Thanks everyone for the best wishes. I spent most of the day at work helping to thaw culverts (the melt has started here). Last evening we had my mother,my middle daughter and her husband and kids, my two sisters and their families, my father-in-law, and a friend of my daughter and her kids over for a hamburger barbeque and cake. Giftwise all I got was cash(which is what I requested). Although my daughter, her husband and her friend had a very unique way of giving money. When I got home last night they had a corner of the living room covered with a sheet. When I uncovered it there was a fake tree covered with 50 American 1 dollar bills. They used the American ones because they thought that it would look fuller and better than loonies or five dollar bills. Now who says money doesn't grow on trees LOL!!! This will be all put together to buy some perennials for my yard and some patterns for my shop. I am not sure what kind of perennials yet but will keep everyone posted as to what I buy. Cheers Al

Happy Tuesday! Belated happy, joyous birthday wishes to Patti! It's sure strange here - all of us facing tough battles. I'm sending positive energy to everyone in need, including your friends and family who are toughing it through some tremendous hardships. May God bless them all, and you too. It's been crazy busy for me. Lots of planting up my plants into bigger pots, still starting seeds on my wire greenhouse stand that I have inside my craft room against a patio door. Been potting up tomato plants that are now blooming and have started forming tomatoes. They are indoor plants - I'm stealing big window space in the hall to grow them on. I'm starting new tomato seedlings over the next month for the outdoor garden - 3rd week in May for me - zone 5a Ontario. Sunday had one hell of a scare. Had to call 911 for DH. I can't recall if I spoke of this or not last Sunday - he had severe dizziness, nausea, vision blacking out and had to lie down. They ruled everything out at the hospital and concluded it must have been a severe bout of vertigo. The only thing they could not explain was the fact that for the first 1 1/2 hours his blood pressure was all over the map into dangerously high levels. A few hours later it calmed right back down to his normal range of 117/65. His family doctor has experienced him having bouts of very weird blood pressure to the point of having dangerous levels and then back down to his normal low. No one can explain that. They did find from the cat scan the beginning of plaque in his neck arteries. Family doc has had his legs scanned at the heart clinic - again the nurse was baffled because of his low blood pressure and he did not seem to be a high risk - but we are waiting for that assessment from last week to get to his doc. Abnormal seems to be our normal - not fitting the textbook standards is the same for both of us. So I have to admit to a few days of horrid eating - carbs, cookies and just plain ol' hungry. Not looking back I started damage control yesterday and have dropped 2 of the 4 pounds I put on. It will come off as it was just my tummy showing those few pounds - plus that stuff I ate probably had salt in it (don't normally use much salt). Spring is here - it's a cool one as forecasted. Fine for me because I have lots of garden beds to put in. I prefer the cool weather when flipped, busting up and raking new beds. I don't over heat that way. I'm still here, just really busy right now. Hang in there everyone. My heart is with you. Don't forget your needs while supporting family and friends. If you can think ahead and prepare some grab'n'go foods/snacks and water you won't be stuck at vending machines or canteen stops. LOL to everyone, Peggy

Thank you again, everyone! Jessicavanderhoff, with Winter Sowing, your seeds are planted inside of a milk jug (or other plastic container). Some of my more tender annuals (Cosmos, Mexican Sunflower, Dill and a few others) look as if they did get a little cold but all my perennial seeds and hardy annuals held up fine! Sharon, I'm glad that I do :). People tell me I'm a funny person. A sense of humor is one of the best things anyone can have. Teresa, it's a gorgeous cake with an even more gorgeous flavor LOL. Thanks for the well wishes in my cooking adventures! Jessyf, you're wonderful doing all of these birthday threads! Glad to know I'm at a place where I belong :) Brad AKA Moonwolf

Oh yes, Annie, lemonade would be better for them than soft drinks. It still has sugar in it, but at least not all of the other things sodas have in them. I do drink soda, but I never turn down a glass of lemonade. I'm happy to hear that my Gram's recipe is well liked by your grandchildren :-). Sounds like you need that new beverage container I got from Ginny's lol. Brad AKA Moonwolf