Went to Lowe's today...all of their plastic ponds are on clearance!!! I got a 35 Gal. pond kit (pump/fountain included!!!!!) for $13! They had all sizes clearanced, even a really huge one that's normally $270 for $69. Now I just gotta dig a hole in my Tropical garden area for it...I'll have so much fun finding pond plants to put in it this Spring! Medo....as for organizing the swap lists, here's how I do it: For example, once I joined this swap, I started a document in my Word processor program titled 'Wow! Thanks I Wanted That Swap' ...below the title I listed signup/mailing deadlines, Fran's name as host, and swap rules, etc. Then, starting with the first post, I checked each member's list as they signed up, and anything on their list that I have (or think I may still have), I type that item on my 'swap sheet' next to their name (if the seed/plant listed has a difficult name, I copy & paste it to my 'swap sheet')...of course, once the clickable link (Thanks Heather!!!!) was posted it made things even easier- any member's name who's list I've already checked is purple so when I visit the forum I just check the clickable list for names that are still blue. Once all names on the clickable link post are purple, I know I've checked those members' lists at least one time each. As I have time, I check my 'swap sheet' list and as I fill wishes for folks I place an asterick * next to each item I'm sending for that person...this also helps if you're doing other swaps (ie Birthday swap)so that you don't send someone the same thing for both swaps... once I've filled all wishes that I can for a single person I also place an asterick* next to that Person's Name...this way I already know that their wishes are covered (any of their wishes I listed that I may not have been able to cover are deleted to keep the list from being soo long). Before mailing, I print out the list (not really necessary, but easier to read if it's a long list) and double check my list/seed packets. Last summer I started a 'seed inventory' folder in my computer. It has a file for each letter of the alphabet (simply insert a table with Word Processor on each page....my table has columns for common name, botanical name, description, light/soil requirements, Qty on hand and trades available. I also have a column to mark if the seed can be winter sown). of course some seeds that I have many types of may get a sheet of their own (ie., Fruits, Vegetables, etc). As I recieve or give/trade seeds, I add/subtract them on my inventory sheets. So far this has been the easiest method for me, it saves me time, confusion...and paper! And it actually took less than one day to put together. I also have alphabetical files in another folder on my computer for my Plants. Hope this helps !!!!! Chell

I lived and worked in the Twin Cities until 3 years ago...and was there visiting 2 weeks ago. I'm 52. My sis lives outside LA and I've visited her frequently. Here goes. All the buildings in downtown Minneapolis are connected by second floor skyways. You never have to go outside unless you want to. You'll be able to get from your hotel to the convention center without ever breathing real, honest to god fresh air. So, for your business meeting, dress for indoors. All corporate offices were business casual until about 3 years ago but then Target went back to regular business attire because young women took business casual to new degrees of beach-type wear. If you go out and about into the real air, have layers - the jacket would be good but have a light sweater to wear in addition to a top, just in case. A compact umbrella is a good suggestion. My personal practice when living there was to never be able to wear shorts/go bare legged in the evening except between June 10 and Labor Day because I got cold. Nice jeans are fine for shopping and with nice shoes (not rattie tennies) you'll be fine in most restaurants. However, for the fanciest restaurants, good slacks/skirts are fine. Minnesota is more casual, in general, than So. Cal. due to the general outdoors approach to life. Styles are comparable to S. Cal, but for middle aged women, you won't be out of place if you're not dressed like a teenager (i.e. you choose to cover your body parts!). My college is in N. Indiana and for our reunions, women wear nice dresses for the formal dinner, shorts/jeans/nice slacks during the day - pretty much anything goes for daytime. I think you'll find that the teachers are happy to have a chance to dress up so a snazzy black dress would work. Just be comfortable.

I haven't read all the replies yet but as someone who is just about ready to abandon online personals after 11 years on again off again there are a few things I can think of that jump out at me. Men who say "I'm 50 but look 40 and act 30" - I assume they are going through some sort of crisis and need a woman half their age to feel like they are still attractive. I've even read a profile that told the women it was okay if they were over 50 as long as they looked and acted much younger. Needless to say I don't waste time with these guys. Men who post pictures with other women! If the picture of you is good move it into MS Paint and crop out the other woman because that really turns me off. Men who are looking for women more than about 12 years younger than themselves. Men who refuse to exchange a few emails first and want to go directly to IM or the phone. I don't have time for IM. You get started and before you know it 3 hours have passed. And I'm not giving my number to someone until I've exchanged several emails and determined that I actually want to talk to them. Men who are "currently separated" - that means you're married and have no business being here. I also steer clear of men who look for a replacement woman immediately after divorce. If you don't care enough to take time to get over her and mourn the loss of your marriage or relationship I'm not going to believe you could ever care for me either. Men who tell me their daughters will need to approve of me. I guarantee you we will never meet then because I'm not interested in a man who gives a child that kind of power over his life and expects me to accept it too. If you don't have the backbone to be a parent instead of a buddy you are not for me so let's not waste each others time. Men who are best friends with their ex's or they have female best friends. I've been there done that too many times and when these "just friends" won't even make eye contact with you obviously you are more than "just friends". I even read one profile where the guy admitted that the saddest day of his life was when his female best friend got married. As far as I'm concerned he is just looking for a woman to pass time with until his best friend is available again so maybe he can get together with her. I dated a guy like this for several years and then all of a sudden he and this "just friend" were getting married! Men who have been divorced 3 times or more. So many times that second divorce was from the much younger woman and then they got divorce another time or more? When men get married and divorced repeatedly I just find it hard to believe they really get attached to any of them. I would feel too replaceable so I'll pass. I could go on and on but I'll leave you with just one more. I have been on and off the personals since 1998. I always had tons of responses until I turned 50 so I figured it was my age. I rarely even got a response back from men I contacted first and when I did it was usually thanks but no thanks. So I did a little experiment. I made myself 20 years younger. Everything else in my profile stayed the same including my photos. Guess what? I got tons of responses from men, MOSTLY men over 50! And some of them were the same guys who wouldn't give me the time of day when they thought I was 50 something instead of 30 something. This proves what I've thought for a while - men my age are looking for someone half their age. It is their loss not mine. I do believe God had someone picked out for me but I don't think I'm going to find him online trolling for young women.

kathec: I've sewn many new looks for our patio furniture over the years--we ruin a set of Sunbrella-weight chair cushion covers every two years because they're directly under a black walnut tree with birds and squirrels sitting in the limbs. Critter poop, pollen, nutshells, and squirrel spit. AARGH! Re your skirt-- Since you already have a print, if you have enough to spare, you can use the print for the trim band. Find a solid color that complements the print and prewash both the skirt fabric and the piece of the print fabric to be used for the trim so they don't shrink on subsequent washings. The trim piece should be sufficient to make a band about 6-8 inches up from the floor and about an inch or 1.5 inch wide plus turn-under allowance of 1/2 inch each side. Press the trim piece so the edge is sternly turned under on all sides, then stitch it down (from the top). Don't hem the skirt until the trim is attached and hung from the dowel/rod for a while so it stretches as much as it's gonna stretch. Plan the hem just as you would a real skirt--you want it to hang nicely and be positioned just where you want it. You can machine-stitch the hem or hand-stitch it. This is not a difficult sewing project and it will give you a feeling of satisfaction to get it done. I've been collecting pictures of "in" roman shades for six months from kitchen resources online and I've noticed how many tailored roman shades there are with contrasting band trim. It's a fashionable look. If you want to make things very coordinated, use a piece of the solid fabric for a trim band on the print curtains. But be sure you retain an extra hunk of the curtain fabric for a second skirt trimming just in case the original skirt gets too dirty to use before the curtains get too dirty to use. Judydel: No, I am not funny. You will note the expletive "aargh" in use in my postings, similar to Charlie Brown's use of the term. Clearly I am a very serious, sober, contemplative person. Nevertheless, thanks for the compliment!--F.