NOTHING IN PARTICULAR

Relax, pour a glass of iced tea or a cup of coffee (not too hot, though, BK!) and enjoy! This conversation started on another thread about dollar C & S plants but went off topic many, many times as fellow C & S lovers discovered that they had million other things in common. This is a thread about Nothing in Particular where we talk about what is going on in our little plant-lovin lives. Judging by the last thread, there will be lots of laughter, a few tears and hand holding, a bit of venting, and tons of fun. Past conversations have included where to score good river rocks, how to eat pastry with your front teeth, straightjackets, spouses, children, pets, monkeys, and Carmen Miranda. *****Warning for the serious: if Oprah makes you break out in a rash, if Dr. Phil makes you run out of the room, if you would rather roll in a cactus bed than watch "When Harry Met Sally," this could get uncomfortable for you!!!***** Nothing is off-topic here, as long as it meets acceptable use policies. Be good and have fun.

Well, since it's 4:30 in the morning and I'm trying to get back to sleep, I guess I'll ramble a bit....boy am I tired of waking up like this! Oh, well, they told me that my sleep schedule would be a little off post surgery but I hope it doesn't keep up like this when I go back to work! Got lots of non C&S stuff potted up today, luckily the thunder gave me warning enough to stash my little dry-loving guys out of rain's way. Only a few more things to pot up until the mail brings me more! I got a little crazy on eBay and ended up with 3 kinds of aloe to justify shipping the one I've been lusting after for 2 months. I really didn't even want the other 2 but I got carried away......

Today is the day the son moves out.........I'm really excited but it is a little bittersweet. I really want the breathing room but at the same time will miss having him underfoot. He is such a sweet guy, so much like his dad, and so funny! I hope that him having his own place close by will mean that he still visits a lot.

How's the Ovaltine, BK? Are you mixing it with coffee yet?
Chantell: loved the crazy hair bromeliad- I think you found the new chia pet!
Renatelynne: I gave my mom your Ovaltine suggestion, she really appreciated the info, hadn't thought of that one. She checks into the hospital Tuesday night, her surgery is Wednesday.
Weeds: Please tell me I will sleep again someday!
Bec and Jax: good morning!
Anyone else: welcome!

All right, back to sleep. I hope this thread will load faster for y'all, the OT adventure is about to begin!




This message was edited Sep 25, 2006 5:02 AM

PNGA, when daughter #1 moved away (all of 30 miles) to college 3 years ago, I was a total basket case for weeks. Couldn't stop crying, even though she called every night, I had business on her campus (I'm a med school faculty member) weekly, and she came home for weekends. Yes, it is bittersweet. I stopped crying, and you will sleep again. Ovaltine will certainly help you there.
Best of luck to your mother for a speedy recovery.

thanks, I appreciate that! It has been 5 weeks today since my surgery and I am having the "wake up in the middle of the night" thing that I was having a year and a half a go, it drove me crazy then. Of course then I was under a lot of stress and thinking about work. Now my job and my life are much more relaxed, so I just wake up and say, "hmmmmmm, yep, I'm awake, what do I do now? " I hope this is temporary- I go back to work next Monday, no one wants a Banker with big dark circles!

I'll try not to boo-hoo with my son, he's only moving 5 minutes away by car. He was already out once, then army, Iraq, and back in with us. We've enjoyed him this year and a half but both his dad and I would like our lives back , also I don't think it's too healthy for him at this point to still be a kid living at home. He works full time, he is very responsible, but it's time for him to start making his own way. But this being the only child I've helped raise (since 14), it will still be pretty weird to have him out again. I think he must be feeling some ambivalence, too, he hasn't done much to pack yet....

OK, change the subject! Our stupid A/C unit is leaking all over the laundry room floor, the repair guy is coming BACK today to look at it again. Of course my loving husband is out of town...so I need to go change the sopping wet towels for some that will soon be sopping wet. YUCK!!!!!

Wow, this staying at home stuff is SO much fun! LOL

I'd better enjoy it, I'm back at work in a week!

Hi Erin! Nice intro. you have covered everything in it!! I guess most of the other gals..are at work this am.! I came up with a thread name this am..."Grins, Giggles, Gripes and gossip!" just had to get that in...but your heading makes alot more sense....and it doesn't exclude males....as we welcome them too! Should they even WANT to venture into the land of "hormonal imbalance"!!! I can't even imagine how emotional your day will be for your whole family!! I can feel it all the way here to Fl.!! Best wishes for you all...sounds like a nice well rounded young man..who will do well in life! As for leaks!! Can really identify with that, with all the rain in the past week..we had 6 buckets catching leaks from our skylights...(onto hardwood floors...which were slightly buckling..they are ok now...cha-ching..chaching....) DH went up to the roof this weekend and visqueened sp? over them until later fall..a new roof..chaching cha-ching... don't want to do it while there is still rain...squirrels have also been gnawing on roof top items..they ate the lead from pipes up there? you think that would have killed them!! Did much repotting this weekend and weeding..and planting huge aloes into the ground. (one of the nicer things about living in Fla. there is a place for plants that outgrow their pots!).accomplished much and feel good, (the usual scrapes and splinters in hands...) i don't even feel these until the next day...well, this post is sure long enough! Love our new "chat room within a chat room...." sue

I didn't want to exclude the guys but I wanted to warn them it could get pretty Oprah-esque in here, if they spend too long on this thread they might start needing chocolate and a hug.................LOL

Hi all. My name is Jeannine and I am a C&S-oholic. Hell, I'm a "anything that's green and grows-oholic"! My two latest passions is C&S and African Violets. I am So bad! I even built myself a new shelf to house the AVs. Unfortunately, it was about 3" too long for where I wanted it. I guess you're suppose to measure first, huh? Anyway, where I have it now is great for the top shelf, but the middle and bottom shelf don't get ANY light except from the lamp. I just might have to take the saw to it and hack off those 3"!

In addition to plants, I am a pro at laundry and ironing - my absolutely two favorite things in the world to do on a sunny weekend ~ NOT! I also love to wash clothes that have been on my 11 yr old daughter's body for approx 3 mins! They're dirty then, right? My 9 yr old son, he actually gets his clothes dirty - before he even leaves his room! Like father, like son!

In addition to my domestic goddess duties, I work full time as an admin assistant. My gardening addiction is fed daily when I get home and can wander the "grounds". When winter gets here I will only be able to wander the breakfast nook looking at my C&S and AVs. *heavy sigh* I get a break in Nov when I get to tag along with my husband to a conference in Las Vegas! I can't wait since I've never been there before! I can probably get some neat cacti there since it's in the desert, right? LOLOLOL!

Well, this was totally a case of just rambling on and it is well appreciated by moi. Thanks for starting this thread!!

Jeannine

Were we supposed to get Ovaltine? LOL!!
Hope that A/C unit gets fixed soon, we had to get a new compressor last summer lots of $$$, let me tell you.

The A/C guys just left, apparantly it was clogged and double-trapped, should have been single-trapped (don't I sound knowledgable!) and also the PVC joints weren't glued. We pay for American Home Shield becauese when we bought the house 2 years ago we noted that the 2 (yes, 2) A/C systems were getting up there in years, most especially the one that's acting up. Did I mention that it sounds like an airplane taking off if you make the mistake of sitting outside in the summertime?

The best part was that their boss had told me this morning that they wouldn't be here for a couple of hours and he would call me first so I took a shower. Of COURSE when I stepped out the dog was barking like crazy, they were at the back door and the phone was ringing....

Now I get to call AHS about my 2 year old fancy schmancy dryer that ignores me when I try to turn it on but my LH of all people can get it to work....

I think I'll take a break from today and drive over to Lowes for a few minutes.

:)

Good Morning all! Icetea and/or coffee for me - I am so brain dead this morning I can't come up with anything even remotely witty or meaningful to add to our OT thread. We will be a bunch of Oprah's in training before ya know it!

We had AHS for our 1st house, got 2 hot water heaters out of them.

Oh Eric "this" is perfect!!! Sue, your "Grins, Giggles, Gripes and gossip!" was great as well...reminds me of all of "these" type threads we've got going over in the pet forum...LOL.
Wow...talk about a great "wrap up" - Erin...I know you don't want to be awake at that time...but mercy...you Go girl!!
And before I forget...Big old spine-less welcome to you, Jeannine...glad to have you join us!! Thanks for the 1st name thing too...as I'm rude enough to ask people outright for it!! LOL Then of course don't use it - if it's longer then "x" amt of letters...eh BK? :)....grrr...gotta tend to work..be back later...LOL

Good day everyone!!! Great idea, Erin!!!

4:00 AM-- I can't shut my brain off until then. I was cursed with being a "night owl". I can't form sentences until 11:00, and even then it's sketchy. Then of couse, kitten that he is, little Jax wakes Mommy up at 5:30.

Do you know what I've gone and done???!!! I just entered 6 of my plants in the upcoming flower show at our local Agricultural Fair (Topsfield Fair). They are due in on Friday!!! I guess I needed something (however small) to be involved in, after getting fired and having to get back on my feet in terms of crushed ego.

I've entered succulents: dish garden (needs a little work), best succulent- I haven't decided who that will be; Amateur bonsai Mame- my little Othonna litoralis; hanging basket- swedish ivy category -hhmmm, I ve decided to enter my swedish ivy; House plant "other"- one of my Ibervillea lindeimeri! The fair folk may kick that out (it's just a tuber with some green sticking out!) but I thought maybe something unusual would be interesting. I'm also doing a dried arragement for that category! Whew!

All in all, each category pays $6 for first place!!! I could win $36 dollars!!! I can retire!!! But, I bet Oprah will be calling, then I can have my own talk show, and I'll invite our C/S forum buddies, and we'll be Rich and Famous!!!!!! Sound good?

Aaahh, finally it happened...! A place to relieve our hormonal imbalance. Thanks for starting it Erin, the title fits perfectly. Bravo on the intro..! Too bad that you have to wake up that early though, hope you could catch up on sleep after.
Welcome aboard, Jeannine..! :o)
Sorry for those of you that's been having rain, unless you're enjoying it, then yaaay for you..!
Still have lots of potting to do, but ran out of pots. No stores having their pots on sale here, boo hoo..! Instead they seem to stock more plants. Need I say more?? LOL....


Edited:
Melissa (Jax) our post crossed). Would love to see those plants you entered in the contest! Good luck to you!!

This message was edited Sep 25, 2006 10:02 AM

I 'm going to take pictures Friday, hopefully "in situ" at the fair, since they have a nice backdrop and lights all set up!

Every year I go to look at the winning plants and say "my (insert plant here) is nicer than that one!" Well, this year I'll find out if that's true!

My goal is to someday win an amateur class at the Mass. Hort. Flower show-- the big one.
P. S. Dave's Garden members should have a meet up at the Flower Show (the one in March)

What??!!! I'm talking about PLANTS!!!!! Not my LIFE or HORMONES!!!!!!!!!! LOLOL!!!!

BTW, Erin, your post about your "LH" brought tears to my eyes! There are guys out there that are like that??? How sweet!!!

Hey all, I can see we will be starting another new thread before long!!! Welcome Jeannine! Glad to have you aboard the "hormonal swingsters"!! you will love Vegas,,,i too wanted to go to the local nurseries..but of course hubby wanted to gamble..and eat...we did go to the 2 fabulous national parks there..Garden of Fire? and i forget the other one...gorgeous scenery..and CACTUS just growing wild...of course they are National Parks,,,and the park svc. wouldn't appreciate any pilfering..besides they were too big to fit into my luggage!! lol! A hearty welcome to bbinj also!!!! Well Melissa, i am so proud of you!! I just know you are going to take an award! You are getting me thinking of our own state fair...however their C&S entries are pretty nice..given that we have a large C&S club..(i don't belong..meetings are too far away and at night..not really good night vision!) By the way, i too have a sweetie for a husband..not perfect, mind you...but a good egg!! Yay! Erin, you got awayCHEAP!! That usually doesn't happen... sue... cheeze, this no subject thread is turning me into a yakker..omigod..that's what Mom always says...arrrgggghhhh.......kill me now..kill me now.....see? what NO hormones can do?!!

Sue - you WANT hormones?!?! I've got a house with THREE teenage daughters.....HORMONES run rapant...OMG - someone save me... I come to work (for a psychiatrist) to deal with NORMAL people...do you understand my position?!!!! I keep telling my son...it's ok sweetheart....we're not all "like" them...think of what a good boyfriend you make and husband you'll make one day. So many guy's are clueless like they've enterred a different country...YOU? One female will be nothing compared to dealing with your sisters." ROTFL

Forgot to say welcome bbinj...! Welcome, hope you stick around..!

LOL @ Chantell's last post about hormones and sisters. I can relate to that growing up..! My poor brother, he's the youngest one, too...

Chantell, I don't want hormones THAT BAD!!! I don't want to deal with "others" hormones...just mine If there are any left in this body?? Whutta you tryin to do girl...populate the world?? Wow, i am in AWE ..4 teens?? Hopefully, your "shrinks" give you a nice discount?? Just kidding..tho...my life is so quiet, i couldn't even imagine all the personalities (rageing with brand new hormones),,you deal with on a daily basis!! You get the "Spiny-thingy award" for most patience!! lol! sue

Just be in awe that I've let them live this long...LOL. Nah, God's blessed me with great kids!! Truly, I mean that! They're far from perfect (I'm very honest about those things) but all in all...really good kids. I'm proud of them - that they are what they are despite my mothering, or lack thereof, skills. :)
Spiny Award? I never turn down anyting spiny - LOL Mercy...don't we know it!!

Chantell you are my hero!

I grew up in a family of 6 girls, I'm really suprised my dad didn't develop a drinking problem or something........LOL.... he always said that he should have bought stock in at least one brand of feminine products......can you imagine the raging hormones in our household? YIKES!

Anyway, needless to say I knew next to nothing about boy brains until a few years before I met my LH (not saying I didn't spend a lot of time and energy studying boys, just that I was too busy trying to figure them out ("what is he THINKING? What is he FEELING? why does he DO that? There must be some hidden reason!") to realize that they aren't really that complicated)

As it worked out I am very grateful that I ended up raising a boy instead of girls. He was a lot less work, and about as hard to read as a billboard!

Erin

"read as a billboard" - you are so funny, Erin!! Isn't it the truth though? New parents will ask all the time...which gender is more difficult. I smile nicely and say "at which age?" ROTFL Or I'll respond "physically or emotionally?" Boys can/will wear you out physically - girls...definately emotionally!!

No matter if you said that you're lacking mothering skills, etc, you managed to bring up 4 great kids, that's such a wonderful job and you don't lack anything in that department, Chantell.
That's why I told y'all before, I envy everyone that's able to mother more than 1 child. Sometimes I wish that I want to have more, but I know I won't be able to take care more than 1, so to prevent unwanted result, 1 it is for the time being. Feel sad when I see my son all bored by himself eventhough I try playing with him whenever he asked me to. At least if he has a sibling, they'll entertain each other, I should know that, I have siblings.
Actually I'm sort of experiencing this sadness at the moment, just feeling so selfish. I don't know why I'm not even considering another one, dh and I come from big families, most of our relatives and friends have more than 2 kids, we're the only one that have only one.
Sorry for being such a downer at the moment.

Not a downer, BK...it's a double edged sword one vrs. multiple children. There is no right or wrong...only what's right for you!! My first was incredibly more difficult then the ones there after...seriously. I couldn't get anything done except maybe while she napped...and then I was normally curled up beside her b/c I was exhausted. This was my own fault...I learned how to do things differently with 2, 3 & 4. Still never liked for them to cry more then a bit...but they learned to amuse themselves when needed. Don't put so much pressure on yourself about this. You'll make your brain hurt. Find a play group or go to the park where there are other little ones that he can play with...it will give you a much needed break as well. Nothing at all wrong with that!! It's taken me - too many years to figure that out. (((HUGSS)))

we fought like cats and dogs and went through babysitters like Kleenex

:)

Yeah...I should've stocked up on Xanax and Prozac for sitters when they were younger...on those rare occassions that I'd even leave the house...LOL

Bk, my dear, Enjoy your son, nothing is written in stone...Chantell has some great ideas...a playgroup sounds wonderful..or any other Mom's with children in the neighborhood? you could form your own! Don't i sound like i know what i am talking about!! no kids, just 3 cats!! i bow to Chantell's hardwon wisdom...now go stick your finger on a cactus spine and it will cheer you up!! We are "rootin" for you...AND for heaven's sake..you are NOT to care what other people tell you.(this of course excludes your "buds" on this thread)..YOU matter..NOT them....sue (Hugs too!)

What an interesting thread!

I grew up with 3 sisters so when I had my first son I didn't know what to do with him! Then later when I discovered I was having twins I thought oh I must get at least one girl - no, two more boys!

But I left them behind in England almost 10 years ago for reasons too complicated to go into here. And here I am by myself...

But plants are somewhat of a distraction..

OMG - TWO at once!! That might just have pushed me over. Seriously though - I hope you're ok. Some decisions are so difficult to make even when for the right reasons. My heart goes out to you.

Well I'm not a stranger to the world of twins... I have an identical sister (Galanthophile on DG), and my ex husband and his mother were both boy/girl twins! My sons have a very good life with their father and although we aren't directly in touch I do hear their news and get photos.

It's hard being lonely here though.

Same here, fought like cats and dogs...LOL..

In my early experience, my son wasn't an easy baby. Cried alot (still whines a lot), didn't wanna be put down when awake, which is my fault, because I couldn't (still can't) stand him crying so I picked him up every with little peep he made. Luckely he's healthy (that's all that matters), although he's got the sniffles this past weekend, now he's very very snotty, sorry TMI.
For the first 2 years, I could've written Chantells fourth sentence, nothing could be done unless he napped, and usually I was too exhausted to do anything. I was not happy...I didn't feel so motherly at all. Now everything seems to get much easier, so in a way I'm not looking forward to do things all over again. Many people do say though, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, do get much easier. And yes, nothing's set in stone yet, so, I'll just leave it up to the future :o)
We do some playdates once in awhile with friends, go to the playground eventhough almost everytime we let him play with other kids in public places (park, chuck 'e cheese, etc), he got the sniffles the next day! Aaargghh..But the kid has to interact, right? LOL..

Thank you for y'alls kind words, suggestions, and encouragements, though. I really appreciate them..!

Kniphofia, welcome to our thread...! Have you ever gotten your parents confused which one is which when you were younger? I always thought identical twins are so cool, you can cover each other..


This message was edited Sep 25, 2006 3:48 PM

BK if there is one thing I learned from stepmoming it's that things go easier for everyone with a good dose of humor. I wanted so badly to do a good job that I occasionally tangled myself up. When I could relax and just be myself, things went much better!

Hey kniphofia, Welcome to our wandering chat thread! You can't be lonely we're here!! Just got back from a wine and cheese tasting garden party at an oriental rug gallery! Boy, that was fun!! incredible rugs and great chat, food and wine! Those little ol' ladies can really throw down the wine!! But a really strange place for a meeting..but gorgeous! The owner is a garden club member! Sorry to go off topic...but i think this little ol' lady threw down some wine too!!! giggle..hic...giggle..hic...sue

wow, I am jealous. Wine, cheese, and oriental rugs? Plus garden stuff? Throw in a piece of Godiva chocolate and I'm toast!

:)

You're right on that, Erin. I can't say that it's not getting better, it does, I'm just not ready to have everything start from the beginning again.
Wine and cheese, eh?? Yumm..Your posts always make me hungry, Sue..! LOL.

hey kids! The buffet had tons of nicely prepared stuff...mini-cream puffs, those "rolled layered sandwiches,, home made cookies, nice fresh fruit (that is what i ate..dieting...boo) My posts make you hungry bk, cause I"M always hungry....obsessed with dieting boooorrrringgg..but it was a wonderful Monday night party? We all got sort of "dressed up" which is rarely done in Fla. Fun! No husbands as they would have had to be babysat!! Actually there were quite a few hubbies..there..(came for the food lol) I invited mine, but was glad he was to tired from work..my little group left them at home & had a hoot gossiping & being silly..not unlike our thread!! .. Lots of cool plants raffled away..it is a neat garden group! Wish you all lived here so you could join! but i have a wine headache now..only 2 of those little plastic cups too! whattawimp! lol. sue

BK, about the child issue... Since you are getting pressure from others AND have a toddler, I would not even think of having another until he's four or five; old enough to help you and not be jealous. At that point, you should take a good account of your marriage. The stress of a child put a rift between my DH and I that will never mend, and I know so many other women for whom kids destroyed their marriage, too. Everything hinges on having a really supportive and loving DH!!! As for those realtives who are wanting more kids for you, I would ask them if they are going to come babysit at 4 AM???

Sorry to be too personal. I don't want someone else to make the mistakes I've made. As it was, we stayed together for the sake of my son, who is a beautiful, wonderful person. We always put him first, which short changed our marriage, but it would have been worse if we had another child. What keeps us together now is the fact that he works 12 hour days and is on the road 1/2 the time, plus, it's cheaper to have only one house. Also, his brothers and sisters are my best friends. (I am an Only and he is the oldest of 5; 3 boys, 2 girls-- talk about FIGHTS!!! Each sib has scars on their faces where one hit the other with a metal toy, or a fireplace poker, etc. etc.!)

Just Jax's 2 cents!!!

Thanks for your very kind advice, Jax! :o)
Seriously, I'm staying away from family gathering for a little bit. They can't leave me alone! And to make things worse, it's my side of the family, too. The in-laws are actually pretty cool. Rarely get into our business. Fortunately, my parents actually live half a globe away so they can only terror me from the phone, but I have plenty of relatives here, and they are as bad.

Sue, stop making my mouth water!!! I'm not dieting on purpose ya know...If my teeth aren't so uncomfortable, I'll be living inside the refrigerator! ROFL..
Glad you had lots of fun though. Did you get any raffle prizes?

Hi gals, just checking in before I actually call it an early night, I have been proofreading/editing an incredibly badly translated medical document all night and my eyes are a crossing!
BK, my family is the best in the world - all of them 5000 miles away!!
Weeds, sounds like you had a blast - right about now is when I start missing Florida and the weather there....hmm, maybe I will become one of them danged "snowbirds" one day when I grow really old and decrepit and can't drive no more! :)
Jax, I don't know if I admire you or feel sorry for you for sticking out what sounds like a not-so-happy marriage. I always told DH in the beginning that even if we had kids and the marriage turned south I wasn't gonna stick around and be miserable - but nature took care of that part, our marriage is rock solid and I only want to kill him every now and then!
Kniphofia - welcome to DG, stick around, you won't feel lonely here with us! We provide C&S info (an anything else for that matter), we enable you to spend your money and we will provide some fits of giggles envisioning things that has been said and done!
GG1204 from Richmond, howdy nearly neighbour!!
Not too far from us at all!
Good nite y'all, I am officially done working now (yes, it is 12.50AM) I am putting down the glasses, making myself an after midnight snack (dang it, y'all made me hungry talking about food) and chilling before I catch some zzzzz's.

Jax, by the way - good luck on the upcoming win! You know the Ovaltine will be on you as all 6 plants win first places!! Take pix and lotsa luck!