Thanks for posting this Diane. I've been sad about this loss since I heard the news last week. I had great respect for Bernie who so freely shared his knowledge of dahlia care. He was working on an updated photo/article for the ADS, I think, and I wish they'd publish it in his honor. For any of you using the plastic wrap tuber storage method, the Mandella Method, you have Bernie and Midge Mandella along with Dr. Richard Peters to thank for your success. We have lost a real innovator and generous man.

Wow, this is so great to hear other people's experiences! I'm the OP, and while I'm still feeling a bit of 'remodeling remorse', I have had a couple of thoughts. First, I think my problem is that I always analyze EVERYTHING in terms of $$$ and return on investment (blame my Economics degree.) I have a hard time recognizing the value of beauty and enjoyment. I tend to think "if I don't get 100% back when I sell, then the project was a bad decision." Ok, maybe I should blame my HGTV habit.... My other problem is that I've moved 9 times in 14 years. I tend to think of my surroundings as temporary, and I also tend to expect things to change at any time. I have a hard time expecting that we will stay in this house more than a few years at most. So, after reading your posts, I asked myself "How much per month would I pay extra to live in the new surroundings vs what I had before?" This is my way of trying to analyze how much value I'm receiving from this beauty around me. When I take that value, and multiply it out by the number of months that I think I MIGHT be in this house (cause I have no real idea, do I?), then that dollar amount makes me feel much better about my decision. I'll CERTAINLY recoup the rest when I sell. Another thought is that recently I visited a friend, and she expressed such regret about her house. When they bought the house, they expected to be there about 3 years. With that in mind they didn't change ANYTHING in the house. Now it's been about 5 years, and the kids are firmly entrenched in school, and they love their neighborhood, and they really wish they had made their house their own years ago and enjoyed it. Anyone feel 'remodelers remorse' when it was time to sell their home because you didn't get back what you spent???

Well, your ex chose himself, my husbands ex chose herself. Not much difference to me. They didn't choose what's best for their kids and it doesn't matter if they are mom or dad. As a stepmom, I try to fill in the gap for their daughter but I know she prefers her mom. Much of my resentment of her mom comes from knowing how much it hurts her child and she disregards that. I'm sure there are stepmoms out there that are not nice, just ask Serenity. But, I think there are more stepmoms and potential stepmoms that walk into it hoping for the best and are blindsided by the problems that are common to stepfamlies... usually emotionally charged situations that in an intact family would be nothing. If the one parent could kiss the kids goodbye on when they go to their other house and hug them hello when they get back and when they talk about what they did over there, they are told 'that's nice', whether they agree with it or not. (of course if it's a safety issue, then the adults should talk about that later in private) That would be best for the kids. To be able to spend time with the other parent without having to worry that one parent is going to be upset that they did this or that or so and so said this or that. It would bother me if my son's stepmom told him terrible things about me, but the truth is that my son knows me well. He knows it's not true. IF his dad lets his stepmom say things, then he is there, then he is choosing to let her harm his child. I can't control what they do. If it affects my son's relationship with his dad, then it's up to him to deal with it. Not me. and you are right, nobody is going to take her seriously. My son's stepmom once told my son that I was a drunk. Well, he knows I don't drink at all. I mean, maybe a margarita with dinner or champagne at a wedding, but I don't even have an occasional glass of wine or beer. She looks like a fool for saying that. Then it makes everything else she says look suspect. In all honesty, I didn't want to know what she told my son. I didn't want to react to it, like a mother would. I knew it wasn't true. Now, if anyone hit him or said nasty things to him about him (that hurts his self esteem), then it might be something I would want to know if his father isn't taking care of it. But, the father is supposed to have the role of protecting their child in their home. I did question a bruise on my son's leg in the shape of a hand when he was six. He said dad spanked him, CPS and the police said 'don't let it happen again' (to dad) and that was the end of it. Did I worry? Sure. Can I control what they did in their home? Nope. So, I focused on my relationship with my son while he was with me.

Is there anyway you can share photos from those pages? Possibly scan or take photos of them and post them here?