Northspruce...ROFL..I thought the same thing about the "domestic help"...Very interesting...I'll remember to use DW...beacuse she is dear and like all of the spouses, thinks' I've lost my mind about gardning...oh, she loves the finished product...but thinks I'm nuts..(a debatable topic) Why I like this forum....there is a spirit about those of you in the far north I don't see elsewhere...I can't explain, sorta frontierish but more like resourceful..self reliant and innovative......I'd take the summers if I could do without the winters...then again, today I got bitten by fire ants, a real problem in the south...and every time it happens I SWEAR I'm moving to say...ORegon? Certainly not far north...but a 2 day trip away perhaps to Souther Canada... Anyway, I hope some of you continue to put up pics...I really enjly them. I spent all day planting things I got on sale for $1 at Lowe's, Salvia Greggii, some other salvia's, Tennessee coneflowers, and even some sad looking zinnia's...a good snip, some fertilizer, and they'll be blooming in 2 weeks...sure was hot today....90's...I';ll make you a deal,,I'll send up some warm if you'll send a bit of cool...of course, when the cool weather gets here, it means you guys are under snow...so I'll be patient! Sierra...batting eyelashes is no fair and against the rules!!!! ( even my daugher's now figured that one out...."Daddy"...flash flash....oh, the camera thing....shame on me, I have an nice (now old and not enough pixels) video with a still feature, I lost the download cord, so there it sits...so now I use an Easyshare 3.1 MP, bought it for my daughter...works for the most part.....and very handy...I'd like something that is simple to use, easy to download, and no fooling around with photo editing programs....and some good closeups.....and I just can't imagine what it looks like when cars go by....

Compared to the fickle piece of doo-doo I have been nursing along from near-death two years ago, your gardenia is nothing short of a triumph! Forget it, I'm too embarrassed to post a photo after all the leaf-drop this year. Which it did on its own little whim, in spite of my "perfect" care :-) coffee grounds, MirAcid and all. Funny thing is: it set about 15 buds, and most appear to be swelling towards opening, even with obvious leaf problems (which might in reality be root problems). I refuse to get my hopes up in the meantime--I'll believe it when I see it, and furthermore, have told it: "GO AHEAD! DIE! SEE IF I CARE!" :-o

To test the current paint, get a can of goof-off from the hardware store (in with the solvents and strippers). Put a little on a paper towel and rub the current paint. If it comes off or softens, it's latex. If not, it's oil. (Goof off is wonderful stuff for removing latex paint drips from floors, countertops, etc...) For ceilings and walls, I would simply make sure they're clean - vacuum down cobwebs, etc. Some people say to wash the walls, but I haven't noticed any difference in rooms I've washed vs. rooms I haven't. Since you're using primer, you can probably get away without scuff sanding or dulling the sheen (unless the trim is super glossy - then you might want to scuff sand a bit for better adhesion). Then just have at it with the primer & paint. I usually do the ceiling first, then the trim, then the walls. Most people do the walls before trim, but since I edge by hand (don't use painter's tape) I find it easier to get a nice line if I do the walls last. Good luck!

dkm2000, what I did was first sign into my snapfish account and check for it to remember my password and not ask for it again (I can't remember the exact question they ask). Unlike photobucket where you can copy the actual picture into your post, from snapfish you can only link the photo albums you create. I start my post by putting in subject and message and then hit preview message. You have to hit preview message and then go down to the Optional Link URL and Name of the Link. Name the Link whatever you want, put your cursor in the Optional Link URL space, put this screen on hold and then go to your snapfish account home page, copy the URL and then paste it to your post in the Optional Link URL box. Shortened version in case you already know how to link, is to tell snapfish to let anyone in your account by not asking for a password and then linking the home page. I hope this helps. I'm not good at this stuff and have to struggle through it so I hope you don't need any further detailed information because chances are I won't be able to help. LOL