Outsmarting the tree rats (squirrels) around my house is a full time job. This past spring I hit on a new idea. When I plant a container I invert an empty wire hanging basket over the container and the plant gets sun and can be watered but the squirrels can't dig in it. Another idea: I bring in a lot of plants to "over winter" under lights in my garage. I have so many that it is hard to reach my hand under the lights (4 shop lights) to the middle for watering. So I bought a pump sprayer with a long wand and it works great! In late winter I add a little liquid Dawn detergent, few drops, to each gallon of water and not only does the soil get wet easier but the worms that are waiting to hatch into distructive pets just don't hatch. Don't know what it costs me to run those four shop lights all winter but I don't care. It is a small price to pay to be able to "garden" every weekend in the garage. Many people have mentioned that they mark their outdoor plants with a "permanent Sharpie". In my experience there isn't a "permanent Sharpie", they all fade and quickly too. A grease pencil/china marker or expensive "no fade" garden center marker are the only markers I have found that won't disappoint you by fading. Eight years ago I decided to learn about gardening so I tapped into my local library. I checked out nearly every book they had on gardening and learned so much. The Gardenweb forums are also a wealth of information and entertainment. There is always something new to learn and I appreciate all of you who take the time to write in your ideas. One last idea from me...I keep a small notebook on my computer table and jot down any idea I find that's new and I will want to try. Little pieces of paper get lost but I always know where my notebook is and also use it when I order "on line" so I will remember the name of the company and the order date. Tina or Trowelgal

I wish that Savlon was available in the US. I guess I could buy it off of Amazon. This is a great thread, it's so old though, probably most of the products suggested have been discontinued...HA! My best beauty SECRET is something I just heard about a few months ago and have been doing it ever since. While watching an older (62) youtuber (what exactly do you call these people?) she was speaking of beauty tricks and she told us that years ago, she heard a plastic surgeon say that if women would do this exercise daily, they would never need a face lift. So of course I started do this since I'm in my fifties now. What you do is make a face as if you are smiling as big as you can possibly smile, teeth together but lips apart, you tighten your neck and raise your eyebrows. Do this for 15 seconds, release and do again 10 times a day. Since I have been doing this exercise, I have noticed a remarkable change in my saggy jawline. I have also noticed that my eye lids aren't as saggy either. I will continue to do this forever! I'm sold!

I'm an octogenarian and I have never used any face cream either, or even hand lotion. I have used only soap and water all these years. I also use only water-based makeup very lightly applied and then a translucent powder over it. People have offered me some hand lotion from time to time when they have been applying theirs, and if I put any of it on I feel like my hands have gloves on them I just don't like the feeling. Thankfully my life has been such that I I have never had to take care of my hands due to rough work. My skin is not dry and I have been told it is very nice for my age. Just think of all the money I saved by just using soap and water! As a side note, when I was a teenager I noticed that my skin was oily and I was beginning to see blackheads here and there. There was never a female in the family to teach me how to do the girly things so my treatment for my skin then consisted of washing once or twice a day with brown laundry soap. I did this for about a week, as I remember, and it seemed to really work so I stopped and return to using Ivory soap which was the only soap used in the house, and have never had a problem since.

Donna "being sent to the Tower" (of London) is luckily just an expression these days although way back when it was a Royal fortress those who had committed treason languished there and whiled away the time watching the scaffold being put up for a little light head-removal. Yoyo, Camilla has come through everything amazingly well. Goes out meeting and greeting, doesn't appear to have become 'grand' and gets on with the job, keeps her head down, stays well away from the press . . . and although Charles behaved very badly towards the late Diana, they do seem a genuine happy couple. I think the Queen has reigned for so long now and set such a good example of how to behave it will be difficult for anyone having to 'follow-on', but they (and we) will adapt . . .think of the hooha when Ed VIII abdicated . . . with time it all blew over. Annpan, I don't know about the Press being 'spiteful' towards MM. Certainly when she first 'arrived' they trod very respectfully around her and the 'colour' thing was never an issue with them or the public at large. I think it wasn't until she started complaining about her 'treatment' and how not enough people had asked how she was when pregnant etc and wouldn't play the game that they became less understanding especially when her LA 'friends' began to wade in. I think the general feeling is "OK, go your own way but don't expect the taxpayer to pick up the bill and stop insulting your new family."