And tell me if that Panama Red Passionfruit ever bloomed for you! I've got fritillary cats on mine, but no blooms!

Bobbi

Bobbi, do you have another passi to put the cats on?

Not, yet. I'm out of planting space, but have faith my arbor may be done within a month to allow the completion of my wrap-around bed behind our pool!

We FINALLY GOT WINDOWS!! It only took 4 months! They brought 10 windows down, promised all day they would install them that night no matter what. I heard the excuse flat tire, then TWO tires blew out on the trailer trying to get them to you. The guy told me he was in Magnolia, on I-45, didn't know where, blah, blah, he LIVES in Magnolia, which is NOT on I-45. The mexican crew showed up about 7pm, unloaded the windows and took off running. Then they said they didn't install the windows because I was yelling and screaming and they were afraid of me!!! I never went outside so I know they never even saw me. I confronted the "installer" the guy we had to wait an extra 2 weeks for, he confessed that he had no intention of installing our windows that day, never did have any intention of installing our windows that day, didn't have any flats or blow outs, didn't go to Georgia two weeks earlier to pick up the windows, told us the lies because James, the manager, told him to...THe windows have a date of manufacture on them, it was October 2, the company claimed they picked up the windows in SEPTEMBER, two weeks before they were even manufactured!!!
They finally came back on Saturday, after I got my brother to find someone to install them, I had them come too, and paid them, I didn't trust the window company at that time. They showed up the next week & put in the last window. Some of them they caulked, some they didn't, the bathroom window didn't fit but the guy cut some scrap wood JIm had and made it fit.
Then they tried to get me to give them just over $1400.00 I refused. That was only $200 less than what I owed and the cost of the windstorm inspection. I figure they are trying to get out of the inspection. I was told, over & over, by the company they were giving me a "huge" discount at installation & were discounting the cost every week so I refused to give them any more money. They did a horrid job, it took forever and they promised me a "huge" discount. $200 isn't even 10%!!

I haven't heard anything else from them and don't think I will. I've got the windstorm inspector coming in a couple of weeks & hope they pass, otherwise we are going to court.
We got to move upstairs!! And sleep in our new bed!! Now we just need some trim, siding, painting, minor stuff and we're done!!! Yeah!!

That passion fruit still has not bloomed! It's huge and growing like gangbusters but not a single bloom. No cats either, and they've eaten every other passionflower to nothing.

I'm not strong, I'm just hard-headed. LOL!
Tally HO!

Well, thank goodness they are in and wow sleeping in your own bed? You have certainly been through it. I finish this in an email

Lessee. is that 2 yrs. or 3?

Sounds about average for major hurricane damaged area.

Tally,

Sorry I missed you at Mercer on Saturday. I was late with the soccer schedule and all...

My Panama Red now has 1 bud on it. I'm afraid the cats will get it before I can tell what the flower looks like!

Hi Tally, I'm so glad to hear things are rolling along for you, albeit with bumps and hiccups. I think I might have told you that we lost our beach cottage that was over in Gilchrist. All we found from it was a little glass creamer that was on the shelf in the kitchen. I think we're going to take the county buyout deal. None of us can afford to rebuild it and we could never replace the things that our grandparents had furnished it with, so it's the end of our free vacations. I know losing a cottage is nothing to losing your primary home, and the place really was a dump, but hey it was our dump and we sure did love it. Anyway, I had a good year with plants and flowers this year so if you need anymore seeds or plants let me know. I'd like to come down and stay a few days in Galveston next Spring if I can get away from the office. They get ticked off and don't want to pay me if I don't show up. I hate how working cuts into my leisure time. Don't let those contractors get away with anything, the bloodsucking parasites. Give 'em hell, and full speed ahead! All the Best, Cheryl

It sucks just as much losing a vacation house your family has had for generations. Some friends lost theirs too, those little fishing shacks just didn't hold up, there was nothing left. It's a shame because those kinds of houses belonged to the average person & their family. Now it seems only the very wealthy can own a place on the beach, with houses starting in the millions it's out of most of our reach, I can't afford that for a primary residence much less a vacation home!!

I think it's probably closer to 4-5 years for recovery in any area hard hit by a natural disaster. Progress is really fast, then slows and stops then gradually begins again. Unless you live in New Orleans, then it just seems like you wait on the government to take care of you forever. Galveston is pretty resilent & it's residents would have started 2 weeks earlier if the city had let us. There is still a lot to do but we're approaching it in true Galveston fashion, fight like crazy and do whatever we want.

The garden has rebounded wonderfully. Between the trades, plants mailed and spending money like crazy to stimulate the economy of local nurseries you now need a machete to go through parts of the backyard. Add in lots of rain and neglect and you can only imagine what the back garden looks like. We know there are some paths back there.

Mercer was great, small turn out but lots of fun & good food. We brought home great plants and enjoyed seeing everyone.

It's really nice sleeping in a bed in a bedroom again. And a kingsize one we don't fall out of. I'm getting used to the house and like the bedroom where we moved it. Finally getting some pictures hung and painting is down to 3 rooms. I hate to paint trim. We got heat last week too! AND the kitchen sink is supposed to be hooked up this week. And Ida went to Florida.
Tally HO!