faron - oh you're not being harsh - other than not actually saying "BS!" I basically told him the same thing! I told him talk to his brother, these exercises can make all the difference from what he said! Dad doesn't have a TV in his BR (Mom just bought a hi-res FP 3D thing for FR, she could have put old tube style in the guest room for his recovery) but I'm sure the ones that need to be done lying down don't take that long. Are there any that can be done sitting? Like leg lifts? I'm afraid Dad's going to regret this too, maybe that will make him do the exercises on the 2nd knee in the month between surgeries, but then again it may make him cancel the 2nd (except that they are saving the knee that bothers him more for last). That's scheduled for Nov 19, and he thinks he'll be able to drive from CT to FL in late Jan or Feb! A year later and your friend is still having problems, she's 30 yrs younger - doesn't sound promising for Dad. Best of luck to you, I know you're doing everything you're supposed to, and sounds like it's a great facility. And Happy Birthday (I've got 51 coming up soon, and a damaged left knee I fell on a few years ago - on asphalt - when I turned my right ankle, so who knows I may need surgery sometime too, some mornings it sounds like cellophane crinkling as I come down the stairs, though no pain).

I wanted to thank everyone for the responses. We haven't made a decision yet, partly because we found another expensive project lurking for us: The chimney sweep came and discovered our chimney lining has deteriorated, something our home inspector overlooked. The sweep showed me all the terracotta that he cleaned out of our chimney. What's more, he said there isn't room to put in a 7-inch chimney lining, which is what's code, only 6 1/2. So that would require chipping away at the chimney from the interior of the house. Or, he suggested getting an electric water heater instead, in which case he could bring me down to a 6-inch liner. That might be the least expensive, least messy option. The other idea is to possibly make the conversion from oil to gas heat and vent it outside. I prefer gas heat myself, but the new boiler we inherited with the house is only two years old. Also we have some steam radiators--I don't know how easy that would be. At any rate, it all sounds like several thousand dollars, and we have a one-year home warranty that came with the house that I really hope covers some of this. In the meantime he cleaned out the chimney for now and we have a carbon monixide detector upstairs. I'll probably put up a separate post about this issue, as soon as I stop feeling sick to my stomach! Thanks again....

I got all of mine kinda sorta potted- not the neatest job in the world but enough to hold them over until the weekend. I had forgotten all the bulbs I had ordered- lilies and liatris out the yahoo. It was quite funny, though- I had gone out with intentions of sticking them into quart pots or even large Solo cups with drainage holes drilled that I use to start seedlings. Being this was my first Hallson's order I was not prepared for the hugeness of the plants! Most times when I open a box of plants I find myself wishing they were larger but in yesterday's case each new bag opened was "OMG it's so huge" and "Oh crap, those roots are enormous!" The astilbe roots are simply massive, the daylilies could each be split into many plants, the ferns simply enormous, and some of the groundcover I swear would be sold as ten plants by other vendors. It was funny, but nothing fit into anything any smaller than a trade gallon pot, and many of those are kind of crammed. I used up all my mixed potting media and was trying to avoid mixing up another batch, so I culled some baby palms I have been nursing along and robbed some more media there. Hustling around like a fool trying to get everything in a decent shape for holding. It was so cold and rainy and while I was working under cover it was quite uncomfortable, but I got it done. What a pleasant surprise on the plant sizes, though- I already have another order started... And I love the wheelbarrow idea, but both of ours are full to the brim of compost I had husband dig out for me to use this spring for planting and topdressing. I have him well trained to keep them full for me- don't want to spoil that habit at all.

PineBaron I'm with your DW on white or really dark, but I've had the white (although not my first choice at the moment) and gonna go for the really dark. Glad to hear I have a buddy in the process :) Sounds like you have a similar color scheme and other ideas I'm going for. I don't know why it makes me feel good to know that I'm not out in lala land with my ideas. lol omg i just clicked on the link! are you kidding me. that is gorgeous property, view, home! Loveit! the interior, the kitchen is what i envision on a smaller scale. I even have several sizes of that long bar hardware pictured in your kitchen drawing. Love the stacked cabinets . May I ask how tall those cabinets are stacked? such a cool look. Just wondering if there is a rule for stacking sizes? I like it when the bottom one is still somewhat tall then the top more of a square. Not sure if I have the ceiling height, but looks like you will! Living room, bathroom love. wow thanks for sharing all the pics. i'm gonna go read the whole thread and I'll be following you! good luck your blessed to have all that, enjoy! thanks again for sharing :)