Well, I hope I am still welcome after my crabby "can't come" response before. I apologize...I know I was being short. I was just so frustrated with DH's response when I asked him about this and I guess I just let it out here. As he reminded me...we are suppose to take a week's vacation in late August and that would eat up funds (air fare, hotels, car rental, dog sitter, etc.) and thinking we might not be able to afford to do that and the IU4. Plus we have the wedding coming up with all the plans and expenses that come with it. Then there is DH taking time from work and finding a sitter for Scout is always a problem. In the past, my sister has stayed here with Scout & mom whenever we go away, but mom is getting so bad now. Paul reminded me what a wreck I was just being away for a long week-end, thinking of my mom. Frankly, I dont know if I can even take the week we are suppose to take. I know I will worry about mom the whole time IÂm gone. Anyway, he presented so many problems to me that I didn't see any way to make it work. I just donÂt feel comfortable with mom being home alone for any length of time anymore. I just had a call last week from the Red Cross saying mom pressed her emergency button and they couldnÂt reach her. I couldnÂt either. After I raced over there in a pair of old sweats, no socks,no underwear (LOL...maybe thatÂs too personal) no face wash, no teeth brushing and of course, forgetting my keys to her place. Heart pounding, head pounding. Ringing the doorbell over and over, pounding on the doors....thought I would have to have the police break down the door because it would take up too much time for me to race back home and get my keys and come back again. Finally, I thought to go to her bedroom window and pound on it and *relief* she finally came to the door. She was fine, she just didnÂt *hear* anything and didnÂt remember pressing her emergency button! I was a wreck, to say the least. She is starting to tell me things that make *no sense*! In my heart I know she probably would be better off if she were somewhere where she could be monitored 24/7, but IÂm just not ready to push mom in to giving up her freedom and my sister is in as much denial as I am. But I worry about her all the time when I am not with her and I canÂt be with her 24/7. Anyway, IÂm losing my train of thought. I was thinking (though a bit ashamed of myself for thinking it) that if DH stayed home, he could sit Scout and check on my mom and if I got this job at the library, maybe I could afford the extra trip. And, just wanted to say, *if* I can somehow work it out I hope you guys will forget my rash/rude answer here earlier. I know you guys are sweethearts and arenÂt going to say anything publicly to hurt or embarrass me, so you can always email me. I know things are a little strained with me...IÂm in a funk and a little stressed out (probably of my own making) and get the feeling that maybe others are too? In any case, I hope all that can will get to go to the IU4! I know you will have a wonderful, memorable time! Okay, put that out there...Ei

Cool Lisa! It took almost a year for me to see a Red Belly on the suet log. Now Mr. Red belly visits the suet log almost every day. He is a noisy guy, and makes a big fuss when he's around. It seems like he's telling all the other birds to stay out of his way and they usually do. There was a Red-belly earlier in the summer that would rap on the gutter when the suet log was empty. It was quite deliberate and somewhat annoying! :) Just signed up for the PFW this morning. I did a bird count yesterday afternoon and this morning. I don't get the packet for a couple weeks, but they said it was okay to enter the data when it comes. It's fun! Had a pair of Red breasted Nuthatches this morning, and yesterday afternoon there were dozens of Juncos! At least 30 in the feeding station area and nearby grass and leaves. Along with 8 or more White throat sparrows, all pecking and scratching and rustling leaves. The ground looked like it was alive.

This is davies in Canon City. I think I used to post on here as 'shudavies', but GardenWeb says "never heard of ya!", so I re-joined as davies-cc. I took a while off to get divorced in 2007 :-( but now I'm back and willing to serve as the Rocky Mountain Curmudgeon, if that's OK with everyone else. I am particularly glad to see david52 is still prowling around on this blog, and Skybird I also remember your irrationally sunny disposition. So you're a flight attendant? Man, the airline industry has taken its share of hits in this milennium, no? Canon City is zone 6; our average winter temps are the warmest in Colorado I think, but we have greater extremes than Grand Junction or the lower Four Corners area. The climate is called high elevation desert, with an average of 12" or so of precip. a year. Zone 6 Tree of the Decade is most definitely the famous Chocolate Mimosa (Albezia julibrisson darkafolia). Got mine for $79.99 locally and it's growing great, very attractive albeit only through one winter thus far. I also finally found a cool bamboo that withstands all the sun and aridity, Phylostachys 'Decora'. It stayed green all winter and put up 7 new shoots this year. Didn't spread though, but I've seen a couple two foot runners along the surface this year so next year I think it's going to spread out some. So as you might have guessed, I'm a little bit of a zone stretcher, trying to grow some subtropical stuff that will survive here. I've got a number of (arborescent) trunk forming yuccas, and many dead-and-disposed-of plants to show for my efforts thus far. Lately I am starting a Japanese garden, although I must confess I'm not totally sure what one is yet. But I'm working on some foundation plants for enclosure, and my budget and my back are keeping me from acting too hastily altogether, so it might turn out to be presentable someday. Stay cool Rocky Mountain gardeners.

What great ideas and progress - I love this topic! It is amazing how a small change can be so profound. I also have found for me that the more organized I become - the more I'm inspired to keep my house even more organized (without becoming too perfectionistic of course which will always be a challenge). Start small: I started with my closets, cabinets, fridge and pantry. Each of these projects I could get done within a few hours and I committed to doing them right (labeling, buying appropriate supplies etc). This motivated me to 1) keep up the change and 2) realize my results would make a big difference. Pantry: The Pantry deserves its own mention. I got tired of spices falling out or being hard to find. So I put each spice in alphabetical order with a label in front of the pertinent shelf. This way - I can quickly find a spice and since they are clearly labeled DH puts them back as well in the right place. My pantry now functions rather than being shelves with things I can't find. I also made each shelf within the pantry serve a function (baking, cans, noodles etc) Dresser Drawers: My dresser was almost unusable. I used Linda Koopersmith's book and borrowed her ideas for folding clothes "vertically" I was able to several more shirts that didn't need hung up in the drawer and it looks so nice I let it stay that way. Visualized: Seems silly but I took the 'junk' out of each room, room by room. I then made the room look like I wanted it to once done. I did not stuff the junk behind closed doors - I sat it right aside the room (ie lining the hall so I HAD to either toss, store or donate) This approach helped me work quickly so I wouldn't get distracted. Trash can: I bought a 2 dollar trash can (a small one like you'd see in an office) and put it right behind a decorative chest I have in our "foyer" (it's really just an entry way). I then formed a new habit that I immediately sorted the papers from the mail as I came in the house. Anything I planned to recycle IMMEDIATELY went to the trash can. The chest hides the front of the trash can and then once a week I empty the trash can into my box for paper recyling. Recycling containers: Everday my kitchen counters would clutter with recyclables until in a few days I'd take them out to the bin. Or cardboard would sit to the right of the trash can. I bought these containers below and they work WONDERFULLY. If I have guests I can hide them outside (or even just leave them). All the recyclables are corralled this way and either go out for the weekly pickup (or paper and cardboard I drive to the site once a week). http://www.dwr.com/search.cfm?Ntx=mode+matchpartialmax&N=0&Ntt=recycling (DWR) Hot spot cleaning: Modeled after Flylady I identified my hot spots and hit them every night. I also informed my DH and DS of the same. It shocked me but they actually help pick up now too (guess its that whole modeling of behavior) The beds are made immediately in the morning before work - DS is 3 and makes his own...loves doing it as he feels like a 'big boy' and he learns a great habit. For me if I 'see' things that look organized I keep up. Dining room table: We have an eat-in kitchen with a large dining room table. Our table often became the source for sorting and piles. Not trash but papers, or things in bags (non food but things we bought and hadn't put away) etc. I set the table and keep it this way. When we finish dinner the dishes immediately go away (dishes were an issue before) and new plates go back on the table. By keeping the table set it looks nice and I don't use it to store clutter. Put away Immediately: I made a new rule that I immediately put things away. I was never super messy - but always had little piles I had to care for...especially if we'd come back from traveling (items still in luggage, cars, etc). So if someone swung by I'd stuff the pile somewhere to deal with it later (which of course always got put off). I changed that... If I buy something now, it gets put away. If I use something I put it back. It took me about 2 weeks to really 'learn' this habit but it makes a HUGE difference. An idea box: Ok I'm a dork and can admit this. But when you get a good system going - you tend to want to do more and more. To keep myself focus if I see or think of an idea I want to change (for instance I want to catalog our DVDs and organize them) I write the idea on an index card and store it in a recipe box in my desk. Assuming I actually am caught up on work, family stuff and my house is clean I'll pick out an idea and then implement it. It makes me feel accomplished and its like a dorky reward after I've done what I need too... Laundry: Laundry used to be a major problem. I consolidate the laundry baskets every other day. When they are full I do laundry (usually every other day) and I stay on top of it. Ok I wrote a book and not sure that those ideas will be that helpful but I hope they are. Thanks for all the inspiration! Laurie