Here in PA we get cold winters too and Butterfly Bush dies to ground. But back it comes. The problem is that is self sows freely. So here we are beginning to see Butterfly Bush freely growing in roadside areas where nobody has planted it. While I am not aware of it being on a noxious/invasive weed list status anywhere, there are states considering that I am led to believe. There IS a variety of Butterfly bush that has been hybridized to remain smaller and reportedly does not self seed. There are other plants that will attract butterflies...none as freely as butterfly bush, but almost as good. I wonder if New Jersey Tea will grow in your area? As to the Black Eyed Susan/Echinacea/Lavendar debate. I think the regular birds will love the coneflower/black eyed susans for the seeds (they don't find the Goldsturm strain all that attractive)....but butterfly and hummingbird would prefer lavendar. The coneflowers aren't big nectar producers...that center cone is pure seed. And butterflies and hummers like the nectar. My one butterfly/hummingbird area due to be installed in the fall (while not strictly native!) is done for LOW water, hot sun...it contains Gaura Whirling Butteflies, Agastache Sunset, Pirovskia Little Spire, Lavendar Hidcote strain. The color blend is gorgeous. It is virtually carefree. Fragrant...and plants that butterflies love without the selfseeding invasive issues of butterfly bush. For butterfly weed (asclepias)....plant plenty. Although it spreads...it is both larval food source for Monarch's and nectar source for butterflies. So if you only have a little and a lot of monarch's, the caterpillars may decimate your plants each year and you won't get much in the way of flowers. Robin

Jeff, Thanks for your input. As far as I know, the stair construction continued as planned today. Any more delays and we will lose a fully mature birch tree on our lot. DH was on site to manage the contractors doing the steps. We already have the slab and steps pre-cut, finished and ready to install, and it would be costly and difficult to alter them now. The grading issue is not really a stair issue, but a problem at the man door. The stairs we are now building with natural stones are precisely the same size steps as we had in that spot with pre-cast when the house was first built. We could solve it by adding a step and cutting the size of the landing, but we do not want to do that. The man door would be much better raised as there is dirt and moisture washing into it. The biggest issue is to be sure we get the mason and concrete guy to do the repair/alteration right. Safety inside the garage with a ramp/step or what have you will be a priority. There is room in this part of the garage for a step or ramp. We will see what is needed. Sometimes, you just have to accept that mistakes need to be fixed and it will cost you. Probably, the level the foundation guy set for the man door was too low. It is tricky when you are dealing with a sloping lot. Somehow we thought a bit of dirt moving would solve the issue, but we now know it won't. Carol

I agree with both Sue and Weissman. He hasn't got a leg to stand on without a signed change order that specifically notes a change in the insert size (which he obviously doesn't have since you never changed the size...!) You could let him finish (insisting he do what you want), then simply deduct the extra cost from your final payment if he has the gall to include it. He's not going to go after you for $500, especially when there is no contract in place. On the other hand, in your shoes, I think I would take Sue's approach and just get a GOOD tile guy in to do the job after the rest of the work is done and the GC has cleared out. That's what we did -- the backsplash wasn't done for another 5 months, but we took our time, found a tiler we really liked and for whom the references were phenomenal (which is why we had to wait that long -- he was booked solid) and the backsplash quite honestly is probably the most professional part of our kitchen remodel. I'm not sure I'd let a GC do it himself no matter what, unless he can give you plenty of references (that you actually see) indicating he's done this before and knows what he's doing. I would tell your GC that given his confusion about your specifications, the "moving target" on the price, and your concern about how he plans to do this, you have decided to engage a professional tile installer instead. As a question, have you basically paid him everything he's owed on the rest of the work, or did you hold back something? And how serious are the items on the punch list or are they very minor? (since he may be ticked about not having the additional money from the backsplash work and may just walk on you if there's no contract... might be worth letting him do that if the consequences wouldn't be extreme...)

Thanks to all...so much! I didn't want to bring this up but it isn't only homework...it's really ANYTHING. Example: He took a bath on Monday...Tuesday night I told him it was time for a bath. My bad though...it was late and he fell asleep within minutes. No biggie. On Wednesday at 4:00 I told him again after homework was complete to take a bath...He asked "Now?" I said "Yes, now...so that you don't accidentally fall asleep later..." I was still working until 5:00. I left my office at 5:00 and went to fix dinner...had to do it quickly because SD14's gymnastic lessons are at 6:00. Dinner was complete by 5:30 and SS came into the kitchen. Still had the same clothes on. NO bath. I take SD to gymnastics, go by the grocery store with the other 4, pick SD up and come back home...and again say "Go take a bath right now." He says ok and leaves the room...comes out with his clean clothes and heads towards the bathroom. I go to comfort the hubby who discovered that the company he works for is closing next week. When I go in to check on the kids I notice SS9 is asleep and has the same clothes on. The clean clothes are on the floor. NO BATH. Same thing on Thursday. But this time I say "take a bath today or you WILL be grounded for a day." I have to work again until 5:00...come out and go to fix dinner. NO BATH and since it's Thursday, it's guitar lessons for 2 of my other sons at 7:00. AGAIN tell him to take a bath as soon as we get home from taking the boys to lessons. He gets his clothes and goes to the bathroom. Guess what? Yes...NO STINKING BATH. I even stood outside the door and told him I wasn't leaving until I heard the water running. He apparently just hung out in the bathroom long enough to make it look like he was going to take a bath and then left the room. Friday was "drive 3 hours to visit with Mom for the weekend" day so there was no time to take a bath then because we leave for the long drive as soon as the kids get home from school. This child listens to NOTHING at all and does NOTHING that he doesn't want to do. I'm sure not going to bathe the kid myself...but he will NOT listen to me at all. I have 4 other kids, a big house to clean and a full time business...it is getting VERY frustrating having one kid who refuses to do anything...from homework, to bathing. yes, of course, the other kids sometimes have to be told twice or maybe even three times...but honestly and truly this kid will do NOTHING. I'm obviously VERY frustrated right now.