Welcome, Joyce!

Joanna, with all due respect, I disagree with a few of your points. I know
how tempting it is to try to get an offshoot from the original spike, but I
think we'd all agree that we try, clumsily as are our attempts, to mimic the
plant's natural state. In nature, no one would come along and cut back the
spike to force more flowers. The plant needs a rest, and probably a
repotting, after months of supporting its flowers. On the other hand,
leaving the spike on the plant to do what it likes is fine with me. If it
branches or forms a keiki, then so be it. If the plant is given proper
culture and conditions, it should rebloom next year at roughly the same time
as it did this year. (No guarantees on that - orchids do surprise us!)

A better way to be sure of having flowering orchids year-round is to buy one
orchid per month, in bloom. Yes, I know it's a positively Machiavellian
idea, sure to addict one more unsuspecting newbie to our habit, but I think
Joyce already has the bug, don't you Joyce? LOL

Diana