A couple of notes because the rest is going to be rather long and involved: Lynda, I have the Vitex marked for you and in your baggie! And thank you for the marigolds! They will be very interesting with my others! Dessie I would be more than happy to receive your little helper's seed packets! I think it's great! Wendy Try some Chai Spice tea, it works wonders in helping clear up colds and flu. I always add a dollop of honey to help sooth the throat. It's a staple in our house and really does help. Alright, here is my take on this.. I can understand how many were hoping that the two swaps would not coincide, but, we all knew there was a fair chance of that happening. For myself, I know that I continued to update my list, even well after Patty's swap's mailing deadline. I did my updates using the same method we did for Patty's swap- using an updated date. Even had I not, I knew there was a good chance the two swaps would overlap. I joined this one knowing full well- according to the guidelines posted for it- that I may NOT receive as many as I sent in. That I would receive as many as were sent in FOR me, up to five packets of the SAME item. I recall there being some issue with this and a member who became very rude in their comments about this fact. Yes, my package from the What's Left swap is in the second batch to go out. No, I did not keep strict record of what I sent to those who were in the What's Left swap. I did keep better records of what I'm sending for this swap. I also know that a lot of people will be sending in baggies of seeds marked as extras- not dedicated for anyone, but to add in when it's seen those items are on someone's list. No, these may not be some of the rarer or more exclusively wanted items on someone's list. But if someone has some of those rarer or more specific items to share, I'm sure they would have put them into your baggie before they mailed. So, I don't see that anyone would be missing out on anything. The only way I could see having updated one's list further as complicating Patty's swap would be if someone had removed things from their list. Updating and adding items would not have conflicted. Because if there were any extras of what you were wanting, Patty would have included them. So, I guess I'm not really understanding how there is such a need to update the lists just because one is in both swaps. If I receive duplicates, wonderful! Because the things on my list are things I want! If I don't receive something on my list, then no one had it to share. If I receive so many of something that I can't plant it all, then I can bless someone else by offering it up for a trade. So, perhaps I'm being dense here, but how would one not receive something sent in specifically for them (up to FIVE packets of the same item!) that was on their wants list in this swap? Everyone has the chance to see your wants as posted and you have had the option to add to that list, as many including myself have this whole time. The only thing I could really see the two swaps happening almost simultaneously possibly affecting would be one's have's list. I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset or offend anyone. I'm just honestly trying to understand why this is such an issue. So please don't take this as meaning to offend or as pointed to anyone in particular. This is just me trying to understand why so many are upset about this. If you prefer to email me privately and help me understand it, I would be pleased with that and please do! Perhaps there are aspects and issues with this that I'm not readily seeing and should consider. I don't want to keep the thread off track by my question becoming a debate here. Perhaps there can be some adjustments of dates if this swap happens in the late summer or again next winter, but for this year it is as it is and personally, I'm really enjoying it! Nancy, I hope you don't decide to drop out, because I know that I should have at least a couple of things from your list, perhaps more. But I'll respect your choice and be your Garden Buddy either way :) Fran, you have a real job ahead of you and I don't know how those like you and Patty do it! Leave me hosting my "pair em up and let em go" or true RR type swaps! I think those of you that host this kind of swap are awesome! Angela, you have been a wonderful help to Fran and all of us in this swap! I know the time it can take to code pages like that, though updates are easier once the initial work is done, and I want to say THANK YOU for the time and work you are putting in on this swap for everyone's benefit! Kathy~ heading off to stuff more little baggies and envelopes.

Oh my goodness! I can't believe you asked this question! Seriously! Two weeks ago, my feet were really sore. I realized I had been wearing the same running shoes for almost a year. I wear them 8 hours a day at work, and I'm on my feet those entire 8 hours. The grips had worn away, so i figured it was time for new runners. I searched high and low determined to find just the right pair. They had to have thick cushionie soles. I find runners these days have NO arch support like they used to. Salesclerks now point you to the Dr Scholls inserts which cost another $20+ on top of the price of the runners. Anyways, I wore the runners to work and my left foot was still sore. I just figured it was from the bad runners and would feel better soon. That night I was in bed and my foot felt 'tight'. I pulled my leg up and rubbed the bottom of my left foot and not only did I hurt myself, I felt a big lump on the tendon in the middle of my arch! first thing I thought of was cancer. LOL Next day I googled, "lump on bottom of foot" and a page full of 'planters faciitis' sites popped up. I read everything I could, then went to you tube to see what phyical therapy I could do. I bought a set of "Barefoot Science" insoles. They retail for $50 where I work, but I get a discount. They still cost more than the $25 Dr Scholls at the shoe store.... But they are the only insoles we sell that list planters faciitis as one of the things it helps. Let me tell you, step one inserts are very soft. It doesn't bother my right foot, but holy cow, my left foot gets sore. I have to force myself to walk normally, and not on the outside of my foot. What's the point of the inserts if I don't use them right? Right? I also stretch my foot whenever I remember. (like now...) I roll my foot over a can of furniture spray. LOL I need to find a decent sized tennis ball (yeah, they're all the same size, i know. figure of speech) to roll under my foot. I've only used the inserts since Friday and IMO, the lump does feel a little smaller and it hurts a lot less already. I keep forgetting to ice it. But the thought of an ice pack on the bottom of my foot..... yeah, probably not going to happen. LOL I don't see the point in seeing a doctor for this right now. I would have to go to a walk in clinic as there is a severe dr shortage in Alberta. Sit there for hours with people who are actually sick and contagious. Then have the doctor tell me he has to refer me. By the time I get the referal, my foot will be fine. thank goodness for google and you tube!

No, but I once had a party where the guests (by their own design) removed their shoes. The following day I had several callers saying their feet had swollen from something they consumed at my party while a few others called to say that something they ate had caused their feet to shrink. We had a helluva time getting everybody's shoes back to their rightful owners. Whew! And I thought (for one small moment) I was going to be sued, for one small moment, for the dips and chips that had caused edema to occur bordering on kidney or heart failure. Just that everyone mixed up shoes if they were same or similar shoes in color, style, etc. It was the sangria, no doubt. Oh, yeah as a PS, all the women had their rightful shoes; it was the men; the men; the men who had picked the wrong shoes. Wouldn't ya just know.

I haven't bought a new pair of real shoes since I bought my Echo shoes 6 years ago and they are still in great condition. I think they were a size 9. I remember the bottom of my crocs saying 9 because I wasn't sure at first if they were a 6. I don't know if shoe sizes like clothing run different in the US. I used to always wear an 8-1/2 in shoes but as I have gotten heavier over the years my shoe size can run between 9 and 9 1/2 wide depending on the shoe. LOL Now you have me curious. Okay, I just went into spare bedroom and found the pink crocs with the holes in the bottom - I thought I had tossed them but must have kept them to garden in. LOL I checked the bottom and there are 2 sizes on the bottom. The left square has an 11 and the right square has a 9. I have never worn a size 11 shoe in my life so I don't know if that is the US size or not. I have never seen a size 11 shoe before. LOL Anne