Hi Again. Here's the list (below) of the Salvia's and Penstemon's I have. Hope we can trade. Thanks, Joy (pnwjoy) Salvia Purple Volcano Salvia forsskaoii Salvia uliginosa Salvia elegans - Pineapple Sage Salvia clevelandii Penstemon virgatus 'Blue Buckle' Penstemon barbatus 'Prairie Dusk' Penstemon barbatus 'Coccineus' Penstemon 'Garnet' Penstemon 'Mother of Pearl' Penstemon 'Sour Grapes' Penstemon smallii 'Violet Dusk' (Strong and healthy seedling with good root system sown late winter 2007 should bloom next season)

DG...everything is so lovely! You have so many pretty decorations, especially the vintage valentines. I don't think I could keep ANY chocolate candy lasting till VDay if it were out for me to see everyday..that takes some will power. Your hoosier is decorated beautifully and the added garland hearts are a nice touch. The vignettes on your island are beautifully displayed and my favorite is the cloche too..it's lovely. I don't usually decorate for VDay..just a few things here and there, but after seeing all your lovely decorations, ...I'm inspired. jane

Lone, I had the same reaction...I just forgot to post. So thank you for reminding me. Once someone has seen a hungry, appreciative child... it's hard to forget. PO1, again... I don't spoil my child. My parents, who were uber-poor to the point of making me give away the few toys I had to kids who had less... accuse me of being too hard on her, of not giving her enough. You cannot tell me you've never had an issue with your child where you had to explain the way things are, and why. When your child does not understand, by lack of experience, that others are not as fortunate? I don't buy nice things. I rarely buy myself things and I've only taken DD to buy clothes twice in her life. She wears hand me downs. She could care less what she is wearing and I had to force her to the mall to buy new pants this last weekend because she outgrew her old stuff. Kids need computers these days in order to be competitive. DD's computer was purchased for $100 and revamped by my husband. She has a flat screen, bought at an office going out of business sale for $25. That is not expensive. I feel like you don't listen at all. I don't think anyone here is saying they spoil their children. I try very hard not to spoil my child. Especially since I grew up with nothing. And by nothing, I mean I got my clothes from the free bin. I went barefoot. I had a great education and absolutely no material possessions. Let me tell you, there are many ways to raise a child and purposeful deprivation does not work any more than spoiling does. Have you ever seen the garbage pickers? In India? I showed DD a YouTube of them tonight because I wanted her to understand that school is a priviledge. Did you know that they work for a "few rupees" a day? Do you know how much a rupee is?????? 0.07 USD. F-me. I was bawling my eyes out. DD GOT IT. This is the kind of thing I'm posting for. Ideas of how to help our children realize more about the world around them. I tend to be harsher than necessary. I can't help it, my parents had no boundaries between adult/child. I want my child to have the opportunity to be a kid, but I'm conflicted because I never experienced that and at her age already knew way too much. So I ask for help. Not flippant condencension. I work for my money too PO1. I worked hard for my education and I continue to work. I have been working since I was a small child. Your assumptions are so incredibly insulting to me I can't begin to explain how your ahhaahahhaa's make me feel. This is real. I am trying to raise a little being to the best of my ability. I know I don't get it right. Who does?? Many only get one chance. I know I do. I get a full chance at DD and a hope for a slight influence with SD; who is spoiled and materialistic beyond my wildest dreams. And yet crushing their little souls won't work. Insulting them won't work. I want them to see light. I want them to realize how fortunate they are without seeing that little boy with no shoes tipping his little face up to say "milk!" and grabbing the jug and RUNNING like his little life depends on it back to the house EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES SYLVIA (darn you anyway!! :) Does that make sense? I don't want to sear the horrific knowledge I have onto her little brain. I had that done to me. I want her to have a childhood. I am conflicted.

Oh one more thing....if it's Senior's Day AND Spumoni Day, don't forget to enjoy some spumoni. See what I did there? When I was a kid, we got dimes. After a few teeth were lost, the tooth fairy forgot where we lived. I personally think anything bigger than a quarter is too much.