My first year of gardening was in my mid teens (I was given a fairly sheltered life and still prefer it). I had made two 2Âx4Â raised beds 12" high, filled them with topsoil harvested from an out of the way location (on the property) and a few bags of store-bought manure. My parentÂs place happened to be where a full grown bodybuilder would be lucky to get the tip of a shovel 3" into undisturbed ground , so the filling of the beds was an ordeal. I planted each of the beds with 3 rows of red bush beans (I donÂt know why anymore, I was just a kid). I watered and waited, watered again the next day, and again the next. Then at one strange moment the next day I looked upon my creation and just happened to notice the five 18" tall tomato plants growing in each of the beds! You might think that at this point I was very excited about having plants in the garden, or that one of my parents was being nice, making sure that their child had a successful first garden - I tell you now that this was NOT the case! First, I was 15ish - not 5ish! - I knew there were differences between plants and had a bit of a grasp on the concept of time. There is no second point, but what I tell you now is that I had awoken a sleeping gardener who had coveted my land and claimed it as her own (sure she is my Ma and technically maybe it could have possibly been her own, but anyway). I listened to her excuses and cleverly concealed my rage eventually salvaging a bit of a "crop" from my remaining shaded/stunted red beans. Long story short - The next year I grew a 98 lb. pumpkin(who knows why? I was just a kid) - I was aiming for a 100+ but oh well ( IÂm still waiting for the "Pacific Giant" pumpkin) Oh, and I also had probably about 10 Roma tomato plants... :) Many years have passed... I have a garden at my own place now but continue to garden with Ma in the same spot (that has expanded quite a bit). It has been rewarding beyond words (even though the scars from that first year have left me a bitter, bitter husk of a person.) Pep talk time: Get back out there and garden! The fall crops of many vegetables are said to be better than the spring crop - especially root crops. The link below seems to be a good one for your state - it is from an interesting college called Purdue (where it seems that they are famous for making train parts in addition to gardening calendars). Check out Table 2. Too bad that you donÂt have a piece of ground that you could garden regularly for a while - IMO the ground improves quite a bit during the first few years. Maybe you could make raised beds and take the soil with you ? - I read somewhere that this was a French tradition. Best of luck to you! Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/ext/Pubs/ho/HO_186.pdf

HI! They are not too bad and for sure can be saved. I would replant those tall ones up to their first set of true leaves, so you will bury that spindly stem. Lettuce can not be deeply transplanted like that but I think if you get the light 1" away from the top of their leaves and get a fan gently blowing on them they will get stockier. Next time... I have always had good luck with a 50/50 mix of warm and cool bulbs, I have never spent the extra money on Gro-Lux ones. Yor seedlings should look a lot better once transplanted and brought closer to the light Let us know how they are doing! Keriann~

Hi dmb, I am so sorry to hear about your predicament with your 19 year old cat but I have to say that I thought I was reading about my 18 year old female cat when reading your cat's symptoms. I am at the same place you are - what to do now? However I have gone one step further than you and thought this migh thelp you. I have been giving my cat the Sub Q fluids for her renal failure for the last 2 years now and she really rallied once I started to that. Also at the same time I have been giving her renal support probiotics (2 kinds) to support her kidneys and that plus the fluids gave her back a couple of years for sure. However about 2 weeks ago she started to bang into things and I realized she had gone blind and that my stupid Vet hadn't ever mentioned blood pressure taking especially if the cat has thyroid or kidney issues and my cat has both. She had the radioactive iodine treatment about 3 years ago so I was expecting the kidney issues but after I reached out to a different Vet they told me that her blood pressure probably caused the blindness together with the renal or the thyroid issues. Her thyroid might have gotten worse despite the iodine treatments. Sigh. The new Vet said that she probably had a stroke during the night that I didnt know of and that she was totally blind. I was so upset. Also she has gone totally deaf before this stroke so now she is deaf and blind and last week she took a step backwards and seemed to be acting confused like she did when she had the first stroke. She was starting to adapt to being blind and had figured out where to jump and where not to and I was so excited then she took a backslide. Another stroke? Who knows. I really think you should try the Sub Q and the 2 renal support powders that you just mix into your cats meals (wet is best in food for this) and you will notice a big difference in her health. However the deafness and blindness is another thing. I am trying to decide if her quality of life is worth keeping her going. Now she is so blind that she just seems to be giving up and laying down wherever she is and just goes back to sleep and this is so unlike her. Also she is getting grouchy (Himalyan) and never was like that before. Now she only responds to touch and when I touch her she knows it's either to put a needle behind her neck for the sub q fluids or to stick a pill down her throat for high blood pressure or to move her to the litter box so when I just pick her up to pat her she growls. I mean what kind of life is this now? I don't know. She has been the best cat ever, always gentle and loving and she appears okay in other ways. She is still grooming herself, eating well, pooping well etc but I know her kidneys won't last forever and with the blindness and with no hearing I just don't know. I am giving her a blood pressure med ever since a new med took her blood pressure 2 weeks ago but like I said since that she has slipped. I don't envy your situation because it's mine too but maybe try the sub q and renal support and the blood pressure meds and see what you think. The best of luck with whatever your decision is. I know you will make the decision with love and respect for the cat no matter what. My prayers are with you and your pet.

I would go further and suggest homeowners purchase the 10-year parts & labour warranties AND an annual service contract. This way the installer/manufacturer has virtually no ‘Outs’. I have seen too many cases when clients have been charged – even with 10-year parts & labour warranties for things not covered. As an example, a part has to be ordered (not in the truck) necessitating a ‘second’ trip that is not covered. If you’re one of the ‘unlucky’ ones that does have problems with your system you’ll be glad you purchased all the warranties and service contracts. HVAC repairs become very expensive very fast! You’d do better to have all the leverage you possibly can to argue your position. Before signing a contract, after the salesman tells you about your wonderful warranty, ask them, ‘what is not covered under this warranty; what might constitute an extra charge?” You might be surprised! I know there are many that would say, “If the product is well built and installed you shouldn’t need extended warranties”. I would like to agree, but when it’s +90˚F or -15˚F outside and your system is fried – try telling that to the guy in the truck or his boss on the phone! IMPO SR