Hi, I'm "normally" somewhat disabled. I use a cane and (due to hip difficulties)can't squat or get down on the ground easily. To garden, I generally bend from the waist or use a kneeler if I need to get down to ground level for a while. I have raised beds about 6" high (and trellises where needed) for things like tomatoes, peppers, cukes, pole beans that don't require much ground level maintenence once planted. I've got elevated "salad tables" for low growing things like lettuce that require more maintenence at soil level. At any rate, a few months ago, I really strained my back and couldn't use the kneeler or bend from the waist repeatedly to do stuff in the garden. I ended up gardening from a "transport wheelchair" (with the foot rests removed)that we happen to have. http://www.1800wheelchair.com/asp/view-product.asp?product_id=1860 It works great! I'm able to roll it along the sides of the raised bed and reach over to tend to things with no problems (the beds are only 3' wide and there's access from both sides). My paths are old lawn and while it's not perfectly level, I have no problems moving the wheelchair along pushing back or forth with my feet. When I want a little break, I can lean back on the backrest with my arms on the armrests and enjoy the garden view. The wheelchair handles at the back are handy for hanging totes (I use plastic handled grocery bags) with any hand tools, twine, etc. you might want with you while gardening. I also use the wheelchair (pushing it with things on the seat) for moving around things like bags of potting soil, baskets of transplants, etc. And it's great for unloading groceries from the car - I can get in one trip that would take 5 or 6 trips without the wheelchair. I also use it quite a bit around the house for moving a bunch of stuff from one place to another in a single trip. So it has a lot of uses besides as a garden stool. (It might not work if you have very uneven or muddy paths). Anne

Hi filaluvr, Seeds for replanting should be taken from ripe produce; it does not matter if they have laid on the ground or even started to rot there. Look to see if there is any mold in the seed cavity & if not clean the seeds for drying to store. Peppers are perennial & so you can cut them back without killing them. They will give you new growth when get over the trauma. You have to decide if there is a low node that looks viable to leave on the stem. Of course water it, a little at a time to let it respond; without drowning the died back roots. It will give you new root hairs & baby leaves if you rig some temporary shade over the plant. (Cheesecloth is OK & sold in supermarkets; no need for special nursery fabric. Once it looks like can set flowers gradually reduce the amount of daily shade it is getting, because cheese cloth probably blocks too much light at that point.) You won't get a crop of peppers this summer, but as gets cooler (come fall) you might find a few peppers on your hearty survivors. Those plants you should take indoors (when too cold) & nurse (as plants or "bare" root stock) until next season. Then you really got true fightin' Texans to transplant next season. Tomatoes sound about done for. If there is a cherry variety with some core vitality (one succulent green sprig) give it a chance. Cherry tomatoes are notorious survivors. Do not stake it up, let it sprawl & prune off dead branches little by little (to avoid more shock & blast of sun exposure). Water progressively & rig some shade until rebound apparent before take off shade. Fertilize any (pepper &/or toms) pruned plants only after rig shade & you have slowly brought root zone moisture level up. When fertilize do so with soluble (not controlled release or granular) fertilizer in weakest concentration & watch how plant responds before apply fertilizer at a stronger rate. ( Ex: using Miracle Grow 12-4-8 formula; 1st time 1/8 teaspoon/2 gal. water = 150 ppm or what seedlings might get; 2nd time 1/8 tsp/1.5 gal. water = 225 ppm or what transplants might get; 3rd time 1/8 tsp./1 gal. water = 300 ppm or what a young plant might minimally get ....) Equally important will be to apply fertilizer solution only after the plant has 1st been watered that day. Water a recovering plant & let it soak in; then come back & sprinkle the fertilizer water (avoid directly on trunk & leaves). The squash you seem to see some with heat survival (not discussed in this reply).

I have laughed until I have tears in my eyes! Everytime I think about ML exercising her ARMS while driving, Chris driving with one eye, and Nancy with her leg accross the hump - well! I drove around the bloc a few times to get the feel of it, then went to get my hair done! (Its only 6 blocks). I won't do that everyday, but it's nice to know I can get around if I need to. Steph, there is no chance of me doing extra house work, sick or well! It took me a long time to figure out if I kept my house tidy it would not be such a pain to clean up! But still, I know my mom would be so dissappointed in me, lol. She was a neat freak. I have a question about medical care, so I think I'll ask it here. Have any of you heard of Concierge Care Physicians? They limit their patients, charge a yearly 'wellness fee' and are more accessible to you for care. My primary care doctor is going this route. His yearly fee is $1500! I read a disscussion about this on another board, and this seems to be the going rate. Even though I have high blood pressure and cholesterol, I have had great success with the very first meds I tried, so I only go to the doctor once a year for my physical. I just cannot see paying $1500 a year. So I guess the search is on for a new doctor. Ok the rant is over, lol

The two additional floor plans: What I really don't like: people walk in and immediately see Entertainment Center, rather than the artwork I'd really really really like to hang in that space. NOTE: the wall to the left and the wall to the bottom are log walls. Art may get lost on those walls -- the center wall between the kitchen and living room is sheet rock. This one I think would just plain be awkward, unless I get rid of the second end table for the sofa. Note that the TV, since it s not the entire length of the entertainment center, can be positioned in the lower (closer to viewer) portion of the entertainment space. Symmetrical is not necessary. Again, note, the wood burning fireplace and the triangular breakfront cannot be moved.