Ingrid, I have the opposite problem. I have planted my roses in 100% organic material....mostly Jungle growth mix which is 55 - 65 composted west coast pine and peat moss with a little other stuff. When I bought my first rose in February, I called my local Dept of Agriculture and asked how to plant. The woman told me that she planted in 100% Jungle Growth Potting soil from Lowes. So I have spent a fortune on the stuff, only to now learn from "Michaelg" that I'm facing some problems with planting in 100% organic material. Actually, he was very informative and interesting. Read the thread "Do earthworms in mushroom compost mean its compost?" I have to get some of my local sand and clay in the form of kitty litter in the mixture. I think I'm going to aim for about 40 % sand, 10-20% kitty litter, and 50 - 40% OM. I'm too paranoid about root knot nematoads to go any leaner than that. I seem to remember reading that SherryOcala uses 50% amended soil - and her roses look beautiful. If I can just get through this first couple years without having a nervous breakdown, I expect it to get much easier! I hope to start grafting my favorite roses on Fortunia rootstock (I'm rooting cuttings) - and just be done with this Nematode business :>) Bellegallica, I have a very pretty striped sweater--I'll let you know if it brings me luck. Gracin

I mentioned allergies (I know you hadn't) because that is by and far the NUMBER ONE complaint of people who either have lived here for a number of years or who have just moved here. If they did a survey of antihistimine and steroid usage for the treatment of allergies in the USA, I am certain FL would rank #1 easily. And it seems to go on forever, every year, as things bloom, blossom and blow around in waves. When one thing finishes (pine pollen) another starts (oak pollen) and then the rains start (mold, etc) and other trees start throwing pollen out. Its not jincapacitating AFFLICTION for many folks here. My daughter and I are both affected, my husband is not. Let me see if I can put this in some sort of "realtime" perspective for you. Some of you may be able to relate to this, some probably won't. I am a distance runner for laffs grins and exercise. I have been for years, I started when we lived in California in the 1980's. My husband is a marathoner, he's originally from Dallas which is way hotter than Florida in summer. California had almost perfect outdoor exercise weather, warm not hot, dry dry dry. Until now my top distance has been the half marathon (13.1 miles). I am training for my first marathon, at the age of 48, which will be the Outer Banks in NC in early November. I am running 35-45 miles a week, outdoors (no treadmill training). On August 3rd I went out for a 16 mile training run. It was in the mid-70's when I started my run at 7:30 AM. My pre-run weight was 127 pounds. I was foolish and only took 8 oz of water with me to start because I was in a rush to beat the heat. I also forgot my Powergel. I had to stop at the grocery store at mile 13 and refill my water bottle. This was at about 9:15 AM At mile 13 1/2 I developed the early signs of heat prostration (visual disturbances, paresthesias (needles and pins, crawly sensation) in my arms and legs, buzzing fingers and hands, nausea, shortness of breath, sweat cessation followed by uncontrollable sweating). I didn't have my phone (stupid me). I was 2 1/2 miles from home and I started to walk. At about 3/4-1/2 mile from my house I couldn't walk anymore. I knew I was going to pass out. So I sat down by the side of the road and hoped someone would happen by to aid me. I was in luck and a member of the Florida Cycle Club who had been out on a 50 mile ride came by and saw I was in distress. He had an extra Sport Gel and a phone. He tried to call my husband but we couldn't get him so he called his wife. She came in an SUV with 24 oz of water and took me home. After cooling down in a cool tub and rehydration with over 64 oz of fluids, a banana, and a bagel, my weight was still only 122 lbs. Still a full FIVE POUNDS down from my pre-run weight. Which means I was probably somewhere around 115-116 lbs at the height of my distress from sweat loss, and had not had a molecule of salt left in my body. I felt terrible all that day and half the next. You may say, "Wow what a story!" but my point is...you don't have to be out running 16 miles in FL to have the same thing happen to you at any time in summer. People who work outdoors are ALWAYS in danger of heat prostration or heat stroke here...the phone guys, cable installers, roofers and other construction workers, lawn crews....the freaking Florida Gator football team at practise...those people have to work out in the heat and its dangerous. THAT'S how serious the heat issue can be here. We do have heat pumps, since our house is a little over 4000 sq ft we have 2, one for each end of the house. My electric bill for cooling is only under $200 a month in early Spring...February and March. From April through November-December it can be anywhere from $250-550 a month. Like I said, this is not the climate for someone who is looking to relocate for ANY kind of health issue unless you are planning to sit inside most of the time. I wish you luck though...if I had been lucky enough to actually get to Costa Rica, I would have NEVER in a million years come back to the US.

Sharon - So good to hear from you again. My sincere sympathies on all the moving troubles - it seems like a nightmare! Moving in the best of circumstances is no fun, but your experience sounds dreadful. When we first moved into our old farm house we discovered that the boxsprings (double) wouldn't go up the stairs, so DH sawed the wooden structure in half and we folded them. (The replacements had split box springs.) We also discovered that the new living room couch was too wide for all of the doors into the house, so that had to go into storage until we were able to replace one door( which needed replacing anyway) with wider ones. Glad that your husband has a job and best wishes on finding one yourself. Does your townhouse have a place that you can garden, either in the ground or in pots? If so, I imagine you can attend one of the plant swaps - in my experience folks are thrilled to be able to give plants to someone just getting started & you don't need to bring anything. If you were closer you'd be welcome to come by & pick up a plant or 10.

Sounds good but in the US you would need hundreds of thousands of dollars for the licenses and other business necessities. Many hotels have rooms that are accessible some with adjoining suites for caregivers. However they lack the necessary electrical outlets needed for a full care situation. Of course it also depends on what you call "full care". The number of families that could use your services is large. The number of families that could afford your services is very small.