Hello my friends. I can always count on the same group of you to be very caring and kind! You are all a wonderful group of people.... I hope your plants are doing ok, and that your health allows you to do all you care to do with pleasure. The withdrawel off these pain meds and Ibuprofen since the break my heel has been no picnic, but getting there:-) Hanzrobo, remember I owe you ! Just remind me come the warm weather. I am very forgetful these past few days, ok? Anyone else I have promised something too, please remind me privately. Yes, I love the colors our plants give us. I just wish there were as many people as interested in my plants here, locally, where I live, than just on these forums. But it is just as awesome to come here and share our enthusiasm together over our plants, right? Thanks again, Toni, Josh, Linda, Andrew, Hanzrobo, Stush, Kathi, Rob, Sharon which by the way, my fig cuttings died:-((, and Teatree! I hope your plants color up nicely for you whether you grow them under lights, in a sunny window, or outside. I envy the ones that can just plop into the ground! Mike

Hello every one! I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you 3 for your words. Much appreciated! Lulie, Can't imagine how it is to later also loose your 19 year old. Some say it's even "harder" than loosing a parent. Though, in my humble opinion, a loss is a loss. We feel the same hurt and emotions. Although, I obviously miss her very much, I am happy she didn't really suffer and that it was relatively quick. Just felt it was too soon and definitely preventable. Makes me a little angry thinking about it to tell you all the truth. If only she had been willing to see the doctor on a regular basis. Unfortunately that was her own choosing. I realize there was nothing I could have done there. I keep thinking of that point over and over from time to time. I know I shouldn't. To avoid thinking about the "...should have, could have..." scaariios. How did you get from the day you lost your mother/daughter to this day? Just try to take things one day at a time? Keeping busy doing things you normally would have done? Curious. Any one can comment on this btw... Me, I'm just taking it day by day. As I said. Lately, it's just the mornings that are hard for some odd reason. As the day goes on I have an "easier" time. Though, for the past few days, my mornings have been better. Shorter bouts of saddness. Jennmonkey, As I mentioned. I'm presently unemployed so I haven't gone through what you just mentioned yet. Though, when I was working I never called home to my mother. I think it's coming home after work and not seeing her around that might hit me initially. Or not. I don't know. Can I ask you how it was being only 19 and loosing your mother at that time? If it's too hard to talk about I'll understand. I'm just thinking that is about the time you're in University preparing for your life. How for some people it might hinder their ability to function. Especially in such a difficult time. And I though my time with my mother was "short"...39 years. Also can I ask you how old you are now? I just hope I don't suddenly loose control of my emotions at work. Maybe I'm a little old fashioned. That "men shouldn't cry" at least in public. I suppose it's the same either way when you're at work. You don't want your co-workers to think you're freaking out. Going postal. That and you don't really want to tell them all you had recently lost a parent and treat you "special". Any how, thanks again for your comments people! I will definitely keep you posted. I do feel better being able to talk with people who have also lost a family member. It never hits you till it happens to you. Have a good week!

Got the final plans back from the draftsman last night. At first he decided to make the front window in the garage the same length as the living room windows, which would have had them starting in the stone. I didn't send him a picture of them with them longer. I didn't ask him to make them longer. He just decided to do it on his own. So next go round, after I said I wanted it to be the same size as the windows on the left elevation, he gave me the windows on the left elevation, but switched from a triple window in front, to a double. FYI: This is what I've been dealing with regarding the draftsman for the past year. Anyway, it's all corrected now and these are the final drawings going to permitting once the truss plan comes back from the engineer.

I feel your heartache. I had a daughter with severe asthma, it breaks your heart for sure. BTW she is 31 years old, still has it, but it is much better controlled when she became an adult.