I think your plants look real good considering the time you started them. The only other choice is to spend extra money and buy plants that are already producing pods. It costs a lot more, but there IS instant gratification. Another benefit, how would you like it if you were to grow those plants all season and then find out like the guy with the chocolate habs, that they produce some pepper than you were expecting. That has happened to me every year with one type or another. I bought some full sized plants this year and was tasting peppers that night! Priceless

mariposatraicionera, so sorry to hear about the tragic case of your relative. I can tell you from personal experience that finding responsive and expert medical assistance is not always easy even in the DC metro area. I am fortunate that since my wife is a physician who works at a major teaching hospital, she is able to utilize the resources of that center for consultations and/or treatment when it comes to family members. It was, in part, the insistence of physicians in the cardiology department at her medical center that provided the impetus to have a cardiac catherization done. One other piece of information that may be of value to forum participants: for anyone who is ever faced with a situation requiring cardiac catherization - the two imperatives when it comes to such a procedure is that it is done by a cardiologist who does at least 75 of these procedures annually and it is done at a facility that has a by-pass program as well. The latter is important because there is an inherent risk that during angioplasty and stent placement, damage can be caused to an artery which would necessitate immediate by-pass surgery. If this should occur, time is of the essence and being at a facility that can perform by-pass surgery is a god-send. Mine was done at a facility that does an average of 70 cardiac catherizations a day!! The interventional cardiologist who did mine does 6-8 daily! I now have to go to my regular cardiologist for follow-up visits since the interventional cardiologist does not do any "regular" cardiac care. It is amazing how specialized everything has become. talley_sue_nyc, your comment that "many people just live w/ a dull ache in their arm, and end up dying of a heart attack" is probably true. In my case, the moment I told my wife about the ache she immediately scheduled an appointment with my internist for the very next day. I went and cancelled it telling her that she was over-reacting! So I know exactly what you mean.

Jody, one of the guys in our group works on gasoline pumps. He said, they don't make them much different than back then, but, the old ones didn't go any higher than 49 cents. Yup, they were OLD. ;) Moni

Thanks, Rosefolly and Vee for the warm welcomes......The information on these websites as "orphan forums' was interesting...Now I understand a few things that were puzzling. ..By the way, Vee, wouldn't Antediluvian have preceeded "out of the ark" by 40 days or less? Just kidding..I am not even sure if Antediluvian does refer to the flood... Rosefolly, I had not realized there was a forum on antique roses..I must look it up...for one reason or another, all my roses have been replaced by other plants, so I am now in a happy situation of beginning a new rose collection...and this time, I want all the plants to be very special...and not planted in the same space, but each with its own special space. Happy holidays to both of you... Lina.