Tomorrow is April 1st so I thought Id keep this up at the top. Hopefully he will have it up and running on time but no big deal if he can^t. Just keep checking in and let us know, whoever it may be who finds it working. - Sandy

Just moved house last September (Hickory, NC) and am fortunate to have a large fig tree (8' tall X 6' across) in the back yard that is now absolutely covered with nearly golf ball sized figs. Looking forward to tasting the first ripe fig of summer! Last September I was so busy getting moved in and situated that I hardly had time to enjoy the fall crop although the ones I did eat were quite tasty. Based on the descriptions I have seen I believe this fig is a Celeste variety of some sort. Skin is a light violet to brown when perfectly ripe with a deep amber to red flesh. If picked too early they are a bit watery and bland in flavor and are very sweet if allowed to ripen fully. Getting a perfectly ripe one was difficult last fall due to large hornets that seem to delight in eating them from the inside out leaving a hollow sack of skin hanging on the tree. (Not sure what to do about those...) Trips to Lowes, Home Depot, and a few local nurseries turned up nothing but BTs thus far...

Susan, FEMA normally gives displaced flood victims a one-time cash grant to see to their immediate needs, such as rent, clothing, food, etc. I do not know how they determine how much a grant will be--maybe based on the size of the family(?) I wish I had paid more attention to what they were saying about all this after Gainesville flooded a couple of weeks ago. I remember that one family from Gainesville that was featured on the news received assistance from FEMA, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army and it totaled $1600.00 for a family of five who lost their home, all their personal belongings and all three vehicles. There was a Flood Victims Assistance Center set up at a local church that doubled as a shelter. At that location, flood victims were able to obtain clean-up kits for their houses, personal hygiene kits for themselves, clean clothing, kitchen items, and bedding. It seems like that type of stuff was mostly available the first week to ten days after the flood. There is now a flood victims assistance center still in operation at the Gainesville Mall, and I believe the FEMA and Red Cross-type agencies are located there so the victims can register with all the different groups at once. In addition, there is a victims assistance store where people can purchase clothing, appliances, etc. that have been donated to the flood relief effort. I am not sure if there is a nominal monetary charge for the store items or what--I know that you have to prove you lived in the flood-affected area to shop there. Hopefully the folks in SE Kansas and NE Oklahoma will have similar assistance available to them as soon as it is practical for such groups to come in and set up. I have to say that everyone in Gainesville has been working really hard to help those who need it, but the assistance groups can only do so much.....it is not like anyone there is handing out new vehicles or new homes....and there are lots of people for whom safe, affordable housing is the main need. Lots of displaced families are staying with other family members or friends, but that is not a long-term solution, of course. Flood victims in Gainesville had to register with FEMA, the Red Cross, etc. separately so be sure Sally knows that registering with FEMA is only part of the process! I hope FEMA comes through with timely assistance for all who need it. I agree with you that one advantage of living in a smaller town is that everyone helps everyone else. I worry, though, that so very many people were affected....and those unaffected may not be able to help everyone. In Gainesville, the churches have played a key role in the recovery efforts....and not just the local churches. Many churches from all over Texas have sent food canteens and food, clothing, financial assistance, etc. Anyway, I just wanted to pass on to you what little I have learned about flood assistance and FEMA since Gainesville flooded. I continue to keep Sally and all the other flood survivors in my thoughts and prayers. I know the road to recovery will be long and frustrating, and I am sure Sally will lean on you a lot to get through it. Dawn

Oprah said,"After three days, the sky was bluer, my brain was no longer fuzzy, my memory was sharper. I was literally singing and had a skip in my step." On the show, Oprah had her own word of warning for the medical establishment: "We have the right to demand a better quality of life for ourselves," she said. "And that's what doctors have got to learn to start respecting." I don't know what she is doing but she seems to like how she feels. Time will tell though. As far as the medical establishment, I feel there are some good family doctors and quite a few that become complacent and uninformed. Just keeping up with all the new drugs is time consuming. I personally don't think enough doctors look at women as a whole and try to find out what each woman needs to feel healthy. I went to a PA a few months ago when I had various symptoms and by the end of our conversation she said, could you pick one thing out that bothers you the most? Hmmm, should I pick the racing heart or the fuzzy memory or should I pick the ear ringing? She made me so mad. Eventually my doctor called me at home because I made the comment to his wife/nurse that they were in it for the money. I told him what I thought of about his PA and the "pick one thing" attitude. A month later he had me in again and FINALLY made the statement that my heart shouldn't be racing for so long. I could have hit the roof about then. I'd been telling him for a few years but they kept shrugging it off and by now I felt quite a few other symptoms. My eyes bugged out and my jaw dropped when he acted like he had some kind of eureka moment. I felt like pooping him in the eyes with my two pointer fingers like one of the three stooges. I agree with your last sentence Lydia. Oprah might be going to greater lenghths than most of us to keep a certain quality of life but I think she is on to something by telling us we need to look at the whole picture.We should Find out what each person needs, to feel better. I kind of wonder, since Oprah is rich, single, and childless, if this doesn't give her more time to ponder and explore unconventional ideas. I'd like to see how she is doing in a year.