We really haven't had much of a winter here, Jeff. In fact, I noticed today that my hibiscus is coming up, and it usually does start into growth until the end of May. Things have been either way early, or they haven't done anything at all because we completely "skipped" over spring (like my double daffs didn't bloom). My Colocasia 'Ruffles' is up already. Usually my colocasias don't start into growth until mid-late May, or even early June! It has been a way-wacky year here. It would have been a great year if I had planted amorphs in the ground, since we had a drought, and they like dry feet during dormancy. So, I guess you're getting the spring that missed us, huh? Susan

AWWWW~~~ Love the poem my dear friend Blanca! Did you write that?? OK, April Fools' recap! First...I am sooooo serious most of the time and I actually pulled a small prank on 3 people AND IT WORKED EACH TIME! These were all people I know well. I said I had something in my hair and I couldn't see it. Could they see anything?? As they looked I dropped some little plastic spiders on their desk! Got screams 2 of the 3 times, followed by laughter! Now here's the weird part of the day --- In the morning I got an email from a boyfriend that I lost touch with back in 1982. I found a Valentine's card from him a few weeks ago while I was cleaning and wondered what had happened to him. It took a while searching the internet, but we connected yesterday and he was actually happy that I had made the effort. He still lives in so Cal (where I grew up). Not married, no kids...wants to keep in touch, etc. Finding old friends is just soooo great. Then I got a cute email from another guy at work that is working his way into the "friend" category. He's always been there for me during times of crisis (linkage cable break in car transmission and garbage disposal disaster last thanksgiving)...so we are working on the friendship "thing". Making friends is harder when you are older. I don't know if we put more restricitions on it or what, but it's just different. Then I get all these text messages from my "country" gentleman friend to come out and have a beer with him...which turned into 2 beer, dinner and a movie! And somewhere in between I had communications with the guy that I am interested in (always nice to hear his voice). I was on guy "FRIEND OVERLOAD" yesterday...! WHOOO HOOOO!!! K

I usually try to check my order before leaving but in reality, don't always. And of course you know WHEN the mistake will happen! Mostly, I check to see that, for instance if I order to sandwiches and a fry, I see if there's two sandwiches and a fry in there. On burgers I order just ketchup. Interestingly at Burger King, I've found there's a WAY to say it, to get what you want. Do not say "just ketchup", you need to say "ketchup ONLY". Never a problem since. It's using THEIR lingo. The new thing I've run into is the way they push upsizing. "Small" costs $1.50 more! You have to say "value size". I started saying "whatever size is the price you advertise". I've made them change it more than once. I do like to think that most of these places truly do want to try to make things right when there's a legitimate problem. And yes, if they don't know about it, there's nothing they can do to improve. So we as customers do owe it to them to let them know when there's a problem. You were very reasonable Glenda. Many would be expecting they give them the world for a mistake. Hopefully they can straighten things out and you can return to being a satisfied customer at their establishment. I understand the business's frustration too, what with people threatening all sorts of things and the like. Everyone knows that nobody in their right mind will sue for a burger mishap. But it makes for good laughs at the water cooler. And really, some of these mistakes are just people not paying attention to their job. And that's a big frustration of mine. I don't care if you're a CEO of a gigantic corporation or a floor sweeper in an office. If you don't take pride in your work, you're incompetent. So many of these mistakes are so easily avoided. After all the health issues lately I've been forced to eat out much more. I'm tired of of. Been buying more groceries lately and doing light cooking at home. And appreciating it much more. I'm sure many would laugh at my menus of late but compared to drive through... it's gourmet cuisine!

That little angel couldn't have done anything that bad. That's the same thing I said about our little Great Dane angel when I got home from work one day and saw this...and dh was at home when this happened. I told him he can't just look at a computer and/or tv screen all day and think nothing is going to happen around the house. Sorry about the fan boxes, but we are expecting an electrician one day this week to install them. ( I'm even sorrier about the love seat ) I'm not going furniture shopping until I'm sure he is through eating it. Linda