I think a lot depends on the plant. And how well the plant handles having its roots disturbed. I had a shasta daisy alaska that I divided this spring. It was probably 12-14" diameter. I must have divided that into close to 25 divisions. And at least half of those divisions bloomed this year - granted each division only had 1 or 2 blossoms. But considering I bought this as a little 3" plant 3 years ago - I would say I got my moneys worth! Siberica and Day Lillies are other plants that seem not to mind being divided into tiny divisions. Last year I was dividing tons of siberica. After dividing, I ended up with tons of spare root clumps. I buried the root clumps, and lo and behold got plants this year! Whenever I divide day lillies, if I have any additional little bulb things, I just plant them somewhere. It may take 2 or 3 years to get blossoms from these little bulbets - but I'll take delayed blossoms over the compost heap.

Sigh. So many things. 1. Perform a warrant check on all contractors. That would have saved me a lot of money and heartache and frustration. 2. Be home AT ALL TIMES while work is being performed. I can't count the number of things that aren't quite right, but I have had to let them slide because they can't be undone by the time I get home. For example, I have had to give up on the idea of a trash pullout I planned under the sink, because (even though I told him repeatedly) he did not position the waste outlet correctly, and most of the sink cabinet it taken up with jerry-rigged plumbing. 3. Use specialist tradesmen. Jailbird Contractor was a very good framer. He was an OK finish carpenter. He built fabulous fences and his roofing (I think) is good. He had excellent electricians and drywallers. But he and his "plumber" left a lot to be desired, and despite telling me what a good tiler he was, his handiwork makes me sad nearly every day. Plus, while refinishing my original 100-year old softwood floors, he may have ruined them, and may have made it worse by trying to "fix" his mistake. I am having a specialist evaluation done this week. 4. Move out. 5. Make contractors fix things RIGHT AWAY. Apparently Jailbird Contractor would work on one project until he ran into difficulties, then would abandon that project and move onto another, saying that he would "come back at the end and fix it then". Uh-huh. That worked real well. This meant that the new contractor had to come in, figure out what was wrong, un-do a good chunk of each project, then finish it. This would not have happened if I had cowgirled-up and been a hardas* in the first place, making him finish each project. 6. All materials that I have paid for should have been ON MY SITE as soon as they were paid for. I lost all my expensive trim for the whole house (plus other materials), because Jailbird Contractor was storing it in his rented space (I don't know where that was). He maintains that it was taken when his storage unit was cleared out (presumably because he disappeared and hasn't paid storage fees for some time, since he is in jail). Either that, or he never bought it/sold it. 7. Job cards and inspection records STAY WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER or ON SITE AT ALL TIMES. My paperwork is in Jailbird Contractor's truck. Lord knows where that truck is. 8. Your contractor is not your friend. Jailbird Contractor liked to pull the paternal approach on me, and I will admit to playing along with it, just to humour him and shut him up. Never again. This is a professional relationship, even though you are in my house and my intimate spaces every day. I will be much quicker to call contractors on their cr*p in future. In fact, I plan on having one such conversation with the current contractor this afternoon ... the painting crew came through last week, and I was horrified to discover that they helped themselves to sodas, beer and icecream out of my kitchen. That is NOT...

Whatever cynic. It's not what they said. As offensive (to use your word) as they are, UNDOUBTEDLY, they would've said something overt, not hinted. It couldn't possibly have been them, it has to be me? Even though they complain that P is putting her bike on the front of the bus (which there is rack for and she does everyday), or that man who chews tobacco is on the bus, not that he's chewing or smells like cigarettes, he is just ON the bus, or... one time, someone stumbled and they ran into the more unhappy of the two and to this day she complains every day, I'm not exaggerating, that the woman "tore" her shirt off. Every day we need to hear about it? They're unhappy. All day every day. I'm sorely tempted to record them and have you hear it. I cannot tell you how light the mood on the bus was yesterday with everyone smiling and chit-chatting. Oh, to be like that every day.

Hi Colleen! I would love to see pictures as you go through your master bath remodel! I'll eventually be remodeling my main bathroom and the 1/2 bath in the master. In the main bath I'm taking out the tub/shower surround and replacing with a "petite" claw foot tub, no shower. New toilet, new vanity/sink, and a small baker's rack for extra storage. Putting in a medicine cabinet/mirror, frosting the window so I don't need a window treatment, and a new towel rack. Also new flooring, paint, fan, light. I'm not sure what I'm doing in the 1/2 bath, except I know I'm stealing a little room from the bedroom to put in a walk-in shower. SO...I'd love to see your progress and hear about the whole experience! Do you have colors and flooring, etc. picked out yet? Haha! Cathy--so true about the garden tub. :-)