Can you (by which I really mean your mom) take cuttings of the roses, sj? Many varieties can be started from a stem.

Thanks, -t. I'm not sure either of us would know how to do that, but I'll do some research.

congratulations, Erin!

Feel better Meara & Hil! (and continued feel betters to Jilli)

sj - [link]

That's a wonderful link, Sox!

sj, people ship cuttings worldwide. The Rose Rustlers are dedicated to taking cuttings from abandoned sites, mostly near where houses were on ranches and farms before the land was sold off for other purposes. They try to go in ahead of the bulldozers to take cuttings of any roses they find. There have been some old species recovered this way that greenhouses hadn't stocked for decades.

So I'd send your mom over with shears and a roll of paper towels, a bottle of water and a box of plastic bags and twist ties, and have her take cuttings of every rose she can find. Most of them should root--and then eventually you'll have your very own rose garden. Once the plants are well-established, you can take more cuttings from them and have a garden of your own. Lots of roses grow just fine trellised in a big pot.

sj, when my parents moved, my mom took many iris cuttings with her. It has been really neat to watch them grow at the new house.

When my grandmother moved after my grandfather's death, a few people took clippings of their jade plant. Which were full shrubs, honestly. They were always growing at her new place which made it feel somehow "right." And my uncle's house had a bunch growing too. It was a good memory and also reminded me that life continues.

Things I did: put away two pairs of shoes, one hoodie, and my duffel bag of tools lingering near the front door; feed the animals and myself; do dishes and shine the sink; wipe down counter and table; stretch out my back while talking to sis on phone; shower.

Things I had planned to do that I didn't do: send roommate email with bill totals; plan menu; write up my notice to my landlord.

Things that weren't a priority but I really enjoyed: catching up here; reading Animals Talking in All Caps.

And now it is time to give the cats their second dinner, walk the dog, and hit the sack. TGIF tomorrow, for realios.

I like this format.

Things I did: Taught two classes and an advisory, met with advisee, met with department member, graded 10 vocab assignments, planned lessons, answered a gazillion emails, ran two meetings, picked up meds for kitty, and then called the IRS to get payoff amount for outstanding 2010 taxes (waited on hold for 50 minutes for that one) and then PAID THEM online.

Things I had planned to do that I didn't do: Grade a shitload of essays, finished reading what I need to read for tomorrow (I need to do that before bed), picked up some stuff for Sunday’s Open House at school, begin paying estimated taxes for next year

Things that weren't a priority but I really enjoyed: Went across the street at work to get a delicious sandwich, tomato basil soup, and iced mocha, caught up here, had an awesomely long phone call catching up with a friend I rarely see anymore.

Okay, backread a little.

HOLY CRAP, ERIN! That’s great news! Yay you!

sj, I’m sorry. That’s difficult. I hope you’re able to take some cuttings from the roses.

Feel better, my poor, sick Buffista Bitches! And yes, meara, GO TO THE DOCTOR.

x-post from Natter because I think it’s relevant to this conversation...

Did anyone here ever use Save the Baby (a really old salve for coughs and such)? I had forgotten how amazing it is. My mom was recently very sick, and she dug up an old jar of it. After trying every other cough/decongestant out there, she tried it--and it worked like magic. I remember the smell as being incredibly comforting as a kid because it let me sleep when nothing else did.

Anyway, she later looked for it in pharmacies and couldn’t find it, so I tracked it down online. Very happy to have found it here: [link]

I ordered one for me and one for my mom. I wanted to share for those who haven’t ever tried it. You just rub it on your chest and breathe and sleep. It’s great.