They looked gorgeous, and I know exactly where I would put them. Only the article said they would not flower in z7 and below, so that would be a bit of a disappointment. Still, when they are finally for sale, I'm sure a couple will jump into my cart.

From what I understand hormones can fluctuate and the test they do for "menopause" may indicate you're in it one month and not the next. Everything I've read says the real definition of menopause is no period for twelve months - those other test results can fluctuate. I never had another period after having an embolization for fibroids at age 48 1/2 - it has now been two years. I didn't have hotflashes or nightsweats or anything really very bad at all. My mother said it was also not a big deal for her either. I have however noticed some vaginal dryness and I'd swear I'm now seeing more facial hair - YIKES!! Tonight I plucked it out for the first time - I'm wondering what the best thing is to deal with that. I remember my grandmother used to shave her chin like a man -DOUBLE YIKES. I notice some other more vague things - like I feel like I'm aging faster in terms of looking older and my memory is not what it used to be. I assume this kind of thing is accelerated now as a result of menopause - though obviously it's just inevitable.

I certainly don't think I've stolen the cat. There are always posters of lost/found pets at the mailboxes, so I posted them on all the mail centers and in the stairwells of the apartments with e-mail address and phone number. If the people cared about the cat they could have put a collar with a tag on him instead of the crusty flea collar that I found him in. Jasper's vet is just down the street from the complex, so I will go there to see if anyone reported a lost cat. I've been waiting to have him vaccinated and neutered to see if anyone claims him yet, but I have an appointment for Monday at the low cost animal care shelter to get that taken care of. If I spend money on that and then someone claims him, they will have to reimburse me for the expense. They should have done it in the first place. I don't feel like a hero or a theif. If someone calls with an accurate description of the cat and pays me for the medical expense they can have it back. Until or unless that happens, I am going to be a good steward with the life that has been (even if temmporarily) entrusted to me by happenstance or the great Universe or whatever you believe in and enjoy every second of it. Maybe there are people on this forum who would rather me turn the cat back onto the streets so he can get run over by cars or eaten by predators in hopes that he will wander back to his original "owners". I placed an add on Craigs List. I've gotten 3 offers for Viagra and one offer to make a million dollars a month to work at home from a textile shop based in the UK. Then the add was flagged. There is a point at which you have to draw the line. Maybe I should quit my job and just knock on every door in the state until someone says the lost the cat I have found. Then I will be able to sleep at night since I'm such a horrible person! Some people!

Thanks everyone. When I bought my house in Wauwatosa Wisconsin in 1989 there were lots and lots of challenges, But what drew me to the house was the tree out front and I think the tree in front of this house with the three trees out back are helping balance out the blue countertop and carpeted bathrooms. This was what the tree in Tosa (city's nickname) looked like originally. I had it pruned which I had to do because I had the house trim and gutters painted and put on a new roof and the lower back tree branches were dead. I would be staying here at new place for 13 months or so. Right now the current rental home lease ends on December 31st 2008 but I have to negotiate for more time. If you all were landlords what would you think about the offer of leaving a newer washer and dryer instead of the full rent? I could buy a new set if I ever needed to in the years to come. Or shall I just take them with me and store them in the garage until the next house? Another advantage of the new rental house is that the home has no mortgage so if the owner wants to do improvements he has lots of equity to work with. The new landlord lives in Chicago. I think his mother lived here and he grew up here. There are all these pencil markings with names on a kitchen wall. I think I would take a picture of that wall before I paint and send it to the owner in Chicago. Now I will have to read up on how to take care of orange and lemon trees and when to pick the fruit or see if there is a reasonable tree care company. I do have a guy who comes here and cleans up after the dog in the yard. He comes every 2 weeks for $29 a month. I can have him come once a week for $44. That's an awesome service they have here. It works here because it never snows and hardly rains and the doogie doo dries up super fast. It's like picking up rocks. My daughter reminded me that I love to do projects. I love decorating and fixing stuff up. I will certainly pace myself and not overdo it. But first I have to be accepted by the new landlord. Wish me luck. If I get this place I will take and post interior pictures and take measurements so I can start to figure out where everything goes. Right now it appears that my glass top small kitchen table and 3 leather chairs from Pier One will not fit in the kitchen so I may move them outside. And of course this art piece - where it will go. This will be fun! While my friend in Tosa thinks moving now is too stressful for me, I think it might be just the thing to help keep me creative and focused on more positive things instead of my pain and side effects which will get two-three months from now. Plus by the time I have my surgery in June I should have everything in place. Thank you. Eileen in Phoenix