I did not drive to Santa Barbara so I was partially successful in my quest to avoid the beast. I wrapped my car keys in bacon and fed them to the dogs last night to remove temptation. I just finished watering this morning and life was good, I was on track. At 9AM this morning I became the victim of a home invasion. 2 men, bigger and younger than me, barged in my front door. I recognized them from my orchid society. Against my will, they forced me into their car and headed for SB. What was I to do, there were 2 of them, only one of me. Once in SB I would have stood out as someone odd and bizarre if I didn't buy orchids which is what everyone else was doing like crazy. So in order to preserve my good standing in this group of 'The Usual Suspects', I got 10 from the $7.50 table at SBOE and 8 of Cal Orchid's Epidendrums. I'll post pictures on the Gallery. My kidnappers were kind enough to drive me home. No real problem except now I have to follow my dogs around for a couple of days to get my car keys back. I'll definitely NOT go to the next function in Santa Barbara, I'm not addicted and I'm in full control of my life. Nick

Carla, I THINK Mme. Antoine Rebe is larger, but there are fewer sources on her. I have Mme. Antoine Mari (MAM) on my wish list and will probably order it from Chamblees in the fall. My spring order from Chamblees just arrived and the roses are gorgeous-- The only downside with Chamblees is that they are laying the roses on their sides to ship, and inevitably the potting soil loosens. Am sure its stressful.

I know it's hard to move across country with kids and pets and plants - my poor kids had to endure being close to my two large aloe barbadens plants, which are covered in sharp thorns; the moving company misjudged how much stuff we had after they sent out a guy and he measured and counted our boxes and furniture. Our two vehicles were packed to the ceilings, plants got a bit mashed, many left behind, and a couple were put on the truck even though it was prohibited and one died. Sad thing is, I was even more of a beginner then than I still am now, so I didn't have much at all! I can't imagine what it's like to have to leave behind that much from that long!!!!!! The pets we moved with us were 10 angel fish, 3 cory cats, guppies, and a very large African clawed frog. We moved them in 10 gal buckets, my husband bought a converter for the cigarette lighter and we had bubblers going in all the buckets. Everything survived. We had to sell a lot of fish on Craigslist before hand, which was heart breaking. But I think everyone should be responsible about their pets, so I'm glad you're taking the cats. I hate it when people leave behind cats, dump them off, or put fish into streams etc. I liked the idea of allowing people to come dig up plants; if that is acceptable to the new owners - could write something into the contract about the plants. But for yourself, definitely take a division of what you want the most, put in bags with wet paper towels as suggested earlier. Just like if you were going to do a trade online here at GW. I've been trading all summer, my first year trading, and I LOVE it!!!! You could easily get a garden full of plants just from the generous people here on GW. You could trade some of your plants here on the trading forums, if you have the time for it, and tell your trading partner to hold off sending their trade to you. You might even be able to get a division off your own plant later down the road that way. Just a suggestion. I'm addicted to this plant and seed trading!!! If you aren't trading yet, you should totally try it after you get settled into your new house. If it were me, I would be wishing the new house's garden was prepped and ready for the plant divisions I was taking as I was wrapping up my stuff with bubble wrap and paper . . . I was fretting over having a window for my houseplants!!! (In addition to worrying about whether or not the angel fish would even survive! And how I was going to keep 3 babies happy and fed as I drove alone!) It was a production, and it was VERY stressful, but it was worth it. We've been at this house for almost a year, and I have been shaping the gardens to my own liking, weeding, adding tons of new plants, weeding, expanding beds, weeding . . . and I'm so happy and proud of what I've done in one growing season. I'm going to try wintersowing this winter!!! Best of luck to you, get as much help as possible, remain calm, put it all in God's hands and let go - all will work out in the end. You'll have a lush, full garden again in just a few years!

I read that it is legal to download as long as I am not selling it, playing the song at any place where you would normally pay someone to play a song- such as a wedding, big party... It is confusing... Nope - your not getting legal downloads. If a song has a copyright (and nearly all do) you cannot download, even for personal use. Tally- I DID buy Limewire- $35 for a year. You paid $35 for the LimeWire Pro SOFTWARE - that does not make any music downloads legal - it is confusing - but you actually got ripped off if you think you are safe from prosecution by downloading from them. Their own site states that - although you really have to search for it. When you sign up with LimeWire - one of the things you agree too (if you actually read EVERYTHING - is that you will not download copyright material. This is from Limewire: "LimeWire Users The program distributed by Lime Wire, "LimeWire BASIC and LimeWire PRO", is legal software, but like many legal things, it is possible to use it in illegal ways. Specifically, it is illegal for you to use LimeWire to share, distribute or download (all of which we call sharing) copyrighted files without permission, or to share unlawful pornographic materials. In addition, it may be unlawful to share certain other files that are protected, proprietary, personal or confidential or contain protected, proprietary, personal or confidential information. The LimeWire program is distributed and licensed for use only in an authorized and lawful manner and not to share files which the copyright owner has not permitted to be shared. Your use of LimeWire BASIC or purchase of LimeWire PRO does not constitute a license in or to share unauthorized or unlawful materials. Your download and use of the LimeWire software from www.limewire.com is per a license granted you by LimeWire. To view the license in its entirety, click here. Your license to use the LimeWire program is expressly conditioned upon your agreement to not knowingly use the LimeWire program to share files that are protected by copyright from sharing over P2P networks. Use of the LimeWire program constitutes your acceptance of and agreement with all of the terms of the license. " LimeWire is a Peer-to-Peer sharing service. If you recorded your own original song - and wanted to share it with others, so that they could download it - that is legal. Downloading of copywritten material - not legal. I also bought a couple iTunes, but now can't download them to the mp3- even the computer tech can't- so maybe iTunes isn't the place to buy songs from?? iTunes works with iPods - Apples to Apples if you have a different type of MP3 player - you need to use somewhere else for your downloads. WalMart.com has lots, and there are many other legal sites. If you choose to use an illegal d/l site - that is your choice, but you should be correctly informed going into it. Don't fool yourself into thinking LimeWire, KaZaa or others like that are legal. Read EVERYTHING when you are getting music from a site. It is a $$ fine when you get caught - several thousand dollars.