Thank you for the update, golddust. I realize now that you've been crazy busy and my request couldn't have come at a less opportune moment...so I really appreciate that you took the time to write such a great reply. What an amazing soul Daniel is, and lucky to be surrounded by so much love and support. I remember Daniel's interest in gardening, and it's wonderful to hear that he has followed through with it. It reminds me of Martin Luther's (supposed) statement that "even if I thought that tomorrow the world would end, I would still plant my apple tree" (rough quote). There's something so powerful and eternal in the world of plants, even little annuals and weeds. The story about his doctors having to fight for his medication coverage makes me shake my head. How does someone make a decision to deny something like that?! Like Daniel needs more stress. It's got to be pure ignorance, which makes a dangerous admixture when combined with power. Maybe you all will be able to find a place for him to live that's close enough that he can comfortably come back and keep tending his original garden, in addition to beginning a new one? A garden one has worked for any length of time has such memories and energy; I remember my angst at leaving my 'first' garden back in NC when we moved west. And I second pesky's request; please send Daniel and Sandy a g'webber's warmest wishes for problem-free coverage, sunny days (both meteorologically and physically) to work in the garden, and of course, fertile organic soil : )

Son had a large wedding and reception but because it was in the afternoon, no dancing. But if we did have a song it would be Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me." His small high school graduating class sang that to the parents then they gave the mom's a rose. Talk about crying! DIL knows what a close knit family we are and she loves how close I am to my son's. Now that she's a mother of a son she really understands the special bond between son and mother which is not like the old saying goes, "A son is a son until he takes a wife, a daugther is a daughter for the rest of her life." Heck, I still get onto my children! I'll always remember Barbara Bush speaking about Jr., "Just because he's the President doesn't mean he can put his feet on my coffee table!" lol

This is evidently still an interesting topic. I almost never call my DS or DIL. I told them at the beginning of their marriage that I would love to hear from them -- whenever they want to call me. (I had an intrusive MIL.) They married one another, not me. With two grammar school age kids and work, they are BUSY. I only hope they have time to talk to one another! (DIL's family is not intrusive either.) DIL never calls me, but will sometimes email me. DS will call every 4 - 6 weeks. He sometimes uses speaker phone so we can chat with the whole family. DIL and I will chat for half an hour if *I* ask to speak with her individually. DH and I love to hear from them, but we have all the time in the world. They don't. It's good to have 'ties that bind' as long as the binding isn't a stranglehold.

Thanks, everyone. Yes, I mentioned the barn quilts here when Terry told me about them, some months before she got sick. It's funny--people comment all the time about the family resemblance, but we didn't look anything alike when we were younger. I looked like my dad, and Terry looked like hers. But when we got older (a lot older), we apparently started looking like our mothers' side of the family. I guess it became quite striking. We were delighted when people said we looked like sisters.