Hi, Avid Gardener:

My next door neighbor (in Kansas City) is into gardening in a big way. She's Vietnamese and bought a double unit in a big townhouse cooperative because of its flower and vegetable garden, built by a guy who lived there 46 years and got married 7 years ago. His wife wouldn't move in, though, because this regarded as a marginal area, being less less than a mile from the bacl ghetto.

My neighbor didn't want the second unit--only the one with the big garden and lawn--so she sealed off the opening between the two units and I bought the second one. I was retiring to Florida but wanted to come back during the summer months. There a 330 units in here, all nearly 65 years old but surprisely well maintained. Actually it's as quiet and crime-free as anyplace I know of in the Kansas City area.

Most anybody can learn to dance. You need to be with other people who are into it and have access to some talented teachers--plus some nice places to go do it. Sure beats walking in the mall for excersise.

Kansas City has a tradition of great musicians and music, so dancing has naturally followed. I just now came from the big ballroom (6,000 sq. ft. floor) where there's a dance with a band every Sunday 2 to 5; also every Friday to recorded music, 8 to 11 (preceded with a 1 hour class). On Saturday nights there's another ballroom, much smaller but usually drawing 75 - 100 people because of their wonderful floor and supurb sound system. That place has lessens Thurs. though Fri. which means there are lots new dancers out there! I don't know what you do in smaller communities. When I first got into dancing I lived in St. Joseph I drove to Kansas City (120 mi. RT) to a dance class and a singles dance afterwards or to come back on Sunday. With today's gas prices, that would require car pooling.

The Tampa Bay area of Florida is ballroom dancers' heaven. But that's another story.

I gotta go cut the grass (mine and my neighbor's big lawn)