OMG - Ming - what a change! Oregon will miss you. I have no doubt that you'll master the art of Xeriscaping - and be a great friend to the living things in your new region. Come BACK when you can! So glad the Daphne cutting struck roots! I'm sending dozens of those Dragon Arum tubers to Pennsylvania in the next week or so, and am enjoying my first season of Dahlia bloom...with more tubers coming. Best wishes to you in your new adventure. **** Yes Blueangel, I still have lots of plant starts, tons of seed, and am happy to make cuttings year round. Will email you this note too, and look at your Wish list, if you've got one started. They are well worth having in place - so generous GardenWebbers can share their bounty! ***** At least a dozen people came by for Irish Moss, Jerusalem Artichoke and many other plants this week, following the St Helens Swap. Come get some Borage starts, seed, whatever we think will work in your space! I'm still yanking and digging variagated ground covers to share, and am helping several new homeowners haul rocks, and make choices for landscape and garden planning, so your excess is still welcome. (This is rather funny, if you've seen my messy farmyard!) People are even asking for common things like Hyacinth. I have a long driveway, with lots of leaves for mulch after frost, where potted things can overwinter if they don't go to new gardens this month, so it's Ok to bring healthy starts and divisions over when you are going to be in NE Portland, near MLK. I think Eucalyptusman is bringing several rooted Magnolias. If not - I think they'll be available at one of our Spring Swaps. Stay Posted here, or join my Garden Swap (and simple living) alert list called CheapoGazetteNW at Yahoo Groups.

sandi, I think my friend got this one on ebay! I did see some at Ben Franklin before Christmas and they had a green one that I wish I would have bought because now they don't have any. :( luvstocraft, I am missing a couple of plates and saucers but otherwise still have most of the set (set of 8) and also the vegetable bowls and the big round platter. And NO chips on any of them! lol! The yellow tablecloth is as old as the dishes and has had lots of wear! kathleen, I didn't know there was such a thing as a olive tray before my friend sent me that one. I think they are so unique!

I agree! Its a mighty special Dad to even think of it, much less DO it! None of the guys I know would do that.

Sunny, One of the things that my husband agreed to early on in our marriage, is that if one of our kids wants/needs the step parent to do things for them (because the parent can't), then the child has to ask the step parent, not the parent. When my son wanted a co-signer on a car, I couldn't help him because I had just started my own business. I talked to my husband and he agreed to help but I felt that my son should ask him, not me. My son did ask him and got the car with my husband's help. My husband does the same with his daughter. If she wants something from me, she has to ask me. She still asks him all the time and he tells her, 'you have to ask SM'. My sons got angry a while back because they don't like when my husband has an opinion about anything. They think he should stay out of 'our life' but then I remind him that he's my husband and he is a part of 'our life' and I remind him of the things my husband contributes and that they don't mind when he does something where they benefit. They don't like it but they know it's true. What your husband should have told his daughter is that she would need to ask you to cook the food because he doesn't know how or can't do it all by himself. It really is up to the parent to expect their children (even adult ones) to respect their spouse enough to ask for themselves instead of going through the parent. It's much easier for kids to let themselves believe that their parent is doing everything for them and they don't need the step parent if all they have to do is ask the parent who then asks the step parent. Then they don't really appreciate the step parent because they can tell themself that their parent is the one doing everything for them. It's funny that my son will ask me for something and when I say, you need to ask stepdad yourself... he'll decide 'I don't really need it.' He has been giving my husband a hard time and would rather go without than ask my husband, well, that's HIS problem, not mine.