Hi Guys! It's good to hear from everyone! Yes - work is going well. I've been with the same client now close to 2 1/12 years. I spent a year and a half doing west coast work in the digital sector and now I'm in INTEL in the DC area - all virtual from Florida with some on site required travel.. Working long, long hours. I'm pooped, to be honest, but too busy to step away for time off. I have had a lot of house remodel projects and now have my kitchen remodel on the list. But, of course, ran into a structural snaffoo, so everything is delayed until that can be sorted. I'm doing a lot of the work myself but hiring out certain things. So, it's going 'slow', but I'm not in a huge hurry anyway. Tom- was wondering if you ever did venture into flowers as you are definitely the Veggie Pro! I always aspire to have veggies like yours and Silvia's - but alas, it's just a goal at this point! This is the worst tomato growing year I've ever had. I think I have a virus in my soil in my pots...maybe that's the culprit? Or, it's white flies.....no telling. Silvia: I always think of your gorgeous veggie garden...it's amazing to say the least! Ladywinger: I thought I saw a new hummingbird in Florida! ;) So, he I have continued to put feeders out when I see the first Hummer. I have gotten more than one Hummer in my yard the last two years. But, that could be a weather fluke. I'm hoping with the addition of Fire Spike and a few more humming bird plants they'll stick around a bit longer. Tom: We "should" see the first Hummer in Sept (perhaps late Aug depending on storm season) as the migration typically begins in September. I always add red and a bit of yellow food coloring. They seem to like that deep red-orange color. They love my Cape Honeysuckle which is a deep orange. I also have been planting Orange Justica -- apparently, it is supposed to bloom in shade....we shall see. I have in both shade and sun. It's an expensive plant ($16.95 at Lowes) so I want to start rooting cuttings once it gets established. My Plumeria branches keep getting broken off by rambunctious baby raccoons, so I've rooted several of the broken limbs and have a small Plumeria farm now! All my citrus trees died except for one--a white Duncan grapefruit, which is on life-support....it will probably be dead next year.... I bought a small Key Lime and Meyer Lemon Hybrid which is in a large pot on the patio. That's how I've been keeping busy these days! Kimberly aka: SaintPFLA

Well, there I was saying hello and then forgetting to come back! I've been thinking of y'all and plan to take time to read the good recipes here every day. A woman cannot live by scrapping alone! As soon as I find a recipe for that savory shortbread I'll be sure to post it. My latest project is finding some heart healthy food that Dick will still WANT to eat. He had a heart stent put in this week so while he is feeling great, I'm handling the diet and he's on his own for exercise. Life goes on!

Hi Linda, so good to see you back. Hopefully you will be the first of many to return. I miss so many of the "old gang" even though I enjoy all the new folk that have joined the forum.

Hey there. I'm new to this too, but will give it a shot! First off I wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss, I know you must be hurting and it can't make things any easier feeling inside that things aren't right with your step daughter. I know it's hard, but try not to see her behaviour as a personal attack on you, you obviously care about her and your relationship and I'm sure things will work themselves out, if I were you I would definately not disengage, she's probably craving a bit of consistency and support after your loss, it will be difficult for her to understand and come to terms with. I know all children are different, but her behaviour sounds just like my step daughters, she too is the same age! We used to get on really well at the beginning too, but then she went quiet and moody with me after a while. I took it personally, and thought I'd done something wrong or she just didn't like me anymore but now I think a lot of it boils down to been the ripe age of 10, when they are looking forward to senior school and spending time with older children, they morphe into some sort of mini teenager! My partner also says to me that when we first got together it might seem to me as though we got on really well, but she was just making more of an effort around me because I was new and exciting in her life. He says it's good she feels comfortable enough around me now and doesn't have to put a front on anymore, apperently I've offically been accepted! I did have a chat with her, it's hard to know if she's got something bothering her or if it's just typical 10 year old behaviour as I too hadn't had any parenting experience before, and it did turn out things were bothering her. It turned out she did have a lot on her mind, little things really, that I did or didn't do that she didn't understand, and that I wouldn't have thought of bothered her but they did, and she didn't feel as though she could say something to me, because unlike her mam and dad who she knows will love her always reguardless of what she says or feels, she didn't know how I'd react, she didn't want me to 'not like her anymore' hense the quiet moodiness and one word answers, she was bottling things up. I'm starting to learn not to expect anything from my step daughter. It's as new to her as it is to me and it's took us a long time to get to a place where we all feel as though we fit right as a family (especially since my baby was born)and I don't ever think it will be plain sailing. It's hard work but I think the best thing you can do is talk to her. Maybe you could spend a girly night together or take her out for the day, just you's? Give her a chance to open up to you. Oh and her mother is bound to let her off the hook with everything, she will feel guilt for not seeing her daughter enough and will over compensate, to make sure she has the 'best time' with her. It's the same in my situation, my step daughter has been referred to a healthy eating club as she is slightly over weight so I encourage her to eat fruit and vegetables. I'm not cruel, she can have treats. but after shes ate her dinner.. so her mam gets her takeaways every time she sees her and my step daughter thinks that's great of her but I know I'm doing the best for her in the long term and she will appreciate that when she's older. i remind myself it's about whats best for her, not point scoring. Sorry for message been so long, just hope I can be of any help, read this message and almost thought I'd wrote it myself, I thought I'd been sleep typing! Please let me know how things go Mavis :-)