasn't getting very many seeds,like one or two from the whole plant! Glad this thread gave you the heads up! ;) medo,7 years? Wow, that is some potent stuff! I am hoping I wont have to kill them,I am really confident that something mentioned on this thread will work. Maybe a combo of a few may do the job,we will see and I will make sure I post back here with my results for anyone in the future that runs into this little problem. Thanks for the info!:)

I finally got to read your whole post. I bet you are feeling like tearing your hair out because she sure doesn't seem to value your time or that you have other things to do. I am so sorry. My dad will be 91 in July and had hip/femur surgery in November and, sadly, it just hasn't healed. The next step is a partial hip replacement with a titanium rod inserted in the femur. What I have noticed is that on the days he has pain he can't seem to hand me his lunch or dinner plate or mail in order for me to clean up. I think it is a mental decision that they can't do the simplest of things. I think contacting any senior centers or any senior programs available through government services might be a great start. There are organizations that will take your mom grocery shopping or to appointments if they are fairly local. Some charge, some take donations and some are totally free. Many grocery stores have online ordering and will deliver to her home for a fee. That could be a lifesaver for sure. Do insist on being in charge of her calendar or you won't be able to attend or drive. She cannot make decisions for you when you are the ride. Let us know what you have decided to do and know that we all support you and most have gone through (or are going through) similar situations. The is a great place to vent! Robyn

Oh, yes. Husband did insist that they were HELPING me. I was just being stupid and not seeing that they were GOOD to me. BS. Yep. BS. Well, I did let husband know that I was not best pleased. He hasn't gone to bed that early in ages. I don't know that he will change anything...maybe, if he thinks it would hurt to cut off my "chance to find a better job". I can picture him just telling the other guy to stop. Just stop. The other guy...I am thinking I will email him and tell him not to send my resume unless I approve. That seems kinda tame. Got any thoughts?? The problem is that I am so pathologically UNconfrontational. I try every way in the world to put up with stuff. But I don't have any ideas about how to stand up. And I think I should about now. The thing is, at this point I don't think I will be content if they just back off. Yes, they should stop co-opting my life. Yes, they should let me decide. But if they just quit (because I am an ungrateful B!TCH) then it just stops and I don't get to make a point. I think I would like to make something go BOOM! Kidding! Not.