Mercy me, lots to read this morning. And that's a treat because I have to go into work late this morning :( ! and this will amuse me until I departure time (7 AM). Count me as another admirer of that nifty wreath. Please tell me about the plant with the amazingly colorful buds/seed heads... is that color for real or a trick of the monitor? The baby jacket is wonderful; I am not a knitter but perhaps I'll give it a whirl as Mum was very accomplished and there are scads of pattern books (dating from the late '30s-early '90s) as well as countless sets of "knatting noodles". Cat names: Sir Thurston Bottomly, Sam, Fred (slept in the basinette with me), Thomasina, Tosca, Millicent Friendly (Millie), Oliver Orange (all over orange, Ollie), Nicolette, Salvatore, Floey (Florence Griffith Joyner), Robert E. Lee (Bobby Lee), Mr. Sleek (Junie, short for Junior), Polly, Spencer, Vera, and Minnie Pearl. Nick names are too numerous to recount without putting you all to sleep. Hey YOU asked! Smitten with kittens we are indeed. Wow, Drema, I had forgotten about your daily commute. I'd hasten a bet you won't miss that too much. I have between 15 and 25 minutes, depending on which route I take, but it's early in the morning and is unfettered by clogged roadways. Gas is just over $3/gallon and my usual route takes me by all the places I need to visit routinely, so I accomplish much "on the way home". I don't joyride much these days. I hope the impending "vacation" doesn't add too much stress to you life. Any thoughts on what you might do as a "second" career? Mary, have you ever heard of LAGQ, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (or quintet, never can remember)? I occasionally hear something by them when I'm allowed to listen to the classical program on NPR (workers generally veto that selection, sadly). Anyway, they're terrific, Deanne would probably like them, too. Bedbugs! uck... who would ever have thought we'd be revisiting those detestable creatures? Shudder. I'm not particularly squeamish, but they give me the creeps (ticks, leeches, included). OTOH, I have to confess to a certain grudging respect for their adapability... . Sounds like an intersting research project for you, Cindy. :) There have been a rash of grisly domestic violence incidents in our area over the past couple of years... the weirdest was the guy who killed his wife and entombed her fibreglass at a marina. What's up with THAT? I sympathize with the worries about friends/children and the loss of one's "space". Having had one dreadful room-mate some years ago, I know how it feels to come home and see their car in the driveway when you were hoping for some ALONE time. The best I can say for that idiot was that he paid off our mortgage for us! haven't seen him since and don't care if I ever lay eyes on him again. Hang in there, you guys. The seamless gutters were in place when I returned from work yesterday. The estimate for the drywall came in yesterday, too. I still don't understand how anyone can do that sort of work for that price. Sheetrocking and insulation rate as the most odious of home improvement tasks, at least to me. Rich will understand, huh, Martie? Rex has become quite a pest when I get home. He follows me everywhere, sitting directly in front of me and staring at me with imploring eyes... are we going out for a walkie, Mummy? WHEN, pleeeaaase? Jeez, I can even use the bathroom without him. He apparently missed the memo that I hate dogs. Time for the "rain locker" and raiment selection and then off to an interminable day at work. I'll probably be alone (mercifully) but will be faced with the final round of huge curtains for the largest of our commercial accounts. Greeaat. Hope your day is a fine one, everyone.

So let me get this right... moving boxes? When we moved (in December) I carefully broke down all our moving boxes and stacked them in the basement under the stairs. We are in a temporary house and I'm pretty sure we'll be packing up again maybe next year. We knew there was firewood stacked behind the garage but when spring got here and I went exploring I also found a huge stack of someone else's moving boxes (previous owner?). Anyway, they had obviously been out in the weather for a while and where the rain gutter had failed and dripped on the boxes they were rotted nearly through the 2' pile. I put that on my list of stuff to clean up but haven't gotten to it. When I started my lasagna pile I remembered those boxes and I pulled 5 or 6 of them out to put on the bottom of the bed. But there are still dozens of them behind the garage. Can I keep adding them to the lasagna pile? Should I layer them or rip them up into little pieces? I don't have a shredder/chipper so that is not an option. Also, when I go to Sam's club I try to pick boxes that don't have glossy labels on them to box my groceries. That way I can at least burn the box in the fireplace. But if you all say composting the cardboard can be done more than just at the bottom of the lasagna pile, then I'll start using them too.

Electric bill: regardless, right now I'm feeling it's worth it since after that horrible ice storm we were back on line in less than 24 hrs, despite being on a sparsely populated rural road 1/2 mile from the end of the line while our neighbors in more populated areas on a different company didn't get power back for 3 days . . . But yes I basically understand it and my health insurance (like CTLady we are self-employed and have to get our own.) My homeowner's insurance is one of my next projects, so right now I'd have to say I'm not too clear on it. White plastic fences: Our neighbors (who have NO sense) put them in and expected them to keep the horses in. The horses learned quite quickly that a little bit of weight against the fence would break it, but it took 6 or 8 escapes for the owners to learn. So while the aesthetics are not what I prefer, the practical aspects for farm use are nil. The same neighbors cut down every tree (and then planted saplings that are dwarfed by their huge house) and not only stripped and sold the topsoil, but dug a dangerously steep-sided pond just so they could sell that soil as well. By preference & for personal use, Mac, though I do dual platform for work. I use a cell phone for my convenience (ordering take-out as I'm leaving town to drive home) and to communicate with my husband at his shop and at craft shows. One thing I like about our landline, that in an emergency it will tell 911 my address if I can't, whereas my cell can't. Crafty: Not in the usual sense. I'm a wood turner and plan to learn to weld this winter so I can make garden trellises. Pack rat: I prefer the term cluttered, but yes I am. But my closets & computer files are pretty well organized. Books & TV: I read a lot. I've enjoyed '3 Cups of Tea' and 'Born on a Blue Day,' both biography/memoir, and in general read lots of garden & plant books & mysteries. TV is often evening background noise while we're reading or web cruising or when I'm too tired to do other than just veg. I'm quite jealous of all the pets (some great photos!) We are catless currently due to the danger cars present to pets on our road (the house is only about 15 from the road.) We have many more voles than when we had cats. Eventually we'll be further away from the road, and then we'll once again have cats.

Thanks so much for the lovely comments. Bonnie, I love whimsy also and loved this idea when I saw it. It's pretty easy to do altho my DH actually did it all! I just find the ideas to keep him busy! LOL Lynn, it really is amazing what a little spray paint will do, isn't it. I used to sell pre-owned treasures in my store which we bot at YS's and I cleaned up and DH painted. They looked like new and sold really well! I think most of my house is decorated in YS treasures! Jeanne, nice to see you over here! I haven't been over at GJ much since our season is over early and I find even thinking about gardening a bit depressing. I will post there and also must post about my garden house as I promised. I'm very remiss with taking and posting pics when I'm busy. You're most welcome Karen, and you know we expect to see a pinecone creation from you before long! No pressure now. ;-)