I've been dealing with a yucky spring, too. Last year, I saw an article at the Gardener's Supply Company website that was amazing to me. They planted out tomatoes in mid-April, and wrapped heavy row cover around the cages - just on the sides, not even on the top. The tomatoes did fine. Of course it was also an ad for both their type of box cages and their heavy row cover, but it still sold me on the idea. We usually can't plant tomatoes until late May around here in southern NH, which has about the same climate as they do in VT. Not that I did that this year, of course. (Sigh.) My gardening schedule is way off. I had to have my beds tested for heavy metals, and it threw me totally off. Thankfully, my soil is fine, but I'm still behind, so I'm procrastinating...using the low 50's expected at nights this week to justify it....silly me. Anyway, depending on what you do for tomato supports, you could get a similar result from wrapping in a double layer of single row cover. If it gets really cold, young tomatoes are small enough to cover with a burlap sack or towel. I've done sillier in September, when the first frost rolls around....

My son brought home a weenie dog like that. They were going to take her to the pound and he had to save her. She's a minature and so smart. If you point your finger at her and go "Pow Pow" she falls down and plays dead. Jolana, how cute. I don't think he likes the chair though. lol

I'm a little frustrated today. She's obviously hungry, but not interested enough in anything that's being offered- though she's quite active and alert. :( I will keep trying other foods, then maybe force feed her a little baby food if all else fails. She ate pretty well yesterday morning (which is why I was feeling so optimistic), then a little home cooked chicken last night- so she has eaten, it's just been a struggle since yesterday morning. She's also not drinking/peeing as much as usual. I've been giving her daily sub-qs for support, and on a good note, she does not smell bad in any way, so hopefully we are doing enough to keep her kidneys safe. The current vet is of the opinion that her problems are more thyroid than kidney, and that her erratic thyroid is what has caused the kidney values to be up at times (but kidney values haven't been elevated at all in more than a year). She does seem alert and friendly, so I'm hopeful that it's just a few more days and she's completely back to her old self. I also don't know what the giardia meds might do to her, one book says there can be some not so nice side effects such as loss of balance, so perhaps she's just extra tired and not real hungry from that- it's so hard to tell. Laurie, this was indeed a hard decision coming. I think you offered your thoughts on the subject to me at least 3 different times over the past 2 years- for which I've been grateful. The lesions had just seemed to expand wildly over the past 3 months and DH and I felt that it was now becoming a quality of life issue- enough of one that it was time to take a big risk. One of her fangs had developed a strange abscess-like growth on the length of it, the vet hadn't ever seen anything quite like it. Another thing that we took into consideration was that our boy cat had a tooth that broke (out of the blue- his teeth are otherwise great) and he had to be knocked out to have the root removed on very short notice. We started thinking about how easily that could be the scenario with girl kitty and her awful teeth- and thought that maybe it was better to go ahead with dental on our terms, when she had a good blood test result and was acting like she felt good, rather than wait until there was no choice and we had to do it wherever she was healthwise. I'm not sure what the vet gave her for pain, except that she did not send any meds home because she had given her 2 shots at the office during the day. We had the option of going in to pick up some pain meds the following day, but decided against it because she doesn't seem in much pain (not hiding, and she has been eating), and we didn't want to add anything unnecessary to her system. The vet did say that cats could only have the pain meds for a total of 5 days running? It's definitely not a decision to take lightly. I know it was the right thing to do for her, and the right time to do it. I also know that almost 2 years ago when the vet first suggested it, it was not the right time. You live with your cat and know how he operates; you will know when it is having an effect on his QOL. Even knowing it was the right thing to do, I'm having a hard time with the whole process now. I know there's a lot going on with her and it's just a matter of watching her closely and getting her over the hump, but it's getting to be a long week. Anne-Marie, thanks so much for all the positive words and thoughts. They've meant more than you know through this long week. Off to try some other foods and see what sticks. Keep sending those positive thoughts and I'll keep you updated. Thanks again.

Big question---what does your spouse think of the idea?? If he's open to it then explore the possibilities. Consider how you could use the house. As a close by "get away" it offers a big yard, small pool, and lake access. Great things for a family with 3 boys. It wouldn't be too far away if you did have a kids ball game to attend. Owing it would allow for the option of you parents relocating and living in it, or perhaps just staying there part of the time. Or, you might find after living in it part time that you like it so much you want to move into it as is or do a sensitive addition. Or, you might find that after owning it for a while that 2 houses are a pia and decide to sell it! You could do any, or all, of those things while you owned it. But you can't if you don't own it. So should you rush to buy it? NO. Like any real estate purchase look hard before you leap. We had our 2d home inspected BEFORE we bid on it. That gave us a good idea of what was needed and how much repairs/renovation would cost (of course there were many surprise problems) and if we really wanted to pursue it. I checked county records re sales prices, taxes, easements, etc of it and surrounding homes. We talked to the neighbors. We also looked at at least 6 other places after discovering this one to make sure it was a good choice and value. We went from my husbands long declared "I'd never own a second home" to his "Honey, what would you think of buying a house on a small lake and oh, by the way I paddled by one for sale today" to buying it in less than 2 weeks. Now it has been 2 years (and lots of renovation) and every time we are out there (frequently as it's only an hour drive)I comment on how glad I am we bought it. Besides the lake, I love its bright contemporary feel as opposed to our traditional in town home. The lake house better reflects me and makes me happy so I understand your falling in love with such a neat mcm home. In summary, if after you both think it through and are interested, look carefully, come up with an estimate of repair/remodel costs (x1.5 to be realistic!), figure out how much you are willing to pay/market value considering those costs then go for it. If you can't get it for a realistic price walk away. If the condition turns out to be too deteriorated--walk away. Either you'll get another opportunity when no one else buys it or you can console yourself by thinking about all the negatives/ impracticalities/second yard to keep up/ etc. that you missed. Let us know the outcome. PS- If you don't buy it you should suggest they list it on the mcm website Lottaliving.com to help it find an appreciative owner.