I have a "Prairie Rose" or Carolina Rose. It has a great lemony fragrance and fills my yard with it's scent. Own root roses (OGR) look much like that. Even David Austin loved them and used them (for their fragrance, hardiness and disease resistance) and crossed them with other roses to create his awesome English roses. I have several OGR. All are very, very heady fragrant and only bloom in Spring. (but worth the wait for what they bring to the garden IMHO). They are stoleniferous (spread by root stolens), but not so fast that you can't shovel prune them. Mine are just beginning to bud and bloom now. They will be in full bloom in May and bloom from 4-6 weeks. Blooms are small as are the leaves, compared to other roses. The light fragrance, large leaves and the leaf rust tells me that it is probably NOT an OGR. I think she may be a Climbing Old Blush. She prefers some shade to conserve moisture. Her blooms have double petals and is blousy, and she has pointed leaves, all like yours. Check out the link below. Make sure you read all the info at the bottom of the page, too. ~Annie Here is a link that might be useful: Climbing Old Blush - pictures and information

Hi no-green-thumb, Sorry it took me so long to see this post but you got some really good advice AND it seems like you are doing all of the right things for your bone health. I've known I had osteopenia since I was 55 (six years ago)(I'm very thin framed and a good candidate for osteoporosis) and was able to maintain, and in fact, increase my bone density ever so slightly through weight training, calcium, lots of Vitamin D. I also use Centrum Silver. After my total hysterectomy at 58, my bone density really decreased a lot within one year (no HRT because of breast cancer family history, but I increased my Vitamin D and Calcium and concentrated more on my weight training in the area where I had the bone loss. I just had a bone density test and it shows no further decrease, and again, a teeny increase. Today my doctor told me that if I hadn't worked out as much as I did or take the supplements, she really thinks I'd have osteoporosis. I know for certain exercise has kept my cholesterol levels unbelievably good since we have a family history of heart disease and my numbers are great....I also feel really, really good when I exercise (well, not during the exercise...but definitely after.) I am so glad you didn't take your doctor's advice about the Reclast, especially since you're borderline osteopenia. I bet the Vitamin D and calcium and the strength training you're doing will be much more beneficial with no side affects!

tos~ How she and her best friends have maintained their friendship, despite the miles, is a source of amazement to all of us. They have a very special relationship and they are all so close. I was just speaking to one of the other mothers last pm, and we both continue to marvel at the strength of their bond. They make it a point to spend lots of time together whenever they can (when she's here for visits). My stepson is best friends with the 2 older brothers in the families, and we adults are friendly as well...have occasional cookouts, pool parties, etc. Although, I think the kids friendship has fostered the adult/family gatherings.... As far as her friends in NC...the majority of her non-school time is spent in dance class, so she is friendly with the girls she dances with. But she says that she really doesn't have any super-close school friends that she "hangs out with", etc. She rarely has sleepovers or talks of anything she does with other kids there. Mostly she is at the dance studio...she's a very accomplished dancer. Lack of good friends there was actually one of the things she discussed when she brought up the idea of coming here for high school. So tos, it's your turn....are you a step-parent? Are you a NCP? What would you have told your daughter in the "hypothetical" situation I posted?...seriously WWYD? Like you, I have no intention of EVER divorcing, but I can "imagine" what I'd do if I were faced with a similar situation....so, please, tell us what you'd say. For the record, my DH fought the move in court. Michigan is a no-fault divorce state, and spousal infidelity has NO bearing on custody, whatsoever. Michigan is VERY pro-mom, despite the fact the courts say they have no "gender bias". Essentially, the only time a mother does not win custody is if she can be deemed "unfit", due to drugs or extreme circumstances. Even homeless mothers win custody here...since we have many women/children shelters, etc. It's really disturbing that the courts do not really have the best interest of the child as their main focus. At the time of his ex-wife's affair, the children were ages 1 & 4. Since they were babies (toddler) he felt that the kids should stay in their home, and with his work schedule at the time, it just made more sense for her to stay in the house. He got an apartment closeby with the understanding that it would be temporary while they "worked on it". Obviously, the outcome was different than the plan. Trust me, if he could have changed the outcome of the custody situation, he would have. Initially, they had joint custody, 50/50 split. When she decided to move, she filed for sole physical, joint legal. He fought it and lost. The judge thought that her soon-to-be new husbands job promotion was more important than children having close, easy access to both parents. That was the sole deciding factor...her husbands increased income. So they can use spouse income to decided custody, but they won't use it to calculate child support...go figure...great court system.

Hey Betty, When a child has had a bad dream, they seek out the safety and security of snuggling in bed with Mom and/or Dad. That is a typical thing every parent deals with...and I understand that. But there is another school of thought out there, and the one that their father and I believe in, that those who follow this practice routinely may be causing their children more harm than good. It's ok to do it from time to time...(I allow them to lay with me in the middle of the night, but take them back) but it needs to be done on a limited basis because it's possible for that child to develop a dependency on such a routine. Children who co-sleep, or regularly sleep side-by-side with their moms and dads, could face fears of detachment when it comes time to sleep in their own bed or even get dropped off at school in the morning. Having their own bed helps kids become independent. It's a healthy way for them to disconnect from their parents and function on their own. Not only that, talk about a way to ruin a marriage...or at least complicate things. Sometimes bedtime is the only time parents get to be together. It's just not a time or place for the kids to be often. What it all comes down to is just a matter of opinion. However, there should be a common-sense approach to co-sleeping if a parent wants to do it...and it should apply to single parents too. There's a difference between playing in bed with your child on a Saturday morning or letting then lay with you for a little bit or sleep overnight after a bad dream and making it a weekday ritual. Bio-Mom does it every time there is a problem. Sometimes every night that they are there. I think that's way too much...and contributes to the problems that Sam has when she needs to let go. It seems that Marie is allowing her to sleep with her more and now Sam can't even go into her preschool without clinging,something she has never done before. When Sam goes to bed here, she smiles, giggles and says "I'm scared and need to sleep with you." We kiss her and tell her we love her, rub her back and we all laugh. She knows it doesn't work here....From this, I get the sense that she does it with her Mom because it works. And that there really is no need for her to be doing it. But, I understand that it can provide comfort to a child, but if given too much, it doesn't allow the child to hold their own. I want independent, strong kids...not big whiney babies who can't do anything by themselves. Yes, Bill, Marie wants to ask us what she should do, but doesn't really want us to tell her. It's pretty hard to figure things out. And we have been SOOOOOO open about other things...this just really confused me. I have also given my opinions in the past....maybe she is more sensitive to them now that I am marrying her ex. I see your point that I shouldn't have gone there and her reaction to things may be justified. However, I think it is her own issues and sensitivity that causes her to react that way. It's her problem, not mine. In the future, I will make my suggestions in a more sensitive way. D and I have also agreed that when we feel the need to suggest what she should do, we will do it together or have him do it. Just a day before, he approached her on the same topic and handled it in a similar way and she was okay with it. It's just harder for her when it comes from me...because of many different factors, mainly that she is insecure and knows that I am better at a lot of things. She relies on the fact that she is their Mom....that's what helps her...but at the same time, I know she feels inferior. But the next time she asks me what I think.......I'm going to write her back and say, Are you sure you really want to know?