Susan, Ha, yeah, I guess I must have reeled him in. :) Thanks for everyone here, I learned enough to pass on now and I sound halfway like I know what I'm talking about, I think. lol I guess I'm not the only one without many butterflies from what you say. Now it's supposed to rain for the next few days. That will at least make the plants grow from last year and the year before, but it won't do much for the ones that are already jammed in their containers waiting to be planted out. I was going to dig sod today but...RAIN! I can't wait for those southerly winds to come our way. Ha, I complain when we go straight from winter into summer, and now I'm a little mad that it's not warmer. Ha. Sandy, I think you're right about him liking the butterflies! Just today I had a BST eclose and he put it outside. He loves releasing them. I knew that he knew what those and the Monarchs are since I raise them here to release, but I didn't know that he actually knew those other things. Nice! Gee, I'm surprised to hear you say that you haven't seen any CW's yet. I guess I just assumed that everyone south of me had them by now. Yeah, I wouldn't doubt if it will warm up before long and be warmer than I like it to be too. A person just can't win, huh? ;-) I hope that you and I can get all our perennials in this year because I usually end up with the dilemma of rushing to get everything done all at once and yeah, it's tiring. My back suffers for it, but I keep pushing myself. I figure it probably won't get any better (DDD) and I'm trying to get it done asap. I'm far from wheelchair bound but I don't think any time goes back that it doesn't hurt. I've worked out a good system of laying down two mats on the grass in front of the flower bed I want to plant or the sod I want to dig. I sit down on the one for awhile until I can't reach of the stuff, slide over onto the other mat and then move the mat I was just on over to the other side of me to slide on after I get done with the section I'm just starting. It works out pretty good for me. Now if only I could afford to hire someone to do the push mowing, I'd be set! :) I know what you mean about the never ending job thingey. Yep, suffering at night is something I'm familiar with and wish I weren't. Sorry to hear that you're in the same boat. The butterflies are worth the work though, and I'm sure you probably agree. :) Miss Sherry, Haha, yeah, me too! Now I guess I can move on to the next lesson. :) Btw, I feel like I've learned a lot from you on the forum and wanted to say thank you! tdogmom aka Cal Sherry, aka Sherry, I guess both of our hubbies are good learners then. :) Sometimes I wonder if they're testing us or something when it seems like they aren't listening but actually are. Ha. That's a funny story about yours giving his 'expert' butterfly talk at the nursery. Hee hee. That's good that we aren't the only ones passing on butterfly info. I think I end up talking about it to whoever, even strangers on the street. :-D I never know who will take it to heart and who won't, so I have to tell everyone because I have to have hope for them all. You can't predict who will actually make a difference, so I say educate as many as possible. You're familiar with that. :) I sure am glad that you and others are willing to "take a chance" on people who come on here. You could have all ignored me that first year when I felt like a fish out of water when I found Monarch cats here, but you were so willing to answer questions. Thanks to you and others I raised 70 that year and 500+ last year. I've become a milkweed nut and have about 250 plants here counting the ones in the ground and the ones in big pots. :-O Wow, just think of all of the 'paper towels' who have absorbed the knowledge that you've passed along! ;-) It must really give you a sense of satisfaction...keep up the terrific work! bernergrrl, Yes, I think my hubby is pretty sweet, and I'll tell him that you said that...it should make his day. :) That's great that yours has been listening too. It certainly is exciting, huh. I don't know if I have a lot of butterflies right now. I think when my milkweed, butterfly bushes, and coneflowers are blooming is when I'll have a lot. I didn't realize that there's a lot of difference from one zone to another either. Hopefully it won't be too long before you and I and others start seeing more butterflies. I'm going through withdrawal. lol It sounds like you've seen quite a few. Yay! :) Ha, you definitely sound like me with the thinking in bed. I almost drive myself bonkers. Ha. Cathy

I just put on the AOL Music; there are over 50 stations and about 10 with various styles of Christmas music. I am listening to Classical favorites now. Later I'll change to one of these pop holiday, Navidad Latino. XM Traditional Holiday and the list goes on. I like to have it on when I leave the computer and go in the other room. Usually I have all sound off.

I wouldn't say it's been recent. If you look at the mutual fund business 30 years ago, most funds were one-off operations, most focused in specific investment types, but always trying to produce better returns than competing funds. Investors came to realize (as you mention) that many rock-star managers produced returns no better than, and often worse than, broad indexes that could be used for comparisons. That was the start of index funds - no reason to try to beat the index, just buy the index. Index funds require minuscule management effort - incoming and outgoing shareholder money needs administration, fund holdings need to be rebalanced when the members of an index are changed, but otherwise, not much so that fees can be lower. At the same time, Vanguard decided to take a different course. They were formed as an investor-owned operation (like a mutual insurance company) so that there was no need for a profit element, fees only need to cover costs. Vanguard's performance among funds has been as good or better than many, and the low cost profile puts pressure on other funds to follow suit or risk becoming unattractive to potential investors. Vanguard started in 1975 but its popularity has been reached over the last 15-20 years.

1. Are you named after anyone? Yes, my first name is my Mother's first name but our given names are our middle names. 2. When is the last time you cried? A couple of weeks ago I teared up. 3. Do you like your handwriting? Usually 4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Don't eat lunch meat but I occasionally eat deli turkey 5. Do you have any kids? Yes, 3 6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? Yes 7. Do you use sarcasm? Yes, among friends 8. Do you still have your tonsils? No 9. Would you bungee jump? No 10. What is your favorite cereal? Oatmeal 11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? No, and sometimes not when I put them back on either. 12. Do you think you are a strong person? Yes 13. What is your favorite ice cream? Pralines and cream. 14. What is the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes 15. Red or pink? Red 16. What is the least favorite thing you like about yourself? I am often impatient 17. What color pants and shoes are you wearing right now? Black/black 18. What was the last thing you ate? Oatmeal with blueberries and raspberries 19. What are you listening to right now? nothing 20. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? turquoise 21. Favorite smell? cinnamon rolls 22. Last person you talked to on the phone? DD 23. Favorite sport to watch? DGD's soccer games and Alabama/SEC football 24. Real hair color? brown & getting gray 25. Eye color? brown 26. Do you wear contacts? No 27. Favorite food to eat? gulf shrimp 28. Scary movies or happy endings? happy endings 29. Last movie? Sully 33. What book are you reading? The Light Between the Oceans 35. What is on your mouse pad? don't use one 36. What is the last TV program ? Grey's Anatomy 37. Rolling Stones or The Beatles? Stones 38. What is the farthest you have traveled? Israel one direction; Wake Island & Kwajalein Atoll the other direction 40. Do you have a special talent? I can hold crow position in Pilates for several seconds, pretty good at Calligraphy, sing alto in choir 41. Where were you born? Alabama (not far from where we live now)