Glad to see you looking on the bright side now Bob. Sorry you had that all happen. Sux about your plumie, I'm sorry. Hopefully the nanners will come up from their bases nice and big and strong! When it rains it pours, but the storm is over and soon your yard will be gorgeous again..and all that new land you have to play with!!! :) ROFLMFAO tho...you wanna see depressing???? come look at MY yard! friggin crappy jersey, man. Have I mentioned I HATE winter? 3 dead fish stuck in the ice of the pond, very interesting to look at. It would be hysterical if they thawed and came back to life, lmao. Everything is brown and ucky and muddy. So many 'sticks' I have to prune back in a few weeks. I only have a couple evergreen plants, and they are still small, hopefully will be blooming soon though. Sheesh, I still have fall leaves covering half of my beds. gonna be in the 60's tomorrow so hopefully I can get those leaves outta there! Can't even see my mulch..I can't believe I spent all that money on mulch, and then gave up on keeping the leaves off when Dec rolled around. hmmm...maybe I'll just throw down some new mulch on top of the leaves, lazy way I know..lol. let em break down. sorry...rambling again...

I agree with debrak...on not getting hung up on the date. Your kids are young and if it works to celebrate on another date then do it. I realize that its likely your kitchen will not be finished during the Christmas season but when you see your parents in January - CELEBRATE! Have the Christmas feast. Maybe leave a few decorations out. My dh works all different times, shifts, holidays, last minute. He literally was given his work schedule yesterday for the 2 weeks starting THIS SUNDAY through the holidays! Talk about throwing any plans out the window, I actually just don't bother to try to make any. I'd love to say I've gotten used to it after 14 years and that it doesn't get under my skin but I'd be a big fat liar. Some years are better than others and I do not take it out on my dh but I do need to vent here and there. It was very hard when the kids were young and I had this vision of what I thought Christmas morning would be like - vision not reality. Sometimes I think our expectations set us up for failure. When the kids were younger we celebrated whenever my husband wasn't working. Santa came any day that worked for us during Christmas break and it was usually NEVER on the 25th. They are older now so they'd realize the date but then the 'gig' is up anyhow. So I guess my point is - after all of this schedule business and the added stress it causes I have come to cherish the simple togetherness with my immediate family and do not get hung up on the days or what we couldn't do or had to miss. We fit in everything else with extended family when we can. Sometimes it is January. It's just the way it is. That way we space out the big meals and food coma's so I guess that would be a perk! Sending you best wishes for a memorable holiday with your family and with your parents.

Lydia I'm so sorry for you loss. Losing our beloved furry children is never easy. You may remember I had to put down our Bubba in December, so I know what you are going through. I'm sure Kobi is watching over you from the great pet heaven.

You're my support garden group, with constant infusions of praise and encouragement. Carol, that is a high compliment, but if I'm correct you joined after me and didn't see the first few years, with bountiful rainfall and cooler temperatures. Nevertheless, I'll take the compliment. Lisa, I wonder if you have more weeds because you still have grassy areas. Also, I have mostly drip watering whereas you use a hose. I tried to root Potter and Moore but failed, so you're welcome to try your luck. I think you're right that the cooler temperatures helped the roses in spite of the wind, because I really didn't have crispy blooms. Just like you, I can't keep my lips and hands moisturized enough with the almost non-existent humidity. newbie, I think it's the hills that really make this place special. Those tall trees are cypresses, by the way, which you often see in warm and dry climates because they don't need much water. You must live in a dry area too, if you'd rather have the weed and the rain. I hope you're checking out the tea roses, which should do well for you. Jin, I'm glad my hills bring back memories. It's difficult to be a flatlander once you've lived in the hills or near mountains. I hope the roses you've ordered do well for you. Your climate and soil are very different and I'll keep my fingers crossed that everything flourishes. Rosylady, I don't know how you cope with the deer. I get upset when the rabbits bite off buds and leaves, and put a thorny barrier around the roses they snack on, which are usually the young and small ones. I don't think the deer would be deterred by that. Unfortunately, in areas where there are no predators there are way too many deer and they do a lot of damage, even in wild places. Since there are wolves now in Yellowstone, the whole ecosystem has been rejuvenated to an incredible extent, in ways that you wouldn't even imagine. Chris, I'd like to think that your less critical and more benevolent eye has seen improvements that I'm not aware of. I'm more than willing to believe you! Alana, Marlorena and Valerie, thank you for the praise and for your good wishes in regard to the fire situation. Even though we're safe for now here, my thoughts are with those further north who still have raging fires, and all the people who are affected by the smoke and soot.