Dorothy, I still had a couple of spring-planted tomatoes in the ground and this rain has finished them off...instant death. I'll pull them tomorrow if the misty junk finally stops. The fall tomatoes look fine, but army worms are here so I don't know if that will last. I have fall broccoli and cabbage and this is the perfect weather for them. The okra seems to be stalling, but since the temps have stayedin the 70s for several days with no sunlight, that's not unusual. The green beans are very happy. Whenever I decide in July to carry over spring tomato plants to fall, I always regret it by late August because they look awful. This year is no exception, so I've been yanking them one by one. The fall tomato plants have blossoms and green fruit, and I'm already harvesting from the cherry types so I am a pretty happy camper. I think for all of us with tomatoes, the cool weather does adversely affect hornworms, so hooray for that. Jan, I hope y'all get some rain soon, especially for the winter wheat. Most of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex just got pounded with rain all weekend long. In some areas they were out doing high water rescues this morning. My husband works at D-FW Airport and he kept sending me text messages for a couple of days that said stuff like "Getting pounded by rain". "Still getting pounded. Any rain there?" etc. It drove me crazy because at that time the rain wasn't here yet. I wish we'd had as much here as they've had down there. When I was a kid, my uncle and aunt lived in Grapevine which was a one-horse town. That was in the early 1970s. Eventually they sold their land to D-FW Airport. Even though Grapevine is so much bigger now, it is still one of my favorite places. I love their old downtown area AND all the new shopping venues....I can kill a whole day at Grapevine Mills Mall, and I'm really not even a mall type person. I know Dorothy would send both you and Jay rain if she could because she's getting too much right now. I'd send ya'all half of my measley 2.5" if I could figure out how to pack it and ship it. This week's rainfall puts our total at about the same amount as our average annual rainfall, so I guess this is going to be a good year, statistically speaking. It is still raining here and has been for most of the day, but it is a very light mist, so maybe we've picked up another quarter inch. Every bit helps though! Dawn

There are no dryers rated for EnergyStar far as I'm aware. Dryers don't even have the yellow EnergyGuide stickers. There's the choice of gas or electric heating, but all brands/models are largely equivalent for energy use within the respective category ... which is why dryers aren't rated. As for the washer, there are some EnergyStar toploaders available ... but be aware that they achieve the rating largely by controlling the water to reduced target temperatures. Lowe's web site lists Fisher & Paykel's model WA37T26GW2 EcoSmart agitator machine for $599. The lower-end AquaSmart model WL37T26KW2 (an impeller machine akin to the Cabrio/Oasis/Bravos) is $699. Whirlpool's model WTW58ESVW is a traditional agitator/transmission machine with some added EnergyStar features, offered at $578. And the lower-end Cabrio agitator model WTW6200VW is $699. Those choices leave between $422 and $301 for a dryer on your $1000 budget, so you'd have to go over by a few dollars. Whirlpool's model WED5200VQ is listed at $428. Model WED5300VW which has moisture sensing is $448. Lowe's is advertising a 20% sale on EnergyStar appliances, which I assume the listed prices do not include the discount. Shop around, you may find similar or better deals at local stores and other sources.

Donnamira, I am full of admiration! I believe that you are not compelled to vote either as we are in Australia. However, I can postal vote in advance or opt for going to an Early Voting booth, which is in my local shopping centre and this best suits me as there is rarely a queue. On the actual voting day, charities have a "Democracy Sausage Sizzle" so that one can at least get something to eat while waiting. Amusingly there is a difference between the States on the presentation. The Eastern States like the sausage folded in a slice of white bread while we in the West have ours in a long bun. Then there is the case for fried onions, top or bottom? Quite Lilliputian?

I was a total rink rat when I was a kid. I won my first transistor radio (first place ladies all ages) in a speed skating contest for the public. I think I must have been around 11. Because I won most of the races I had to start back at the wall instead of the starting line along with a couple of older girls that were in speed club. My older brother worked as a floor guard and in the summer I would go with him to open up and stay all day when I didn't have a competition. Sunday was club day and we had classes and practice. Then private lessons after school during the week. Friday nights there was a sock hop after the last session. So much fun and all the rink romances . LOL The manager's daughter and I were friends and we both got puppies at around the same time. We would bring them to the rink with us and they'd run around with us while we skated until the rink opened for the public.