That was last summer here too - wet in May, then June though Aug was pretty dry and hot, hauling 100 gal of water at a time 1000ft and filling gallon jugs from the barrels to water by hand when gravity didn't work well enough to water 100ft long rows. I've already planned for this year to grow greens, cukes, squash, and determinate tomatoes near the house (then replace them with cool-weather crops when they're done). The tomatoes did OK last year out back (though some of my cherries reverted to currant-size), so did the potatoes. But I got late blight along with everyone else so don't want to plant potatoes there again, planned on beans which were a pretty good seller when I had them. And I did a few edamame plants near the house, I know that's a good seller and I have seed from 2011 so I figured I'd plant it in the trenches so wouldn't have to water as often (I do have drip hoses for those 40 ft rows, seemed to work in 2011 for the month that I needed them with barrels up in the truck). Of course 2011 was the exact opposite - we got 12" of rain in August (after a pretty wet May/June and a scorching hot July) and everything drowned or got diseased/rotted. Can't do melons - too much space and too much water. But I'm wondering if it's worth planting the beans, edamame, tomatoes, peppers (which never do well for me - at least not bells - I've got some non-bell sweets to try this year since people don't want the hot chiles) where I have to haul water, even if they are good sellers? I sold about $500 of tomatoes last year, but that won't pay for market fees, insurance, and gas. And I can't guarantee that the green beans, peppers, and edamame will grow well without rain. Then again I have over 200 tomato starts, had planned on planting 120 of them. I just don't have room for all of them near the house, even if that's all I planted. Would you do it 2 years in a row is the question? Is this the "new normal"? I don't want to be hauling water all summer long every year. Just don't know if it's worth it (time/gas and precious water).

I think this all comes down to what you expect from a close friend/relative. I have never been sick or had a surgery, until this one. Some of you might remember that I was diagnosed with a meningioma (brain tumor) two years ago. It was only discovered by accident when I designed to opt in on a visual field test during my annual eye exam. A large area turned up black which meant there was visual loss. Since it was my lower right eye's peripheral vision, I did not notice it nor did I have symptoms of any kind. So, quite a shock all around. I have three close neighborhood friends. They immediately invited me out to dinner to show their support. We have a saying, "the wagons are circling" to show that we are there for the duration. Wouldn't you think that a close childhood friend should want to actually want to you? I did. And she she didn't come by in my 6 week recuperation. This is what I found hurtful. Yes, I know there are people who can't stomach being in the hospital and my stay was actually only three days(some were expecting to see me on the day I actually got discharged), so everyone was off the hook visiting me there. Months later when I had the conversation wondering why she didn't stop by, she said that she planned to, who knows, maybe it had to do with a step grand baby or new grand niece, as if that would explain weeks and weeks of not coming to see me. Some would say to let this friendship go. Many you have so many friends that one less wouldn't matter. But, it takes me a long time to make a friend and i appreciate those in my small circle. I have decided to move on because I know she has issues. She is over worked and can't retire any time soon, her husband is OCD and she is in denial of the friends she has lost because of him, She is very over weight now and has constant back pain. My husband feels that she could have come to the house at her convenience and he finds in inexcusable that she did not. My cousin is a bit stranger. She came to see me and brought a book and a movie. I was still in quite a fog so I wasn't as vocal about appreciating a book I couldn't read or a movie I could not concentrate on. But, I did send her a thank you note. We wound up going to out to lunch. It was about a week and a half after my surgery and I was supposed to work through being tired. We split the bill as we usually do. About two weeks after we spoke on the phone and she expressed her anger in how I treated her! She felt I should have picked up the bill. To be honest, I thought she should have since she was there to be "taking care" of me. And then she went on to say that she spent $60 on the gifts. That is when I said that I would never talk to her in this way. She admitted to being out of line. I wrote her an email stating my surprise about what happened. In brief she felt that I was saying she was not considerate and really that is what she thinks of me. I was shocked. I always thought we were close and we tell each other everything. She ended the email with stating that she will always care about me but we need a break. We didn't speak for 8 months. I broke the ice by sending her a birthday card. It didn't seem right to not send one. She in turn invited me to an anniversary party. We didn't go , but I saw her alone twice since then. Why I want to move on: My cousin is now 75. She travels the world, loves the theatre, art shopping, reading etc. I alway thought of her as strong and vibrant. Now, although she is still doing these things, the getting around is harder. I didn't realize what an effort it was for her to take public transportation to see me. Honestly, I would have told her to not come. Reading between the lines, there are probably times that I wasn't there for her. She has a 92 year old husband who is quite healthy but has had a few minor issues requiring an one night stay in a hospital. When we decided to resume our friendship, my cousin said that she did not want to discuss what happened. To just move forward. I would like to see where I fell short, and maybe in time we will discuss it. My husband feels that it was terrible timing for her to upset me during my recuperation and should have waited if there was something that upset her. He wants nothing to do with her. So, there you have it. I am just wondering if there was a way to work things so that my DH could move on too. It has been two years after all.

Two tops are well known to be uncomfortable tables, where the dishes are crowded and the diners aren't sheltered from passersby. I don't mind them when they're lined up in a row, so that the only person passing next to you is the diner at the next table sitting down and rising. They're okay-ish next to a wall if they're not too small, or if they're out an inch or two to provide some elbow room. In the middle of the floor or on the end of the line, they're like playing in traffic! I hate sitting with my back to an aisle, and even more sitting at a two top next to an aisle. It's not that people actually bump into one, it's that all the paraphernalia intrude into one's personal space. A lot of people don't seem to mind that but they still dislike the crowdedness, and having to constantly rearrange. I've been seated, in a party of two, at a large round, as well. The kind that seats a minimum of six and can crowd ten. That's just as uncomfortable, even sitting fairly close to one's dining partner, because the angles are bad, and the server has to approach from behind, just as if the table were fully occupied. Additionally, there are usually aisles on all sides, so my aisle aversion kicks in. :) Some places don't even bother with two tops except on Valentine's Day (so they can fit more tables because almost everyone dining will be in pairs). Four tops are most comfortable for parties up to four.

Giving them a gift seems like a tit for tat to me. It would not be on my radar to give them one. To clarify, we are very always good and helpful neighbors, but we are not involved in the social circle on our block. Why this is would be a whole other thread! So, I guess dropping a thank you note would seem silly? ETA: CindyMac I am thinking of doing your pecan recipe. Do you store them in a plastic Tupperware? I bake a few good cakes, but I really don't want to bring over a cake. I'm not into cookies except for Christmas ones.