I believe that when buying seeds all you can do is some study and take advice from others that have been raising Adeniums for quite some time. Although this might mean still not getting what has been described or shown on a photo, is something that most know going into it. There is no registry for Adeniums and so many are producing plants/flowers looking similar and placing a different name to them. When I here of people that are raising hundreds/thousands of seedling each year and still faced with question as to what they will get in the way of color. My small amount is nothing. Quite honestly if I can grow healthy plants and end up with something unique then I will be happy. Just my opinion.

Corrie, Here is another advert I just read re: eliminating chloramine: Removing Chloramines from Water Chloramine, which consists of a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, is added to the water of many cities as a substitute for free chlorine. It is often referred to in the plural, as "chloramines," because it can take on a number of forms according to the pH and mineral content of the water. The whole reduction discussion for chloramines can become quite complex, but the main thing you need to know is that chloramine is removed from water with essentially the same strategies that are used to remove chlorine. This means that carbon filtration is the best removal method, and, contrary to urban legends, filter carbon does indeed remove chloramine. The problem is that it takes more carbon and more contact time to do the job. In practical terms this means that if your city disinfects your tap water with chloramines youÂll need to get a larger and better carbon filter than you would need if chlorine alone were used. For drinking water you can consider high quality carbon units like Multi-Pure, or double and triple units that use lots of carbon. And, contrary to another widely promoted myth, reverse osmosis units do remove chloramine. In fact, they do it well, because any good RO unit contains a couple of carbon filters and the water gets an extra slow pass through the first one. In choosing carbon for chloramine removal, a specially prepared carbon called "catalytic" carbon is far superior to regular carbon. Catalytic carbon is a specifically processed grade of filter carbon that is designed especially for, among other things, exceptional chloramine removal. Your thoughts?? Raybo

Nope, don't mind. We are almost 4,000 sq. ft. Three bedroom house, not large bedrooms but the single living room, single dining area, kitchen are largish spaces with the sometimes-highly-criticized high ceilings everywhere. ;~) I love 'em! We have some square footage that most folks wouldn't want or need because we have a section of the house that consists of two office spaces and a "dog room" and a largish back entry area that also functions as mud room (partly because we work at home and partly because we live with dogs and this is what works well for us.) We also have a hugely high central hallway to be an "air chimney" with high windows that can open remote....when they are open they create a natural air flow through the house windows and up and out the high windows. Obviously our house is designed for a climate that is hot most of the year! I wish I had a better engineering answer for you about why we haven't needed the makeup air, but I suspect it is simply because our house isn't as tight as hubby wanted it originally. We did a lot of research into ICFs and SIPs and tight houses, and had originally intended to design and add a makeup air infusion system. We did see some articles indicating that while it is possible to design and build a house tight enough to need makeup air, that in general "real living" some houses would not need it. In practice, we have not needed it, and that is probably because once I got through adding the fireplace (even though we chose the tightest sealed damper we could find) and the dog doors (though we can close off that room with a weather-stripped door when we want to) and we also have two vents for the whole-house exhaust fan (which are *supposed* to be sealed but probably aren't as tight as their specs)...well, basically anyplace you have a potential pentration like that probably lets more air in than you expect. Anyway, those exposures are probably why we haven't neded the make up air. We do have very strong exhaust fans (large Panasonic whisper quiet) in the bathrooms and in the utility room where the cat boxes are, and in the kitchen.....those seem able to work great with no makeup air...probably because of our "unintended" air penetration places. If I turn on the whole-house fan to exhaust, either in the main part of the house or in the "dog room" I can feel and hear the windows and doors suck in, and doors in the house that are partly closed will close....we definitely have to open some windows...so the house IS at least that tight. Does all that make sense? It's tight enough that we have a MUCH higher comfort level during cold spells (no drafts at all, floors stay very comfortable) and during very hot spells than any house we have lived in before; our utility bills are lower, our a/c is much more efficient during humid times. I think the nice tight envelope due to the ICF and SIPS and sealed attic,good windows, etc. just go a long way to making up for our other "air penetrations" caused by how I wanted my house to live (lots of windows and glass doors, dog doors, etc.)

Unfortunately, I am very lax on exercising... I used to go to the pool and exercise when I lived in former town, but it got to the place the chemicals made me itch and break out so badly that my skin bled... I walked 3-4 miles a day...then came 3 joint replacements and arthritis in every joint in my body and I have constant pain. The surgeon who relpaced one of my hips, cut the nerves and I walk with a terrible wabble and it feels like it is caving in with each step, and no fixing it...the nerves are dead....so makes my back hurt and have terrible balance when I do try to walk. I have gained a lot of weight and it know it makes all of my health problems worse..plus I am blessed with tremors in my hands..so I think I have just given up on extending my years. I am able to keep up with my house and take care of my personal needs, but life has lost its "fun" for me any more.