camp, I didn't realize it either until researching online and on gardenweb. "What are these cabbage lopers of which you speak?" (what the heck is a loper?) ... OHHHHHH, those gross lil green caterpillars I keep seeing. Gotcha! This has been fun to read everyone's input. There are too many gems to point them out individually, but I've learned that not only are garden bloggers really nice and helpful (per thyme2garden) but they are pretty funny, too! It's too bad I try to share the humor with my non-gardening friends and family ... (um, ok, everyone not on here!) and they give me the blank "I don't get it," stare. Such is life. I highly recommend the archived "so you want to grow a gardenia" thread... I read that a few months ago and was CRYING it was so funny. (I didn't even know what a gardenia WAS until that thread.) And it has given me the courage to venture into growing flowers this coming year ... once I make the lasagna beds this fall for spring ... and build a few more trellises ... and flip my compost ... and ask the restaurant down the street for coffee grounds ... and.. and.. and.. :P Oh, btw. The tomatoes are starting (in case anyone was troubled by my plethora of non-ripening tomatoes.) ... The gardening gods like me (at the moment ;) ). Thanks again everyone for sharing - Veronica

This thread is so entertaining! I need to stop on this side more often. Each one of you has a fun and unique point of view. I agree with everyone else about #5! Then I read #6 and laughed my butt off. Then came #7. I am just sitting here chuckling. Because I'm guilty, guilty, guilty lol. And good to see you again Sherri, been wonderin' why I hadn't seen you post lately. Luna I noticed you where gone too, but I'm new and just getting to know y'all, not trying to be nosey, no explanations needed, just missed ya :-) and Jeanne, I'm like you, when I have time to sit down and do what I like to do, it's usually check emails, local paper, then over to GardenJunkers. that's my kind of a break, just like going junking around town is my idea of fun. Hey ... I'm very picky about my junk LOL. OK I'll shuddit ... ~tenderlee

What a post! Would it bother you if I copied it and sent it to my greenhouse teacher? From working at a garden center: "What are these?" -"Fluffy seed pods from a Clematis" "No way, they never had them before!" -"Yep, that's what they are." "I want a SECOND opinion" -"Sure, hey ... do you happen to know what these are?" *Quizzical look at me* "Clematis seeds..." *Some more argument from customer on the subject* "Well, they're hideous." Yeah, that was an interesting one. It's not uncommon to have customers ask for a second opinion on an insect problem or something like that when they don't like the answer. I was really taken back by this one though. Many conversations begin with: "You know that tree in that yard by the church on ivelivedhereallmylifebutneverheardofit street? What is it?" You can never own too many pairs of Crocs. Keep pennies on hand for the kiddies to throw in the fountain. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick makes a wonderful conversation piece next to the cash register. When ordering petunias, if it doesn't say "wave" don't bother. People have no idea what they're exposure is like. -Use words like South and West, then ask them questions like, what time they eat dinner in the summer and where. If the answer is 5:30 on the back deck, ask them if they have to wear sunglasses or a sweater and go from there. If customers start a pile of plants next to the register, organize them by price. There is one customer every day that wants you to landscape their entire yard 10 minutes to closing. Know and accept this fact. Know plants in this order: -Vague description -Culture requirements and common name(s) -Deer resistance -Scientific names

Junk food is a major issue with us and SS. His mom eats like crap--and I think, like parent-of-one (FFD) said, a lot of it is just ignorance. She is the mom who buys Sunny D or that crappy juice that's all sugared up and thinks she is being healthy, kwim? Or she will pack fruit snacks and think that counts as a fruit. They eat lots of starches, buttery pastas with heavy sauces, etc. She will fix two starchy sides to a meal---they'll have mashed potatoes AND buttered noodles with the same meal. Anyway--SS came home on Wed, after the first day of school, with his lunch that his mom had packed. He's not a big eater, so he always has leftovers. (Given the crap she sends, that is probably a good thing!) He had (and this is typical): Lunchable--one of those ones with the cheese and crackers, and a mini-candy bar. Sounds *okay* but I read somewhere that lunchables are one of THE worst lunches for your child, they are SO loaded with sodium and fat. (Not to mention the awful packaging which is terrible for the environment.) I refuse to buy them. Anyway, in addition---he had a half-eaten pack of mini-donuts, a fruit roll-up that he had not eaten, and a plastic baggie of Cheese Nips, he had eaten most of those. And a blue kool-aid for a drink. I was like "are you kidding????" So--it is no wonder he complains about the lunches I pack. On Thursday, I packed him: --a turkey sandwich on wheat bread --a banana --pretzels --small handful of Mini Chips Ahoy cookies --100% juice apple juice box Nothing freaky or outlandish, just a normal, reasonably healthy but still yummy lunch, right? I'm not some freak/sugar Nazi (hence the cookies for dessert) but come on...I try to use common sense. I HATE sending the fruit, though, because I know he doesn't eat it. :( Dinners are a struggle, too. I generally serve some kind of meat--chicken, beef or fish--a veggie, and then a side item, like baked potatoes or rice, etc. Last night, for exampe--we had grilled porkchops, broccoli, and mashed potatoes. SS ate the potatoes and complained about the rest. Funny b/c the potatoes are the LAST thing DH and I care if he eats--he could skip those, as far as I'm concerned, and just eat the meat and veggies. Oh well. We just do the best we can, offer healthy options, give him small portions and DH does make SS eat whatever veggies we serve. Good thing your stepkids are not with their BM! Sounds like it would be way worse if they were---like poor Ima's DD.