Ok! So now the dirt and the sweat is washed off, and the garden is "where it would have been at the beginning of any other olde year!" Time for a break--and a few slow walks to admire the Fruit of Your Labors! There's not many things I delight in more than walking past the things I've finished---over and over and over---to just look at what I accomplished---and the longer it took and the harder it was to do, the more fun it is! This year I decided I was gonna de-clay my veggie garden! Ok! That's not entirely true, but I decided I was at least gonna try to get the potter's clay out of it! It took me 3-4 weeks, but I went out there day after day (whenever the weather was halfway decent) and dug up one shovel full at a time, down about 8-10", and then sat down and went thru it clump by clump with my hands, breaking it up into tiny pieces, and throwing anything that changed shape rather than "breaking up" into a big pot, and lugging it to the dumpster. Had to space the crummy stuff out in the dumpster every week, 'cause clay is HEAVY, and if the truck can't pick it up, they might get out and look to see what I had in there---and I don't think we're allowed to put "dirt" in the dumpster! So for several weeks I was dumping a bunch in, and testing the weight, and dumping more in, and testing the weight---and saving the left overs in other big pots for the next week. Shovel full by shovel full, and clump by clump, I got half of the garden done! That's an area about 3 1/2 by 14 1/2, so it's really only about 50 sq. ft., but, oh, my, what a job! When I started, I was gonna do the WHOLE veggie garden (minus the tomato/eggplant area), but, uh, that's not gonna happen this year! The cukes and carrots and beets and parsnips and squash are gonna have to bide their time for one more year in the BAD clay! That side's a little bit bigger, more like 65 sq. ft., and my hands and back are simply not gonna consent to doing that this year! BUT--oh boy, is it ever FUN to walk out there now--over and over and over--to look at the good (for MY garden) soil that's on the lettuce/spinach/pea side of the garden now! And all those things are planted now, tho it's been pretty chilly since I put them in about a week ago, so definitely no action yet! But, cold or not, I have something to stare at every day now! :-) It was HARD work--when I was doing it---but it's SO much fun NOW! Next year the other side!!! With all the massive gardens you plant--every year--I have trouble believing that you're "round the bend" at all! Yeah, the bod hurts in a couple new places every year (found out a couple weeks ago I have bursitis in my hip--I already knew it hurt, but now I have a NAME for it! Woohoo! And found out last week I have four seriously deteriorated discs in my cervical spine! Woohoo?), but the joy of going out there and looking at what I've accomplished somehow seems to make the pain go away---for a while at least! And if I didn't have the garden, I wouldn't have anything to "make the pain go away!" Definitely time for a break and a chocolate Easter egg! And that's from somebody who just finished a very large piece of Marie Callender Chocolate Silk pie! (Chocolate helps with "that pain" too! LOL) Tomorrow sounds like it's gonna be a wonderful day for a long walk to look at all you've gotten done, Skybird

Yikes, who are these people? And how dare they get nasty when you don't want to take them along on a business trip? And you don't have the finances--are they expecting you to pay??? Sheesh! My recommendation would just be firm: This is a business trip and I'm not taking anyone else along. If they get nasty, the riposte about how often they take someone to work is good. Also, you might ask why they think you owe it to them to pay to take them on your business trip. Finally, if they aren't family or longtime friends, I'd stop talking to them.

Tom crowley - hi. It is nice to see other local people. On most of the forums I visit on gardenweb, it's rare to find out li'ers. Terri - thanks for your enthusiasm. Your meet up plans sound good. I won't be able to do much this weekend coming up though. I'm so backed up with my yard work and my niece's birthday saturday and dinner at my father-in-law's Sunday. Of course if you all get together you must fill me in:-) I won't be going to the Hofstra show, but think it's a great idea to get together at a coffee house (Starbucks or something like that) to set up a couple of things for the next month or two. And then what we could do is make the schedule, email it to everyone and ask for responses on who can make what. I am free on April 15, Saturday. I'll email everyone separately and see if they want to meet on Saturday April 15. In the meantime, if you see this post and can make coffee on Saturday (afternoon ish?) please post here. Looking forward to meeting you all, Maureen

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS THREAD UNTIL WE BUMP IT DOWN SO PEOPLE HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE IT!! (sorry for bold posts, but history shows that emphasis is needed!) ...and don't start a new thread, we have a nice one already in place; see the green link below ("link here")!! ----------------------------------------------------------- As the bloom season for our new bulbs is getting started, and many new people have joined our forum, please introduce yourself on our long thread (NOT HERE!) so that we can "meet" you! You can find the existing thread in thelink here. As you scroll down to the bottom to add your info, take a few minutes to read the other posts, look at the pictures, and "meet" some of us! It was a trip down memory lane for me!! Also, if you had previously posted, and need to update your info because you've moved, have a new baby (or puppy), or have had another life event to share, please post a new message with current info! PLEASE don't start an new thread......please add to our existing one! THANKS! Kristi