Thanks for the nice comments all. carolynp, if it would help you, I can include how much of what I planted. Next year, I'm going to keep track of yields a little better. I didn't start tracking until after I came back from my trip. I have a really old scale that seems to weigh accurately enough (I checked it against my digital postal scale, and it was pretty close). I keep the scale in my kitchen window, and keep a calendar in the "bowl" so I can track it as I pick it. sinfonian, you were one of my inspirations for the potato bin. Next year, the potatoes won't be against the retaining wall. I don't know where they'll be yet, but away from the sprinkler for certain. Water does seem to go through the curtain ok, so I don't know how much that would help. I need to get some more fence boards, I want to build another one. My garden is on the south side of my house. It gets great sun over there, and the dogs can't get to it. It does get a little shaded during the summer, but mostly where the raspberries will be. I do hope to garden longer next year by starting some indoors and using plastic over the hoops. We do get a lot of sunshine here (they say 300 days a year), so I should be able to get a jump start in the spring. Because we're at 7000 feet, we do have cold nights, and quite a bit of wind. I'm hoping I do a better planning job, so it will be easier to cover next time. I had to let it go this year because I needed to add more to the beds b/c they were about 8" down. You may be right, I could be the poster child for a cheap garden. All the lumber out there is used and was free. The beds are filled with free manure, leaves, hay, straw, UCG, etc. I have scrounged gobs of leaves this fall. Even the kiddie pool and all that chicken wire keeping the leaves from blowing away, were free. I bought the fence and the posts used, and re-painted. That one was kind of a pain, but I'm not working right now, and I couldn't justify spending $100 for 12 feet of new fence. I did it for about $50 total I think. Even the trash cans out there were from freecycle. The plastic I'll use again come spring I bought from someone on Craigslist for about 1/2 price. A good portion of it was used to wrap items and cover the load of stuff I brought back on my trip this summer, and was still good enough to use again. I did buy the yellow garden cart out there, new. I love that thing, I use it a ton. I'm quite proud of how little I spent building my garden. Come to think of it, I think that's what I started posting in this forum about...

LOL, Sierraeast! A height variance? Considering the house behind me is smushed up to my property AND the foundation is 4 feet above grade, I didn't think I needed one (can you tell I'm a bit annoyed?). I too grew up in a house where practically every room had different colored carpet. AHHH, the good ole 70's! Nascat! That's is so hilarious! I wonder if our kitties will watch anything in particular on TV. They are just so cute right now. We did discover that they were peeing on my DH's work papers. PLEEAASE tell me they won't do this forever. They're female, so I'm surprised. Well,the entire structure isn't even screwed together yet. I wanted to line the inside of the little house before the roof goes on, but the pieces are cut. I bought a big plushy blanket at Marshall's that I'm going to cut to size for each section. The rubber on the bath mats had me concerned. Thanks for the tip about wetting the just as well. The kids are bugging me to finish the structure right now so that's where I'm headed.

We went to see Paul Newman today and met an amazing person who rescues cats and dogs from city pounds where they face certain death. She and a small group of foster home volunteers take care of them until they can find them homes. She screens people very carefully. I had to provide references and she called them - my vet and my cat sitter. He was a sweet cat but not overwhelmingly all over you and in your face. He's seriously overweight (20 lbs) which may be the reason he's kind of lethargic for a three year old cat. We'd have to be sure we could address the weight problem with our multiple cat household - including one IBD cat whose dietary needs are high priority. He doesn't look as much like a Siamese cat as I was originally hoping for - really just his face and shoulders. Otherwise his lower two thirds are all dark brown. I noticed quite a few older Siamese cats are darker like this. Do they just get darker with age? The young ones are always light with the distinctive markings on face and feet which I love. He also seemed to have a bit of abdominal sensitivity which we're wondering about. He is vet checked, shots, feline leukemia negative, etc. but we're investigating just how thorough his exam was. Since I have one old cat with special needs I do really want to get a younger cat that is at least healthy to start with. Anyway, Paul Newman wasn't the "perfect" Siamese cat I have been dreaming of but he is very sweet and needs a good, permanent home. So at this point I'm kind of wondering if I should be giving him that home or continuing to search.

Went through the same thing with my DH daugther. but she was 6 or 7ish at the time. Its understandable. She feels now she is competeing with you and is expressing it like a 13 year old. Dont let it bother you. Always keep open communication with her and your bf. Dotn think too far like having kids now. Keep dating and live together , take it one day at a time. More important. You and your Bf have to be on the same page and stick to your relationship. His daughter does not dictate your time or how you date your bf. You are the adult.You are in control with your BF. Let him speak to his daughter, let him keep at it with her. You keep your cool and at her age, the teen years she is also going through alot of emotions. Give her space and give her time. If she acts out during vacation let her father deal with it. Dont let it get you down. When she acts like a baby, then leave her with her dad to deal with and you get out and enjoy yourself. You make sure you show her that her behaviour is not nice and that it wont get your down. She wants to behalf nasty then she will have to deal with the consequences. My SD doesn have text messaging and i wouldn't accept it either between me and her. Just gives her power and i do not let her have any since now adays she is being rude. She's a teen:) Thats how they are. Deosnt matter if they are biokids or stepkids or adopted kids...its the age! But it doesn't mean you have to put up with it. Stand your ground and you keep telling her how you feel. BUT if she gets a rise out of you being hurt then you ignore her tactics and say its a wonderful day and your are soooo happy. :) There will be many games , and many ups and downs..i'm sure she does like you . She just needs to adjust and really understand that she doesn't have to be threatened by you. This is what it is. She feels that now that her dad has someone, he wont be as close with her even though the times of seeing her haven't changed. Over time you will prove yourself with your actions and words. Be friends but if she resists..don't force it. you can only be friends with her...not her mother. So if she doesn't want to be friends with you..its ok. I told my SD...if she doesn't want to be friends that's fine with me. I have alot of friends. But you be respectful towards antoher human being..if not..the door is there. Swing both ways..I dont care who you are related to.