Yesterday morning I turned my compost pile and planted some perennials, lilies, and other bulbs. Not sure how many I planted yesterday but in the last week I've planted 22 plants and 75 bulbs. I've also moved some perennials. Still have a few bulbs and 2 big flats of annuals left to put in as well as some seeds to throw around. It started raining so that was enough excuse to stop for the day. I try to limit my time in the garden to 3 hours or less. I used to be out there all day but not doing that anymore. I find gardening is easier since I lost weight. I lost 50 pounds over 4 years and now can't even *lift* 50 pounds but packed it around on my body for years. I also take vitamins and eat very carefully as plan to live for a very long time and much prefer health to disease. Since I really dislike “formal exercising” I garden as one of my main ways to keep active and reasonably fit. So far it's working altho on days when I overdo and all my muscles are screaming at me I think I might be satisfied with a half dozen pots on my deck! I'd have to find something else to do then, probably take my dog for long walks, find an exercise program I like, or volunteer more. What I've learned thru experience is that as I age I cannot work for the long hours I used to, at least not without hurting a lot. I used to garden morning and evening as well as working long hours at my job, tending house, and kids. Now 2-3 hours at a time each day is enough. I also hire help when necessary for the heavy work. Occasionally I even hire someone to vacuum my house! Lazy old me! LOL

I just want to tell you I'm sorry Connie. I know how you feel. My sympathy also to anyone else who has had losses this year. Last year was the first time this had happened to me with potted hostas. I figured it was a combination of too much moisture on some and a warm spell early that got them going too soon. I have always left larger pots outside but I tip on their sides. I figured one group of these, with a few losses, were in a place where the early sun hit the side of the pot and warmed them up too much. Last winter I put everything I could move into the garage. I tried to make sure they were pretty dry and any potting I did last summer I tried to have something in the mix to give good drainage. They all came back fine. I did have the quandry of when to bring them out. If I brought them out too soon I might as well have left them out over the winter. If I brought them out too late they would be "too" up too soon. My biggest problem was with the new plants I got from early mail order. They were open already. I had 50 plants I was taking in and out of the front porch for over a month. I had just started leaving them outside over night. They are in a protected place with paving stones beneath and solid protective wall around. They were fine for the first few days. I checked the forcast nightly for frost. One morning I got up to several, un-forcasted, inches of snow on everything! I have been babying them ever since. So far there is one loss for sure, two or three in question and many lost and damaged leaves. I'm with you in thinking I need to get the majority of them in the ground. I started with 75 in the shed, added 50. Even though I'm creating more "in ground" places all the time it doesn't seem to be enough. The only conclusion is to stop buying - HA! I just want to let you know we are all sharing this challange together. Hang in there. McT

I agree that as parents we need to let our kids have their weird clothing choices and fashion faux pas. I, too, was a teen in the mini skirt/hot pants era. I remember being in England in the summer of âÂÂ69, on Carnaby Street, and some English teens asking why the girls in our group wore our skirts so long - and our skirts were all several inches or more above the knees. LOL But I also think that as a parent we have an obligation with our kids to draw the line at certain looks, certain trends. It is also our job to teach them to know that there are certain clothes appropriate for certain occasions. We have an obligation to set rules and say âÂÂnoâÂÂ. For example, my mom HATES jeans. I never was allowed to wear them until I went off to college and bought my own. So when we see my mom for dinner or lunch, my two sons know that they donâÂÂt wear jeans. I donâÂÂt have to tell them to wear a nice pair of casual pants, and nicer shoes, and a collared shirt. It is a small thing, but it makes her happy (and avoids a LOT of nasty remarks), making for a more pleasant gathering. We are not talking fancy restaurant here, often just a casual family restaurant where pretty much everyone in the place is in jeans. But that lesson hasnâÂÂt been a waste of time, either. They both seem to know when they need to dress up a bit - both have voluntarily worn ties, suit jackets, etc without being told or asked. Older DS went to his teaching internship prepared to wear ties and dress shirts and khakis every day - until his mentor (an amazing guy) told him he could drop the tie as it made the mentor look bad! LOL I find the ultra high heels unattractive - most women canâÂÂt walk in them and just look awkward. Add to that bare legs and mini skirts, and the look just says âÂÂcheapâ to me.

Renofan - You did a fantastic job on that chair, and I think you should go ahead and do the little chair in the yellow toile, too. That's the fabric that I used to make my bedroom duvet and curtains, (the thread is "I've got the blues...thanks to you"). You'll find that this fabric is very reasonably priced, yet a good, sturdy fabric to work with. I also used the yellow duck ticking fabric from the same site, FashionFabricsClub.com. Wouldn't you know I have 4 wingback chairs that are in excellent condition, but all have old fabric on them that I can't stand. Two of them, in fact, resemble what your wingback looked like before. Thanks to you, and the website that you furnished on upholstering, I now know what project I plan to tackle next! I know I'll never match your speed or expertise in these projects, but at least I can make an attempt. Your motivation inspires me to get my butt off this chair and start searching for more fabric. Now I can't wait to see your little toile chair, and if you ever need to find a home for it once it's done, I have a bedroom that would love to adopt it....lol! Beautiful job!! Heidi