Hi Beth, I used to have to do that when we lived in Orlando. Move them in the Garage for the winter went they went to sleep. Check to see if the one struggling, has soft wood. Also, are they getting full sun? Be easy on the water til leaves emerge. I still pot my up using Catus mix and then I bury the pot about 3/4 of the way. I always handwater at the base, never on the leaves. Full sun and well draining growing media are crucial for a plumies good health. I have no rust. I use Rose Pride, the granular, I sprinkle at the base but away from the trunk. Plumies can't be babied. I lost several when I first started out with them, because I babied them. Too much water and not enough sun. Check to see if the wood is firm and not soft before you do any cutting. How do the tips look? Is it getting enough sun? I had one that was soft,(beginning to rot) the trunk and all, I cut to just above the soil and about a month later it had resprouted. I had backed off on the water and it was getting full sun. This was during the summer too. -Cliff

Most personal financial advisors suggest having 3 - 6 mos. level of income available immediately in case of emergencies, lay-off, etc. I routinely recommended that, as well - but I haven't followed that course, myself, a good bit of the time, even in my earning years, when income was dependent on turning up for work. And usually told my clients the following story, in case they chose to use it. Now that I'm retired, all that I have to do to qualify to have my monthly pension amount deposited into my bank account is ... ... stay alive. I may have a back so decrepit that I can hardly walk, be sick abed, travelling in Mongolia, or whatever - it still gets deposited. Which means that I am less at risk of needing emergency money than when employed, with less assurance of continuing income. Sometimes I've had a substantial balance on hand, usually mostly in stockbroker account, often mainly in money market funds, especially when the stock market seemed too high. But I have drawn a number of certificates for my equity-based mutual funds (no fee), and paid to have certificates issued for a number of my stocks, then have used them as collateral underlying a fully secured Letter of Credit at the bank (lower interest rate than borrowing from broker), currently 6%. I think that setting up a Home Equity LOC often requires some fees, and there were none asociated with mine, based on easily saleable securities. Some charge a fee to let it lie unused, but mine does not, and it lies unused a good portion of the time. Sometimes I use it when in need of unexpected purchase, e.g. buying a car (but bought two older models within the past year and a half, for - under $3,000. - cheque). I have a "credit" (really "debt") card, which I don't use much, but I could use it for immediate emergency, drawing on the LOC to pay the balance before the due date, so no interest. One problem with this system is that one usually needs about $20,000. of asset value in order to qualify for a $10,000. loan. And I would recommend that one not draw full value of that credit available - for if the value of the underlying stocks decreases by 20% ... the amount of loan allowed will decrease by 10%. If a larger amount has been borrowed, the lender will require cash or more securities - today ... or tomorrow, at the latest. I've never borrowed so close to my credit limit that I suffered a margin call - don't ever want to, either. If I borrow for emergency use, the interest that I pay on the loan is not deductible (but the underlying mutual funds and stocks continue to earn - and grow, most of the time). If I use the LOC to borrow to invest, the interest is deductible. I wrote a post starting a thread here a few week s ago telling how I thought that I can make such a loan at almost no net cost. Which makes it wise for me to have two letters of credit, one for emergency use, one to use for investment loans, when I choose to make them. (I should have made some of the latter about three or four years ago - but didn't). Over a substantial period, the mutual funds pay me a variable current rate of return. The dividend rates on the stocks tends to grow, over time. Usually lower than the interest that I could earn, I agree, but that's fine - I don't need the money now. Most of those earnings come to me at a much lower rate of tax than I'd have to pay on interest income, which is taxed at top rate. When I put my money into a CD, GIC, bond or other instrument where the number of base dollars is guaranteed not to shrink, there's another guarantee that the bank never mentions - it can't grow, either. The only earning that I can obtain from that money is the interest. And interest income is all earned now. And it's taxed at top rate - I like to avoid that, when possible. Most of my equity-based mutual funds, and stocks, increase in value over time. I don't receive any of that value now. So I'm not taxed on it now. I only have to realize that increased value when I sell them - or die - which gives me a good deal of the value obtained in tax-deferred retirement accounts, which defer tax liability until withdrawals are made. But those with retirement accounts have every dollar withdrawn added to income and taxed at regular rate. When I cash my investments, I usually pay tax at a much reduced rate. I like that system better than having my invested dollars earn all that they'll ever earn relative to this year, right now, and taxed now, plus taxed at top rate. I'd prefer to defer part of the income - and pay tax then ... at a reduced rate. Such a system might work for some of you, should you so choose. ole joyful

Mortgage brokers, like independent insurance agents, generally have a wider network of resources available to them. When we bought our house, we used a broker and he shopped various mortgages for us, and we were able to chose the best fit for us. When we re-financed we went thru an on-line broker and that was even cheaper than the first broker. We had to pay a commission fee, but the interest & fees savings more than offset what we had to pay. And they handled EVERYTHING for us. We originally had a realtor looking for a house for us, but we hadn't signed a contract with her. We were not happy with her...she just didn't listen, and we ended up finding our house on our own, as a FSBO. We mentioned it to her and she called the sellers to work a deal with them...she wanted them to pay her a commission, but they refused, that was why there were selling FSBO. In the end, this realtor ended up lying to us by saying the taxes were almost double the actual rate, that the house had unpermitted work done on it, and other bogus things...she was trying to sell us a house she was the listing agent on. Needless to say, we ended our relationship with her. Just my advice, when you go to chose a realtor...stand up for yourself! My experience is that they're not like the ones on TV. Remember, they work on commission, so when you buy, they earn a paycheck, but YOU are the one having to live in the place.

Here in the Pittsburgh, PA. area, we have lots of flood plains, and pains. There are many major streams flowing down thru numerous valleys, into the 3 rivers that meet in Pittsburgh. This past September, when the hurricane came here, we didn't feel many effects from wind, but the rains soon overwhelmed the area,s streams, and quite a few towns got major damage from flooding! This was all within a 10-20 mile radius of PGH.! In the immediate suburbs, the creeks had been hemmed in by walls, and close channels. Low bridges made dams when debris closed off the stream beds! After all was over, there was considerable damages done to everything! And, it was surprising how many families and home owners either didn't have flood insurance, or had let it lapse! Most who didn't, lost it all! The State and the U.S. Government sent fact finders in to help out! Some folks were offered loans to get back on their feet! At high interest rates! Some got nothing! And, what was their excuse for not having flood insurance? "Oh, it hasn't happened in these areas for as long as we can remember! And, flood insurance is too expensive!" This mindset kind of reminds me of those folks who rent an apartment or store front, move in all of their worldly possessions and then, the place burns down! Along with everything they own! And the owner of the property? His insurance covered his stuff, but not the renters! I live on the highest hill near Pittsburgh! If any flood ever gets up to me, the rest of you folks had better have an ark! So, i'll take my chances and not buy flood insurance, but if the flood ever reaches my home, it won't matter much! There won't be any reason to save it---- And, if you live near a river, lake, crick, stream, or canal---you'd better have insurance, no matter how much it costs! Remember--there's always the first time for everything! by: Rustyj