Hey there, Brandy. Thanks for the link. Believe it or not, I was once a computer sales/repair person. Many times, simply talking to a person would give me a clue. For example: I once had a customer who bought a brand new model haul it back saying "It won't even boot". I believed him and sent the machine to repair only to have it sent back with the note there was nothing wrong. The customer took it back to his office and an hour later was back with the system and the same complaint. I hooked it up in the store and it booted up just fine. The customer and I chatted for half an hour and he mentioned his offices were in an old telephone exchange building that had been converted. Eureka!! I told him to set up his computer on the opposite side of the room. Half an hour later I got a call from him saying everything was working fine and how did I know that was the solution. From what he told me, I figured the interior wall had been where all the cables had been for the Telephone exchange or the cables were still there and the walls had picked up a charge that interfered with the computer. After some investigation the customer, who was a lawyer, found out the cables were still there and and the walls did have a charge, filed a lawsuit about it as a hazard to his and his employees health. LOL. Sandy

trospero--all your pics are showing. The first one is a dark, dark purple (what is that rose?) and the second one is a full-bodied yellow. Why it isn't showing on yours, I don't know, but my computer son--when I complain about some computer malfunction--often tells me to click on the "REFRESH" button at the top of the screen. Maybe that will bring up the new page with your pics. As I understand it, the computer often just brings up again the original page (without the pics) unless you direct it to "refresh." At least, give it a try. Can't hurt anything. : ) Kate

I didn't think it would be a good idea, like you said, to run it under or over the sidewalk, bad enough to run a hose across it for the soaker hose my neighbor loaned me last year and this. But it's so long, it has 3 turns and having to lift it in and out to hoe (I will mulch when I get to it), is almost more than I can bear. It's heavy and drags across plants to move so last year I never weeded except a few by hand, but with tomatoes in cages, it wasn't too bad. The soaker worked great for tomatoes in neat rows but is not going to work well for tiny plants and roses scattered more randomly. My roses are one long row but the companion plants are scattered. Do you know what I really wish? I wish I had an old-fashioned pump and a cistern to collect all this water. That is not feasible but it would sure bring back memories, and I would love doing it. My grandmother couldn't have watered much of anything except her African violets inside, and things grew ok for her. She didn't mulch either, just probably did a little hoeing and had boards to walk on to get down the rows of what she had planted. She had a long perennial bed with shrubs and spring bulbs but no roses that I can remember. If I get fed up enough this summer and depending on my health, I can have a guy come and install a faucet on the other side of the back sidewalk (front is a 'nuther animal but could have another one in the basement going through another outside wall on the other side of the sidewalk). Then I could irrigate all of it. I will remember Drip Works, usually think long and hard before making such a change especially in light of expensive repairs I need done, can afford some of it but not all at once and hard to prioritize. Irrigation would not be that expensive if I do it myself but takes thinking, planning and time. I really really want my arbor put back up, right this time, heard a jackhammer going at the neighbor's, was hoping they could come here when done and blast out four concrete footings so we can start over. No such luck. Of course I would have paid a reasonable amount. It was a fence company and I saw they had augurs of different sizes in the truck. That would be so nice, that arbor was a dream come true, and it's all come to nothing for now, my son and the neighbor down the street think vandals knocked it over but it wasn't installed right, I knew it, and was frantically trying to find out how I could anchor it better, didn't make it in time, actually paid another guy to try to screw it in the footings using a masonry drill. That failed, too. My son is good at things but so busy. It is thundering and raining again . . .so far just a shower. The beds that aren't mulched yet dried out already after that record downpour, probably damp deeper down. I will mulch but want all my seedlings in and big enough so I can see where to put it all without ruining some plus I want to hoe first. I can neaten up the edges later.

I'll try to keep it short, not something I do well. The term for pattern learning, which is also affected by system performance too, is called adaptive recovery from setback. It's also something I also have no need or use for. I do use scheduled daily daytime and overnight setbacks but I got thermostats on which adaptive recovery is an option that can be turned off. I put in two new internet accessible thermostats when I did a two system equipment replacement a few years ago and I got Honeywells (on the recommendation of my HVAC contractor). I'm very happy with them. I need to do a system replacement on a second home in the next few months and I plan to get Honeywells installed there too, so that I can use one app to control both locations. I've heard that some HVAC contractors don't like the likes of Nest and Ecobee. Maybe because some of them are knuckle dragger/Luddite types and feel more comfortable sticking with brands known in the industry, I don't know. I have to say that even with my new Honeywells (the best known name in the HVAC industry and a company that manufactures many OEM branded models - for instance things like Carrier thermostats, Trane, etc) , I had to help a tech program them. The contractor's team did the wiring and of course the equipment install but, frankly, I understood the setup issues better than they did. No problem, we worked together, and the outcome was fine. If your upstairs system is vanilla - single stage gas furnace and single stage air conditioner, a system that doesn't need a communicating thermostat, not a heat pump with backup secondary or emergency heating, maybe an Ecobee or Nest might be fine. If it's other than vanilla, maybe not. And if it's installed or set up wrong, you'll have problems. I'm a person who tries to do things well, which is not always the cheapest way. I like being able to rely on the expertise of others. If you know and can afford to pay an HVAC contractor maybe a few hundred dollars (not counting the cost of the thermostat) for something a DIY person might try but screw up, have one come out to assess your situation and recommend what to use (and what they can install). Most modern thermostats do offer Wifi access and with Apple and Android apps. It shouldn't be too hard. You might even wind up having them install two if you can afford it. Do it at the same time. Your sprinkler controler sounds awesome! Good for you, you old dinosaur! You're an inspiration and excellent example for others, including younger others, of being adaptable to new things and using technology as a tool to overcome a disability. In your case, a visual disability, something everyone of Social Security age has to deal with.