Since the plant must drain, the closure of the drainage hole(s) by its roots must be seen as trouble. It does appear the plant is crying out for a re-potting and since it is causing problems, the need to wait until spring sunshine is not what it should be waiting for; re-pot now. Make sure the soil drains well...but does retain some moisture. For that, possible use of a heavier than usual percentage of peat moss might be considered. It holds on to moisture longer and mixed with any of the good mediums....vermiculite, coarse sand, perlite and potting soil/mix the plant might do better. Repotting of course is going to show what extent the roots are in. If you are considering a total re-soiling, then I suggest you remove all the old soil, wash the roots clean and inspect for any sign of damage there. A barrier between the drainage holes and the soil will prevent somewhat the reoccurrence of the roots making it to the drainage holes. Stones of size, or shards of clay might be used. I like the broken clay shards because they leave important spaces so that water can drain well, yet block the path of soil that can plug up the hole. Go up one size only...repotting to a pot too large for the roots---even tho they have expanded--can cause future problems. Its alright to remove what roots are superfluous. Ferns, generally all, like their water and they can sometimes drop a measure of debris that makes the plant or the floor its sitting on, unsightly. But, in winter, even ferns don't grow all that much and need less water. A constant vigil by testing the soil dampness is one way to avoid underwatering/overwatering. Ferns too appreciate light....just not direct light. Give your plant more than usual at this time but give it a filter when the time comes the light intensity resumes. Mid February is the time we usually allow that plants begin to start growing. Its the time that geraniums and their ilk, come out of their cool storage to resume their voyage to summr sun. Until April tho, the sun takes its time to come up to light that influences greatly plants in windows and on window sills. Common sense should prevail. When it does begin to put on new growth in earnest, the time to begin feeding can resume. Fertilize every 3rd or 4th watering.

While it would be nice if your own insurance agent - whom one would expect to be schooled in these matters - would be willing to offer his advice regarding the language in the release from the contractor's insurance company, I kind of doubt he will do so because that would be practicing law without a license. Your did exactly the right thing in emailing a request for further information and an explanation. As an attorney, I can tell you that it is not unusual for language there to be language stating that one has received money in settlement when the check has not yet been cut. In theory the signing of the release and the receipt of the settlement check are SUPPOSED to occur simultaneously - which is easy to do when one sits down with the other party to sign documents but impossible when things are done by mail. If neither side trusts the other to follow thru, then a sit-down becomes absolutely necessary. It strikes me that your contractor MUST have a local insurance agent to whom the insurance company could send the settlement check and you could then sit-down with the contractor's local agent to sign the paperwork and pick up your check. As for providing a copy of your driver's license, an alternative is to have your signature on the release documents notarized by a notary public who will verify that you are who you say you are. All banks will have a notary available. You could agree to meet up with the contractor's agent in the lobby of your bank, have your bank's notary witness your signature on the release and get your settlement check. As for the final paragraph - it is what is known as a "subrogation clause". Basically it means that if your own insurance company (company A) has already reimbursed you for the damages and your insurance company demands the contractor's insurance company (company B) pay them back, then company B can demand that you give them back the money they paid you. The contractor's insurance company should not have to pay twice for the same damage and you should not be allowed to collect twice. Their subrogation clause could probably be worded better to make it clearer that it is NOT intended to mean that the contractor could demand that you pay his extra premiums if/when the insurance company raises his rates because of your claim. You are right that the contractor is one of the "released parties" so, strictly speaking, I suppose the language COULD be stretched to mean that you would have to pay the contractor's increased premiums - although I doubt that any court would interpret it that way. Perhaps you could insist that they modify the subrogation clause to read: FURTHER, I agree to reimburse and indemnify all released parties of any amounts which any insurance carriers, government entities, hospitals or other persons or organizations THAT ARE NOT RELEASED PARTIES may recover from them in reimbursement for amounts paid to me or on my behalf as a result of this accident by way of CONTRIBUTION, SUBROGATION, INDEMNITY or OTHERWISE. Be sure to insist that the inserted clause say "that are not released parties" rather then "which are not released parties." (The reason has to do with the restrictive versus non-restrictive nature of clauses beginning with "that" versus "which." Alternatively, perhaps you could insist that they add a sentence after the subrogation clause saying: The foregoing does not apply to any amounts which one released party may recover from another released party. BTW - I applaud you for carefully reading the documents they sent you and making sure you understood them before you signed! Hope this helps

Yah, two weeks in orchid mix without watering is too long normally. Also, don't just dump some water on it and call it good. The mix may have totally dried out at some point which causes it to become water averse. That means, it will be resistant to accepting moisture. If that happens, what you need to do is put the container with plant in a larger pot and fill it up with water so the plant essentially becomes flooded. After ten or fifteen minutes of soaking, the mix should start accepting moisture again. Otherwise, when you try to water it, the water will just run straight through the mix and out the bottom of the container. Which brings up another point. Make sure your pot has holes in the bottom so that water doesn't collect in the bottom. That could cause similar problems like what you are seeing.

Thanks, debra. It was really a question about strange happenings, in that it is putting out blooms and new flushes in October. Yes, the successive flushes are always prettier than the initial ones. Given this is many flushes past the first, and the leaves on this flush are really nice, I find it strange that it is doing this so late. The other So Sweet is behaving normally as are all the other hosta. I miss the old "guys" who had so much knowledge and shared it generously. bk