I almost feel as if this message thread is my psycho therapy. lol Bob was doing very well today. He was surprised that they let him have water this morning so soon after the surgery. After his bypass surgery, they didn't let him have water for about a day because the lungs can fill with fluid from being under anesthesia for so long. We won't know until they exam the section of colon they removed as to whether it was cancerous or not. The surgeon "thought" he got it all. So I imagine more tests are in order to know for certain. I have mentioned in my past posts that I have fibromyalgia. After a day at work, even though I have a job where I sit at a computer all day, I am totally wiped out. So Bob does all the cooking around here. I have trouble standing for very long so it is difficult for me to cook. So at the hospital, he is giving me ideas for food I can make and telling me the best way to cut onions so my eyes don't hurt as bad. Tonight he was telling me how to steam the rice he gets. I just let him ramble on because I know it makes him feel better. I was so glad I had a clogged drain so I could ask him how to unclog it the past few days. It kept him talking for about 45 minutes. Today I was able to tell him that I finally got it unclogged. He was so excited when I told him his tomato plants had little tomatoes. He is doing very well. They were waiting for him to fart. I guess that is a sign that things are going well. If that's the case, I must have one healthy colon! lol So keep up those prayers that Bob finally has a good fart and that he is cancer free! Thanks so much for being my therapists! Love, Kathy

Morning!! Margo, it's not as bad to take care of as people think. I think because its bigger, its pretty self sufficient. I do need to get in it every month or so and weed. My water plants reproduce so quickly they would cover the whole top if I didn't. What's nice is I put all the pulled ones in a wheelbarrow and bring them down to the veggie garden. Pile them up and let them dry. I about a week they are bone dry. So dry they crumble! I use them for fertilizer. I don't know if its the pond water, fish waste or what but those plants work almost like miracle grow ;) Shirley, we have a Master Gardener's plant swap usually every year here around Mother's Day. I say usually, cause this year we didn't have one? I was so busy at the time, never asked why, and till you just mentioned it forgot all about it :) My fair swap has been growing a little every year by 1 or 2 people. :) A lot of the same people come every year once they get hooked. The like the variety of different things I bring every year. What's awesome is that it all comes from the gw. :) The seed swaps in the fall produce nice little babies for my swap. This year I tried a bunch of Dianthus.... I have Ipswitch, Black Adder, Yellow something I can't remember, Black Magic, Fire Witch...as you can see I got most of these from the Halloween swap last year :) I also have some different Althea's that I can't remember right now, lol. The turtle is officially done. He's not a fancy turtle, but, he does look cute. ;) The kids are so excited I hope he wins. Taylor was looking through the entry list for ecology classes. She's entering photography, art (painting and sculpture), sewing, flower arranging (gee, wonder where she's gonna get those?), and house plant arrangement. I have 1 house plant in my house. Taylor's zebra plant. This thing has produced 8 babies! She took my tea cup planter and planted them around in it. She then used one of my old spoons and stuck it in. Made a tea bag tag to tie to the spoon, " Taylor's Tea" It came out so cute! Billy is entering art. He made the most beautiful pastel drawing of a fish this year in kindergarten. It won an honorable mention at the school art show. I framed it. He's also entering the house plant arrangement too. We didn't have any house plants for him, but, we did have some hen's and chicks. So yesterday we got a pair of his old sneakers, washed them, and filled them with hen's and chicks. They are so cute!! Little blue sketchers!! So adorable!! My neighbor saw them when she was walking her dog and asked if they were going to be at the plant swap...lol! I have to get a photo of them. Have a great day!! vina Here's a weird one...found this double gaillardia. It looks like a science experiment gone wrong, lol.

I got two packages yesterday. One from Jan and the other, from Poochella. The Pooch really knows where to find my weak spots! My number one, all time love is Chocolate and she sent. LOTS. Peanut butter cups and M&M's and RusselStover miniatures and Baby Ruth Almond Joy. As hot as it has been and they were not even melted. It would not have mattered, I would eat it anyway but I was surprised. Stress level has been high enough the past couple weeks that Chocolate is required on a daily basis. The heat and humidity have been terribly oppressive here the past three days. I'm really not getting much of anything done. If it would just rain I'd go out and work in the rain but I can't do much like this. Anyway, back to the package. There was some cream called Gardeners Hand lotion. A nice woodsy smell that I like a lot. A beautiful carved angel holding a shovel. I have two similar ones but not this one so she will make a heavenly trio when I get settled and setup the sun room Love this Angel. I have a very special shovel from my Secret Santa at work a couple years ago that is marked "Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman With a Shovel" How true... bet an Angel with a shovel could really do some special things. There was a lovely package of floral note cards. Very nice art work on those. Some interesting garden magazines too. LOL Pooch's specialty seems to be the "Plant Coupons". What a great idea. Then I don't need to be worrying if it has rained or not after I leave here. Good thinking Annie. Annie, I thank you for sending such a great package and I'm looking foreward to your Birthday TOO. Again, I hope I didn't miss anything on the list. If so, I apologise and really appreciate you. Beth

You have 6 days left (including today) to mail your used Christmas card crafts, in order to be in the contest. The Post Office is closed Monday for M.L.K. day. Thank you! Just so you know... I'm sticking very close to the mailing deadline (for the contest). Voting starts in the early morning of the 29th or sooner if all the used Christmas card crafts are sent. Sheri Sheri (Panhandle_Seed_Swap) - Sent and Received SENDS TO: Erica (EricaBraun) - Sent and Received SENDS TO: Nicole (bluee19) - Sent and Received SENDS TO: Shirley (brittneysgran) - Sent and Received SENDS TO: Dawn (dawn1972) - Sent and Received ???? SENDS TO: Mary (cottonwood468) SENDS TO: Christine (christine00) - Sent SENDS TO: Tammy (mcc371) - Sent and Received SENDS TO: Dawn (dmkelly) - Received SENDS TO: Margo (smitties) - Sent SENDS TO: Susan B. (skyblue52) - sent (today) SENDS TO: Sharon (toomanyanimals) - Sent SENDS TO: Faye (nottougly) - Sent and Received SENDS TO: Jeanne (sandlapper_rose) - Sent and Received SENDS TO: Sue G. (sguanzon) SENDS TO: Suzanne (hibiscusfan) SENDS TO: Annie (canyonwind) SENDS TO: Jamie (patton40) - Sent Please check-in and follow-up on the new thread if you haven't, yet (link below). Thank you! Here is a link that might be useful: New OBF Thread