What a wonderful, varied, group we are! It's been fun reading everyone else's post, but I've been dragging my feet with my own. Mostly because I'd like to write a lot but am too lazy to do so :-) I grew up on a farm in Nebraska, and like so many of the folks here, loved and owned horses for much (actually most) of my life. I literally grew up on horseback, taking my mom and dad's cattle back and forth to pasture, riding for fun, and training a couple horses of my own. By the time I got out of high school I had several horses of my own and continued owning, riding, and loving them until my move to Minnesota almost 13 years ago. At that time, we couldn't find a place we could afford that had room for horses, so I gave my last two to my sister in Missouri and that's where they have been ever since. They are old now, one is fully blind (has been since he was young) and the other is nearly blind (old age) but they are loved and well cared for. I loved drawing and painting and might have made a career in art, but got married right out of high school instead. I did a little of this and a little of that, a few years later had two children (a daughter and a son, now adults), then went to work as..... a meat wrapper at a locker plant, then a part time cook at a hospital, then into the hospital's business office, then started taking part time computer classes and got an associate degree in computer programming. I eventually ended up as MIS director at that same hospital where I started as a part time weekend cook. Management changed, I wasn't happy any more and I went job hunting. That's when I came to Minnesota. My ex-husband and kids followed once school was out for the year. I currently work for IBM on the iSeries Support line (techincal support) where I provide usage and defect support for the iSeries computer and (mostly) certain IBM products that connect to the iSeries to access data. I've been doing my current job for almost 13 years, and like it better then I've ever liked any of my past jobs. I spend a great part of my day talking with customers all across the US. Most of the people I work with are very nice, even when under a lot of pressure due to the very problem they called me about. I love my current work schedule, which is 4 10-hour days a week. Although I drive 42 miles each way to work, I get to work at home on Fridays and that is great too. MONDAY, is my very own personal day and when I spend a lot of time in the garden and doing whatever I like. I love gardening, photograph, backyard bird watching, doing things on my (personal not work related) computer. I love and have done many kinds of crafts and other creative things, but photography is the lifelong creative love. I had to restrain myself a little bit with that, for much of my life, but then along came digital and I went nuts! I own two good digital Canon SLR's and take photos literally by the thousands. I've photographed a few weddings, but don't really want to make a career of it. When I retire (in 12-15 years), I'd like to have a part time (at least in the spring and summer) at a garden center or nursery. I'd also love to spend part of my time traveling and taking photographs of beautiful and interesting places and people. My daughter is married and she and my son-in-law live in Tulsa, OK. My son is married (as of last December) and he and my daughter-in-law are here in Minnesota. I can hardly wait until one of them makes me a grandmother :-) My daughter is in no hurry to do that, if ever, but I think chances are pretty good with my son. Cross your fingers for me!

Why not grow the "Big Boy"? I tried it and was very disappointed. The plant was bigger, but the tomatoes were smaller, orange, did not taste as good, and did not look at all like the pictures Burpee showed on their web site. I am trying it again this year, but never will again if it is like last year's crop. ****** The variety F1 Big Boy is RED, not orange. Did you get your seeds from Burpee? It was bred by Dr. Oved Schifriss when he was at Burpee back in the 40's and is still very popular today/ sramm, the Big in the variety name for Big Boy doesn't indicate that the fruits will be BIG, any more so than the Giant in Giant Belgium or the Jumbo in Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red , and on and on. ( smile) Take a look at the thread here on the first page having to do with HUGE tomatoes and see what varieties are mentioned. But three hours of sun each day is not really enough to get decent tomatoes. I do hope you can find a spot that gets the minimum 6-8 hrs/day that are necessary for good growth and fruits. Carolyn

We made it home Wednesday evening. The truck is still packed to the gills as it has been pouring rain and this morning i fought snow flakes the size of fifty cent pieces. I don't want to risk her furniture getting water marks on it so we slowed down to wait out the storm. We are going through boxes that made it here via cars. The truck is parked at DD's house as it is too large for my driveway. The weather is supposed to clear by tomorrow so I have reserved a 10' truck to make smaller loads to my house/storage. MIL's car broke down on the way here. The altinator went out and all oh her DH's paintings were in the trunk and we had to transfer them on the side of the freeway at night. I'm getting ready to drive to Sacramento to pick it up this afternoon. My SIL gave me the worse cold I have had in years. Head and chest cold. Ugh. I'm tired. The good news? MIL told me she didn't miss her house at all this morning. There is so much stuff coming and that scares me. Lol.

Hi dana gardener - I am wondering, what do you want to do? Do you really want to go or do you feel that it is an obligation? Even if it is an obligation it doesn't matter as long as you strongly desire to be there for someone you Love and want to support and share in the person's special day. This is what counts. However, if you cannot afford this trip with all the expenses involved, even if you want to be there, then I would express that in a note to the Bride with a gift that you can afford. No one should feel "forced" to attend when it will be so costly to do so. You may feel bad for not going if you truly desire to share in this Blessed event but you should also feel free and not guilty if you decide not to go because of the financial, emotional, etc. stress that it will cause you. No matter what decision you make it is your right to do so whether you go or not.