Here is my Angel Winged Begonia. I have shared it lots. It seems to want to bloom pink-red flowers in the winter for me. I do know i never root these in water-I just break a piece off, dip it in root-booster, and stick it back down in the soil. I haven't really babied mine-I am rather abusive towards it-but it loves me back. Maybe I'm doing the right things for it, when I think it's the wrong things. I keep it outside all summer-It seems to like just morning sun, then shade the rest of the day. It LOVES being flooded down with water every other day. I always turn my plants, as they follow the light-I try to get them nicely rounded.One time I moved, the movers broke every stem off to the soil almost. But it acted like it got a haircut-and grew to what you see in this picture!

I just gave up the medication entirely. I was compeltely and utterly stable on one medicaiton-Symbicort (which, by the way, I LOVE!). I'd taken Advair and another inhaler, but was supporting it with Sigulair. Only 20% of the population has good success with Singulair, which it worked for me, but little did I know it was truly the cause of my two problems. Which brings me to my next thought... "allergist said it could cause those problems in high doses, but only once you are above 480 mcg or higher per day." That's all fine and good if you're "typical", but if your genetic makeup means you metabolize it at different rate (high metabolizer) you could be getting a dose that is not right for your body makeup. They could be very wrong. But only genetic testing could quantify that. Ask them if it makes sense to try something else or a lower dose for a week or two. My docs will let me do that. It's how we found out I only needed one med even though I'd been on two for years. I wanted to get off of it all. One is the least I can get by with though. Here is a link that might be useful: Short and incomplete description of high metabolizer

That is one gorgeous, gorgeous cat....I just read through all your posts and what a blessing, with the two of you coming together.....I have found, the best pets have been the ferals, which at present, have 2 that allow us to live with them...These 2 were trapped at about 5-6 months and are now about 5 years old and have no desire to go outside... Just yesterday, I gave a grand daughter 2 6 month old strays that I had been fostering..They had been dumped on a local door step of the post office and have to be the sweetest, most lovable fur babies you'd ever see....... Ferals get a bad rap, but with love and patience, are the best!

Hi Susan, Do you know some of your father's friends? How to contact them? Do you know whether your brother may perhaps have talked to one or other of them? How about calling one or more of them, for I'm sure that they'll be able to fill you in on how things are going with your Dad ... some of the blank spaces. Will he be upset about your interference when he finds out that you've been talking to them? Maybe a good idea to let him know of that possibility beforehand, so it's not a surprise when they tell him that they've been talking to you? I agree that it's important that you catch the queen bee ... and cut off her wings before you get stung. Trying to mend things later are hugely costly, both in terms of emotional and financial issues ... and may well alienate family members who were formerly friends. You haven't been able to come up with a pill that has even a possibility of turning a greedy person into a benefactor of charitable causes? Various religious enterprises have been making efforts toward such an end for millenia ... with limited success. Good wishes as you proceed with the actions that you feel are necessary to meet your father's needs: I hope that he can agree with the need as you go along, for it's unpleasant for everyone if such actions need to be undertaken when the elder is unhappy about them. ole joyful P.S. I have said for years that it makes sense for several seniors to find a home where they can live together, for it shares chores, meaning lower such burden for each, and there's social interaction, with the extra bonus that minds are kept from going to seed as quickly, plus shared costs of household, plus utilities, plus food, etc. will cost less than living singly ... and certainly far more than for them to go into either a residential or nursing home. It would make sense for them to pay for a homecare person to come in to do the heavy household chores, etc. The major benefit is, of course, that if someone takes ill, there are others on hand to provide immediate care, call for help, etc. - and quite likely have good judgement as to which course to follow. Not useful to have two, three or four, etc. move into one person's home - or that person will always feel that s/he's the untimate authority - "It's my home, remember!". Not a good idea to have only three ... or two will form a deeper friendship and the other will feel imposed upon - even ganged up on, whether that opinion may be somewhat justifed, or less so. But people say that it can't work - that they'll fight. Over someone's desire to move a chesterfield an inch or so this way or that, etc. - peanut stuff. It would need to be overseen by a congenial woman, who was able to mediate difficulties before they got out of hand, whom everyone loved ... and it'd be best if all of the residents/(inmates?) were so pleased with her that she had them eating out of her hand (metaphorically speaking). o j