An interesting article about electronic fetal monitoring:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/health/07brod.html?ref=health

( For those who don't like links... )

I'm new here but I really wanted some advice from other cat owners.

I finally convinced my mom and dad to let me have a cat (I haven't owned a pet before for a few years since I was 13 and I'm 21 now) to help me cope with loneliness and depression. I'm excited to be getting something to care for and whatnot.

They told me they don't want a "wild tabby cat" that we got from a shelter last time (it was the reason WHY she gave it away 3 months later). The tabby we got was a kitten but she was absolutely wild, terrible and ferocious. So my mom believes that everything you get from the shelter will come out this way which isn't true.

They want a "beautiful cat" and want to look at pet stores. I told them so many reasons why pet stores are bad but they insist on getting a pretty cat from a pet store. I'm worried off my hinges about getting a kitten from a pet store (I wanted to adopt an older cat, I did my research!) because I'm worried about its health. I have no idea where it came from and most of the people who work there don't know either.

I need advice on how to convince my parents that adopting and rescuing from a shelter is much better than going to pet stores but I wanted to see how many of you got your cats. I know most will get them from shelters but has anyone here got a pet store cat and had a great experience?

Thanks! :'(

I'm thinking about planting a tree in my backyard and I have no idea what. Whatever I plant can't be invasive,it doesn't necessarily have to be native though. I have a maple sapling that popped up in my front yard but I have no idea how fast they grow. I'm considering planting an Indian Bean Tree but I need to know how fast they grow. They look beautiful and seem to provide a lot of shade which is exactly what I'm looking for. I'm also considering growing an American Plum tree. If you have any experience with Indian bean tree or the plum tree let me know.

Now, onto my kudzu question, how do you make it stop? We moved into our house 2 years ago and the first year we didn't really do anything to it because we had no idea what it was, we thought it was a grape vine. This year we cut as much of it from the roots and its growing back quickly because of the rain we've gotten. I planted corn right where it is so there's not much I can do about now it without killing my corn.I know its hard to kill, but is there any way to make it grow slowly or something?

I live in Charlotte, NC.

I have to admit, the mutant alien sunflower sent from Uranus to probe me is kinda growing on me.



( And he does give our guests something to say the minute they come through the front door. )

I am starting to get some serious enjoyment out of improving my garden after finishing interior work on my 100 year old house (took 3 years). I have a lot of shaded areas including by my driveway and the rear of the house which shades a couple of other areas.

I planted hostas on the left side of my driveway and they thrived but I want to do something different on the right side. Any thoughts? This area is closer to full shade than part shade (zone 5b)
For the rear which is partial shade I have heuchera in one part and columbines in another. I just planted them so I don't know how well they will do but I still have plenty of space to cover.
Any suggestions as well as tips as to where to buy plants inexpensively online would be appreciated.

Hi all - I have an appointment to have my Mirena inserted on 07/18 which is exactly mid-cycle for me. ( i am 31 yrs old, 1 child)  It was the nearest available appointment without having to wait about a 6-8 weeks for another. I really want my IUD sooner rather than later. I cant take regular birth control pills and do not want anymore children, but im not ready to get my tubes tied just yet. .  From what I read I see that most people wait to insert during their period, so I just wanted to know if anyone has any mid-cycle stories. I am sure I can take the discomfort but now I am scared that I made that appointment too hastily.

Thanks!!

Hi all,
I need advice re: thrush and bleeding from the clit.
I had thrush about 6 weeks ago, caused by too many antibiotics. It took a fortnight to clear up, the doctor checked it out also and found nothing wrong, so after 3 courses of the cream it disappeared.
This morning, I woke up with severe burning pains in my clitoris very time I go to pee. When I wipe, there is a tiny bit of blood after urination. This didn't happen last time I had thrush; and it isn't itchy either as it normally is with thrush. The only symptom is the extreme pain that comes with urination and the blood. Also I had protected sexual intercourse the other day, and last night, that may have caused it?
Is bleeding from the clitoris a normal symptom of thrush, or could it be something else like an STI? How likely is it to catch such an STI when condoms are used during penetration?
Thanks.

i posted a while back regarding taking a medication called provigil that i was prescribed that interferes with hormonal birth control methods. neither my dr. nor my pharmacy caught or warned me about the interaction. my withdrawal bleed was late, but i did get it but it hasn't completely stopped for nearly 2 months now (i am on the 3month active pill cycle, seasonique.)

i read that the medication, provigil, can interact with hormonal birth control for up to 30 days, but im nearing 50+ days of some sort of bleed, with 60+ since i took my last dose. the bleeding varies from heavy spotting to a bleed like the week of placebo pills. i am really frustrated and im wondering if anyone else has experienced this interaction and what their reaction was like. any fellow VPers to shed some light on this? id like to know when ill have to stop buying pantiliners...haha.

http://feeds.reference.com/click.phdo?i=6063ef0e3ef18647f1cb195f20cebe99

http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/archive/2009/07/12.html

ineffable: incapable of being expressed.

I was at Petsmart last week buying food for Sister (I can't call her anything else, so that name's sticking) when this girl comes in with a panting, scraggly looking kitten. I go ooh and aah over it and offer to get him some water, and she says "Actually, I'm looking for someone to take it."

The words I really hate to hear. >.<

Well she apparently found it at her workplace and she had gone to several vets to try and find a temporary home for him but sadly it is kitten season in Louisiana. So being the sucker that I am, I took the little guy. I took him to the vet immediately to be tested for FIV/FeLeuk and yay negative! He has an ouchie on his tail that is mending but other than that and being too skinny he is a healthy baby! So now I have another one and let me tell you, Sister and he gets along SO well. It really is a shame I can't keep him! When Moto would play with her, she was far too small to be able to play back so she hasn't ever really played with another cat.

( pictures! )

What do you green-thumbers recommend for watering a rabbit's-foot fern that currently has some renters?

Obviously, we can't just dump water into the top. Mist the rabbit's feet?

We're likely to have these two as boarders for at least the next three weeks.

For those that were curious, here's the before and after of the maintenance that lishd did on my head a few weeks back:

( Pictures go here )

Enjoy.

Anyone know if WHITE raspberry leaf is as good as RED raspberry leaf?

And how would you go about preparing it fresh? Making a tea from the leaves. Should i dry them out in a dehydrater, boil them fresh?

My mom grows both red and white raspberries. The white plants are MUCH healthier then the red, so i wanted to see if anyone knows if they are effective like reds are, before i go and strip her raspberry plants.

The plants have NOT berried yet so i assume they are stronger. I know that many plants put all their energies into producing berrys/flowers and are better if you pick before they produce their "seeds". Raspberries the same?

And would it be as effective if i mixed the fresh leaves with actual berries, but frozen ones from last seasons harvest. Just for flavor.

Thanks :D

How do your cats react to catnip? Only one out of our three will eat it. The others act like they are scared of it. I will try to hold it near them but they jump back.