I haven't had a chance to update this til now (had periodontal surgery on Friday, and have been pretty much out of it since then) - but did want to say that we got the CL piece, it's in place, and I really like it! Since we didn't have anywhere else to use, or even store, the old painted piece, we put it at the curb Friday evening (a bit reluctantly on my part -- after all, it was one of the first things I "created" when we moved into this house about six years ago). But it was picked up within about an hour, so I hope that it's making somebody else happy now. :-) DH doesn't want me to paint this piece, but I keep envisioning it in some kind of stain -- maybe a turquoise or red -- that would give it some color while still allowing it to look like a wooden stained piece. I'm not even sure if such a treatment exists, but I'm thinking it probably does -- I just don't know what to call it! Anyway, here are new pics. Oh, and it holds a lot of stuff too. With the exception of a couple of pair of presently unused 2" blinds, which were stored in the old piece, the new piece holds everything that I had stored in the other chest. I do wish it didn't have to be sandwiched in by the washer and dryer, but my hands are pretty much tied in that regard. ;-) (Must apologize for dark pictures again! I dunno what I'm doing wrong with the camera ...)

I live in Wisconsin, and I can post pictures when I get home tonight. If I've posted in the wrong forum, I apologize; I didn't realize there was a forum specific to ground cover. I can move the post.

Well, you have to get rid of the weeds for any groundcovers to establish well. Start with a small area, clear it and plant something like Geranium macrorrhizum--Big Root Geranium. Plant several starts about 2 feet apart. They'll fill in. Clear around them, take starts and plant those. You'll be amazed how fast it goes. Big Root geranium tolerates shade, drought, tree roots. It's highly weed suppressing once established, deer resistant, smells good and is very easy to control.

Whether one has a house worth 100 and no other assets or liabilities, or a house worth 100, a mortgage of 50, and another asset of 50 which can appreciate in addition, the house is entirely owned by its owner all the same. The negative of having no loan on real estate is that it prevents the diversification and additional amounts of investments that would be possible if the money that was otherwise used to repay the loan were invested separately in other investments. Borrowing money for real estate has nothing at all to do with living beyond one's means if the payments can be afforded. Those who are the most sophisticated with financial matters, that being large business and companies actually in the finance industry, borrow money. Those least knowledgeable, mostly individuals with no finance experience or knowledge, think of paying off a mortgage as a desirable goal. Take that truthful observation and reach your own conclusions.