Hello everyone, i have been so busy have not had time to write. I finally finished the second bed,and spent the weekend looking for different types of compost. I only found three,all the rest are basically the same in Florida at least around here. I did find one Blueberry bush ,YEAH ,seems healthy... I changed the soil and transplanted to a bigger pot I have it in the morning sun and afternoon shade we will see. I planted some watermelon in 2 of the block cells as an experiment they are growing quick and seem happy.. I planted some tomatoes in containers and have them next to the blueberries.I also planted an herb garden in 2 containers i had for awhile they contain, Rosemary,basil,parsley,thyme,oregano,also some spearmint and peppermint. Within 2 days the Bugs have located and began thier attack,whiteflies and mites i belive..... i have been holding them off with palmolive and water. A friend told me ivory soap 2 tblespoons mixed in 1 quart warm water or liquid castile soap same mix,works well I'll try it.... I have to get the soil in the beds this weekend and finish mulching around the beds...I kickin around with idea of micro sprinkler sytem on a timer.They are fairly inexpensive and would work well with my goofy schedule. I have not recieved my worms yet but the compost pile seems to be doing well.Guess i'll have to call uncle Jim's and see what the delay is.. Almost forgot i ordered my muscadine grapes they will be here in Oct,along time to wait but i need to prepare the soil anyway so it worrks out well.. Glad i got the time to share and be part of your gardens Good luck to all and Happy Gardening...

First of all I want to Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your advice & compassion. I have been very stressed over all of this and I could feel the genuine concern you have for our situation. Just to fill in a few blanks, we are both now 56 yo. DH has his BA & MBA & a certified Project Manager. He worked AND went to school at same time. I'm afraid I am lacking in the educational department. I have 2 AA degrees in nothing marketable, & got my RE License about a month(2006) before the market started crashing-but left because of my DM deteriorating health at the time. But, actually I was the main caregiver for both of my parents from 2001 until 2007 in our home until they both passed. Dad had cancer & Mom had Alzheimer/dementia. About 2 months after my DM died (Dec '07) I started babysitting(Feb'08) for my 2 granddaughters until just this past November '09, when I started working part-time again. Can't believe I did the formula, diapers, potty-training all over again, but my girls were a good distraction from my grief. My DS & DDIL paid when the could, what they could,--most of the time, not at all, but I just wanted to help them out & make sure the girls were safe with me. It was never about the income, it was all about what was best for my GDD's. Last summer I looked into a local university here & wanted to start school to get a Gerontoloy Certificate ( would take 18 months) & eventually work in Hospice & for seniors. (Heck, I am a senior now too according to Bob Evans--lol) I guess I am just destined to be a caregiver all my life. I started the application process & was told I would probably be eligible for Finacial Aid, but I think working Full Time has to be my priority now. I've been brainstorming to think of any additional means of bringing in some income--like maybe renting out the in-law quarters of our home. Selling off some jewelry--only about $200.00 worth, but every bit has to help. We're down to 1 car which we "juggle". Right now, everything just seems up in the air. We might know more by this week-end, when either my DH's project goes well or comes crashing down & him with it. I am preparing for the crash down, because in the past few weeks, anything that could go wrong, has gone wrong. Like servers going down for hours, connection problems etc. One manager just walked off the job, because he said he couldn't take the pressure anymore. So, Thank you, thank you, thank you, all for taking the time just to let me talk/write about this & for listening. I know there are those here with far worse problems (health etc) & my problems are miniscule compared to theirs, but I thank you again for your suggestions & support. God Bless ~~ katclaws

My lost & found experiences: Like a lot of people I often think how great it would be to find a bunch of money. But I always hope that If I do, PLEASE let there be no ID with it, because thanks to that guilt trip my Mom (very religious) laid on my when I was a kid, I'd have to do all I could to locate the rightful owner. I wouldn't ask for a reward either. I wouldn't turn it in anywhere because I believe that sadly in this day and age the average person would just pocket it. Found $65 on the floor of a nightclub in Avalon NJ, just the money, no ID. Sweet! Found $30 in Sears parking lot at Neshaminy Mall, NE Phila. - no car parked nearby. Again, cash only. Found a passport walking from the train to work. Tracked down the owner, called, said I'd bring it over. Knocked / rang the bell, no answer, car in the driveway. I think they didn't want to risk me asking for a reward (I wouldn't). I left it in the mailbox. When my 24 year old daughter was 3 she found a childs wallet in the playground with $3 and address / phone number inside. She wanted to keep it but I said we have to return it. The mother didn't eveen say thank you. I gave Kris $1 as a reward. When I delivered pizza part time I found $43 with no ID in the shop but it was where the drivers congregated and there was only one other driver working with me. I returned the money. Older peope are no more or less honest than the younger ones. Again as a pizza deliverer, I took an order to a florist shop. When they paid me I put the money in my jacket pocket, something I never did, usually. Walking back to the car I reached in to retrieve the money & felt only change. I turn back toward the door - I'm about 30 feet away - and the old lady who ran the register by the door is scuttling toward the bill, a ten, reaching for it when her eyes met mine. I quickly said 'Looks like I dropped my change.' She replied 'Yeah, I guess so.' or something like that. She got up and walked back inside.

An appraisal for insurance purposes is based on retail replacement. If your stone is lost, stolen or damaged it's what you'd pay to purchase an identical piece at full retail. It's not what you would be able to sell it for. You pay retail when you purchase it but if you try and sell it yourself you won't get what you paid for it. The price you pay includes mark ups by the mining company, cutter, broker, wholesaler, retailer etc. That's the nature of the jewelry business. A complete appraisal contains not only the replacement cost but also a detailed description including: size, color, clarity, cut and even the grading of the cut. Additionally it would state if the stone was natural or had been enhanced by chemicals or heat. You can fill a fracture in a diamond or irradiate it to turn it yellow. Colored gem stones have been subjected to so many different treatments that it makes a huge difference in value if it's a natural emerald or one that's been color enhanced. The average jeweler in the Mall probably won't have the expertise or equipment to make those valuations. A reputable jeweler should allow you to return the piece within 30 days if you have it appraised elsewhere for less. You can always use an independent appraiser who isn't attached to a store. I have GIA appraisals which give a detailed description but don't list a monetary value. Stones with a GIA certificate sell for significantly more money than those without a GIA. The stones sold on Blue Nile come with a GIA certificate so the prices listed there usually are higher than what you might find elsewhere. I simply linked to that site because it's easy to use.