From a business standpoint, there is no such thing as better or best. Just as all businesses, nurseries and garden centers fall into three categories, as far as their focus goes. There is the "best value" nursery -- where good buys are the norm but don't expect anything special in the way of service or innovative plants/products. The "big box" stores fall into this. There is the "customer intimate" nursery, where highly trained salespeople help you select plants, solve garden problems and sometimes draw a little garden plan for you. You can expect to pay higher here. Then there is the "innovative" nursery where intense plantspeople take your hand through a stuffed maze of exotic, new and otherwise different plants. You can expect to pay higher here. And you don't necessarily expect total service here. The successful nurseries emphasize one focus. When they try to do more than one, they lose money (you business people know why). Sure, there's a little crossover but it's rare. If you want to save money, go to a "best value" kind of nursery. Be prepared -- know what you're going to buy beforehand, know when the nursery gets delivery of the type of plant you want and know quality. Big box stores don't always buy from the better wholesalers. If it's price you're after, that makes these nurseries "better". If you need technical or design advice, go to the "customer intimate" kind of nursery. Some independents know their stuff (some don't!) and the better garden center chains (e.g., Armstrong) know their stuff. Few are perfect, though. Nurseries are notoriously poor employers when it comes to paychecks. The problem is, they keep trying to offer the low prices found at the "best value" places. If you want some hot new plants, find the innovators. And pay "what the market will bear" for the stuff that you absolutely won't find anywhere else. I'm a champion of "mom and pop" businesses -- but in our area, the "mom and pop" nursery owners actually live 25-50 miles from their stores and local market. And the plants found at these nurseries come from even farther away. It's rare nopwadays that nurseries (which was the name for those who actually were "nurseries" -- places that grew plants) have their own stock. The industry is specialized and there are retailers and wholesale growers and be growers who retail are mostly gone. I've found that it's also rare that independent retailers sell only "what will grow in your area". Almost all have succumbed to selling what the customers want (albeit wrong so many times). Which is not to say that there aren't any. One of the best nurseries here on the Central Coast is a part of a "Farm Supply" store. I rarely recommend the independents around here. And I would like to!!!!!! Bottom line, it goes back to what you want: best value, customer service or innovation. Joe

Those spoons will remind you of Pam everytime you use them. Awwwwww. Love the apron, hope its a recruiting agent for the CF, we need more MLC virgins! And I LOVE the casserole, perfect and clever! (note to Pam...hey nothing stopping you from sending something special later as a surcie....ask me how I know...heh heh...) I spent ten minutes going through ads for stores I'll never visit looking for bargains? :) Be careful.... you know how CFers manage to get around..

I use it for everything, you don't use much and you cannot taste the flour. It's there to emulsify the two oils and bind them. I keep it on my counter in a jar, spread it in the frying pan or on the griddle with a brush. I've used it for a couple of years and love it.

Yes, someone mentioned it recently at the Money Saving Tips Forum. I read through the FAQ there, and see one will have a new area code and number. Q:Can I use my existing phone number as my Magicjack number? A:Yes, but not yet. You will be able to transfer or port your existing local phone number to magicJack, for a nominal fee, in the coming months. I'm left wondering then if all calls 'into' this new magic jack number will be a toll call from my close local friends and neighbors. A speed of 80 kbps is required. Sue...considering it maybe Here is a link that might be useful: Magicjack FAQ