Hi Carol, glad you're back, ok, and congrats on the new computer. I've got one with those big screens, they are really fantastic, but I'm so used to getting around fast on my pc, I mainly still use that. The new one is a lot different, I've learned to do a lot of things already, but it's like learning Windows again from the ground up and frustrating to have to look up how to do the simplest little thing. My daughter loves to watch youtube videos on it with her little boy. The sound drives me nutz, and I found how to turn it up or down in the system controls. Got fed up with that, looked it up, and see there are two keys where the function keys are on my pc for adjusting the volume up or down. Very slick. Simple things like that I get stuck for awhile. I think I WS'ed my crazy daisies in about February 2 years ago, planted the whole jug hos. Am almost positive I didn't spring sow them. Think they bloomed the first year, too. Mine have all different variations. Can send you some more seeds in the fall if I mark a choicer bloom or several. I notice my New England Purple Dome Asters have seeds up the wazoo. I don't know if it's too late to collect them but think I will but won't have time to mess with trades until I get caught up on other things. I'll make sure they are dried out well and seal them up for later.

The meatloaf is pretty good, but I used 1/3 each of ground beef, veal and pork and it wasn't very firm; I think I'll use 1/2 ground beef and 1/4 each veal and pork. Also, I didn't grate the carrot very fine and I think I should have. I'll certainly try this recipe again. WORLD'S BEST MEATLOAF 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs - (tear up soft sliced bread - don't use fine crumbs as for breading) 1 1/2 lb ground meat (beef or pork & beef) (about 700 grams) 1 beaten egg 1 onion chopped fine 1/4 teasp dry Colman's (or similar) mustard 1/8 teasp ground sage 1/2 teasp ground thyme 1 1/2 teasp salt 1/4 teas pepper 1/8 teasp nutmeg 1 chopped green pepper 1 tin condensed tomato soup (eg Campbells's) 3/4 cup grated celery 3/4 cup grated carrot 1) Mix meat with egg, add onion and seasonings and bread crumbs, greens and carrots 2) Add half the tin of soup and mix everything well. Turn into greased loaf pan or glass casserole dish 8.5 x 11 inches and pour remaining soup over the top, smoothing it evenly over all. 3) Bake 350 F (177 C) for 1 1/4 hours. 4) Serve with buttered vegetables. Mustard pickles also goes well and this makes wonderful cold sandwiches next day ! Source: American Pro Footbal Player's Wife in 1963 My Notes: 1) I use 'tomate frito' instead of the condensed soup. It's a rich fried Spanish tomato purée but otherwise condensed soup is good. Never use ketchup ! 2) I usually double the amount of the ground spices with the exception of salt. SharonCb Beverly that tomato sauce would probably be very much like the Spanish fried tomato (smooth) sauce I use. It comes out nice and tangy. For that reason I should have also mentioned that *cream of* tomato soup doesn't do the job - it should be plain condensed tomato soup or a smooth and tangy rich tomato sauce. SharonCb  Posted by: woodie2 (My Page) on Wed, Sep 21, 05 at 10:20 I love this meatloaf and have made it several times, thanks again, Sharon! Here are my own little notes, just FYI - I put the meat into a large bowl, then the egg on top and beat it with a fork, then sprinkle all the dried seasonings on top. Then I do 4-5 slices of bread in the food processor and then empty the container on top of the meat. Then I chop the onion and pepper in the processor and dump on top of the meat. Then I put 3 celery stalks and 1 large carrot in the processor and process fine and dump it on top of the meat. Then I add the soup and mix it all up with my hands. I don't use my knife for this meatloaf! I also double the seasonings as Sharon suggests (no salt for me) and I prefer red pepper over green pepper, once I even used canned roasted red pepper when I didn't have a pepper, it was great!

Oh, Paula, bless your heart, honey! I guess it rained 15 inches in the last few days. And wound up going down to 40 last night, and I drug out my sweat shirt for this morning. What you show is the way it used to be in my Back40 after a rain. So I hauled in some dirt and spread the landscaping fabric, and then covered it with lots of bags of cypress mulch. One side effect of this is that the slugs are not comfortable on that coarse mulch, I suppose. Because out there I find no slugs. Around the edges, against the fence, I've found a few. And that is where I place the bait now. Hope to see you back in business soon, Paula. We miss your pictures and your experiences with the hosta. Everything is soaked here. But very few soft spots where there is no mulch. I love mondo grass and liriope because their root systems are so supportive over soft ground.

I have a daughter who is a single parent. She is finding it to be a real struggle. Maybe your DIL has got the message that being a single custodial parent is not a good option for either your granddaughter or herself. Your posting suggests that your DIL is involved as a visiting parent and that her relationship with yourself is reasonably civil given circumstances. Considering what I hear about couples who have split up, I would be thankful for small mercies. As to what to tell your granddaughter. I would tell her that her mommy loves her very much but that mommy cannot provide a good home and that you can. I think that it would be helpful to see if you can get/keep a good relationship as possible with your DIL. After all you are likely to be involved with her for a long time to come. You might have to work hard at being non-judgmental. If your son objects, tell him that it is for the sake of granddaughter. Ian