Dear Monique - what with one thing and another I've been unable to get here to wish you a very belated but Happy Birthday. But here we are - some flowers from last year to remind us our gardens will bloom again. very best wishes, Mary

Wow, thank you everyone! I WILL get back to posting better, but the decorating still is not happening unfortunately. A week ago I thought I was ready to pull out my Easter things, but wasn't able to right then. Now I find I'm back to having no 'spirit' for it again. I HATE being this way and its gone on for several years now and I want it to stop but can't seem to get back to my old self with the decorations. Jim, how WONDERFUL to hear from you!! And I feel terrible for not sending you birthday wishes this year. I hope you had a good one. I've been on a roll forgetting both family and friends this year....its gotten beyond ridiculous. I'd probably have forgotten mine if I hadn't been reminded. LOL. Really miss you here! And seeing all your great photos. How is Selena doing? She's one of the most beautiful dogs ever I think! 11 cats....Crazy Cat Man for sure!!! :o) I'm being good, keeping mine to the 4. Some years ago I had around 12 cause I kept doing rescue on strays. I hope you're doing well, and your sister. Hugs to you and all the fur kids. and to all my sweet gang here, Karen

"Gary, out of sheer curiosity, what wholesale HVAC warehouses did you look into around our area (though I believe you bought it in PA, didn't you?)? Is there one for Trane/American Standard you checked out (do you think you could somehow get equipment from them?)? I think I recall you saying you priced an American Standard system for around $3k and was curious where this was." Ryan: I did indeed get an A/S quote "back in the day" when I first started looking. It was a Heritage 13 3-ton (don't think the air handler was v-s) with 15 kw strip heat for $3600. It was from Northeast Plumbing and Supply. They weren't too happy that I called them for pricing as I am not a pro. I wound up geting a 14 SEER, 12 EER, 9 HSPF Goodman. Copeland scroll, and a full 36,000 btu cooling and 35,000 btu heating. I went with the 3-speed air handler and TXV. Also got a hard-start cap, bypass humifier, filter/drier, sight glass, and condenser mounting pad. Paid $2500 for everything from DESCO, over the MD state line in Hanover PA. I picked everything up from their warehouse with a tow trailer. They provide the 10 year parts warranty. My wife works for a Property Management Company so I paid one of their pros $1200 to install it. 2 guys, 8 hours each. He had to fabricate 2 custom duct pieces for the installation. $3700 total for the new heat pump. So far so good with the Goodman. Take care.

chase: It wasn't that bad getting the "treats" here. Williams-Sonoma shipped them very quickly and very cheaply. They're the chocolate croissants that Oprah says is one of the "best things she can buy". Also, fyi, the orechhiette pasta with a sausage-fennel-pistachio cream sauce is my recipe: Orecchiette with a Sausage and Pistachio Cream Sauce Serves 4-6 Ingredients 1 pound pasta (farfalle, penne, orecchiette) 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, skinned 2 Tbs butter 1 small onion, sliced thinly 1/2 small bulb fennel, sliced very thin 1-1/4 cup heavy cream 2 Tbs mascarpone cheese 1 Tbs grated parmesan 1/4 cup chopped pistachios salt and white pepper to taste Directions Put on pasta water to boil. Cook crumbled sausage in skillet until done but not overly browned. You can mop up the drippings now if you donÂt want this dish overly oily. Add butter, onion and fennel and cook until soft. Add heavy cream and cook on medium heat to reduce by 1/3. Add mascarpone, parmesan and pistachio and stir until mascarpone and parmesan become creamy with the sauce. Season. Add cooked pasta and toss well. Garnish with fennel leaf. Joe