I may be back here for some recommendations for more "lovable" hoyas once a few things settle down. I really love the flowers, and if I had the space, there would be more hoyas in my life. My obsession tends toward succulents (I work on the top floor of glass building, and sit next to a south-facing wall... it's almost TOO MUCH sun) and orchids (because I'm crazy ... is there any other answer?). The next few months will, I hope, see me moving to a new apartment, where I can hopefully have more dedicated space for my little green friends (Greentoe, I live in Sunnyside, just next to Astoria!). I'm glad I took that photo above, because looking at it made it more obvious that the darn cat had uprooted a piece and left it in the pot (see the more withered bit on the left?). It has since been saved. This weekend it goes out on the patio. It is has lasted long enough in the house, poor thing!

UP DATE: my DR released me way back in Jan. I asked if I could continue with PT he said sure, he'd keep sending me as long as I wanted to go. Today the therapist has run out of ideas and things for me to do. My dance partners last night declared me healed and back to normal. So my therapist has turned me loose. :) She says those people have known me for 20 yrs, they know what my normal feels like and looks like, so if they say I'm back to normal then its time to move on with my life. I'm on maintenance now. For a small fee, I come and go as I please and work on the machines without their supervision--but if I have a problem or issue they are there to advise me. Of course my knee is not back to normal, but I can do most anything I want to do, just not as much or as long as I used to. The rt knee will never feel like the left but I'll get used to it and be fine with it. I will have good days and bad days, esply with weather changes and cold. I will continue to work on rebuilding muscle and stamina-- which takes a while and progress is slow BUT I will get pretty darn close to where I used to be. I am already doing more than either of them thought I'd be able to do in the beginning. I'm way ahead of the curve. Its time to Celebrate! Just in time for my first hummer sighting (last night) and spring with its warmer weather is finally here.

I don't know if all iPhone plans are the same, but here, when you get a contract, it's always for 3 years. The iPhone 4 has only been out for about a year, so the son probably wouldn't be eligible for a new phone yet (if the rules are the same where he is). Buying a new one is very expensive, possibly about $650. Speaking to the company might help, though. My son recently accidentally dropped his brand new iPad, and he went to the Apple store and told them exactly what he did. They told him the warranty didn't cover damage caused like that, and he said he knew that (we were going to replace it for his birthday present); but when they came out from the back, they just GAVE him a brand new one! Boy was he surprised! My point it, you should always tell the truth, and sometimes you get lucky. Otherwise, the ideas of ebay, and even kijiji are good ideas.

Stacy, thanks for asking! He's still going to his counselor twice a week, and may go into rehab later on for a while. He had a little setback the first of the week, we discovered that he was planning another little "trip", and I searched and found yet another extra car key, and his money stash. You have to be a very sneaky, nosy mom to keep on top of this. Needless to say, he didn't go, and he moped around for a couple of days, but he's kind of back to his regular self now, although he says cravings to gamble consume him. If rehab is what it takes, then we're ready for him to go!