Can I leave something in front of your house with my name on it so you can do something like this for me? he-he What a wonderful gift for your friend and a great remembrance of her time in your neighborhood. I am coveting those rusty furniture legs! You always manage to come up with something brilliant that is planted with succulents!

Yes, my sister and I sing the flag decal song. It ought to be played on the radio, and the saga about "Sam Stone", too. Sam Stone is really relevant now with all the young men and women serving around the world who are coming home with shattered bodies and shatter minds. Jeez! SAM STONE - written and performed by John Prine Sam Stone came home, To his wife and family After serving in the conflict overseas. And the time that he served, Had shattered all his nerves, And left a little shrapnel in his knee. But the morphine eased the pain, And the grass grew round his brain, And gave him all the confidence he lacked, With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back. Chorus: There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes, Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose. Little pitchers have big ears, Don't stop to count the years, Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios. Mmm.... Sam Stone's welcome home Didn't last too long. He went to work when he'd spent his last dime And Sammy took to stealing When he got that empty feeling For a hundred dollar habit without overtime. And the gold rolled through his veins Like a thousand railroad trains, And eased his mind in the hours that he chose, While the kids ran around wearin' other peoples' clothes... Repeat Chorus: There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes, Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose. Little pitchers have big ears, Don't stop to count the years, Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios. Mmm.... Sam Stone was alone When he popped his last balloon Climbing walls while sitting in a chair Well, he played his last request While the room smelled just like death With an overdose hovering in the air But life had lost its fun And there was nothing to be done But trade his house that he bought on the G.I. Bill For a flag draped casket on a local heroes' hill Chorus There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes, Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose. Little pitchers have big ears, Don't stop to count the years, Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios. Mmm.... ------------------------------ Annie

I'm an idiot... meant to post this under Conversations. It's there now, but I have to figure out how to remove this one. So please post on the Conversation one.

Jane, I just recalled another reason that brief tornado only downed the 3 papaya trees and not my banannas. The tallest of the bananas at that time, were only standing at a height of 7 - 7 1/2 ft approx., and growing on the other side of a 6 + ft tall shadow box fence. So the fierce winds were mostly diffused going thru the fence and the few tips over 6 + ft were only gently shuffled around. The 3 papaya trees however, were not the lower-growing Red Ladys, but the normal big skinny guys. My neighbor on the other side of the shadow box fence, ( a different park ) bemoaned the loss of the tall papaya's, said they gave his property " a tropical look I really liked. Will you be replanting more papaya trees like them ? " " Er, no " is all I said. Having only planted them trees a few months earlier ( fastest growing trees I have EVER SEEN,..realize tho they're not really trees. ( smile ) ),..and not having enjoyed eating even ONE,..then the 2 1/2 days labor digging up the roots, sawing the stumps, branches up, hauling it all out to the street for WM to haul off,..naw, no need to dim his rosy impressions ! ( smile ) PS : As a retiree, no need to work more than 3 hours a day in my " plantation " ! have too many other " cool " , stress-free endeavors to occupy my time ! ( smile )