Sorry about your slope. :-( The deer will eat anything still young and tender. I planted some small lantana last summer and they were cropped back. Also the oregano were eventually cropped back too. As long as they don't pull up your plants by the roots, they should be okay. Think of it as a free pruning service!

So weird. I just got through with this. 1. Aching pain pretty constant. Dentist tried to locate the cause. Not really conclusive. Sent me to the endodontist. 2. Endodontist diagnosed a bad filling in the tooth that seemed to be aching, very old. And we did a root canal. I then left on vacation. What timing. 3. Holy cow the pain! It just started. Different than before. One drop of cold water and it was like the electric chair. Even a fast inhale. I thought "crap, he did the root canal in the wrong tooth." 4. 7 days and 80 advils later, the pain is gone. Vanished. Just like that. 5. Go to my regular dentist. He says he thinks he sees something...a small old filling in between 2 teeth popped out. Maybe that's the source. Going to have it filled again Monday. But really, since the cruise I haven't had any pain. 6. I have a feeling I'm grinding. I get more aware of clenching, and I think I will get a guard to test it out. Good luck!

Grainlady, I like your posts; but this one strikes me as more than a little self-righteous & struck an accusatory tone, IMO... "If you want "FUN" work, volunteer, or strive for something that helps develop some character qualities like: gratefulness contentment faith patience security discernment" I can't speak to the Hummer because we don't have a Hummer. But, I can speak to the boat that Mary mentions her ex-BIL enjoying as we have been boaters for many years. Every single one of your "character qualities" are taught continuously at the helm. From the moment you lose sight of land & all of the trappings that most people associate with "security" are gone..."faith" takes on a whole new meaning & importance. Without a huge dose of "patience" the liklihood of safely returning to port diminishes rapidly. Boats do NOT have brakes. As any mariner knows, The Rules Of Boating 1) Leaving the dock is optional. Every return is mandatory. 2) Boating isn't dangerous. Sinking is what's dangerous. 3) It is always better to be on shore wishing you were out there than being out there and wishing you were on shore. 4) The ONLY time you have too much fuel is when the boat is on fire. 5) The sail is just a big awning used by sailors to keep the Captain cool. When it rips to shreds, you can actually see the Captain sweat. 6) When in doubt, stay out to sea. No one has ever gone aground on a wave. 7) A "good" return to your slip is one you can walk away from. A "great" return is one after which you can use the boat again. 8) Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make them all by yourself. 9) You know you have hit the dock too hard if it takes all of your bilge pumps running at full power for you to step on the dock. 10) The probability of a boat's survival during docking is inversely proportional to the speed of arrival. High speed arrivals, small probability of survival and vice versa. 11) Never let the boat take you somewhere your brain didn't get to five minutes earlier. 12) Stay away from clouds. The silver lining everyone talks about might be a hailstorm. Reliable sources also report that lightning has been known to hide out in clouds. 13) Always try to keep the number of departures you make from your slip equal to the number of returns you've made. 14) There are three simple rules for making a smooth return to your slip. Unfortunately no one knows what they are so BE CAREFUL. 15) If all you can see out of the cabin window is water that's going round and round, and all you can hear is commotion coming from the cockpit, things are not at all as they should be. 16) In the ongoing battle between objects made of fiberglass going tens of miles per hour and the shore going zero miles per hour, the shore has yet to lose. 17) Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, the experience usually comes from bad judgment. 18) It is generally a good idea to keep the pointy end of the boat going forward as much as possible. 19) Keep looking around. There is always something you've missed. 20) Remember, buoyancy is not just a good idea, it's the law. And it's not subject to repeal. As you can see by reading these "Mariner's Rules"...every single one of your "Character Qualities" is necessary for the survival of your passengers, your crew, your craft, & yourself. Under maritime law, as Captain of your vessel, the minute you cast off you become the Sheriff, the doctor, the judge & jury, & decision maker. It does NOT matter if you're at the helm of a 15' run-a-bout or the helm of a 65', 3-deck cruiser...you ARE the law when you leave port. That requires good character skills in spades. I would suggest that all of this can be accomplished while having one heck of a great time! Keeping the alcoholic beverages back at the dock & not in the galley frig goes a long ways towards a successful voyage. Besides, the 'boat drinks' are a great way to celebrate another docking that you've walked away from! As mariners who've made many trips between the Bahamas & Canada I assure you people can learn to be responsible & frugal on a boat. And talk about FAITH! Just find yourself on a boat, sixty miles from shore in a thunderstorm...need I say more about faith?! What about being frugal? Sure, it's fun to pull back on the throttle & watch the water fly from your wake. But, EVERY SINGLE MARINER knows the rules...1/3 of your fuel going out, 1/3 of your fuel returning to port, & 1/3 of your fuel in reserve for emergencies (that's the frugal part & boy is it important!). Being reckless just once can cost lives. Boaters are not only frugal...they are downright stingy with not only fuel but water, food, emergency equipment, & lots of other stuff. It's not necessary to deprive oneself of fun recreational activities to develop good character skills, unless of course, your purpose is to critize & feel superior to those that make different choices. I should also mention that it's quite possible to enjoy boating & still have sufficient funds available for a comfortable retirement, donate to charity, & all the other good stuff of responsible people. /tricia

I just experienced the same thing, minus the bladder control issues, in May right before we left on our cruise. It was so bad I thought we'd have to cancel. Doctor took X-rays and said there was no bulging disk so I was told mine was caused by the muscles in the sciatic nerve area on my right side were tight and pressing on the nerve. Incredible pain and mobility issues. Never felt anything like it. Completely debilitating when I stood up from a sitting position. Once I was standing straight up, I was much better. Doc put me on prednisone and gave me stretching exercises. I was also told to take Senecote to regulate my bowels. Helped a lot. All pain was gone in about three weeks. And I hope it never returns! Jodi-