Graywings, I stopped the Evista because I do not like taking medicines. My primary insisted and I have taken it for about 3 or 4 years. She retired and I have told my new doctor that I don't want to take it. I am also doing more weight-bearing exercises. She agreed that we can give this a try, pending the outcome of my next bone density test in about a year. We'll see. Java, I don't think it is psoriatic arthritis. I have read about that and it is talking about separation from the nail bed and such. While protein and calcium probably have something to do with it, I think the main cause is probably chemicals from over polishing and dryness. It seems like I was removing and reapplying polish 2 or 3 times a week this winter. Then when the technician buffed my nails paper thin, it was really bad. Some of that polish was off by the next morning. Oakley and Peegee, with that overpriced kit I bought at the mall kiosk was a buffer. It is incredible how much my nails are shining. I keep using the oil that came with it. There is also a hand cream that I left in Florida for my friend to bring up as it was over 3 ounces. I will get that next week. I agree with all above who said I need to lay off the polish. Now that is killing me as I do not like my nails without it, but I know I need to stop at least until I get this mess grown out. Thanks again for all of your replies.

It's called Frosty White Mirage. It wasn't my first choice, but the first choice passed the budget so the second choice ended up being discontinued after I thought it was mine and then I picked this on the phone looking through my 9,000 samples. Very happy with it and I can't believe how bright it makes this kitchen. The counter in our soon to be sold house was a speckled black laminate and I'm really glad I didn't go dark in here, too. So. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! And yes, the windowsill is of the same material. Love that, too after wreaking havoc on a wood sill in my old kitchen what with plants leaking and all.

Thank you for these additional messages, especially the reassurance that all these "stars" will still come together ok. I hope I will swoon :) I wanted to ask what others think of sabjimata's comment about leaving the barroca unoiled? I've been playing around with my two barroca samples for these past couple weeks: I oiled one sample 1x and then let it go natural, but oil the other regularly to keep it dark. Like Sabjimata, I really prefer the unoiled: I love the softer coloring and it hides all the little scratches better. Scratches on the oiled really stand out and compel me to oil more. I think that could get really tiring. Here's my new problem-how to pick other colors when I don't know day to day if my counters will be light or dark? I'd like to leave the counters unoiled, but concerned that if I get the really big gouges/dents I'll need to sand/oil and then will find myself with dark counters when I planned all the color choices around light/unoiled. Oiling them really brings out the contrast of the caramel veins and only looks good with other warm/ivory/caramel tones around it which is a huge problem for picking out cabinet color-ugh Darker/oiled Barroca makes me lean towards darker warmer ivory (SW Antique White or BM Simply Irresistible/Palace White.) Unoiled Barroca looks better with lighter colors like BM Calming Cream or SW Dover White/Alabaster. Farrow & Ball House White seems to go equally well with both (probably because of all the extra pigment/undertones?), but while I've heard raves about F&B I'd prefer to stick to Benjamin Moore for our cabinet paint. The unoiled barocca looks classically beautifu/ crisp with a white apron front sink, but the oiled looks SO much better with the Kohler bisque sink (we're going to check out a Barclay biscuit sink today) I'm still really nervous about the softness-just carrying around my samples wrapped in a thick wool sock, the corners have chipped off of both samples. The Green Mountain Original PA that I banged around for months never got so much as a scratch. Yikes. Given the extra cost and long lead times for speciality bisque/biscuit colored sinks, I briefly considered yesterday going back to Original PA which goes better with everything so I could get a harder soapstone and a cheaper white sink! Seriously, even if we lost the deposit on our Barroca slabs to instead get the Original PA we'd still come out ahead because these specialty colored sinks are so much more expensive. Shoot me now.

Thanks Dave. Have a magnifying glass to take a look and will report back. I'm not sure they're mites either. But it's one of those instances with my plants that I feel I need to do something- altho sometimes to their detriment. I bought them from two different places, but they may have been sprayed or treated with same pest control. When I've seen spider mites before there are some webs and they are predominantly on the back of the leaf. These aren't just on the young leaves but all leaves except on back I've got so many plants that I'm afraid to keep these unless I really get just about rid of whatever it is. Not worth it to take the risk, so they're going if I can't get rid of them in 2 weeks. Really appreciate your thoughtfulness in helping me out with this. If it's a pest of some kind the neem oil hopefully will help. I live in cold country so they can't go outside to Bayer 3-1-1 them. What do you think of putting them in the garage to treat? The temp prob goes no lower than 48*.