When I treated mine, I just caught him each day I put him in the dip. No more than 5 min are instructions. I used a timer and had an airstone in the gallon container I used. I put him back in the bag of pond water that I brought him in the house in and took him back to the pond and released him. Even in Fl we have had some pretty cool morning temps. so I didn't necessarily warm him up. Especially 80 degrees. I can only say this worked for me. My husband is the same way, just can't see going to all that trouble and besides he thought they were the easiest thing in the world to raise. But he also knows that after 47 years that I am going to do what I want to anyway he just has to get over it. And he does some dumb things I don't always agree with but that's life. I always say "whatever it takes to float your boat". Glenda

The lonnnnnng wait for your table is a little bit of a deal breaker-- but not completely. I am still all over the place with the pieces I like-- some have french lines (but the more simple french style) and well-- I love the samurai line too. How funny is that-- going with asian style from a french company??? I also love the secretary desk but I suspect it is going to be so far out of budget that I will have to wait. Yes, the chest that didn't fit upstairs is the one I am going to test the waters on returning. I do love it but it just doesn't work for me on the first floor. I could move it to the dining room but it will be the same there-- too big and not functional. It was $1400 so that's like a whole chair in the budget. I can definitely fill in and find other stuff at furniture store #1. They don't carry bad manufacturers-- just not the ones that are wowing me. They carry Bernhardt, Hickory White, Leathercraft (and a couple of other mid to high range leather companies), Lexington, Hammary. I have found some occasional tables and even some artwork I like there. I still may end up getting the HW buffet-- because of the credit. If I must, I don't think it would be horrible. It is very nice also and I'd select a custom finish. Funny, last night I had one of my inspiration photos up-- and it was so comforting to me. The chairs are so much less expensive than I have been looking at and I keep wondering if I shouldn't go that direction and dump my money into really nice casegoods. Wouldn't that be funny though, PB rattan chairs with a leather sofa and pricey buffets and secretaries. But that's me-- I am currently wearing a tshirt and $800 bracelet. hahah just seems to suit me. Wow.. I typed a whole bunch. Sorry to drag you down my rabbit hole of decor chaos... but you really inspired me and brought back my spark with the FH. Tonight is my niece's birthday-- we were going to show Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (in advance of the new one coming out next week) but she changed her mind and we'll watch Martian Child. She said "Aunt Beth, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that movie and I want everyone else to see it so that they don't always think of themselves." awww ha.. this is pretty funny coming from a little princess with a fairly priviledged life but I love the outlook on life that she is developing. It's a John Cusack film. If you haven't seen it, it is quirky but very sweet. In two weeks we'll do Nim's Island another movie she loved. It will be our big end of the summer party with light up leis and tiki glasses filled with mocktails and fruit kabobs. Last year we did a dress up Grease party with burgers and fries and ice cream sodas. The backyard theater was really a great splurge-- the kids LOVE it and it gives them something to do that is relatively inexpensive and entertains the young kids and the teens (not to mention the adults). I have a blow up 9 x 12 screen and a projector-- and of course the professional popcorn popper. That's pretty much all you need. OK.. I am sitting here chatting away and I need to get shopping, wrapping, cleaning and baking. (Showered and dressed would be good too ha!) Thanks for indulging me if you made it this far ;)

Hey Next Obs, I think I've identified your sans. It was the first name I thought of when I first saw your pics, but I dismissed the ID since 31 inches is much taller than it normally grows. But revisiting the pics of your plant and your descriptions, I'm sure it is S. trifasciata 'Gray Lady'. Juan Chahinian says in his book that this variety tops out at 18 inches, but I've grown it a bit higher than two feet. So I think a good wholesaler could get 'Gray Lady' to 31 inches with forced feeding and perfect culture and temps. Google that name and see what you think. In Europe, this variety is called 'Silver Princess'. Interestingly, 'Gray Lady' propagates true from leaf cuttings where many trifasciata's revert to the base species. 'Gray Lady' isn't rare but is very uncommon, so you've made a good score my friend. Russ

Yes. Our normal annual rainfall is 35 inches. Last winter we got 66. Perhaps it was trying to make up for the 5 year drought all at once? Of course, the news media and the politicians had declared, after 3-4 years of drought, that it would take 20 years to make up for that, that the reservoirs would take at least a decade to recover, etc. etc. Of course, they were wrong as usual. Last Winter there were flood disasters, and now the Spring runoff from all of the snow is causing more floods, and threatening some of the dams. The reservoirs are all full all over Calif., and the problem they are having is how to release enough water to keep the dams safe, without causing floods downstream, or losing water they might need for next year. 99% of California is officially out of the drought, and even the depleted ground water is coming back. Jackie