Hi Marleah! I'm glad you're enjoying your roses again. I'm sure your father would approve. There have been several nurseries lost the past few years but there are still many good ones out there. I'm not sure which ones you know of already so my apologies if I mention some of them here. I don't know which of these specialize in OGRs but here's a list of some I know of. Heirloom Northland Rosarium Roses Unlimited Palatine Angel Gardens Burlington Roses Regans Edmunds Pickering Antique Rose Emporium High Country Roses Rosmania I'm sure I've missed some so I hope others will chime in!

Remember what Readinglady said when her Dad passed away on Thanksgiving: "Nothing is lost, it is simply unseen". Thank you for that poem, this first Christmas without Dad or Stepdad was very different. We didn't even try to make things the same, we started some new traditions, as difficult as it was. Elery got a Santa Claus suit and came as Santa, enthralling all the little kids, that's going to be a new Christmas tradition we keep, I think. Dad would have loved telling the kids how the reindeer were down at his hayfeeder, but I'm sure he was just sitting and chuckling anyway. Annie

I don't think there's a 'one size fits all' on what will make your parents feel better. We lost our precious 10 year old poodle almost 3 months ago and it was the hardest thing I've ever gone through and I'm 66. He had not been well for 4 years but I'm an optimist and chose to believe he had more time left. DH is a pessimist and thought he was going long before he did. We both thought it best to make arrangements before hand and I'm glad we did. I ordered him a beautiful casket, almost like a human one, and we had our SIL prepare his burial spot and put a plastic container large enough for the casket to go in. Once that was done I felt no need to discuss it but DH would talk about it when any of our kids were here. I think it made them uncomfortable and I would ask him not to bring it up. Jett suddenly got worse @ 4:00 on a Friday. After getting his usual treats and meds he shortly got behind a chair where he had never gotten before and we knew something was wrong. We rushed him to the vet, he checked him and told us what had happened was actually a blessing. I secretly questioned his sanity but he meant that Jett was going quickly instead of long and drawn out. His lungs had filled with fluid and he had a tumor in his abdomen that DH had just discovered that day and he knew every bump on him since he held him pretty much the entire time he was home. The vet said we needed to let him go and I first told him I simply couldn't. He was concerned that Jett would get in trouble afterhours and he wasn't on call. I held Jett while he went to check who would be on call and to get him an injection for pain. When I realized it was better to let him go I made the decision right then to make it easier for him. I stayed with him to the end but DH couldn't. I'm saying all this to tell you that each person has to do things their own way. There's no way I would have left him though it was hard to see him take his last breath. I had always said I didn't think I would survive losing either of my 'babies' but somehow you go on. It was a horrible week, then the tears got farther apart. Now I tear up thinking about him but I know he's at peace and waiting for us. As for your parents not wanting to go anywhere, I totally understand. We didn't both leave ours for anything. Jett has a 'sister' 6 months younger and we don't leave her even though she isn't sick. While she hasn't verbally grieved (like our neighbor's dog still does after losing her partner 3 months ago) she just doesn't seem happy now. I don't know how to help her. I expected her to totally freak out when Jett left and had the vet give her a sedation injection. He also gave us meds to give her but she didn't visually get upset so I haven't given them. She has a cat to play with and doesn't seem to look for Jett but just seems sad. We also have her arrangements made, hopefully way in advance. I hope your parents have a lot of time left with him and that they can cope when the time comes. I would just suggest you listen if they want to talk about it and try to comfort them when it's his time. I have never let myself question if I did the right thing. We have to make decisions based on what we think is best and it doesn't help to torture ourselves with the 'what if's'. My thoughts are with you and your sister too.

We re about to hit the 7 month mark of no stove, with another 2 months until permits get approved for propane. Demo was in Nov, our punch list is long, our stove is in but not hooked up, our venthood does not work, parts of the counter have been missing for months and I need to paint so much it is overwhelming. I have painted approx half of what needs doing (the entire interior, minus our sons' room needs doing, including painting stained moldings and window trim and new primed window trim and moldings). Then, I get to finish a small section of exterior and paint the garage door. Once the interior is painted, and money allows, we need to rip up the dr and new den floor and put down new wood floors. We need to rip up our new kitchen floor for another one to be determined. Then, the backyard that got chewed up by machines will need fixing and we need a new fence (old ugly one had to get half torn down in the process). I expect to get the interior done in approx 4 months and the rest by Spring. We'll be right around the 1 year mark, if we are lucky! (I am not even thinking of how long until the bs....)