Well, you could tell if it was vole damage, which sounds unlikely at this point. They are wiley creatures who spend most of their time underground, gnawing on roots, so cats have to wait patiently for them to pop out of their holes in order to catch them. Probably the best way to tell is if the ground around your rose feels spongy or a bit hollow. Or, maybe you can see what appear to be vole runs just under the surface of your yard. How close to the coast are you? I know that parts of the New England coast got hammered with sea swells and flooding during the last storm. Are you close to the water? If so, maybe your rose got waterlogged or stood in water for a while? Just taking wild guesses to see what we might figure out. :-) Did you get snow with the storm? I'm with those who say to wait another week or two. It's been a funky, confusing spring. Maybe your Alba agrees. The Albas and Gallicas seem to be "smart" in the sense that they don't break dormancy until they are good and ready to do so, regardless of how warm it has been overall. Even after last year's zone 7 winter, when all the other roses came alive early and were full of leaves and new growth, the Gallicas and the Albas just sat there, looking like they'd never get with the program. It seems that most of them will not be prodded into breaking dormancy based on temperatures alone. A lot of my roses are finally setting leaf buds. Just barely. But not the Gallicas (except those that have some genes of more tender varieties) and not the Albas. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Bestyears, I commend you for doing what you can to open your mind to the possibilities, going along with your daughter to the initial meetings and for seeking more information. You are trying to do what's best for your daughter and clearly you are struggling with *how much* support is appropriate. I am not a parent but I do know that the transitional years between teen/child and adulthood are tricky for all-- and there's no single right answer or approach. What I do know is that your love, support and guidance are more valuable than anything else you can provide-- including money-- your daughter is blessed to have you with her as she moves towards her adult life. I don't have any experience with modeling-- though I have a few friends who have done "light" modeling in regional catalogs, etc and one friend who did runway modeling in NYC and in Europe long before I knew her. FWIW, she also has a stunning education with a PhD from an ivy league school (which I believe she pursued after modeling but I am not sure). From your description of your daughter, she appears to be mindful and committed to her health and diet-- this is a great foundation. We're all aware of the issues with eating disorders and unhealthy weights in the modeling industry but at least it's no longer a "dirty little secret". I would continue to praise her healthy eating and support her in continuing to develop the confidence and resolve to know who she is and what is health for her. This is the best way to combat the challenges she may face regarding weight and diet. This same self awareness will guide her too to know what type of modeling will best suit her. There are many kinds of modeling and each comes with a different lifestyle. Which best suits her personality? Is she a careful planner or is she excited by spontaneous opportunity? Would she be excited by the prospect of packing up and flying out to a shoot across the country with little notice or would she be more comfortable with a shoot schedule a month in advance? Is she fiercely independent and self-motivated or does she most thrive with the support of friends and family near her? Once she knows (and perhaps she already does) which type of modeling she wants to pursue, she can make good decisions about how to proceed. it will help her to choose an agency and determine where and how college fits in. I would view each agency very critically. Is it realistic to consider modeling and college at the same time? I can't really say but I'd sure ask hard, driving questions of the agency that suggests she can. Are they looking to (and able to) offer her big time runway modeling opportunities, national agency shoots or are they looking to fill their stables with pretty faces for regional catalogs. What's their track record? How these agencies respond to the questions will give you and your daughter a better idea of her potential and which agency can give her the best opportunity to make it happen. No matter what career we choose, there are risks and opportunities. The best thing you can do is to help your daughter look at her options clearly, realistically and from all perspectives... and to be flexible enough to move on to a plan B or C (or D!) as time and opportunities evolve. Best wishes for all of you at this exciting time!

Just wanted to let you know that we have decided to use Sillites for outlets along our main wall. These are single receptacles that are self-contained units with no need for separate junction box. So all you need is a 2" hole in cabinet or windowsill. Not sure if that works for you given your layout, but wanted you to know of another option that does not require drilling down into your counter. I do have a friend with a Mockett in her island and she LOVES it! Says it is no problem to clean around it at all. Good luck!

@smiles33 @live_wire_oakIf your cabinetry has not yet been ordered, you can make allowances for below-counter outlets in the cabinets. You can also install angled power strips underneath wall cabinetry or even underneath base cabinet countertop overhangs. I recommend Hardware Resources' Task Lighting slim profile units for this. You can also install in-drawer electrical connections, but those can be risky because the movement of the drawer isn't the safest thing to be continually forced on wiring in the back. These sometimes will not meet the code requirements for outlets at certain intervals. Electrical is really something that is hard to retrofit after cabinets have been planned, so if you're already past that point, your options are limited. If you do choose a popup, Mockett has just recently released a beautiful version of the popup that Hubbell became so famous for, the short round style that is highly water resistant for kitchen applications, and I think Mockett currently has the best one one the market. It's not the original Mockett that's so tall, it is a new, much shorter one that is water resistant, the PSC103A/EE model, and there is also a version of this that is flush mount. Here's the link to the surface mount: https://www.mockett.com/power-communication-systems/pop-up-hideaway-collection/pcs103a-ee.html If all else fails, look into a slim line power strip that would fit between countertop and window sill. You can get them as small as about 1 5/8" in height.