olpea, You are probably correct about the PF-1 and using only the first fruits. I was amazed at how wonderful the first peach was but once the later ones ripened they did not have the same depth of flavor. It was amazing to have a full-sized, tree-ripened peach in June! I am replacing it with Harrow Diamond. The Saturn is a wonderful peach but it is hard to get a good crop because it thins itself so drastically. It is very sweet but I think my tastebuds like a more complex, tart blend in a peach. I can see why they fetch such a high price in the stores. So, the offer still stands: Bramley's Seedling (which is a triploid), PF-1 and Saturn. This post was edited by milehighgirl on Thu, Mar 28, 13 at 0:54

I remember another discussion about your DIL over on Discussions...something about doesn't everybody like potato salad? Maybe, my memory is faulty? You noted above, "I finally got home around 8, and discovered they'd had popcorn for supper. That's okay for adults, but it's not much supper for a child. I immediately got out the left overs and heated some up for Chris, but his appetite had been ruined by the popcorn and he barely touched his supper. So, I know now that if I'm not home to feed this poor child, he's going to starve. I guess it's one of those things that they've been doing all his life, but now that it's in my face, I don't know how to handle it. I'll just feed him as best I can while they are here, and hope DIL learns something, but I doubt it." Sally, I don't think you should assume Chris has popcorn most dinners of his life. I know your DDIL has different eating habits with likes & dislikes very different from your own; but that doesn't mean Chris is malnourished. Maybe, try rotating schedules where she cooks one week & you the next? That way, you have more free time to spend playing with Chris & both families would have an opportunity to eat familiar meals. I know DDIL has tastes very different from yours but different doesn't always translate to bad or unhealthy. I just don't want to see your relationship strained beyond repair over what's for dinner. I see that as a useless & unnecessary power struggle. I'm glad though that you're having this opportunity to spend time with Chris. Enjoy the moments. Try to remember, your DS loves this woman & she's the mother of your DGS. Please don't put your DS in the position of having to defend either one of you over popcorn for dinner. He has enough love for you both but; if pushed everybody will lose including Chris. Maybe, now is also a good time to reach out to DDIL, get to know her along with Chris, & love her as much as you do your DS. (Not necessarily saying you don't...but I do detect a bit of "her versus us" in your words.) For instance, would you feel as strongly if it was DS that had the different food likes & dislikes? If not, maybe there's other feelings involved? /tricia

Good heavens, how on earth did I miss all this discussion? I guess I was busy in the bedroom. I mean, DECORATING the bedroom. Squirrel, thanks for clueing me in on my other post. D'oh!! Annz, you are right, the room with a darker color is just downright dreary. I think I made a quick reference somewhere above to having a disastrous go at it with a darker color (which happened to be blue). It was AWFUL and dark and ... just ... No. No no no no no. This room, like the bedroom I'm trying to finish, has a lower-ish ceiling and is quite shady in the summertime. "Cozy" and dark was depressing, even though it only lasted 12 hours. I just wanted to cry in there. One thing that really complicates the matter is the floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace. Of course, that doesn't go with the yellow-y oak at all. So finding a hue that worked with BOTH the brick and the oak was a chore and a half. BM Carlisle Cream was IT. For whatever reason, it just pulls the two together and now I don't hate them. I think you can see the brick fireplace on one of the pics in the link to "other pics" in my initial post. I just don't know what to think about the crown, but Squirrel, you ROCK!!! Giving me the view of so many options is incredibly helpful. I do like the "taller" base moulding -- absolutely balances better, assuming the crown stays. And the crown is definitely better wrapped, but wow, I'm not sure how we would accomplish that. I think this was all custom made for the previous owner and they told us the carpenter who did it is actually now deceased!! So ... hmm. Tell you what. The contractor is back today to install slate around the base of the brick hearth, and our area rug, which was sent out to the cleaners, should be delivered back to us today. We should be able to put the room back together tomorrow and then I'll post new pics. Maybe that will help! You are all so incredibly generous with your time and ideas. Thank you, thank you all (especially Squirrel, with your terrific mock-ups)!!

Mmm , I am on here looking to learn the best way to keep My adopted pets outdoor room warm , he will be living inside with free access to outside the dog I am adopting is A grey hound , and when I go out during the day , he will be outside as I have an outdoor storage room I am converting for him , it’s dry and insulated and Gives him access to the toilet and he can choose To go inside the room or stay outside , its a great safe room for him if he is napping during the day and to protect him from the weather and make him feel snug and i have cameras I can put up so I can check on him , I have found animals are all different depending on the breed and our family are animal lovers and all have dogs and cats of different varieties and every animal has very different preferences , I live in a warm climate most of the year and we find our dogs choose to sleep where we sleep and choose to snuggle when we are watching tv , and I use electric blankets on our beds , so thats their choice all day in winter even if no one is in the room and we are home , but in summer we find the bigger dogs choose to stay outside and just wander in flop down say hi and go back out to their perfect spot , the staffies in the family as they mature have all built their own lair in a hiding spot regardless of quality man made bedding and our beds and couch on offer , and it’s their retreat and stash spot , the little dogs in the family have doggie doors , and indoor and outdoor beds , i will keep my dog indoors at night , if I am not home in winter but he will be outdoors with his own indoor room during the day , i Will be using cameras to watch him to see how he adapts , now if you have a few dogs together their is no reason to have them all inside at all , in my experience people with multiple dogs who live outside are happy healthy cared for dogs who get the best of both worlds and dont need to live inside , a single dog is different and every dog is different , I know people with a little dog and they say he wants to stay outside and doesnt sleep indoors , they would like him too , but he wont , we live in a great climate here and with the fresh night air and breezes , I personally used to sleep out on my kids trampoline some nights before I got air con in the house and love camping and being outside , i think the single dog locked out and tied up isolated and forgotten about who ends up with behavioural problems is abuse and should be reported , I don’t think the posters here are doing that to their outdoor dogs , I think dogs locked inside all day , day after day would not be right for some of the family dogs at all , the staffies In particular opted to build lairs outside and would go to their outdoor lair instead of being left inside while I went to work but would come inside and chill out when I got home in winter they would be in bed with the electric blanket on , but in summer at bed time they would opt to go out to their lair that they built with household things they stole , and they had a range of dog beds we tried for them to pull apart and chew up to use to build it , summer is too hot here for body heat especially if you are stuck with a fur coat , i see nothing wrong with dogs outside of they are happy and well adjusted animals