Ilene, I've been wondering where you'd been! I agree with you. I do think there is a big climate difference between extreme southern Oklahoma and northern Oklahoma, especially northeastern Oklahoma. For starters, we are are the 'sunny side of the Arbuckles', though you can't tell much difference this year! I think we get a little hotter, perhaps, in late July and early August of some years. Our first year here we had a string of 110 to 115 degree days in early August that lasted about a week, and I was ready to pack up and move back to Texas, where it 'only' gets to about 105, maybe 106 on very hot days. Most of the time y'all have higher humidity and higher rainfall. Y'all also have generally better soils and colder winters. We have earlier springs most years, and we have occasional days in January through March where the temps spike up into the 80s and even the 90s, which will make us think it is spring even though it is not. I don't know if your winter temps are as erratic as ours, or if they are more consistently winter-like? I think our frost-free growing season is a few days longer than yours, but not much. We do get away with pushing the envelope as far as planting early, because our late cold spells tend to be briefer and not as cold as your late cold spells. If you are familiar with the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and its weather, ours is very, very similar to theirs--only slightly hotter in the summer and slightly colder in the winter. As far as whether you are a Yankee or not? I don't think so! I have to admit though, that when I was growing up in Texas, it was generally accepted that everyone who was NOT from Texas was, in fact, a damn Yankee! Now just find a single person in Texas who was even born in Texas! The Yankees have all moved south and become Texanized. Ilene, I was pinching back the lemon and lime basil earlier today because they are trying to flower and I am trying to stop them. I could pinch back basil all day--it smells so good. I have a big pot of tomatoes on the stove boiling down so I can make spaghetti sauce for dinner. In a few minutes I am going to run out to the garden and pick some Italian large leaf basil and some parsley to use. Yum. I am just like you--tired of the rain but afraid to say so out loud for fear I will jinx us and the rain will totally stop. It has happened to us before--we have gone from a VERY wet spring to a July and August where virtually no rain fell, and it is amazing how quickly the moisture in the ground dissipates! I hope they are careful with their water releases so your area doesn't have to deal with more flooding. Your little old lady friends sound so precious and sweet--I always liked the Baldwin sisters. When I was growing up we had a lot of older ladies like them and they got me addicted to gardening. I remember them working out in their yards and gardens wearing cotton housedresses in lovely floral prints, and very sensible shoes, and big straw hats, and very proper gardening gloves of course. I may be more comfortable in my jeans, T-shirts, baseball cap and hiking boots as I work in the garden.....but I don't look like a 'southern lady gardener' the way they used to! We've been fighting the grass too as it attempts to take over the world, especially in the beds where all the 'prety' stuff grows. It seems like all we do is mow and weedeat lately, in between rain showers, of course. I hate to say it, cause I'll jinx us, but not a drop of rain has fallen at our place today. There--I went ahead and said it--now it will probably start pouring down rain at any moment. :) I need to go gather some herbs. Talk to you all laer. Dawn

We passed final inspection yesterday!!! We started the move-in over the weekend. Furniture delivered Saturday and yesterday. Unpacked a bunch of kitchen things, running through dishwasher and hand-washing them. Then trying to see how things will fit in what drawer or cabinet. Have done several loads of sheets and towels. Everything is working. Well, there was an issue of the gas dryer not drying, but after I noticed a light on the dryer saying to check dryer vent, DH found that the vent had been painted shut and even after prying it open, he noticed not much hot air coming out. Turns out there was a huge amount of insulation stuck inside! That was a fire waiting to happen!!! Whew, glad we got that solved. Eventually we'll get towel racks, tp holders, vanity mirrors, and cabinet shelves installed. We hope to spend the night later this week!

Thanks everyone! I said it was going to be a surprise since I couldn't actually remember WHAT my granite looked like..... but I am happy it was a good surprise :) DH, the fabricator, the installers and the GC all love it and thinks it's perfect with the white cabinets. Me.... it's a bit different then what I remembered, so I now have to change gears.... I thought it was heavier on the black and brown and I planned to go with a chocolate milk sort of wall color. Now that I see it reads a predominant cool grey color, I am stumped. How's that for an answer rose?? I haven't got a clue at this point. Any suggestions? mairin - my new headache started sooner rather than later. I stand there and stare at it and know now I have to change direction on the finished look. Definitely need to sleep on this one..... then probably come back begging for more help....LOL traci29 - as you can tell from my comments, my 'next step' has hit the proverbial brick wall. Okay, maybe not the NEXT one. All agreed my choice of Spanish Antique Pewter knobs was the hands down winner. Yay! That was my choice :) So, can I count that as completing the next step? pattyk - yes, I am happy. I would rather be ecstatic.... but that can't happen until I pick the paint color and make my final decision on the floor...... then I will be very, very happy. I will say, your sample of this stone is darker than mine and I am jealous you found that. It would have made my choices so much easier. Good Luck!! Be sure to let us know what you pick..... and pictures, lots and lots of pictures :)

Colin, nice report mate and glad at least one of the lot i sent ya came up ta scratch lol.. Surprised about the cherokee Choc and Mariana's though and i would be givin em another go IF!!!you can for an Autumn plant as those two would have had to be among my favourites ey.. I'm only just starting my Tom plantout , actually lying there as i did plant out three/four mariana's about two weeks ago but rest of the seeds have only been recently put in their seedtrays ey.. Weve had a much hotter than normal Summer here as i would think you's have had so might go to explain. AND!!!ifyourve been away, has anyone been tending to them???.. Cheers