I grew 'Cl Devoniensis' for years. It is a monstrously big rose, but that was something I liked. I did not like the heavy, constant mildew (here in Silicon Valley), nor the particularly vicious thorns when I had to work with it. Still, it was gorgeous enough that I kept it. However, when the pine tree fell and took out our fence and the roses growing on that part of it (along with several fruit trees!), I decided not to replace it. Instead I moved a start of my 'Buff Beauty' to replace it on the fence. Still thorny, but healthier and far more manageable. It was a good call for me.

Lizalily, thanks for that...I love hearing good stories. We are not sure about radiation/I-131 treatments yet, just that surgery is what is the most likely first step. Yes, the thyroid controls so much of what happens in our bodies that when it's off, everything goes batty... I am looking forward to CALM energy, as you said...not this fluttery anxiety-fueled energy that I've had for a while. And yes, it will be the hard part - to sit on my swing and relax in the garden instead of working on it...that will be the hard part. Sitting and listening. Thank you so much for the encouragement. I appreciate it a lot. More, perhaps, than you'd know. Nanadoll, it's not a hole that bothers me...rather, it's a good location for a new rose. I'm struggling to figure out where all the roses go now, let alone a new one. LOL. FM does indeed sound like a gorgeous, fragrant, perfect-under-window rose, though...so I may just have to figure it out. Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlet O Hara would say...I'll be getting some things done in the garden tomorrow; now that I know I'll be putting Q. Liz in a big tub until I know where her final home will be, I'll hopefully be getting that whole area handled tomorrow...Queen Liz out and replanted, and then both Gruss An Aachens into the ground. To be able to get that done would make me happy indeed...because then that front bed would be mostly complete. BTW, does anyone know when it's a good time to put bands into the ground? I've got two that I want to get into the ground, but they're still sort of small...both, however, have bloomed for me (a Fragrant Plum and St. Cecilia), so they're doing all right so far. But I don't know when I should put them into the ground...what height or age, or whatever. If anyone could give me that info, I'd greatly appreciate it! Best- Herding Cats

This just happened on Saturday... DH and I were invited to a bar-b-que at a friends house in Saugerties, which is about 45 miles north-west of us. They gave my DH directions, which he wrote down and stuffed in his wallet. The instructions specifically stated that "once you cross the 9W and Route 32 intersection, go approximately 500 feet and make a right turn on to St. John's Road...". So off we go to Saugerties and we're driving up Route 9W towards Kingston. (Hint: Saugerties is above Kingston, about another 15 minutes north). We drive and drive and drive and come to a split in the road right before Kingston. Route 32 forks to the right, so DH veered to the right. We go a bit further and get to the point where 9W and Route 32 intersects. We go through the intersection and drive 500 feet. No St. Joseph's Road to the right. We go a bit further up the road but still no St. Joseph's Road. At this point I suggest to DH that he turn around and go back to the intersection, and then take a right because when we veered right at the split, maybe Route 32 also had a section further up the road. At this point DH gets a tad pi$$y because he's admittedly directionally challenged. He starts getting a bit hoppy and hot under the collar, telling me that he's "been there before and he knows where he's going. This street looks familiar so it has to around here somewhere". After driving around for another 10 minutes I start chuckling because I just can't help it. My DH asks me, "what's so funny?", and now I'm really laughing to the point that I can't stop. He's getting angrier by the minute and proceeds to pull over to the side of the road. When I finally couldn't contain myself any longer I ask him, "Are you sure you know where you are, because we're in Kingston and they live in Saugerties". Needless to say we were both laughing so hard the tears were streaming down our cheeks. We swore that we wouldn't tell anyone what dummies we were.

I tweeked a betty crocker white cake by adding 1 can of pinapple blitzed to a pulp and using coconut milk instead of water. used coconut extract instead of vanilla for the icing. I talked to my friend who tried the icing and she thinks I didn't whip the butter and sugar enough. Hers was really fluffy like my first batch. Probably true I was in a bit of pain near the end of making it an rushed it. I will wait another 2 weeks and try again then I will be 1 month post op and this pain set back should be over. Hubby asked tonight for chocolate so my pina colada cake will have to wait for its next round of tweeking.