I hear you, jodik. I was rather sypathetic to the situation, if you read the post. I was just trying to see if there was a way to redeem her; clearly I see that there is not if they know you there. But I know how annoying it can be when someone asserts their ridiculous small amount of power in order to look bigger. It is stupid; and worse everyone knows what they are up to! It fools no one; and no one is impressed, except their friends; who usually are just as daft.

Nice white one, chazparas: I have one, too, and just repotted it as it seems to just be sitting there. It was planted as s amall slip earlier this year.

Know what you mean about being boorish, if they try to take advantage of me I do not hesitate to sort them out either. I don't treat people like that, and there is no reason to let them treat me like that!

I posted CHAD on the Texas Exchange. Everyone there needs a 12 step program. Thanks again for a name for our disease!! We're gonna try for federal funding!
Tally HO!

Everyone in Texas needs a 12-step program? I would not go that far.

Thanks for the picture, Chaz! It's a keeper! Very angelic!

Even if a 12 step program exists, I don't want to be cured! This is one illness I'm happy to have! It sure does chase the blues away! So, it's a cure for the blues, but a disease in itself! Hehe!

I've always subscribed to the Golden Rule... I treat everybody like I want to be treated... unless they treat me otherwise... then it's on! You ain't seen nothing until you've seen a 5'3" blonde grandmother go head to head with someone who didn't treat her right!! LOL!!

Just joined photobucket,trying it out

OK,so it didn't work the first few hundred times lol, now, thank goodness, it does!! this is a new bulb I bought with two scapes! Says its Red Lion....hmmm we'll see, he he!

I'm trashing Wal Mart, and I just asked Cindee to buy a bunch of bulbs from them to me. :o) Where are my values? My knees can really weaken for the name of Pink Diamond... I'm fallible.

The bottom line is... you can't beat their prices on some things, and who would have thought they'd have such a great bulb selection in Cindee's neck of the woods?!

I might even go back to our Walmart and snag 3 of those Red Lions at $2.97 each... but as for spending a lot of money there for supplies, forget it. They lost a good customer.

They have too much influance on other things too. They literally decide what kind of music can make it and what not. Fortunately, plants are different, and we go all the way out to speciality stores and to the Internet to buy our beloved bulbs no matter what, so they cannot put a cap on varieties.

I think a lot of people these days shop via the internet... I know we order a lot of things online. It's secure, and it really opens up the variety of things you can get, and you can shop around for the best prices, too...

Several people I know refuse to shop at Walmart... and I don't blame them... it's hard to like a company that treats its employees poorly, and gives almost all of its business to foreign countries... especially when the original plan was to stay "American". Sam Walton must be turning over in his grave...

The only real disadvantage to Internet is the rising shipping charges and the relative unreliability of the shipping companies.
And of course that you cannot grab the merchandise and feel it up before buying.

This is true, Soultan... I do like to fondle things before I purchase! LOL!

Like fungicides?

I prefer to fondle bulbs... ;-)

I prefer to fondle..well..never mind!!!!!!! Ask Dennis!

I had a very serious relapse of CHAD today that I need to get off my chest. To my surprise I have found a recent fascination with my local Home Depot and so far this week I've been there three times not including tonight's visit. I must credit myself however, for buying plants only once out of those three visits untill my breakdown tonight. Upon entering the HD establishment this evening I walked by the amaryllis kits and stopped just to take a quick glance only to find myself 15 minutes later opening every Apple Blossom kit in stock looking for good looking bulbs. After 10 more minutes of excruciating opening and closing of boxed kits, I shamefully walked out of the establishment with two Apple Blossom kits which I potted up the minute I got home. The terrible thing is I already have two Apple Blossoms that are currently dormant, I just simply couldn't hold myself back any longer and let myself go infront of the Amaryllis display tonight. My fears? That by the end of this season, I'll have too many bulbs and have bulbs coming in and out of my ears. I've been very very bad today and felt the neccessity to talk about this "disorder" that plagues my body.

pax-sit back, take a deep breath and realize that no one can have too may apple blossoms or too many Amaryllis. Deep breath now, you will be ok, I promise!!

My CHAD got active tonight. I just ordered from Park Seed. Varieties that I already have. I always comfort myself thinking "Oh this variety will go to this friend...this variety will go to this relative" and so on... I just planted tonight a Promise that was supposed to be sent to my cousin in Illinois. You think Chantix will help overcome this addiction?

Maria, it's so nice to know that I'm not alone in this battle. Sometimes I feel like I'm simply fighting myself.

Cindee, thanks for the breathing techniques! =)

Maria,

My Promise is budding up pretty nicely. I hope, it will bloom beautifully. I will make some pictures if it does... Judging from the size of the bud, I am hoping for a nice (promising) display.

Maria - Chantix has way too many side effects! I think we could all learn to deal with our CHAD by talking it out right here in the forum! That and deep breathing techniques, as outlined by Cindee, could help us control this terribly addictive disease... I don't think the medical profession currently has a drug that works to combat CHAD, and I'm not sure they're even working on a cure!

Paxfleur - You are not alone! I just recently came home with three, yes three, Red Lion bulbs... and two white Dazzlers... my intention was to plant them all together as a red and white Christmas display, but I don't have a pot large enough... which means I must make another trip to town so I can purchase a large planter that will accommodate all five bulbs! Either that, or I'll have to split up the red and whites and plant them separately. I would have bought an Apple Blossom, as well, but I already have two!

I have noticed that CHAD is extremely contagious, and the gestation period for this illness seems to be very short... as evidence, my husband actually helped me look through boxes of White Dazzler bulbs until we found two perfect ones for purchase... and this is a man that professes to dislike houseplants in general... the fact that he actually handled the boxes and knew what to look for, in terms of good bulbs, really scares me! Does this mean he is afflicted with this disease, too?!

I agree that CHAD appears highly contagious! A friend (who I had given an amaryllis to last year) Ordered 2 bulbs with my JS order. I gave her the insert that has pics and directions with her bulbs and next thing I know she's calling me breathlessly asking if it's too late to order more! (I had of coarse scoped out the local situation
and pointed her in the right direction) I keep going and finding new bulbs for my mother, and after seeing Jodi's pics of her "limona", I have a horrid urge to get one. (of coarse I know which local retailer has one!) Maybe we feel better about our own CHAD when we pass the affliction to others, Jodi!

Soultan...Promise produced the biggest double flower in the whole collection. I mean it is so HUGE that the flower will droop, unfortunately. Get a stake ready for this one. I loved it though that's why I got another one.

Sisters and brethren..
I have to confess: I did it again.
The addiction gets more and more serious.
I was weak.
The urge was too strong.
Though I don't have room for one more, I bought three !!!
See ...
{{gwi:434815}}

Do you understand me - please..
I even gave away a beautiful epiphyllum-hybrid ( I 've got twice ) to make place for it...
This -one:

{{gwi:434817}}

Was my choice wise, dear addicted-group-members ??

Jaapm, first and foremost, welcome to the forum! I must say, that is a stunning epiphyllum! I love the color and intensity, what a beauty! =) Are they hard to grow? Your bulbs look very healthy, do you know what color/variety they will be?

Jodi, I bet those red and white bulbs will look great when in bloom!! Hooray for Christmas blooms. =)

Jaapm...3 against 1? I wouldn't even think about it. Good decision brother!!!

Maria, this is Promise blooming for me this Summer.
I made these quick pictures to complain... It did not look like Promise to me at all, but Royal Colors told me that it indeed was Promise, and I told them that I was not pleased. The Promise that was pictured on their site had this wonderful web of red veins on the white petals and mine was washed with red like this. Wonderful flower, but I wouldn't call it Promise, since it did not deliver what it promised. Maybe it was so red because it flowered in Summer. Now, I will see, if I will see.

{{gwi:387308}}
Promise

{{gwi:387309}}
Promise

Soultan...That is a disappointing Promise. It does have Promise's "unruly" petals, the white center and the pistil. It just lacks some of the veining and the size of the flower seems small. Could this be the result of the longer storage your bulb had and/or the warmer temp?

I plnated my Promise as soon as I received my bulbs from RC and this was it's flowers like May.

the flower...
{{gwi:434820}}

the veins...
{{gwi:434821}}

and see how huge Promises' flowers are compared to others in bloom that time...
{{gwi:434822}}

Hehe, Maria,
Actually, your Promise looks pretty much like mine. The scape is very tall, that is why the flower seems smaller. It was a large flower. It was too red-washed though. I missed the venining... Yours have more of it, but still not the kind that I was expecting based on the picture on Royal Colors' site. I even told them that the flower is only disappointing because it does not look like the item they sell. Otherwise, it is a very nice flower... Fist, I thought it was Flaming Peacock.

Soultan...If I remember right, the veins gets more prominent as the flower ages. Let's see what happens in a few days...

I expect it longer. It is quite cold now in the house, so it may take longer for the flower to open. And if it is not pretty, I will not take pictures anyway. :o)

Salpal - It seems that passing CHAD on to others does make you feel better... at the very least, it makes the disease tolerable, knowing that you're not the only one suffering with it! I think you will like Limona... it's proving to be a keeper for me!

Jaapm - Lovely trio! I don't know that I could give away a beauty like that Epiphyllum to make room for bulbs... I would have to FIND room for the bulbs, and keep my other plants, even if it meant setting up grow lights to do so!

Maria - Another wonderful group shot! I just love it when you post pictures of your collection, all basking in the sun together!

Soultan - It's still a pretty flower... even if it didn't exactly keep it's promise... you never know, though... next time it blooms, it could look a bit different!

Paxfleur - I may have to plant the reds and whites separately... I found a decent bowl-shaped planter, but I don't think it will hold all 5 bulbs... I may have to use it for the reds, and put the whites in something else... Either way, they'll be pretty!

paxfleur: Thanks for your hearty welcome. This is perhaps the first time you read something written by me, I'm a member of gardenweb way much longer though.
The fact that I'm not often writing is through lack of time. My teaching-job is full time, and asks a lot of preparation and making tests and marking tests and ....
- Besides I try to read this forum each day. To do so, and to read a german forum and another USA forum takes almost an hour ( my time 23:00 - 24:00 ) and then I go to bed ...-

The subjects I teach are physics and 'history of science'
This year I've got 10 classes, 26 hours ( of 50 minutes ) a week. Age of my students 15 - 19 years. level: pre-university and pre-higher education. The rest of my working time is for preparations and meetings.
Perhaps wildebloem can tell you more about the Dutch schoolsystem. ( Speciaal voor jou: ik geef les aan VWO en HAVO bovenbouw ) I have no knowledge of the US system, so cannoty easily compare.

The bulbs I bought are three Kolibri bulbs, color red.
When in flower I'll show you.
Epiphyllums are easy, take rather a lot of room as the stems grow long. From seed to flowers takes three to four years.
Mostly you grow them from cuttings: then you'll know what color the flowers will be: many are named varieties. There exists a special epi-forum if you want more pics.

jodik, a rough estimate ... six square meters of my study is covered with 'bush' the remaining area is for books and paperwork, my computer and a 'designers-table'; I almost live in a jungle.. I have to climb over books to water all the plants, and many are growing in too dark places, though still growing slowly.
Bulbs are bursting out of their plastic pots, as they need more room, which I can hardly give them. My wife wants them only in our living room when they're flowering, and in summer in the garden they're just a welcome meal for the slugs and snails. ( and I once lost 10-15 bulbs to the narcissus-bulb fly ) so I keep them inside!

Jaapm,

I teach math in a public high school. My student's ages range from 14 to 19. I seem to be stuck teaching various levels of Algebra. This is a second career for me.

I have 15 classes each week and all classes are 98 minutes plus I have a home room class. We have a shortage of math teachers, so my classes are larger 32-39.

I teach struggling students who have not been successful in the past. My students who are trying will tell you quite quickly, that I teach and teach and teach.

The paperwork is a nightmare here, also and there is never enough time in the day to get it all accomplished.

I spend more than an hour on the internet each day. I research teaching ideas as well as visit my favorite forums.

I am looking forward to a 4-day Thanksgiving weekend that will allow me to prepare my plants for winter. Unfortunately, I will also be 'catching up' on paperwork. I have 37 parents to call on the phone (and docoment) regarding graduation exams.

'Playing' with my plants and especially, my blooms, gets me away from all of that...

I read as much as I can!

elizabeth, Today I read in the papers: 25% of the lessons in sec. schools in den Haag is given by unqualified teachers !!!

Government is killing education: wants us to give it for free ???

Have a nice and restfull weekend ( and some nice flowers to look at )

Jaapm - At present, I share an upstairs apartment with my husband and two Olde Bulldogges, Emma, and her daughter, Maia! There is precious little room for plants, but I manage! There are four good-sized windows with nice ledges... the window housing the AC unit is un-usable for plants... the other three are overflowing with pots containing my bulb collection and my other houseplants! Any plant that can get by with lower light is on a plant stand away from the immediate window area... and I have one mini-greenhouse set up with grow lights that houses the overflow of bulb pots and other small plants and seedlings!

We're very crowded, and it's rather like a jungle! But, I love it that way! I couldn't live without plants and dogs! It seems that the bigger the house we live in, the more plants I collect, and the denser the jungle becomes!

Next year should be a real challenge... I do plan on enlarging my bulb collection, and I have no idea where I'll place the new ones I'll buy! But, I'll find the room!!

Emem is having a very hard time learning math. She is partially dyslexic.

Maria, I had a hard time with math, and I'm not dyslexic! I completely failed every algebra class I ever took, and I barely made it through basic math! I can add, subtract, multiply and divide, but not in my head... I must have paper! When it comes to numbers, my hair color says it all!

I learned enough to be able to handle money without getting ripped off, and I know enough about fractions to do fine in the kitchen with cooking... I still have trouble balancing a checkbook, and any time someone asks me about numbers, I just get confused...

Words are my forte'! English and literature were my strong subjects... I love the written word! Reading and writing have always been fairly easy for me... but keep the numbers away! :-)

LOL! I know the type! You describe my students to the 'T'.

Jaapm, after over 20 years doing scientific computing, I had to jump through hurdles to become 'highly qualified' to teach math. I even had to take enough courses to be half-way through my masters degree. Those were educational courses, and they were simple compared to math and scientific computing.

BTW, we also have a shortage of science teachers.

Maria and Jodi, all of the math teachers agree that we should not require passing algebra and geometry to get a high school degree, but this is not our choice to make.

Oh, well...

Jodi...Emem is turning 10 years old on the 29th of this month and is in first grade. She cannot figure out what comes after or before a certain number. The school and I are trying very hard to work out things with her. She is also trying her best but gets frustrated too. I would sometimes see tears rolling down her eyes when she has a math homework (addition and subtraction)to do. But you would never hear a single complaint from her.

Maria,

Some children have extreme difficulties with numbers. They are tested and can be placed in special education for mathematics where they should get more one on one help.

Sometimes, manipulatives like pennies will help.

Try to make it fun. There are lots of games on the internet. Do a google search for 'math fun addition subtraction' or something like that, and choose games that are at the right level for her.

What is sad is when I get a student like this (9th grader and no one ever noticed before, shame on them) and no one has ever pushed to have them tested for their difficulty. I insist, and when they are tested, they find that there is a limitation. The child cannot help it, but they can be accomodated and get the help that they need.

Insist on it! I am often amazed and frustrated that students get to the 9th grade before someone realizes there is a problem and the student needs extra help. It happens and it is sad. Thankfully, you realize it now, and you are seeking help for her!

Bless Emem! She needs the extra help! She is not alone...

I hope that helps!

Dear, sweet Emem... I hope everything works out good for her... she sounds like quite the little trooper, always willing, never complaining...

My daughter has severe ADD, and watching her go through the frustration of trying to learn certain things in school was so hard for me... I wish I could have helped her more, but since I wasn't a good math student, I would have only confused her more! We did read together for some of her classes, and that helped, I think... and her brother, the 4.0 GPA student, was a huge help! He had a lot of patience with her, and helped her through quite a few classes...

With so many students in the classrooms, and so many teachers not truly dedicated, it's no wonder some kids fall through the educational cracks and are graduated anyway... it's a shame... and it's the fault of both the government and the parents... as a parent, you have to be on top of what your kids are doing, and so many aren't and don't take the time, or don't care... what a world we live in... it's sad.

I think Emem will be fine... you sound like you're on top of it, Maria... with your love and caring, and your encouragement, Emem will reach the top of the proverbial mountain!

When I came to the States, I obtained a Student Visa. For three years, I have taken college courses, 12 units a week. I took psychology, history, political science, journalism, literature, film, theatre... ALL the Shakespeare courses... And I have not taken one single math courses. So that is why I don't have a degree, even though I was on the dean's list EVERY semester... I wouldn't even dare to go to a math class working so much a day, go to the school, then go home and do home work...
People say I am crazy to think that Shakespeare is easier than basic math. :o) But that's just me... I am not that afraid of math itself though, but as I have experienced it, it is so differently put together in this country that I didn't even want to try and learn everything ANEW, even though I have graduated from High school well enough with a huge final exam. I don't know why math is not taught in an universal way. Fortunately words are words and thoughts are thoughts... Nobody could beat me at Hamlet. :o)

What type of math class would you have to take to get a degree? Would you need more than one class?

Yes. I have no idea what I would have had to take to pass. I was so into taking everything else but Math. :o)

I think all of us on the forum sufer from this CHAD disease!!!
You should have known that I travel 6-7 hours on the bus to get to my plants back and forth almost every week, and when I'm at work I get distracted thinking and looking at my office plants!
Just week before last, I took our daughter's pet dog to my weekend home. We went by bus and it was ok, I kept the dog with me (I actually bought two seats on the bus so that both of us can be comfortable). Then on Sunday when we were going back, the bus people refused to let me have my dog on the cabin, they wanted me to put it in the luggage compartment!!! Wow, no way because my dog would be scared to death down there, in the dark. I told them how come I was allowed to take my dog up and now not allowed to bring it back?!! The man there said to me "I'm in charge here and I say NO". Well the hell with what he said, DH and I immediately took Emmy - our dog - out of the bus station. Luckily we were able to find another bus service, even more comfortable, that allowed us to keep Emmy with us. And we all made it back to Saigon safe and sound!!!
I vowed that I would never ever use that bus service any more, eventhough I had been using it since we have had our weekend home in Dalat.
It's so annoying when people exercise their "power" in a wrong way and make your life difficult! I'm that kind of person who would be very determined to "revenge" in my own way!

Xaun... I don't blame you one bit! My dogs are family members, and I would never make them ride in the back of a truck, let alone in a luggage compartment! That's ridiculous! My dogs sleep with me and keep me warm in winter! I share my food with them, and treat them like my little children! I do spoil them!

I, also, hate it when people exercise their power in a rude fashion, just to be mean! It's not right, and it's not fair! However, karma works... so I let things be when they happen, knowing that what goes around truly does come around... and mean people get exactly what they deserve! Karma serves revenge very well!! :-)

You have a very good case of CHAD if you are willing to travel that far to care for your plants! I thought I had it good, living in the jungle that I have in our apartment! And I say "good" because it just doesn't seem like a bad thing!

I'm very proud of myself, though... we went shopping last night, and I passed by the plant section and only stopped long enough to look... I didn't buy any plants! I wanted to, but I refrained... I bought some new clay pots and saucers instead!

My CHAD is starting to get out of hand. The huge refridgerator that I bought for the bulbs IS FULL. I have to use the other fridge in the in the Garage as well. It starts to get dangerous... I have no space for a third fridge. :o)

Good deal, jodik. At least you have provided homes for any future children who might join you this year! Are they glazed or terra cotta and how large did you get them?

Definitely terra cotta, Hopflower, and I bought a few 6 inch and a few 8 inch... those seem to be the average sizes I use the most... I should have grabbed a few of the tiny ones for my cactus babies, but I wasn't thinking... I always try to keep a few extra pots hanging around... you never know when CHAD will overtake you, and you'll come home with a new bulb or two or three or four... LOL!