Had you ever figured out why it doesn't bloom every year? We have had two hibiscus, our favorite was the Lord Baltimore which is a beautiful red color and the other my daughter didn't like so she gave it to us because when we moved here 6 yrs. ago it was late Feb. and everything was frozen in the ground so we couldn't dig anything up to bring it. You don't dig a plant that big up very easily anyhow. We moved it one time and I bet the rootball must have weighed about 50 lbs. We never moved it again. The one our daughter gave us we didn't like the color nor did she. Dug it up and discarded it. I cut it down with lopping shears and a hachet and it took a couple of hours to do it but I got it done.

oh yes, it is a pretty one. It was planted in 2005 and has rebloomed previous years. I just can't remember ever having a scape this early in the year. Usually I start getting scapes in mid to late June on the earlies and the heavy bloom is in July. This picture was taken last year. Everyone should have CPR.

It may be too late to do anything about the year old glasses, but before you give up, contact your state consumer affairs board AND the board in your state that licenses opticians (assuming your state does, not all states have that requirement) and see if you have any recourse. As to getting reliable cheap glasses? DD is an optician. She's worked in a dept. store, in a discount chain and now works in a dr's office. There's a WORLD of difference in the quality, according to her. You DO get what you pay for. Discount chains use very inexpensive (read easily broken) frames, many use lenses that are manufactured in 3rd world countries that are of questionable quality at best and often the workmanship is also sub-par. However, I do have a suggestion for you. IF your state licenses opticians, find out where they train (a community college, perhaps) and see if they have a dispensary. I always got to the college for my glasses. Where I go, they sell high end frames, brand name lenses--at cost! The point of the dispensary is to give the students practice writing up orders and fitting the glasses when they're done. The professor checks everything and makes the glasses up herself. Last go-round? I got a pair of progressive regular glasses with the highest priced glare coating, a pair of progressive sunglasses, my husband got a pair of progressives and our bill was $450. Oh, they all were designer frames (not that I care, but they were). DD said my 'regular' glasses, in her shop, with the family discount would have cost $800 alone! Often, too, colleges have the very latest in lab equipment, because the manufacturers donate those gizmos for free, so that the students will 'learn to love them' so to speak.

Only you can know the answer, as only you know both of them. You could ask yourself what SS would have to gain from 'playing you' and then what would BM have to gain? Based only on what you've said above (and reading all your previous postings) I think it's possible it could be BM. For example, SS knows there is no party. He knows family dinners are what your family does for ALL the children. Another example is her saying that 'he needs attention from Dad'. You know in reality that if Dad is not working Dad is spending time with you and the kids. The one who does not KNOW what is happening in your house and/or how things like parties are done is BM. You know what she claimed to DH is silly, but she does not know that. The knowledge/lack of knowledge might be your key to your answer as to who is 'playing'. SS might be whining about a big wonderful birthday party for your son to his BM in an attempt to play her guilt so she will buy or do something for him. She did not deliver when she had promised him for his birthday, perhaps kid is trying to make her think no one at your house does anything for him but just the other kids 'boo-hoo, BM, feel sorry for me and buy me something'. 'Boo-hoo, BM, Dad does everything with the other kids but not ME'. Maybe he's 'playing' her ! Another thought is could she be trying to put off bringing him home on a drinking day (Sunday) vs a working day for her (I'll assume she works Monday)...in other words, she can't drink all day with her husband and drive SS around drunk or merely having to drive SS around interfers with her plans of wanting to spend the day drinking. Perhaps SS spending staying over an extra day has nothing to do with SS's desires but rather trying to rearrange her weekend to suit her own agenda of selfishly drinking her Sunday away? DH needs to make clear to BM that he will not tolerate her drinking and driving son. If she wants to drink herself to death, that's her problem, but if her drinking is involved at any time during transport of SS it puts SS at danger.