Fine bark or course bark is six of one kind half a dozen of the other in a sense. Finer bark takes less time to hold moisture when watering and retains moisture for a shorter time. Chunky courser bark takes longer to absorb moisture and also holds moisture longer As with most epic cacti both EC and TC holiday cati are with fine thin and longer roots I am on the side of six of one kind, finer bark allows roots to grip, grow and move more freely VS the half dozen of root growth slowing while growing over the obstacle coarse of chunkier courser bark which is also harder for them to grip. Either bark will work but in a need to water finer bark can greatly reduce or prevent over watering as finer bark is more willing to accept lesser amounts of watering.

See, one reason why I appreciate all of you so much is that my brain doesn't bend like that! I think in squares. Curves never occur to me for some reason. But I like the idea! A crescent, huh? Hmmm.... I'm trying to see it, and what I am picturing is something flush with the foundation of the house, extending along the side of the walk and along the bulkhead. Curving in the center in a concave shape, towards the house. Is that what you meant? I wish I was good with Paintshop, I may have to try it when I get home this evening and post something. I like the obelisk idea a lot! I should note one change that will happen before too long. D'ya see the section on the right, where the bucket is and you can see the hose and the trash barrel behind it? That area is about to become a wall. We are expanding the kitchen, and the wall you see in the background will come out to be flush with the corner of the house. I forgot to mention that before, I'm sorry. I'm in construction mode, and since the GC is having trouble getting an electrician to commit to the job (long story), I am preserving my sanity by dreaming of flower gardens. Thanks again, Emmie

Sorry for leaving the thread hanging I have been consumed by the Johnnys Seed catalog trying to learn Veggie Gardening 101 as I have joined a community garden and have no idea what I am doing.. For nearly $4000.00 I think the lawnbott should come with a number of add ons such as a fork that removes weeds as in mows! #7 Lawnbott The LB3510 is the newest and most sophisticated robot mower on the planet. User programmable for up to 4 working zones, the LB3510 also comes standard with a double capacity Li-ion battery to power this larger model, covering homes up to 1 ½ acres. If you want the best in a robotic, electric mower, the LB3510 is it! $3,999.00 #22 Electronic Slug Fence Stop those pesky slugs from ruining your Hostas, your vegetable garden or any other plants that are being attacked by slugs in your garden. This ingenious device puts a very small charge on a wire mesh fence and will repel the snails and slugs before they get to your plants. By Slugs Away $46.03 #19 HIDEHISA Japanese Ikebana Shears The blades of these shears are not laminated (a hard, tool steel forge-welded to a softer iron body), but rather they are made entirely of Hitachi YCS3-Steel. With traditional Japanese laminated shears, the problem is often that when cutting, the relatively soft iron body of the shears bends under stress and so the blades, however hard and sharp, no longer meet closely enough to provide a proper shearing cut. But if one makes the shears entirely out of the hard "Hagane" steel, they would be too susceptible to breaking, as the "Hagane" steel is relatively brittle. The modern alloy YCS3-Steel makes it possible to harden the blades to HRC 63, but to avoid the brittleness characteristic of high-carbon steels. It also allows the body of the shears to be engineered more finely, to a total weight of only 138 g - lighter than other shears designed to do the same job. The light weight staves off fatigue. These shears are particularly suited to hard and knotty branches due to their short, strong blades. HIDEHISA hand forged shears are manufactured in Sanjo, Niigata Province, Japan by an old, established firm well known for the quality of their wares.

jasdip - Very sorry that your brother is still in pain. But, no doubt that the pain of being downsized is even worse. At a certain age it makes things very difficult. I hope he is able to find a new job soon. jannie - sometimes wait times all depend on where you live and what you are going to have done. But they can be very lengthy in Ontario - Toronto is not good. old joyful - my husband turned 65 in Dec. but will continue to work until age 67. He has 2 eye drop prescriptions - that is it. He will have to pay the $100 deductible to the ODB this month and first go through it for reimbursement of his eye drops - but there is at least a $25.00 differential between what the ODB will pay and the cost of each of the eye drops. He then is to submit the excess cost to his office plan insurer (they pay up to 90% of generic drugs) - BUT he can't claim the $100 deductible. He does have to pay a considerable amount for his office family plan and I am 2 years younger than he is. My B-I-L worked for the government - he can claim the ODB $100 against his government continued benefits. My husband works for a private company. I currently have 2 prescriptions and am being weaned off of them. The ODB would not cover them anyway - and except for the odd sinus meds that is it for me. But at 65 I will still have the deductible (and my birthday is in Aug. - how convenient!). I know for a fact that the ODB is going to stop covering some drugs that many seniors take. In the hospital, yes drugs are covered, and you were VERY lucky to have had an MRI so quickly. I know I would be waiting a long time. Re the ODB I actually called them up to ask if they seriously expected people still working to go through them first. Obviously I do not want to find myself having to take multiple drugs or having procedures at age 65 - especially since I am allergic to so many things. But it does get frustrating. I have a terrible cold - and of course am allergic to antihistamine and decongestant!