I came to terms with this years ago -- I stopped trying to do everything and now just do what I can when I can do it, and I try my best not to bite off more than I can chew (although admittedly it still happens sometimes). Someone wisely told me years ago that the most important tool in the toolbox is the checkbook - and I agree with that wholeheartedly. I work full time and am in grad school - those are more important than my garden and take precedence. If I have to pay to have something done that needs to be done, so be it (I am working as is my husband, and I do realize I am fortunate in this, work is most definitely a blessing). At this point in my life I refuse to spend my precious free time fretting over things that are waiting for me to do. Of course there are seasonal chores, but if they don't get done, so what? What's the worst that's going to happen if I don't clean up the garden in the fall? So I'll have to clean up in the spring. Big deal. My annuals didn't get planted until June. So what. They got in the ground late, but they're fine. So what if you lose some of your seedlings? You can sow more. It took me years to cultivate this attitude, and IT IS FREEING. Now when I work outside it's normally because I *want* to and I enjoy it, not because I *have* to and end up dreading it instead. This post was edited by mxk3 on Sun, Jun 29, 14 at 13:26

NO. I think the same way as ebse - my husband and i slog it out to make money, get no benefits for being responsible with money, just keep seeing our taxes shooting up and up as a reward for our hard work. So, I buy the best value for my money. I hate my old GE profile cook top and am waiting to get rid of it. My fridge is a sub-zero and pretty much every thing else in my kitchen is not american. BTW/ we have never owned an American car - but, our last european car was manufactured in South Carolina - so maybe that is not true, after all. I am american, but have worked for 12 years in a Japanese semi conductor company with huge operations and thousands of american employees in California. So, what is American and what is non-american anymore? This is a global economy whether we like it or not. So, I am always happy to buy the best quality for my money without any pressure to buy american. If some american companies suffer (especially in the auto sector), it is not because of our lack of support, it is because of the poor business strategies - and anyway, Congress is always there to bail them out with my tax $$$$. So, no worries, I am supporting them by working hard to pay my taxes :)

*faints* 2....years....umm....it does look rather special though..I'm tempted....hehe To be more specific it's for my dad. Not a huge huge project but I want to stitch him something like a dreamcatcher with a saying on...or a saying with vaious things round the outside...not a major project as at the same time I have to do something for my daughter, son, mum, sister, etc...etc...etc.... the life of a stitcher is never done eh? LOL people always say to me ...oooh I could never do that... but they could it just takes the patience to spend ages doing it and sitting on your bottom hehe

I don't even read these email forwards. There's really enough spam floating around and when the authenticity can't be determined (according to Snopes) it's best IMO to not get too worked up over something that's most likely a hoax.