I agree with Shade Tolerant, whack the Eiffel Tower division out and plant it separately. You won't be able to determine if it's really a larger sport for several years, but there is no point in being annoyed every time you look at an uneven plant. While you are doing the requisite surgery, take the time to completely untangle and separate all the roots if you haven't already done so. This can be quite a job with a badly pot bound hosta, but it's well worth the time. Even if you have to cut off a few roots, or quite a few roots, get the entire root ball separated and fanned out before putting both divisions back in the ground. Unless you do this, a pot bound hosta can remain stunted for years. When I buy a seriously root bound hosta and it proves impossible to untangle and separate the roots, I take a serrated knife and cut straight down between divisions to divide the plant, roots and all, into smaller sections. If I still can't untangle the roots, I cut it into smaller sections. Think of it as cutting a really tall pie into wedges. A hosta will do better with this treatment than if left with tangled roots. Once you can untangle all the roots, you can either plant those pieces out or cut them into smaller sections if there is enough root growth to support the divisions.

I'm supposedly anemic, but I don't do anything about it. I am usually just below the reference range and I don't have any symptoms except that they won't let me donate blood. Once I was within the reference range, but my blood pressure was too low. So I just can't donate blood. Anyway, unless you are very anemic or are having symptoms, you may not have to do anything. Remember that reference ranges were made by taking a bunch of supposedly healthy people and seeing what their PCV was. The numbers in the middle 95% are the reference range. You could be perfectly healthy and have a different number, because the reference range doesn't say anything about whether or not the number is good. For example, if you took 10000 average Americans and got their weights, and took the 95% most common range, the reference range would almost certainly be unhealthy because most Americans are over weight. Just because most people fall within a certain range doesn't mean that it is a healthy number. Your number may be different. Now if you are having symptoms, or if your doctor feels your PCV is way too low, then you should find out what is going on. Your body may not be making enough red blood cells for any number of reasons (iron is only one cause of not being able to make enough RBCs- kidney disease, bone disease, steroids, and many many many other things can also cause low RBCs), your body may be destroying red blood cells, or you may be losing red blood cells as with a gastric ulcer or something. Iron supplements only help with one of probably thousands of causes of anemia. It's best to find out what is going on rather than to self-medicate. Unless your doctor feels that you are otherwise healthy, you may just be slightly anemic like me with no problems.

My island is 12'long and 49" wide. There are 3 heights - 42", 36" and 30". To me, the 42" height is useless although it is where DH sits when he is in the kitchen. It was his idea and he now admits that 36" would be better. SO--- I would have 8'at 36" and 4' at 30". I get to correct all my mistakes as I have 2 more kitchens to do - maybe 3. Not looking forward to it! I'll be around here for a long time. I made a lot of good decisions - the best being changing the layout to a galley from a square.

oakleyok, what came to mind when I read the subject of this post was to choose a floor plan that would position my kitchen in such a way as to allow some connection to adjoining rooms (pass through, arched openings..), but not be completely open to them. Then I read your post and found it ironic that you were thinking the opposite would be preferable. Different strokes... In both my home and in our 2-yr-old lakehouse I have open concept plans where the kitchens are open to my dining rooms and other rooms, as well. It is ideal when it's just DH & myself (empty nesters.) But I don't like it when I'm entertaining, which happens more now with our kids, spouses & grands returning for visits and since I've taken over holiday meals as my parents have aged. I would appreciate more privacy & less disruption when I'm trying to measure out ingredients or making a dish where it's important to focus on timing/texture, etc. Cooking IRL is not like being on a cooking show. The process doesn't start with prepped ingredients in little glass bowls. It's often messy and cluttery and I would love to have a more private workspace to do my cooking and baking and have my "Ta Da" moment when I present meals in the dining room. I hate serving a nice meal and looking at a counter full of pots, pans, prep bowls and kitchen equipment that needs washing. I would love to have a kitchen space that allowed me to go back and clean up later - after I've enjoyed eating and visiting with guests. I was a big fan of the open concept, in theory, but after living with it, I wouldn't do it again.