I have a Kordes rose called Caramel Antique that looked worse than a blackened doornail after our horrible January 2013. I was joyfully preparing to dig it up (have been threatening to do this for several years), but I got distracted by other spring chores, and by the time I got back to Caramel it was turning green and putting out new leaves, blast it. Anyway, I hope something similar happens to your rose, Josh, because, I guess, it's not over till it's over (not sure what that means). Diane

My orinocos have just been sitting there for several weeks now because of this cool weather. Have you cut the top of the pseudostem to see what the middle looks like? I'd do that, and if you find brown in the middle, keep cutting down until you find green (or yellow). Then just wait for the heat to come and it should take off. By the way, was that nursery TyTy by any chance? Don't believe one thing they print on their website.

Well today was THE day .. my mother had her surgery and came out of it well. The had to remove the one lobe as the growth was cancerous so now we will all have to wait to see what the other tests show if it has spread to her lymph nodes. I dont know why they just didnt remove them at the same time .. oh well I will have to wait to talk with my brother. I am guessing that she will have to have chemo to ensure that the cells are all destroyed. Right now she is in the Critical care unit so the only person who can see her is my dad. I still fell like a poop not being able to be there .. both my bother and I have come to the conclusion that my mom just does not want to inconvenience anyone. But I will be there soon enough. I will leave to go to Sudbury on the 6th .. maybe sooner. I am glad that I didnt go up for Christmas as I came down with the flu a few days ago and just got out of bed today. That wouldnt have been good for my mom. Thank you to everyone for their warm thoughts and prayers. It means alot. Laura

To answer a few of your questions my other 2 kids are 8 and 10 yrs old. I treat my stepson like he is my own child. I do not believe in treating them differently. His bio mom constantly abandoned him as he was growing up the longest he ever lived with his mom was when my husband was still married to her and that was for 2 yrs. Since then he has lived with his aunt. His mom never called or visited him even though he only lived 4 hours away. Now she never calls him... She watched and allowed a boyfriend to beat the kid almost to the point of death. I never bad mouth her to him it is not my or my husbands place to do that. It really just breaks my heart knowing he is hurting so bad. He talks about her in a negative way a lot to me. I just listen to him. We will be putting him in counseling soon but were told to wait because we just finally gained custody of him a month ago and don't want him to feel there is something wrong with him. Along with him going I think we are going to do family counseling what can it hurt right?!?!? For all the crap this poor child has gone through is a very respectful well behaved child. He is adjusting really well to having a brother and sister and living with us. He has chosen to confide in me all this stuff and it is so hard to listen to and see the hurt in his little eyes. I constantly reassure him that I love him as if he was my baby. I also have told him if there is something he has a problem with don't understand or don't like that causes him not to be happy lets talk about it and try and work it out. My husband is step-dad to my 2 kids and treats them like his son. So it is a very equal household.