My secret pal sent a lovely surprise box again. A nice card with a short note. A very cute cat planter holder that wiggles, or I don't know what to call it, it is not a cat pot holder. It is a wire cat that wiggles that holds a 6 inch clay flower pot, included. I will have fun filling that pot! There is personalized stationery to use with my old people I write to. Gotta be careful there, I am in that bracket! A cute book on cats, questions and answers about cats. A real nice pair of garden gloves, which will come in handy. Mine have holes in the thumbs. Why do we just hang onto the old and not replace them? Then a super nice can of nice smelling garden soaps. No plants, which was super fine, we went to Ore. & I stopped at a few nurseries, and got plants for 50% off, and for over a week, have been working on getting them into the flower beds. I am taking pictures to send her eventually. I enjoy my secret pal, and it gives us a break in our routine. Now I have another great cat book to read! Thank you so much for all you send. P.S. we have sort of adopted a stray cat a mo. ago, and sure makes me long for a new one again. This one is outside, and always in fights, a unneutered male. Last week, he got part of his ear removed and his face all gouged up, fighting with a racoon. Have a good month secret pal!

I got a lovely box from my Secret Pal today, it really cheered me up! There was a very pretty dangly made of colored glass that is already hanging outside, and some seeds (always a good choice), and the cutest Mary Englebreit cards. I loved your note too, Secret Pal, sorry it has been so hot where you are, we had some very hot days this past week too, where the heat index put us up in the triple digits, the humidity was just exhausting. Thanks for the pretty pictures of your flowers, I love the daylilies. You did offer two of them, and I have to say I would love to get them! Both of the ones that you put stars next to the photos will look lovely in my garden. This fall I am going to redo the bed by my driveway (for about the third time since I put it in) and those daylilies will look wonderful in there. Thanks again for the great and very welcome package, Secret Pal! Alison

Hi, I just wanted to make a quick note and let everybody know I did send my pal a package In October and my Secret Pal did send me a wonderful package. I have had a great deal of trouble finding time to get online and communicate to all the Gardenweb Community. I want to thank my Secret Pal for all the little gifts you sent the kids for Halloween. They needed those pencil sharpeners and erasers. They keep losing all the ones I buy them. They are managing to keep up with the little balls you sent though. The hubby liked the pen you sent him. I hung the Flower Pot Seeds hanging dor up in the Sunroom. Did you embroider the kitchen décor yourself? That is so thoughtful. I tried embroidery when I was little but I do not have time to do stuff like that now. I hung it next to my spice rack since the saying referred to "seasoning with love." I have decided I need a shelf or something for my pretty garden cups. ThatÂs on my " honey do list". I always love reading the magazines you send. I have got a habit of thumbing through the Birds and Blooms a tonight while watching TV just to unwind-even the ones I have already read before. The Garden quotation book will work for that too. I was touched that you signed the inside cover for me. The dessert on the cover of the cooking magazine looks so good it will probably be the first recipe I try from that magazine. But, IÂm sure IÂll try more. I love finding a new recipe. The kitty kat toothbrush holder was converted to a pencil holder for my little girl. We play with our fingernails together so the emory board is coming in handy. I was excited to see the lighted magnifying glass for maps. I canÂt tell you how many times we pulled over under a street light this summer to figure out on the map where we were. Now we can do it and not lose time and hopefully not get lost. lol This weekend I will be plating some of the bulbs youÂve sent me. Usually, I donÂt so so well with bulbs. Even when the moles and squirrels didnÂt mess with them, they did not bloom. But one of the local gardeners told me it was because I needed to plant the bulbs in November. And showed me how she did hers. So, I am going to plant them her way. I am going to put the Chrysanthemums up front. And the allium and daffodils in the back yard I am sure I left something out but I am typing this from work. I just canÂt thank you from home anymore. Atleast not at the moment. There is too much going on. But, I do appreciate everything you have sent me. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for thinking of me! Leann

Oops! I forgot to post that I received 2 huge boxes from my secret pal! October - First, a note apologizing for being late for October(had flu/hospital), which was really nice but she didn't have to do because she'd already told me in an email. I feel for anyone w/ the flu - last year was the first time in 10 years I didn't get the flu. I luaghed (sorry!) when I read PlantladyJan's post. The one year I was able to get a flu shot was the one year I had the flu the worse. Go figure! I decided this year we weren't celebrating Halloween since the kids are teenagers. We live out in the country so we don't get trick-or-treaters. Therefore, my kids were grateful for all the candy you sent. My husband does most of the cooking & will enjoy the Vidalia french onion seasoning & raspberry vinaigrette dressing. he loves cooking & experimenting with new dishes & can't wait to try the recipes in the little onion cookbook magnet or to use the onion ball that you can use in the microwave. Since I have to get up so early I've developed a love of coffee (lots of creamer, little sugar) so I'm looking forward to trying the hazelnut coffee. My pal also sent an air freshener (smells great!) & "purrfect 10" on it, 2 hand poured votive candles, a peach scented body spray that my daughter begged for, & a little jewelry box that she's also begging for. I also got a picture & frame of a cup of Earl Grey tea done in blues & white w/ a little yellow that I hung in the kitchen. I also got one of those very decorative vinegar bottles w/ flowerheads or potpourri in it. There was also a little wooden cut-out made up like a girl with a heart sign that says "I'm having a bad hair day". I'm gluing a magnetic strip to it and making a magnet out of it. I also got this candle that is just too pretty to burn. It's one of those with the flowers pressed in & is just really gorgeous. It came on a terra cotta base surrounded by potpourri. Also, a little frog you hang on flower pots, a needlepoint kit I can work on when it's too cold or icky outside. Also a pretty coffee mug w/ 2 garden-related refrigerator magnets & packets of seeds (3 kinds of squash, 1 tomato, & 1 pumpkin). As if that wasn't enough: November - set of doll-shaped notecards the girl child confiscated, an herb stake w/ seed packets (sweet marjoram, parsley, chives, lemon balm), set of magnets, a jar of candle crystals that smells heavenly (rose petals). Hubby & boy child thanks you for the sunflower seeds - what they don't eat themselves they'll feed to the chickens. There was a little wooden desktop plaque the girl child wants, a pretty plaque of a lavender plant, a photo frqame w/ memo sheets, a box of Earl Grey tea, & an agenda kit w/ a calender, addresses, & memo pad. The pkg. of sour gummy worms went over well w/ the kiddos. There was a large container of powdered cheese for making pasta. My aunt told us you can take packets of the cheese from boxes of mac & cheese, & make cheese popcorn so we're going to experiment! My weakness is ice cream so I'm not sure that the bottle of chocolate ice cream topping will last long here. Also included in the box was a cute little birdhouse, a floating candle, a little jar of natural potpourri (smells great!), & a candle & candleholder set. I also like the garden-themed picture frame, & the yellow & white rose soap set. after the peach scented candle burns completely up, I'm going to clean the tin out & use for a pill box or to store Q-tips. Thank you pal! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! If you don't send anything at all December, I won't be offended or feel left out at all because you have more than sent your share!