Plum from SW Michigan, USA

Hi Plum

I don't blame you for avoiding the darker side of Halloween - quite frankly, it is not celebrated at all in our region, though I know it has become a habit in some metropolitan areas in Australia.

My avatar - mad scientist - reflects I must be mad to teach science to teenagers. My own kids think I'm a bit mad full stop! I rather like your's...

cya :)

oooo a new page :)

Hi Plum - if you are gardening you must be feeling better! I planted lots of dutch iris for this spring and got so much plaesure form them. I hopefully will put more in next year - I hated the idea of cutting them - they were so pretty in the garden, but they are one of my favourite flowers. Have a great day - take care!

Plum, just stopping by to wish you good cheer and let you know you're in my thoughts. We all have those "slumps" now and then, so I'm hoping that in some small way, knowing you're cared about will help lift your spirits.

Plum, NOW it's bugging me! If you DO find out the location/name of that cathedral, could you please let me know? I tried to look it up, but I don't think it's one of the "biggies". If there was a daytime photo it would be a bit easier, too.

Happy 26th Wedding Anniversary Plum and Mr Plum

Happy Anniversary, Plum! And many more years of wedded bliss!

Happy Anniversary! I wish you many, many more.

Happy Anniversary, Plum! 26 years - what an achievement. Hope you have a lovely day.

Happy 26th Wedding Anniversary Plum and Mr Plum



1983 was a very good year for marriage!

We've had a damp spring and the roses have appreciated it but we have a lot more black spot than usual.The names are often different in the Americas but the one's that have done best are Chartreuse de Parme, Guy Savoy which are both French Delbards. Troilus, Benjamin Britten and and Compte de Champagne which English Roses from David Austen. Other star performers include The Childrens Rose, Queen Adelaide, Twin, St Patrick and Old Fragrance. It is huge. It's not a climber and must be 15ft tall. On the other hand we planted a lot of lilliums and we appear to have lost the lot. I must try and take some photos and post. Congrats on wedding anniversary, we coming up to 33 just before Christmas.

Happy 20th Birthday to your daughter Faun

My youngest child, Stephen, is also 20, his birthday was in July.

to your daughter, Faun. Much to be thankful for.

Hi Plum, In accordance with our site's custom, I'm bringing you a gift of a large slice of quiche lorraine and a glass of delicious bordeaux to sip with it. I've been visiting and doing the sudoku and jigsaw puzzles here for a few years, but seldom have a lot of free time. I do love your curiosity - please never lose it. A belated, but happy 26th Wedding Anniversary wish for you and your husband, and many more in the future.

Hi Plum, I tried to send a personal note but I don't think it got sent. Slow connection. Will make this one shorter or send two. Me friend downloaded pics of the cast. Copied on photo paper. Found frames in a BB Turkey add. Made copies and put photos over the turkey. Glued ribbon on for a hanger. Used left over illusion material for a garland. Place ele. lights that were only gold and white, deep inside the tree. Dollar General had some glass candles that would clip on the tree. A few other items and it looks pretty good.

The parade will be this Saturday and then the museum will be opened for the Christmas Tree tour. Big deal in this small town on the Cumberland. The museum is an large old pre civil war home. Not a plantation house. Sorry about the "me friend" I am not English, My fingers don't always hit the right letter.

Hi Plum. Thanks for taking the time to wish me a happy birthday last week. The couple of weeks leading up to that day were unbelievably stressful with Kyley's surgery & complications, but the day itself turned out fine. I got to have my long planned girls' night out with all three of my daughters & both of my granddaughters, a first time happening! Kyley's feeling much better & is back to work, & I'm finally rested again. Now on to Christmas! I want to wish you & all your family a very Merry Christmas and

Thanks Plum - I had a wonderful birthday with my children and gorgeous grandson - I feel very lucky!

to your #1 daughter, Plum! Finals ... yuk! Will she graduate in 2010? Wow ... big things ahead!

Happy, happy birthday, Starr! Hope you have a wonderful day!
How did your underneath photos turn out?

Plum you and your loved ones have a and a very all the best for 2010.

Dear Plum.
Wishing all of you
A very "Merry Christmas"
And
A very "Happy New Year".
My best wishes to you.

Best wishes for a wonderful New Year!

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas



and

Hi Prune ... oops! Plum. Just thought I'd drop in and leave seasons greetings to you and all you care for! May your lives be full of happiness and peace through the yuletide season and throughout the coming year!

and

Dear Darling Plum wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

The new mattress is wonderful. It's a pillow top, which means you can't roll over without almost getting up, but my back hasn't hurt since I got it.

Plum, I answered on Medium. I think the flower is an English Daisy Bellis Perennis.

Plum I am glad the wound is doing well. Pain is natures way of prompting you to protect this area while it is healing and is to be valued & respected. It isn't surprising that it bled when the dressing came off [I explained why that happened in my post yesterday]

It is good that there is now scab formation. If it can be kept dry [difficult on the hands] the scab will not get soggy and lift prematurely. Healing will be much faster. We can buy an ointment called 'Lansinoh' which is a very pure & sterile form of lanolin which gives good protection from moisture. Needs to be used sparingly ... too much and it will make the wound soggy and a good breeding ground for micro-organisms.

From your original description medical treatment / suturing did not seem to be appropriate and I agree - there is not a lot that they could / would have done [other than what they did for your friend]. You just would have sat around for a while and paid out a whole lot of money... Can you buy wound sprays over there that provide a protective film? I no longer have any but you need to be careful with them because if they also contain a local anaesthetic [lignocaine] one might be tempted to use it more than one should.
let me know if I can be any more help.

Thanks for the birthday greetings. The sudoku greetings make the day special.

Hello Plum, your extra descriptions are also awesome, but my opinion still holds. I used to ice skate when I was a lot younger, mostly speed and hockey, but could not imagine it as my only mode of transportation, nor right at my doorstep. We had an indoor all year round rink, so I have never skated on a naturally frozen pond or lake, although that sounds lovely. I have read about the ice fishermen, and that they have cabins and even fires on the ice. I am a bit fan of Lilian Jackson Braun, who has had Qwilleran trapped on the ice and hair-raisingly rescued!! Thanks again for showing me an extra dimension on winter.

There is actually a fungi called King Alfred's Cakes.
I choose that one!

Hi Plum! And Happy Friday to you! I nice slow Friday for a change so I took a break to do today's hard puzzle. Saw your comment on white bleeding hearts and I will need to look for one this year. I have a dwarf red one that my mom bought for me. It comes back every year and I have it planted in the shade, but the heat still practically kills it by the end of the summer. Oh well, the heat practically kills us too sometimes, thank goodness for the pool and gin and tonics! ;-)

Take care and be well!
Aimee :)

, Little Plum! May this be the best year of your life!

Hi Plum! Just a couple more Mouse books, in case you don't get back to the other page,
'books about mice: did anyone mention "Angelina Ballerina"? Also "The Mice and the Flying Basket" (Rodney Peppe) was very popular with my kids. :)' Cheers!

Plum, thanks for that. I'll get hubby to check for dust on the vents - that seems to be our biggest problem. It has started freezing up inside though which tends to indicate other problems.

Thanks for your concern, Plum. I feel like I've been away for months! I had a bit of a scare back in late November/early December. I was in the toiletries department of Walmart and noticed their blood pressure machine. On a whim I tested myself and was shocked to see my blood pressure was 157 over 75! The last BP reading I had was 120 over 80, and back when I was in top physical shape (40 pounds ago!), it was 110 over 70. Since I basically don't believe in doctors, I decided to take matters into my own hands and beef up my exercise. I'd gotten my systolic down to 137 by diet (eliminating salt and lowering sugar and fat intake). And now since I joined the health club (10 days ago), I've already dropped another 4 points. Our local hospital is having a heart health screening on February 20 which includes: EKG, cholesterol panel, BMI, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and risk assessment questionnaire. It costs $20 and will be well worth it. I have complete Medicare coverage, but I refuse to see a doctor until I know what, if anything, is wrong with me so I can do some research. I do not want to take medication. By the way, that article on sitting really struck a chord with me because of all the time I spend sitting at the computer. I got my first 'puter back in 1999 and operated a graphics business from 2001 through 2007 and spent most of my days sitting. I have a feeling that was a major contributor to my BP spiking. Anyway, I feel just fine, and I know that one of the classes I started taking on Tuesday at the health club is doing me a world of good because every muscle in my body is screaming!!! I have another class tonight and am really looking forward to it! Anyway, enough of my blathering. It was good to hear from you, and I'll see you on site!!!

Sweetheart! Won't you be mine???

Hey Plum, an infra-red heat lamp would be good, then the only heat rising would be the radiant heat from the floor. Just make sure you don't have the lamp too close to the area being heated. I have seen fires started that way.