Marlene...had to relate this story to DH...too funny! (in afterthought, for you, anyway). The snake would have done me in...and a heron, oh boy...they can eat alot fast. Couple things we have done in our small backyard pond... #1...I scream at snakes...(few and far between...so I think they don't like me either!) #2...we put a couple of those plastic "crates" in the bottom and I sit my Lily Plant pots on top of them...pond is about 3' deep in middle...the fish can swim in and out through those triangular & rectangular holes in the crate. Before the crates, we used to put a couple of terra cotta tile in the bottom for them to hide in (from raccoons, especially). Good going, Marlene to you and your DD! Heroes for the day! Very explainable at work, I bet! TFS! Jeanne S.

Pris, thanks for giving me my smile for the day. It's one of those days I needed one. I have found it to be the case that the messiest cooks are usually the one who enjoy it the most. My Mama was the best cook I ever knew and she managed to dirty every pot/pan/dish in the house when she put on a spread. The biggest difference between her and me is that she enjoyed washing them after it was over. My dining room and kitchen are one big room. There used to be a wall between the two, but was removed when my husband remodeled. Being in the country, we also greet all our visitors from the back door. There wasn't even a PATH to the front door until we put one in. So, my kitchen is not only visible to everyone who makes it through the solarium to my back door, but the kitchen is where most of our guests and family congregates. The living room usually sits dark and empty when there are people around. I actually thank God that I am not too anal about cooking 'trails' because I'd be paranoid. Dirt, well that's another story. I mop every morning. But, I don't worry about flour trails, or apple peels hanging from a lamp shade. As for dogs and trails........that is what cracks me up. Mine has RADAR to any pile of anything on the floor. I can't even sweep my floor and make it to the dustpan before he awakens from a day long sleep just to walk through it.

That's not what I expected. lol But pretty cool. I put up a clear, stick on the window feeder today. I haven't had it out in years. It takes them awhile to find it and start using it. I have two other feeders out though and have really been enjoying them.

could be a bad power supply or any number of other issues. most likely, unless you have a good electronics repair background, you ain't gonna fix it yourself. i doubt it is a fuse, as that would not cause the slow on condition it had. though the cause of teh slow on could result in a blown fuse. i think you need to find an authorized repair center close by you. if the unit is still under warranty, call Phillips.