Hi TiffY; I started my tomatoes and peppers indoors this year, but had an infection and lost lots of my tomatoes. It's a kind of scale, and I saved a few plants by spraying them (I've never done this)but the new seeds I planted are taking forever to sprout. I still have a few annuals and vines to sow, but I think I'll wait a few days and put them directly in the ground. I am still enjoying my bulbs: my snowdrops, miniature irises, Scillas are gone, but my species tulips and various daffodills, and grape hyacinths are blooming. Isn't spring wonderful?

Thank you Emma and Itltrot! It feels so good to be underway on this project. I thought I might be disappointed somehow as my first choice did not have a glaze and had the color through. However, that tile was double the price.This tile is meant to be a matte finish but does have a glaze. I didnâÂÂt want any shine at all but IâÂÂm ok with this, in fact IâÂÂm very happy. It looks a bit better in person due to a very slight grain in the tile.

Hi novita ! Firstly, good for you for recognising that this is a problem ! I also have a 3 year old lab, so I most definitely understand your issue ! I only wish more dog owners were as motivated to work on this as you clearly are. How do you interact with your dog when you are taking him to offleash parks ? Do you play with him and engage him, or is this "free time" for him to run around and sniff and entertain himself ? Personally, I like to think of myself as FAR more interesting than ANYTHING else going on at the park. The park is "our time", not time for me to zone-out and chat with my dogpark buddies or talk on the phone. I control the resources, all the things that my dog most loves. His ball, his toys, his food. I am demanding, and I ask for certain things before I "pay out". For example, it's REALLY hard for my guy to walk nicely on leash when we are approaching the park. "OMG THE PARK ! WE'RE GONNA PLAY BALL !". But that behaviour is not acceptable to me. I don't use leash corrections or any physical manipulation, I simply ask him to control himself, or else he is less likely to get what he wants. If he pulls on the leash, then we either stop, or we back up a few steps, until he gets himself together, and then we resume the approach to the park. I constantly play with him when we get to the park. Keep him interested and tire him out. Intersperse with obedience exercises ... clicker training is awesome, and the reward doesn't have to be food, I click then toss his toy. Pretty soon, you will have a dog that is focused on you, and has lightning-fast responses to your cues. Make the games interesting, and challenge him. He is a Lab, he should innately be able to "mark" a fallen ball or toy, as if it were a bird. When his sit-stay is good enough, ask him to wait while you throw his toy, then send him for it. Throw it into challenging places (brush, long grass, down hill etc). Then make it REALLY hard, and cover his eyes so he doesn't see where it falls :-) Make him use his nose ! Maybe also work on impulse-control exercises, such as Leave-It. This is an unbelievably useful tool, and once trained properly can be used for anything from trash on the ground, to calling him away from people with toys. A solid recall is also very very important, even potentially life-saving. And every single time that your boy does the right thing (doesn't jump up on people, especially if you can see that he thought about it but decided not to), make a really big deal of it, praise, rewards, the full monty. "Anti-jump" training is a big focus of puppy-class, so maybe read the sections of Ian Dunbar's puppy books on how to work on this ? Personally I would avoid the knee-in-the-chest school of thought. I want my dog to *like* strangers, not think that they might lash out at him. For now, is it possible to visit less-populated offleash areas, while you work on some of these skills ? As others have mentioned, it might be good idea to find a good training class, there is no substitute for seeing how training is done in person. Personally I would seek out a class that relies mostly on positive reinforcement techniques. Best of luck with your boy. Beleive me, I feel your pain, but with careful management and training, you can get through this !

Fun2B3Here, I canâÂÂt tell you how happy I will be Not to be a floor slave in this area of the house. I have a big Rottweiler and a Maltese so donâÂÂt need any more labor like my lighter tile gives me in living areasâ¦even though I have a big floor steamer. Bbstx and Holly-Kay, thank you!!! Kswl, I hold your complement very highly, thank you! Seagrass, for porcelain that is a good price but you can get ceramic cheaper. I do hope you donâÂÂt think me rude for bringing up price but sometimes I think it good to show things for those of us on a tighter budget who seek to achieve a nicer look. However, so glad you like it! I have been looking at cement floors since just after purchase. It had stinky stained beige carpet that was gross ( and immediately ripped out) and a hideously remodeled moldy bathroom. On another note, now I canâÂÂt wait for the baseboards!