Sheila: I do my peach thinning in several stages, let's say about three. Each time, I remove the smaller, slower-developing peaches, and leave the larger ones. Any that have been damaged by insects, or show signs of mildew, have to come off no matter what size they are. If you properly thin your peaches, they will not experience a "June drop", since you will already have removed the peaches that would have dropped. Final thinning should leave the peaches about 6-8 inches apart, but these numbers are not cast in stone, and you should use your judgment about what each twig or branch can support, depending on its size and vigor. Bear in mind that a fully-developed peach can weight 3/4 pound or more. I have had some large peaches reach a full pound each. I would estimate that, at final thinning, 95% of the peaches on the tree have been removed, but those that are left are beautiful. Why are you collecting your thinned peaches in a shopping bag? Small thinned peaches carry no insect pests or pathogens, and may be safely allowed to fall to earth. After a few weeks they will be gone. When I thin a peach tree, the ground under the tree is covered with little peaches. Eliminating the collection step might improve your thinning efficiency. I have been down the teenager road (a few years ago), and hate those piles of dirty clothes. But enforced thinning is likely to lead to poor results. See how the teenagers react when you produce some really beautiful peaches. They might be inspired. And if you cannot comfortably reach all the peaches on your tree to thin, prune it down right now. I prune all the time as I thin to open up the tree and ensure that each peach is exposed to sunlight. That's what makes them big and sweet. Now is not the time to ease up on your spraying, using an effective insecticide such as permethrin. I also use fungicides to fight peach scab and mildew. Plum curculio is very active right now, and oriental fruit moth may also be present, which will ruin your peaches. By the end of June you may be able to ease up or stop spraying entirely, after the peaches are half-grown and the skins are tougher and less attractive to insects. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Oh my, Kim, what a great idea. I had forgotten all about that book. I used to use it (before I discovered HMF). I might need one just for old times' sake.... Here is a link that might be useful: Combined Rose List

You should really look into getting a rotary hammer. They are quite slick to have. My wife rolled her eyes at the price of them but they go through concrete like a knife through butter. I have the Bosch Bulldog. You will not fear concrete with this tool. Hammer drills are worthless in my opinion, rotary hammer is what you need. I would recommend renting a small rotary hammer and an SDS drill bit by the hour and just drill holes all the way around where you want to work and drill a path of two lines down the middle so you can break the block in half with a sledge and have enough room to pry the concrete out. Wear eye and ear protection. Return rentals once you are done, should only take a half hour to break up what you need. This wont be expensive and will be the easiest way. But, if you want to do this the hard way, as suggested before use a circular saw with a masonry blade and cut the floor where you want to break it up. Caution: lots of dust, concrete dust is real bad stuff, wear good breathing protection and have a shop vac sucking dust and/or run a hose to where your working to make it a wet saw. Plug extension cord for circular saw into GFCI outlet if using wet saw method. Then use standard chisel and sledgehammer.

I sit down at my computer with my transactions page for that account open, and compare it to my paper checkbook register. (you can check off cleared checks in your register with a translucent highlighting pen if you have many transactions, make all easy to spot) I fill in any withdrawals for cash I may have made but have not entered in the register and add any deposits I may not have recorded. My bank shows actual check number with the amounts, I don't know if all do. If I have check numbers missing from my checkbook that don't show online either, I may have to wait a day or two more before they show online as having cleared (DH will take checks and forget to tell me, just assumes I have enough :)). Other than those, the balance online and the balance in my book should match. I hope I didn't sound harsh earlier, I just listened to a friend rant about having to spend a whole day straightening out his wife's checkbook this weekend - she's 50 with a college degree and my sympathies for the week may have been used up. I know it doesn't come naturally to everyone and takes a little discipline, which then turns into such a time saver.