Thanks everyone for your comments. I have more news! First, the first flower should open tomorrow if all goes as well as they have been going these past few days. Second, I just discovered a third plant with a flower scape, one that was also started on August 11th 2008, a cross of (Charisma x Picotee) this time, so that accounts for 3 different crosses blooming in just a year. Judging from the scape on it, it was there all along with the 2 previous ones, it just went unnoticed all that time. I wont post pix here because there are too many that were taken during these past few days, so the best would be to visit my web site to see the progress made in the last few days. I will only post here the pix of the first flowers when they open. Third, in the last few days, with the help of a very good friend, I did a lot of researches to make sure that this was in fact a world's first. With all what I did, all the persons I got in touch with, I can't but reasonably conclude that this is a world's first, that is to successfully go from seed to bloom in a year with a hippeastrum. And that is happening 3 times (out of 90 plants in this batch), not only once. Fourth and last, I've written down all what I did during that year all the steps, everything. It has dates, tables, pictures, etc. Sorry, it will not be published here though since I'm up to 12 pages right now and I'm not through yet. Of course, it is in French for now, it will need to be translated in English later on, but that may take a while since English is not my native language. When, where and how will it be published? Sorry, I don't know yet, but I'm working on it!... Thank you all! More to come!... Laurier

I would be tempted to make up a little envelope full of brochures on Italy, with a little note saying, "Surprise! I booked us a trip for May!". As soon as a look of shock/dread crosses his face tell him the truth. I'm a brat. I wouldn't be able to resist.

That's adorable! I remember when my grandson was being potty trained, there was a special book that I bought him and he always wanted me to sit by him and read it to him while he--------!

Someone sent me these in an email so thought I'd share them here. Puns for Intellectuals 1. A vulture boarded a plane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess stopped him and said, "Sorry sir, only one carrion per passenger." 2. NASA recently sent a number of Herefords into orbit for experimental purposes. They called it the herd shot round the world. 3. Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina. One took off to Hollywood and became a rich star. The other stayed in Carolina and never amounted to much ---- and naturally became known as the lesser of two weevils. 4. Two Eskimos in a kayak were chilly, so they started a fire, which sank the craft, proving the old adage ---- you can't have your kayak and heat it too. 5. A 3-legged dog walks into an old west saloon, sidles up to the bar and announces, "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw." 6. Did you hear about the Buddhist who went to the dentist and refused to take Novocaine? He wanted to transcend dental medication. 7. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and met in the lobby where they were discussing their recent victories in chess tournaments. The hotel manager came out of the office after an hour and asked them to disperse. He couldn't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer. 8. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One goes to an Egyptian family and is named "Ahmal". The other is sent to a Spanish family and is named "Juan". Years later, Juan sends his birth mother a picture of himself. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. He replies, "They're twins for Pete's sake!! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal!!" 9. A group of friars opened a florist shop to help with their belfry payments. Everyone liked to buy flowers from the Men of God, so their business flourished. A rival florist became upset that his business was suffering because people felt compelled to buy from the Friars, so he asked the Friars to cut back hours or close down. The Friars refused, so the florist then hired Hugh McTaggert, the biggest meanest thug in town. He went to the Friars' shop, beat them up, destroyed their flowers, trashed their shop, and said that if they didn't close, he'd be back. Well, totally terrified, the Friars closed up shop and hid in their rooms. This proved that Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot his whole life, which created an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him frail, and with his odd diet, he suffered from very bad breath. This made him.... what? (More apologies...) -- A super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis. And finally... There was a person who sent 10 puns to some friends in hopes at least one of the puns would make them laugh. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did!