Well well, Ken you have a great idea there. As much as my hosta are growing and making it to larger pots, some are still in the smaller containers. In some cases, I would pot 3 hosta in one larger pot, but not a good solution if they are not alike or have dissimilar growth....one outperforms another and I lose the less vigorous. But for the WINTER.....locating the smaller pots inside a larger container could well be the solution to squirrel damage as well as ant invasion and hissing critters...which is really pretty scary to be honest. I like the box concept....but maybe plastic totes....So.....I'll remember this as the year ends for my hosta in December. It could make winter a more restful time for them, and for myself. And no pecan seedlings sprouting come springtime! Keeping the boxes from raising the temp as there is no shade from the pecan trees in winter, and the plastic totes absorb heat, even plastic bags with dormant hosta in them get hot....maybe the WHITE bags could work, with ventilation to keep down condensation. Nothing is simple. Maybe by next winter I can have a workable plan.

Leaks in supply ducts depressurize the building. Leaks in returns make the pressure positive. That sucks outdoor air in, and blows it out, respectively, through any air leak in the house. Note this is for "outdoor" ducts only. If you create fur-downs inside the house envelope, you can tolerate duct leakage. Sucking air in randomly causes a lot of problems in my climate where condensation can readily occur. Central ducted AC systems also tend to cause pressure differentials between rooms unless there is a return in each room. Keep in mind that you will have to undercut each door halfway to your knees unless you have a return in each room or install jump ducts of some sort. Ducts in conventional attics pick up a lot of heat in the summer too. These are all reasons that I installed 7, high wall units in my home in the hot, humid South. Keep in mind that there are other types of mini-splits that do involve shorter duct lengths that might be more easily accommodated by fur-downs. There are also ceiling cassettes.. FSQ4CW, do Al and Fe radiators "require" different temps or are they just sub optimal on the same loop? If the latter, how bad is it really?

I am the adult kid here (scary, ha) with a 16 month old and I didn't have a job to go back to after maternity leave with no prospects (I'm an architect and 80% of architects in my county are currently laid off) so things are a bit tight here as well and I am doing the handmade/homemade gift thing as well. Both of my nieces have their ears pierced so they are getting a hand painted and lined jewelry box and an inexpensive pair of earrings for christmas and my parents/inlaws are getting a book of photos of our son (blurb.com allows you to publish "real" nice quality books and I have been working on it on and off for nearly a year adding photos as I get them - this one covers just his first year). That's about it. My parents are financially much better off than we are. We moved back to a very high cost of living area and purchased a house about a year before the height of the market and now I'm laid off whereas my dad is retired with a very nice pension and my mom bought her company a few years ago and is doing well with it and they are VERY generous with us. If the situation ever flips - well let's put it this way, there is no way I'd spend money on an expensive trip while my parents were living out of a crock pot because they could not afford a new stove! (though I would not get them a Wolf). I say as a parent you need to listen to your instinct. When we make sacrifices for our children it's because it feels right and because we want them to have a good life. It sounds like you have given them a good start to a good life and they are not babies anymore. You do what makes you feel right... and my parents are pretty tight-lipped about what they do for each sibling because frankly it's no one's business except the people actually involved. I think this is a good policy - your other kids do not need to know if you are helping out one of your kids who needs it more. JMHO - and it should not be part of gifts, just something you do because you can (no raiding your own retirement fund because then the burden will be on your kids to take care of you LATER) and want to. As far as gifts, I urge you to sit down and think about what would make YOU feel good to give them. I'm sure there are things you can come up with that don't cost a lot of money. If it's just about the money making you feel good then you should probably reevaluate what the holidays are to you. There is a LOT in between "socks n underwear" and giving an extravagant gift you cannot afford.

Thanks so much Amygdala.Yes my son does have coverage under dads insurance and always has.They have been great.They have paid unbelievable amounts toward Adams expenses but they can only do so much.Unfortunately sometimes even the smallest remaining balance after insurance pays can be a hardship when there is also medicine to buy and gas for trips to out of town doctors and physical therapy and such.I had no idea just how much the CIDC program actually helped until we no longer had the help and a year later the after shock starting hitting with all the unpaid medical bills on top of buying the necessary meds and all.And during this time my daughter was diagnosed with her condition also.It just put us in a desperate place.I did intend to go by the social workers office while we at Childrens Hosp. Monday but after trying to track down the Neurologist's office who had moved out of the hosp to another building I completely forgot.Their office is the office that originally got Adam approved for the program to begin with.But since then they have devised a waiting list policy and it is backed up 5 yrs from what they told me.The beaurocracy is just unreal.They first tell he has to qualify for the waiting list either by income or by meeting another spin down amt.which we met well above what we needed to.Then we have to apply him for the state organized CHIP ins. but had we accepted we had to drop medical coverage thru DH's employer( NO WAY).So we refused the program and I had to send a letter explaining why to the state office.I did this.Then after about 4 or 5 mths I just recieved a letter stating that Adam was accepted on the waiting list.(This does not mean he is in the program just on the waiting list).I call the office handleing his case to see what his status is on the list and I 'm told because they have not recieved a confirmation from the state office of my refusal to accept the CHIP program that he actually isn't even on the waiting list until they get that confirmation.I then call the state office to explain what I need and I'm told they will get one to me .Well that's been two weeks and I'm still waiting.On top of that by the time I got the actuall letter telling me he was on the waiting list the dates of acceptance were such that it was going to be void in a matter of 3 or 4 mths.THen I have to start the whole process over.First by applying my son for Medicaid which I don't even want but they tell me I have to in order to apply him for the CIDC program.Which is a total waste of time because in 5 yrs he has never qualified.Confused yet?I'm sorry if I sound bitter.But can't help it.I cry, I pray, and then I pray somemore.My DH is a hard working man and he is carrying a huge load.And I feel helpless!The sights you offered I will definitely check out.Any info is a step in the right direction.I can't just give up because I am my son's voice.But I never wanted to be a crusader either.Thanks so very much for letting me vent.Shelia P.s. I was just curious I have read many posts you have written and you seem to have so much knowledge of the medical field.Do you mind if I ask what your actual field is.Thanks