Dave, streams are lovely though they do incresase water losses to evaporation. My stream is about the same length as the one you are planning. I used one piece of liner and it is not joined to the main pond liner but is overlapped. My stream has three drops or small falls (about 6 to 10 inches) with small pools at the base of each fall to increase the sound effects and to allow for some water retention in the stream when the pump is off (makes start up quicker and gives the wildlife a place to stay wet until the stream is restarted). A fourth drop of about two feet is into the main pond. I ran the liner from the pond up under the liner for the stream behind and under the rocks that form the waterfall. The liners are not joined together but are overlaped about 4 to 5 feet, just to be sure that if there were any capillary action I would not loose any water. The stream bed liner should not extend below the water line in the main pond. You could use this same method to allow you to use two seperate pieces of liner in your stream. For this to work you must have enough slope in the stream bed to prevent water from running backward between the two liners and it works best if it is done at a drop at a falls where water sheets off a flat rock over a edge into a pool. Of course, joining the liners is best and works great as long as the seam is done right. I have another stream between two ponds, that has no slope kind of like a canal, where I joined two pieces of liners. The first time I did it I did not purchase the correct stuff to do the seam and after about two or three years it leaked. You can bet I got the right stuff the second time. Remember, everything settles with time and the wieight of snow or people ( standing admiring your beautiful strem, nothing keeps them back from the edge:>:) so be sure to keep the sides of your stream bed higher than the water level by quite a bit and do not cut off any excess liner, fold it under to hide it. Good Luck.

I have a 60" BlueStar with the big griddle - no grill because our 1970's house had one built in that works FANTASTIC! I LOVE my griddle and fix my full meal on it and especially with lots of people for company. Brkf: pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon or brown rice (already cooked - just reheat on griddle)fish, stir fried veggies with broth or asperagus with a lemon or orange squeezed over the top and lid put over them to steam and poached pears (same way). As for using the 6 burners - I seldom use all 6 at the same time but now that I HAVE 6 burners I am game to making sauces ahead of time and reheating them at the last minute before serving. It gives you a place safe to slide a really hot pot of food that you need shortly. It allows you to serve ALL food/dishes hot at the same time. I could write a book about my Blue Star. Just to put it in perspective - we camp out 4 days a week on our mountain property where ALL our meals are cooked over a wood burning open fire and for years I have cooked and baked in the smallest and cheapest of stoves and turned out FANTASTIC food - the Blue Star makes it easier to do more - lots more.

I agree in that you should only play a supportive role through this and make it a no drama zone. Just be honest if asked a question (don't sugar coat) and provide them with whatever information they ask. The only thing that would make me cautious, and you didn't mention it is, if you broke up for reasons that involved violence or drugs and/or alcohol addiction for obvious reasons. In regards to the relationship they have with their step father, when you say it's the last nail in the coffin, it suggests there has been other issues. IMHO, kids are very loyal to the people who have always been there to love them, if they do go away it's most likely due to things he's done on his own and not the fact that they've connected with extended family. You know what they say, "you made your bed". My first husband and I divorced when my daughter was still a toddler. He was an violent alcoholic and a wife beater. I always felt that eventually one day that would extend out to my daughter so I made it impossible for him to see her. I would answer any questions my daughter had when she was growing up but did not fully disclose details with her until she was in her 20's and it was appropriate for her to know. By that age it was no longer my call and if she chose to seek him out, she deserved to know the facts of why I made the decision I did. Luckily as it turned out she said she was never interested in knowing him but just curious about what exactly happened.

Couldnt agree more, plantsplus. I saw no malice in aroid's reply, but I think you've hit the nail on the head when you say that the OP simply wants someone to 'tell you what you want to hear'. My concern is that the nursery industry isnt entirely populated by people of your ilk - many *will* tell the customer what they want to hear, hence furphys like 'all natives are waterwise' and ' is completely unkillable' whilst directing the gullible victim toward their next acquisition. Again, I'm generalising : I've met quite a few really good nurserypeople who have steered me away from a given plant choice because said plant just doesnt do well in my area, but we have to be realistic : a business needs cash to survive, and that potential customer will just go down the road to the next guy if a suggestion isnt forthcoming. In the interests of appearing 'happy', here are a few proven performers that do well in tropical gardens in dry times (once *established* ..): Bougainvillea Frangipani Yucca Agave Dracaena Strelitzia Bromeliad Other suggestions would include Australian plants noted for their abaility to do well in our 'dry rainforest' enclaves: Flindersia Australis Harpullia Pendula Alphitonia spp. Melia azedarach Pandorea Pandorana and the list goes on. So much of it is microclimate and ongoing care : even the toughest species will find it hard going if exposed to 12 hours of sun and the prevailing winds. The old mantra is, as it always was: 1. Mulch, mulch and more mulch 2. Use soil-wetting agents (and water crystals if applicable) 3. Plenty of organic matter in the mulch layer 4. Periodically clear the mulch away from the plants stem to ensure that the water is penetrating 5. Drip irrigation beats most forms of overhead watering (I prefer the latter for my tree ferns and broms). Enjoy, Artie