I don't believe I have ever swapped with Tod65. But I am going to try and get a bunch of Heirloom Tomato seeds and other veggie seeds out to him before the Holidays. I can imagine how devastating it is to lose so much so quickly :( It would break my heart to lose my seed collection like that . But I am glad to here that no one was injured in the fire.That is something to be thankful for :)

Am in my late 50's. We don't have longterm disability insurance. It's a real gamble. My dad died young, was cared for at home by my mom--no real expense there. My mother just died this past November at age 85--she was at Thanksgiving dinner with us one night, and gone the next. Long term disability? Nope--she was still living independently in her own apartment. Now, note that in her 40's she had a number of health issues--anyone guessing would probably have figured that she'd either have died early, or have been disabled for a long time, and needed a lot of care in later years. Fact is, other than her regular check ups, visits to the podiatrist to care for her feet, and having her cataracts operated on, Mom hadn't had any serious medical treatment for over 20 years when she died. My father-in-law went very quickly, too--at age 82. He was still working as a plumber in November, spent a couple of months in the hospital, then died the beg. of February. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't get the insurance--only you can decide if it's right for you. But to my way of thinking, I don't see all that many people in my life who actually need longterm care. Most seem to either go quickly, or be able to manage their needs anyway. And the insurance companies are banking on the fact that their scare tactics will get lots of people to sign up--many who will never make a claim. For example, I've got an aunt who has had earthquake insurance for many years--no matter to her that we live in an area of the country that has never had a major earthquake in anyone living's memory. But they were more than happy to sell her a policy. I think she also has flood insurance--but she lives on the 6th floor of an apartment building. We also don't get floods of any size around here. That would have to be some departure from the norm for her to collect! And what about the safety of investing in an insurance company? What if the company goes out of business in years to come? Or waht if the funds are mismanaged or depleted by embezzlement. There is a huge scandal in the country right now regarding pre-paid funerals. People paid ahead to make sure their wishes would be taken care of, and many of the funeral homes have stolen those funds and families are having to come up with money to pay the cost of a funeral twice--the second time at a much higher price. Personally (and I'm not telling you what to do)--I prefer to save and control my own money. I'm not a fan of allowing others to take my funds--as in prepaid funerals, extra insurance, IRA's, etc. I do have one small SEP account, but only because I had a year where I needed some serious deductions, and that one was a reasonable way of keeping a few more of my own dollars. It's important to me to have the freedom to invest as I choose, and to move my money from here to there, depending upon what the economy is doing. I've just known too many people who have relied on others to nurture their savings, and lost everything. My sister is a case in point--worked for over 30 years for one company, was up in corporate management when the company was sold and dessimated by a larger one. She had a GOOD pension plan--but the funds were stolen by the new management, and when the company folded, she got a measely, one-time payout of $16,000!

Our pickup and the old car both go from 60-70 on the marks so that is what I was used to. Our new (2006) van goes from 60 to 80 with the notch that I am used to being 65 is the notch for 70 so I have to pay attention and make sure I am going 65 not 70 like I am used to when glancing at the speedometer. Stacie

My first question is: Do you really want a puppy? A positive reason for getting one is that maybe now you are retired and have the time to devote to a puppy - they require a lot of care and attention, just like human babies. So if you are home all day anyway, that could be good. The negatives are that puppies grow quickly into young energetic hyperactive ill-disciplined dogs. They will require a lot of exercise, unless you get something squat like a bulldog. They will also need a lot of training, otherwise they get out of hand quickly. Do you like to hike? Go for long walks and explore outside of your neighborhood? If so then you can handle a teenage dog. If you spend most of your days inside, on the other hand, you might not be the best home for a young dog with lots of energy. In that case you would be setting the dog up for misbehavior. This is why older dogs are often a good match for older owners. They are happy with a walk around the block twice a day and being in your company the rest of the time. But if a puppy is the right match for you, then I say go for it. Now, you need to find a good breeder. Here is the quick way to determine if you are talking with a responsible breeder. If you walk in the door and they are willing to sell the dog, then they are not a good breeder. If the dog is simply inventory to be moved, then you want to move on. For a responsible breeder, placing the dog is more like an adoption process. They will want to know about you, your lifestyle, your home and yard, and your experience with dogs. My first breeder turned me down after I met with her and the dog. She didn't think I was the right person for that dog. I was willing to put down $2000 and she said "no". That's the difference between a responsible breeder and someone who is breeding dogs for profit. I hope that helps. What kind of dog do you want to get?