...but Chelone,if I snuck up behind you and carefully placed a straw within my armpit and gave a nice puff...would you lol just a little bit? I bet that would at least make you grin: ) OK it would be short lived but appreciated.lol That's the thing. Life sends us stuff. Some of it is good, fun,happy stuff and then the yucky stuff slips in too-it's inevitable. I think you are going to handle the tax stuff OK-that accountant is a godsend. Your mom's situation just stinks-no one deserves that kind of treatment-or lack of.BUT because I know you-(well,you know)...you will say what you think about her care and that squeaky wheel certainly will get it's oil. She's new there-they just need your input and I think you'll get results. Your brother seems really on board so at least you are a team? Does he have the same worries that you do? No facility is better than what a daughter or son would realistically want for a parent but I hope you do see an attempt from them to do better for her. I think you are exhausted from all of it-look at how long this has been going on for you. That's why you are having sleep probs,you don't want to go to work,the construction stuff is bugging you....each of these things alone are things you are capable of handling(we're talking about CHELONE here; )it's just all of them clumped together and the emotion added to it are muddling things. Take one thing at a time-you'll be OK. It's not easy but I think you will get through this too. Hmmm we're home one day from our paradise weektrip and MIL was complaining on the phone, she wanted life to be over due to some stiff pain she's having...just what Chris wanted to hear... I keep thinking how things could be much worse than they are-it gives me perspective to deal with it. Sue I just wanted to tell you that while I'm sure you'll have some initital discomfort, all that walking/exercise you get will probably cut your recovery down considerably-just be obedient and take things slow at the beginning. I hope you are calm(especially with no wine or food!)and things go well for you tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you...say,does this mean you'll be slowed down enough to idyll more? : ) Drema-beautiful card! Thank you! I didn't know about the program at the CBG but I'll have to look into it. I hope your newly planted items survive-would a heavy mulch at the base help? I think everything that has sprouted now will be a little deformed but get some normal regrowth when temps stablize...(crossing fingers) Hocking Hills was fabulous if you don't mind hail storms,rain and cold : ) STRANGE weather all over the place. Hocking Hills had a couple warm weeks in the 70's before Easter but by the time we arrived they had been having freeze warnings and many plants/trees were zapped. The first night in our place we had a wind/hailstorm that brough an inch of hail!That was loud! I guess there was talk of a possible tornado but I didn't hear if it was true. Well, at least our cottage was built into a hillside so we were very safe. We had one day(Fri.) with warm breezes and full sun...and I got a sunburn from hanging out in the hot tub-odd but true. The ride back was treacherous with a slush rain snow thing happening-it was part of the storm that is going to blast the east coast-hang on you guys. Back here in Cleveland we were supposed to get snow-but they were wrong so it's dry now and the sun just came out-I hope the nor'easter is much less harsh than they predict. I don't mean to be short(I say that alot lately) but I need to finish the laundry and get things ready for the school week. If I have time I'll be back. Cynthia-Monty's illness sounds scary! I hope things are improving for Monty. I hope you are doing OK too. ~Babs

Squirrels will kill adult birds at feeders also. When I lived around them I had squirrel baffles on the poles and all my feeders had grids. My platform feeder had a 1" grid over it also to keep out the starlings and cowbirds that bully the song birds. Keeping the feeders and birdhouses quite far from fences and trees helps also. Squirrels can jump really far. I have a friend who calls them flying rats. I also had a clear dome over one niger feeder. It's a lot of paraphernalia but I felt like I had to protect them if I was going to lure birds to the feeders. Here we have trouble with hawks that sit on the fence and wait for the quail and small birds to get distracted. There's kind of a downside to feeders and bird baths I guess. Birdhouses are easier to protect. Sounds like you have a good plan for the houses. So nice that you are looking out for the babies.

Hi MIke, Thanks for the nice compliments!!! I know that u have as many beautiful Plumeria...are they ready to Bloom? You had said that you had a few inflos showing, so i was wondering if they are ready to put on a show!!! That White Plumeria is a Noid (Meaning no id on this tree...LOL!!! Not a named variety) For those that dont know what a Noid is!! : ) I will be more than happy to send u a cutting of this White if u want one...it seems to have the scent of the "Scentsational", but since it was sold without a tag...i can only guess. You know only a cutting can carry the true name. MIke did mention the great buys that he found at HD (Home Depot) : ) He is very lucky to have found some real beauties!! We even laughed about skipping lunch just to pick up a few more for that price! He really had some great restraint not to bring home a truck load!! LOL Thank you for thinking of me, things are getting better here! I have K up and walking around the house and she seems to have made the turn ... Your thoughts and prayers were greatly appreciated... Many hugs to you and Sissy! Her words of enncourgement were so helpful! Give her a big Hug and Kiss for me!!! Take care Mike, and to everyone else!!! Laura in VB (Virginia Beach) : )

Rocky is a big puppy to people he knows,or if your with me,he thinks he's a lap dog.Brutis is not as friendly to strangers,that's why he's on a logging chain.He has never bit anybody,I dont let but a few people near him.He is my guard dog,about a month ago two guys was trying to steal the copper from my central air unit and they dident know brutis could reach up to the units.It was about 3am when I heard the dogs barking,and I can tell when there barking at a person or some animal,the barks different.When I went outside to see what was going on,brutis had the two guys pinned in the corner of the fence.He dident try to bite them but he wouldent let them move.He sat there holding them in the corner,if one moved he would growl and they stoped moving.I called the cops and they came out and locked the two guys up.The cops told me,now that's a good guard dog.Some of the cops now want a pup of his,they were scared of brutis,they said that dog has strange eyes,they look straight through you.Brutis is a very smart dog,he knows about 10 commands.I run all my dogs 5 miles a day on a dog treadmill.They love it,the vet said my dogs were very healthy and happy dogs.Times have gotten so bad people will still anything they can get there hands on to make money.It's been going on far a long time in Atlanta,there stilling manhole covers from the streets,stilling from churches.They showed on the news where somebody had stolen all the central air units from a apartment complex.There is a small palm nursery in the next town over that I go to often.Last time I was there billy(the owner) told me someone stold three 25 gallon pindo palms during the night.He knows I sell pitbull puppies,and now he wants one of my dogs.I might trade for another big palm,I love the barter system.Your so right about keeping Uncle Sam out of the picture,they tax me to death already.I have to register my dogs with the city,but not the puppies :)