The temps remained in the 40s all night, but have been dropping since I got up at 6:15. It is now 34, and we have had a very light sprinkle of snow. The wind layed sometime during the night also.

Woody, I am another who misses your newsy posts. I frequently wonder how you are doing physically. I hope the treatments you are taking have your condition in control. As always, I really admire all that you accomplish.
That J.Maple is lovely, but I wonder about the fading of the light colors in the summer.I am hoping my Red one returns fully after being frozen down in 07.I have a potted one that I bought from Vernon Barnes, but I do not think it is going to have much of the red coloring that the first one had.. His are seedlings, so none are the same.

V, I am so happy to hear that the roads were fine yesterday. Oooo, 10 inches! I am expecting something like that before our winter is over.

Kathy, I have heard that there is a rare calico male, but that they are sterile.
I guess my yesterday's jobs could be called a 'Julie Job'. :-) It was really a needed job, as is most of my house. I have neglected it for so very long.....
Thanks for the info on the plant. I just could not put my finger on what it is. Now I see.... I am sure it is not hardy here.
My, I wish I could put my potted plants out in 3 weeks. I will be waiting until the last of April, except for hardy potted cacti. Out average last killing frost is around the middle of April, but I chose to take no chances. Even if there is no late frost, the cold hard winds whip everything to pieces early in the month.

Chelone, we had a Tortoiseshell cat. She was such a homely cat I named her Muggly Other! Half of her face was one color, and the other half another color. I tried to find a pic to post, but failed.
As for interesting cats, I could never warm up to one of those skinny hairless ones, and I am not too fond of the pug-nosed ones either.
I bought the Pop-open cube at Wal Mart. It was very inexpensive, and very light weight. Tommy gets his claws stuck in the exterior and drags it around trying to get loose! They are not very interested in it. I put a soft sofa pillow in it, and he has slept in it a few times.

It looks rather whoopper-jawed in this pic, but is completely squarish.I may have it upside down?? It has a cluster of ribbons in the center of what I have at the top, that hang down (or up). Since the tag is showing, it may be upside down?
Thank goodness our cats do not shred the furniture. Trubby started that a long time ago, but I nipped it in the bud. Now his fun thing to do is attack a piece of carpeting that I have under one of my swivel chairs. Every time he is feeling silly, he attacks it, and raises up one corner to push toys under it, and even sort of crawls under. He kicks it violently, with his ears layed back. So funny! He is not doing it any damage. It is too strong for that, and I wouldn't be unset if he did damage it.Well, I guess he has frazzeled out the corner some, but it is under the coffee table, so no problem. If it gets too frazzled, I will clip it off.:-) Yes, we certainly do 'indulge' them. ;-)

I didn't read Pm2's post in a negative way either. :-)
Yes, I feel great with my clean-up accomplishment.

Mary, I must admit...the wheelchair races would have scared me silly! I am hoping all turned out okay there.

Temp has dropped to 32 now.... Predicted to be 18 tonight.

Marian