Well I decided to go out and perform surgery. The pumpkins were just devastated I was able to cut some and pull out those disgusting grubs. Other vines had so many that I had to cut them and attempt to replant the end. *****fingers crossed******* As for the squash some plants had to go and others I have made an attempt at saving. I followed the directions I found slit the stems dug out the grub with pin and then covered the stems with soil. I figured first step is saving the plants while I form my backup plan of fall planting. I did completely give up on the plants that I thought I did not get all of the grubs out I am very sure that the ones that are left have none in them. My great fear is that I would leave some and they would get into the soil and certainly return next year. I dragged my poor husband outside with me for moral support and to hold the light. At least that is what I told him really I was scared that it would be so nasty that I would not be able to do it and he was my backup plan if I found I did not have what it takes to get the job done but although it is terribly disgusting it wasn't as bad as I thought. I thought they would be moving faster and maybe running away from me but they are just fat, slow and disgusting. Wait scratch that it was awful to have to do it at night I was covered in bugs that were attracted to the light and I now have a million bug bites.-------Geez the things you do for your vegetable plants. med-- thanks for the link. Just joking about the crying my eyes out thing. "wink" I found two more that might help anyone else that becomes a victim of the dreaded SVB. You will need to know your frost date which you can find here if you don't know already. http://www.avant-gardening.com/zone.htm Lastly here is my fall backup plan. I will fill any open squares with lettuce, spinach, mustard greens, and peas. I will check my bush cucumber packet that I have and see how many days to harvest. If anybody around CT visits this post pleas let me know what you have good luck with for fall. Here is a link that might be useful: fall planting schedule to help with what to plant

RE: Novahomesick story about the people & their decorator. I would have to do something to let them know that they weren't as clever as they thought.... I like the idea of billing them for decorating advice - who cares if you don't get any money, just letting them know that you knew what they did ....priceless! You could also see if the decorator was "licensed" in your state & could check into filing a complaint. How about having friends call the decorator (provided she does a free initial consulting) and waste a bit of her time - like they did yours - ending the meeting with " You know, I just saw a house I liked, maybe you could just go there & copy evertyhing......" maybe he/she would get it after about the 3rd time. And you could have a "HaHaHa!" moment of your own at their expense. (I can't take full credit for this plan -- it was hatched while stuck in traffic this morning with my DH who I affectionately call Mr. PA (passive/aggressive). He deals with people like this all the time as an artist I can't tell you how many times he's heard "I can make that myself" or watched people take photos of one-of-a-kind peices with their cell phones. People.)

Well, as someone who painted her bathroom BM's "Sanctuary" which is a lovely lilac I can sympathize with you. I only regret the color choice a bit, but the shade isn't overpowering; in fact, it's actually soothing. Your room, on the other hand, gives me the willies! The wall looks like it has lots of pink overtones, and I won't even mention the base board. For my bathroom, which I definitely NOT be repainting, I plan to make curtains and a table runner with some shade of greenish teal (I have a couple of items of this color that I am keeping in the room and everything looks good.) Purple dealt with and conquered! (I was an art major and work with jewelry, beads mostly, so color is very important.) If you want to keep the walls, and be sure you do, check out complementary colors using purple for the main color. You can always change curtains, and of course bedding wears out, but sample colors give you an idea of what the finished project looks like. If you decide to repaint the walls, do not place a color card in this room because the purple shade will just overpower it. Even if you paint a small sample color on a wall the purple bouncing around the room will change the sample. Go to another "safer" room with approximately the same lighting. I was going to ask if any other rooms were like this and reread that you have a blue room as well. Other rooms normal? If you repaint (and I would) use at least two coats of a good primer and when you find a color go with the coordinating fabric advice to be sure. My bedroom is BM's "Stonington Gray". A bit on the dark side but it will get livened up with some shade of red, probably on the bluish side, like cherry.

I can also relate to holidays and missing loved ones. My parents passed away a few years ago, but the pain sometimes is all too fresh. I miss them terribly. I’ve spent many a holiday on my own, for various reasons, and I more-than-survived just fine. I’d tell of my ‘awful’ holidays, but frankly, some were nightmarishly horrible, not in a funny way and there is no way to make some things humorous (even for me). Between truly psychotic siblings and now, mean as snake in-laws, holidays are sometimes a terrible time for me. Did I say I miss my folks? I did, and do. This year’s Thanksgiving was a lovely improvement! DH and I married a little over a year ago, after decades of on/off dating and chronic bachelorhood’s on both our parts, and we are enjoying this wonderful new chapter in our lives together! Thanksgiving Day we worked in bitter cold installing a new vent inside, outside, and under the house for a new washer/dryer set to be delivered – DH felt the old venting was unacceptable (I love that things must be ‘just so’ according to him; he’s a can-do perfectionist). Later we made rather strong Old Fashioned’s, relaxing with a blazing fire as we warmed our frosty hands and toes. I prepared 2 enormous filet mignons with hollandaise sauce, baked potatoes, and steamed asparagus – we ate far past the satiated point! A simple meal to prepare, but delightful. With full stomachs and warming bodies we talked of how we are always working on the house now – laughing at and with each other over the day’s more humorous events, discussing how anxious we are to start demolition for our renovations, and other things… Things couples who’ve known one another for decades comfortably talk of. Life is pretty wonderful. I’ve much to be thankful for. …Then our heat pump broke. F@#%.