I had 4 kids in 5 years. I get it. I second the suggestion of the detergent filled bucket, but I usually did not have the energy for that. I just hand washed the offending pair with dish soap in the utility sink and left it until it was time to do the whites. That way any solid matter was washed away and the underwear was more or less clean when it was put in the washing machine. I am lucky enough to have a utility sink and when I was really lazy, I would just let them soak indefinitely until wash day. I would change out the water once a day (if I remembered). Human beings with normal immune systems are able to take on a good bit of bacteria without a lot of problems. Kids are dirty (teenage boys are not much better). Don't stress over it.

Jeri , yours is so beautiful! I was very lucky to find mine locally at waterwise botanicals when they sold quite a few different roses . I haven’t been back in a while but they had rows of lovely roses to choose from . My plant just hasn’t grown lush yet. It’s gangly but hanging on ! I’m hoping it eventually fills out and maybe I can share cuttings bc it is a gorgeous rose !

I don't blame you for being annoyed. First I've heard about homeopathy for gardens. [g] And yes, the native craze is just that a little crazy. Intense. I can understand people thinkng that if everyone would just revert their gardens to what was orignially here, it would bring back the ecological balance. But the reasoning behind it is very sketchy. And a native enthusiast told me once, that people are not part of the ecology. lol. Well, there is where they completely go off the track. People have to live on the earth too. And they have to eat, and grow and usually raise animals. And all of that has always been in conflict with the little critters that they want to invite into everyone's yard with native plants and pretty tolerant practices. If you want to grow food, you are defeating yourself before you start to go about it this way. I've gardened organically for 40 years and I feel that protects the pollinators and rabbits love my yard, unfortunately. Growing food with rabbits all over the place is so much harder. Not to mention moles and voles and chipmunks. The planet is overpopulated with people. Habitat is destroyed to make living spaces for people. Corporations have been poisoning the water and the land. Where ever we went wrong along the way, I don't believe anyone has all the answers to fix it. I still think it is great to try to restore the ecology of your property. Some people have properties that can really benefit from that. And I grow natives, just not exclusively.

I wore black from head to toe. No makeup, simple hair, and pearls to show my tears. I did buy special buckle shoes because I loved her buckle shoes. So I tried to honor her family and her. I placed a simple rose made of paper (a musical sheet) on her altar, and for some reason, I bowed to it as I left the room. I left, bowing to her family as I went. Nobody told me to do it I didn't plan on doing it, but her father bowed back. It was a very American affair the entire time I was there. The Americans didn't wear black, the Japanese did. Her mother wore all black and pearls. Her father did not wear the typical attire. He dressed more American style. And as was typical of any gathering involving her, it was a melange of, well, all of her. There was a picture of her in a traditional kimono, and a picture of her in rock climbing attire. She's so thin in that picture, I would think it was taken a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't stay to the end. I didn't want to be there for the cremation. I didn't feel it was appropriate, and I couldn't handle it. I'm sure we all did what we could.