Just a few questions...I pretty much don't watch T.V. I do watch it when I'm in a friend's home or visiting one of my kids or when I'm at the dentist. (I don't have anything against T.V. either. I just got out of the habit when we moved to this house without a cable connection.) Anyway, I always thought if I were going to watch T.V. that I'd like HGTV because of their gardening shows. So I want to know what they do on these shows that I'm not aware of? As for hiring people to garden for you, my husband (when he was alive) and I did all of the work ourself. I feel good knowing it's our own creation, but I've been tempted to hire help; however, it just never worked out. For example, I happened upon a really cool web site that belonged to a local gardening expert. I contacted him for an hour consultation to give me tips. He never showed then called two weeks later to say he'd forgotten. More recently, I contacted a native plant expert who does "garden coaching" to see if she could give me plant recommendations for the right-of-way outside my fence.--It's a difficult area with dry shade. She charged $185.00/hr and that was more than what I could afford. (I can figure it out myself, but I thought it would be nice to have someone see what I see with fresh eyes.) I'll have to look that "piss off" plant up. :-)

I have one that is more strange than funny, but appropriate for a decorating forum. Many years ago, just before Christmas, my BIL and his wife remodeled their kitchen, using apples as a theme--dark red and forest green colors. My MIL called and told me that for Christmas she and FIL were buying BIL/SIL new dishes, to match their new kitchen. She described the dishes as having apples painted on them, with a dark green edge band. Then she said, "And we'd like to get you new dishes, too." I was thrilled, because I'd been thinking of buying a new set of dishes to replace our old odds-and-ends, but hadn't wanted to spend the money. I told my MIL this, and thanked her, and mentioned that either a cream color, or a light sage green would look good in my kitchen. MIL: "No, we're getting you the same dishes, with apples on them, because that's what FIL likes." Me: "But, we don't have anything with apples on it in our kitchen, and really, nothing red or forest green." (The kitchen had no theme--it was neutral with cream and tan, and some light blue-green vintage pottery.) MIL: "Well, that's what we're getting you, and I'm sure they'll be just fine." Me: "Um, OK, thank you. That's really nice of you." On Christmas I opened the package, thanked the in-laws again, then used the hated apple dishes for about a year and a half. One day when the in-laws showed up for family dinner, I put out my brand new cream and sage dishes, that I'd finally bought for myself, without saying a word. Neither of them ever mentioned my new dishes. I love my FIL and my late MIL, and that was so out of character for them, it still puzzles me. BTW, I packed away the apple dishes, until just recently, when my DD needed dishes for her new place. She was happy to see the familiar pattern, especially since the dishes came from her grandparents. :)

Kim - You mentioned things I was worried about! lol You can put rugs (cheaper kinds) in the washer? I never even thought about not being able to shampoo a rug on top of the hw. Duh. :) Our driveway is stones so that wouldn't work either. I guess I really need to check into if there's a place near us that does professional carpet cleaning and see how much it is. Tina - That's cute your dog wipes her feet. Growing up we always wiped our dear Butch's feet. He was smart, we should've thought to train him with that! If we got hw I was thinking oak, mid range color, and less shine would be best. I bought a wool/silk rug for under the DR table back in October and didn't realize you shouldn't use a beater bar on it . . . For two months I ran my dyson over it often! I don't believe there's an adjustment for the suction. I now use the attachment and I find it to be somewhat of a pain. Doesn't help that the rug is mainly black, the cats like to sleep on it and the room gets a bunch of light. Our LR gets a bunch of light. That being said I don't think I'll ever buy a tufted rug again. It's not too bad since it's only one but I believe future ones will be cheaper synthetic or I'll go the hand knotted way and be done with it. But I think I'd feel better when something happened to them if I didn't spend gobs of money as accidents happen, iykwim. Heck, I've never had hw. Maybe I'll like it without rugs. Wouldn't that be easy. :) So as long as there's a good protective finish on there my cat's occasional hairball being there all day while we're at work should be ok? Honestly as far as cat hair, I'm not bothered by our vinyl floors. Well except by the side door where we're always in and out. The tiny stones get on my nerves. Oakley you're right as far as it sticking to the furniture. I'm forever running the sweaper on it. I thought it was pretty good until this morning when I was reading in the bright morning sunlight! Eek. I wouldn't trade our cats for the world but I've about had it with all the fur at the moment. I'm leaning toward hw I just needed to hear some thoughts. I'm nervous to spend the money and possibly not like them. I'm sure there's an adjustment period like anything else. Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I really appreciate it.

What funny stories! Two of my personal favorites involve my cat. When she first adopted me, I was single and living in a "no cats allowed" apartment building. For obvious reasons, I wanted to keep her a secret. She, however, invented what she thought was a very fun game. When I would come home from work or wherever, she would make a break for the door to "escape." Once out of the door, she would run like crazy to the door at the end of the hall that led to the outside. Then she would wait for me to run after her, dodge me and then run as fast as she could back to my apartment. This game used to drive me crazy. One day, tho, she took off as per usual. Just as she reached the outer door, it opened and a person who lived down the hall came in. Scared my kitty half to death! She ran as fast as she could to me, crying all the way. Never bolted out the door again. My other memory is when we brought our 1st sheltie home. Same cat, now 12 years of spoiling later, had become quite used to being the "only." Dogs had come to visit before, but always with someone else and she never really minded, as long as they left her alone. This was different and she knew it instantly! She was lying on the couch and as soon as she saw the dog, she arched up, started screaming and hopped sideways across the living room floor. Scared our poor sheltie . . . and us . . . half to death! 5 years and another sheltie later she's quite used to the idea of sharing her house. She's still the queen bee and never lets them forget it.