WOW....I got back from our little trip late Tues. night and I couldn't believe all the responses and concern here. Rose lovers really are the nicest people in the world! THANK YOU everyone for your words of advise and concern. I posted my "accident" story because I thought it was kind of funny how I was more worried about my roses than myself and thought I'd share what a rose-nut I have become. I didn't expect so many people to be so concerned & caring. You guys are the BEST! So here's an update.... we went on our little trip as planned. It was very painful to walk or stand (or bend my leg) but I was determined to enjoy our well-deserved & long-awaited 4 days off. People stared at me and then at DH everywhere we went because of the bruises, scraped arms & legs, scratches, etc....I looked like a battered wife or like I had a fight with a mountain lion...LOL. My son and his wife (newlyweds) joined us so it was fun spending time with them. I am still sore and I have a massive bruise that covers the entire outer side of my thigh but I am on the mend. We did quite a lot of standing & walking on our trip which was painful but maybe that was a good thing that I kept moving. I'm a pretty tough chick. My rose-thorn puncture wounds are healing as are the scraped arms and legs. I wanted to share some pictures from our trip. As luck would have it, after weeks of dry weather it rained much of the time. But we enjoyed ourselves anyways and were glad for the rain that our roses desperately needed. We have been to Newport, Rhode Island many times before to visit the Mansions (we have a membership) but this was our first visit to the Green Animals Topiary Garden. Here are few shots from there....these were taken in the pouring rain but the garden was still lovely. Celeste GREEN ANIMALS TOPIARY GARDEN, PORTSMOUTH, RHODE ISLAND: MY SON AND HIS WIFE UNDER THE UMBRELLA THERE WERE A FEW ROSES THERE: AND A WATER GARDEN:

Stargazer: OMG, what an experience. i'm so glad it wasn't your leg. we can be thankful for some things even in the face of disasters, can't we? i know we have to be careful of doctors; they're not all the brightest stars in the sky. i have a friend who had a melanoma removed from his back two years ago. after having it checked every two months for two years he got a clean bill of health on nov. 4 and was told, "you're doing fine." two weeks later his son saw him without his shirt on, and took him straight to another doctor, who told him he had terminal cancer. he now has only days left. so be careful, but do try to be optimistic. your attitude can help you change things one way or another, I think. please let us know what the x-rays say. Lucy: "one block from the ocean and beach, plus being dead centre of a tiny town on an island attached by a causeway!" areyou kidding me? this sounds great! i happen to LOVE old houses. after i became single i bought an old house (1929) in the nicest part of town. six years later i sold it the first day and made $160,000 profit. that let me pay cash for the next one and i made $$75,00 on it. the older houses are, by far, better built IMO. but the best part is that they have so much more character. Kneegirl: yes indeed, stargazer did wake us up! you know, i can't even imagine the pain you must have felt. when i even bump my knee it hurts terribly and for a long time. i haven't been here for a while because there didn't seem to be much going on, but i'm glad i dropped in today.

I witnessed a bad one a few years ago. I was second in line, stopped at a traffic light. Heard a siren coming up from the back. A police car was obviously on a call, and was approaching the intersection at a very high rate of speed. We could see a brown van approaching the intersection from the left, (had the green light)and it wasn't slowing down. It was attempting to cross the intersection at the same time as the policeman was coming. We all could see what was about to happen!! Sure enough, the police car plowed into the van, and actually flipped it on it's side!! Everyone was stunned. The back door of the van opened, and groceries were flying every where. We could see that the driver and the passenger were elderly. Several people rushed to the scene. The policeman wasn't seen in his car!! He had been thrown down in the seat, and was unconscious. The hospital was close by, and help came immediately. The older couple seemed responsive and moving in the car. I don't know how!! The policman had several broken bones. the older couple obviously didn't hear the siren, and, the cop should have slowed somewhat through an intersection, just for THAT reason. Anyway, it was surreal. Like watching something awful happening in slow motion. We were helpless to stop it.

i remember your post, it was one of the few times ive had time to be here. hard to let them go..i have a 14 year old neice and oh boy talk about an over protective aunt..ill admit im terrible lol! im trying though...shes very mature for her age and resposible but since i just moved now i feel ...lost lol. lordy i didnt know this aunty thing was going to be just as bad as parenting. anyway so happy hes having a blast fishing...congrats to you...your raising a fine young man!!!!