With 2 staff off work this week I've been helping as much as possible with my buddy/boss to double time running around office buildings to get the plant watering/maintenance done. Each day we made sure to sit down and have a proper lunch - no choice we were burning calories like there was no tomorrow. Every night I reclined on my couch with the fan blowing on my throbbing feet - whew. I've slept 12 hours last night and it's noon! Next week I will actually be going in on Monday to water my babies because they don't know it's a holiday and it doesn't matter to me, I just don't want them fainting. At least it's back to normal again. Today I'm cooking up a storm for my freezer. Still stewing tomatoes from the garden. Going to shred zucchini/onion/carrot/turnip and dump them in a 3 minute boil in chicken broth (just enough to cover) and cool it to freeze for winter soup base and I have about 6 black bananas that are screaming banana/walnut bread to me (I freeze that in slices on a tray, then ziplock so I don't have to take a loaf out. Later, when I'm bored - hahahahahahahahaha - have to pick more tomato, beans and get them in the freezer too. Tomorrow I hope to pull spent plants out, work in my grass compost and plant lettuce, peas, beets and other fall plants (have to check my garden books again). I just love this time of year. I don't can stuff - YET - but that is on future to do lists - still organizing the basement junk and getting rid of clutter. It's better to can stuff - cheaper in the long run and less risky in case of a power outage but I'm not quite there yet. Sorry for being MIA but it's been so busy this week I've actually just wanted to sit and stare at the TV at night. No energy to even play on the laptop at all. This evening I will catch up reading all of your posts and get back in touch. Love ya! Peggy

Hi guys! Good to see everyone checking in! Patti~ Congrats on the grandbabies! Hope you get to hold them soon. How are your relatives in Texas doing? Are they okay with the weather and all? Amy~ Well, I'm glad you hung in there with your friend. I bet you were the voice of peace and reason for him and helped him through his rough times. LOVE the photos! Absolutely serene and beautiful. I can imagine NHSuzanne and SP riding through the wooded trails! NHSuzanne~ You little brat! You're making me really envy you with all these end of the summer trips and time outs with friends. JK! Have a great time and bring your foot warmers!!!!!! Raeanne~ Shame on you for falling asleep! Morgan the magician's assistant went this time! In her family moment (brought to the viewers by Febreze fabric softner), her mother said there was a spa appointment waiting for her. She'll probably get a LOT of ribbing for THAT one! Anyway, I was glad to see her go instead of our fish monger from Washington! :) DeeMarie! Jam packed weekend, I see! Make healthy choices! In answer to the QOD: Friday: Went to donate blood, but hematocrit was too low - under 35. So I'll try again in a week. Then went to a furniture consignment shop and picked up a cool perfectly round mirror, cast iron 6' tall candle stand, and a cool red shallow bowl. Now it's paperwork at the title company, grocery shopping, and working on a new design. After school, I am taking the girls to Corpse Bride, the new Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie. I can't wait. Then I might throw a steak and some spinach on the BBQ to give my red blood cells a boost. Saturday: Gotta get party junk for the my DD's party next weekend, so I'm going to Archie McPhee's, the cheap magic store. The kids love it and I do too. Tomorrow night, it's my company yearly Holiday party. WAY too busy where I work between Thanksgiving and New Year's, so they do the party in September. Just remembered! Gotta pick up my dresses from the cleaners! YIKES! The company is hiring a hypnotist, so it ought to be a gas. Sunday: YARD! YARD! YARD! LAUNDRY! LAUNDRY! LAUNDRY! I have to get my yard completely weeded b4 winter rain comes and get bark sprayed to keep the springtime weeds down! I might even get a burst of energy and work on the garage a little. It needs it---badly! Check in people! We wanna hear from you! MARCI! Have your little ones handcuffed you and held you captive? BESH! Have the junior high kids over-run the town and tied all the adults to the witch burning stakes? JEN! How did the ear operation go? Did our little 'Miss' get her Dora the Explorer boots? TIKANAS! You said you'd be back soon!!!! COME BACK! KYSUSIE! JOANNE! Aand all the others I missed! And MADDIE, if you're back - give us a story or two!

I, too, hope that you had a great birthday, Susan. With a good year to follow ... and many more of them, enjoying the things that you love best. ole joyful

Just to close out the story here -- So I had originally ordered the Eden as a gift for my friend. As you know, my AL turned out to be Eden. So we moved Eden to her new home on Saturday. And the Augusta Luise replacements (less than grade #1) arrived on Friday, so those got planted on Saturday. One in my yard, and one in my friend's yard. I have another AL coming in fall from FReedom Gardens. But I trimmed all the Eden blooms & buds off the rose before digging it up, and here is the glorious picture. If it was scented, if I had room for another climber...I might have kept her! But that spot was created (literally -- had to build a rock retaining wall to fit in another rose there!) for Augusta Luise. p.s. Diane, Colette already has many buds. I'm so excited to see what she's like!