Jill I do not remember if it falls under the Cajun hibiscus' ....sorry. I bought so many starters this year. Ingrid I think that will have to happen here also. Karyn I wish they would do more and allow more to protect ourselves...but well....I think only in my dreams. Oh and I believe that is exactly who breaks the mailboxes....the kids and their practical jokes. Lucy

I found my missing Fall bin! I had previously said if I (later on) found it in my Christmas storage, I'd scream loud enough for you to hear. Well I did find it with other Christmas bins....thankfully now instead of in Dec... but I almost screamed anyway! You see the "Gi-normous" blue bin? It is totally FULL of Fall. It feels like bricks are in there, I could barely drag from garage into family room! I didn't do anything so far but lift the lid to confirm it was Fall. The size and weight of this thing is REALLY scary! Especially as I unpacked 4 other Fall bins, the size of the green one, and you saw how much I've decorated. Holy Purple Cow! Maybe this one should have STAYED missing! Sheesh. It was in one of the places I'd looked THREE times already. Guess one should never stop looking, huh? I have a corner in the garage with Christmas bins, most all the size of the green one cause that is an easy size for me to lift and carry. Tho I do have some the next size up for garlands as I have so many of them. This blue one, needless to say, was on the bottom of the stack. And I was POSITIVE all my big Xmas garlands were stored in there. POSITIVE, I tell you! Of course if I had any working brain cells left, when I put it out there last year and had clearly written FALL on it in a big black marker, I'd have made sure the lettering faced the FRONT and not the garage wall. Arrrrrggghhhh. Anyway, this evening, out of frustration after previously checking all the green bins before... without having to move any of them... I moved all of them and looked in the blue one just to prove to myself it did hold the Xmas garland. Wish you'd seen my face when I saw what I saw. And glad I couldn't see the look of horror that it must have showed. Especially when I went to move it. (I swear there has to be bricks in there!!) I probably will have to drag it out on the back porch in the morning as I can't have it, or a mess of stuff, in my family-room cause company is coming over. The man who wrote Jason's book is coming back to go thru my photos, and the memorabilia (articles, magazines, etc) I've collected since he was burned. He'll probably be here around 2 hrs. The book is at the publisher waiting for photos. Will be ready to order soon hopefully. (Jas and Russ both will sign copies for any of you who want it by the way. Unfortunately I don't know the price yet) Well, my back is screaming at me for dragging that bin and moving all the others full of Xmas things, so I better go move around and treat myself to some Vicodin. If I was smart I'd throw them out and get some Vodka. LOL. Probably be cheaper and I'd probably be more fun to be around. hugs, Karen PS...Marlene, how neat you and I almost share the same anniversary day.

You guys are wonderful, thank you so very much for all the wisdom and advice! DH would kill me if I brought home two kittens. We do have a 1 year old German Shepherd, and I think the best is to wait and see how the two get along together before adding to the mix. We're picking the kitten up today; I will post pictures and an update later. I'm holding off on buying the 'furniture' litter box but would love to see pictures of any of your 'hidden' set-ups. We usually keep the basement door closed, and are not down there daily, but that might be the best option. Anglophilia - it sounded like your cabinet combined the food and litter box? Mizlizzie - would you be willing to post a picture? Everyone - thank you again! I have been reading and re-reading this post.

We have used the same contractor for many large and small jobs in two houses. We secretly call him "Eldin" - we're going on seven seasons now. He does fastidious but slow work. Took him a week to tile a shower with 4x4s on the diagonal - every one got tap,tap,tapped until it was perfect. His work is excellent or we'd never put up with him. :D He's coming back in a month or two to do another bathroom. We will never learn. lol