spazboy357, Paul is right, you are a bit short on time, but not all is lost. 1. Look at the weather for the next 4 days. If there are no 90 temps in sight, hit the lawn with a general weed killer. Then 7 days later, check the weather again for hot temps, if none in sight, hit it again with the weed killer. WeedBGone is the one I have used. It will take a couple weeks, but most of those weeds will die. 2. Big number synthetics will be good for later this fall after your seedlings somewhat mature. For now, you can get a start and get something organic down that will not harm the current grass. Miorganite is fine, or Soybean meal. Just get it down now so the micro herd activity will increase right about the time you will core aerate and seed. From there your plan is solid... My plan: Day One: Cut the lawn short (1.5"), power rake, and water heavily. -- Can't see why not Day Two: Core aerate thoroughly, put down Milorganite, overseed, put down a .25" layer of compost, sweep it in, and water. -- I would add a starter fertilizer along with the Milorganite. Milorganite will not burn or react to the starter or seeds. It will take 2-3 weeks to start working, just as the starter fertilizer wears off. Also your previous application of Milorganite will be in high gear at this time, great time for more and compost, perfect combination. Day Three onward: Water frequently (2x/day) until grass sprouts and then regularly after. --just keep the seedlings moist for the first month or so. Even after the seedling sprout they still need steady moisture, but you can cut back on the frequency and add to the voulume of watering. Do a search on watering schedule...Bestlawn nailed that process. Then, once you have mowed the new lawn a couple times, i suppose you can hit it with a synthetic, but I don't use them anymore except for the starter fert. So I will hold back on giving any advice there. Others will chime in on that. Then in the begining November, you'll want to hit it with a big nitrogen number fertilizer. This will aid in spring green up. You should be all set until May, and don't worry about weeds until then. You will get some, or a lot. Just leave them alone. You can hit them with weedBgone before the summer heat. By this time next year if the weather is cooperates you'll have a nice thick carpet, just in time for the sale. Good luck and get some photos of the process, those are always interesting to see. Plus we can all jump in and help if something doesn't look right.

The barb checked him out but has left him alone. I know now that danios and tetras are school fish, but the danio, both tetras, and the barb tend to travel in a group. So far (and I've had the algae eater for 6 months-he's just shy length-wise of the knife), the algae eater doesn't mess with anyone now that I've got the betta on his own elsewhere. He occasionally sucks on the snail's shell, but that's about it. The pleco isn't a dwarf, but there's a pet-store nearby that buys the biggins to sell to people with massive tanks that need a big one, so if the pleco gets too big, he's got a home. But everyone seems to be getting along well. I've just picked up some frozen brine shrimp to supplement the bloodworms, When he gets bigger, I'll start breeding guppies (since I've hearf that knife fish eat those...and keeping your own instead of buying questionable feeders is much better). I've also read that they like an occasional earthworm. Is it better to dig them up or to buy them at a bait shop (less likely involvement with chemicals, etc.)?

"We have not had any leaks but how difficult is it to change out portions of a drywall ceiling?" I've had a drywall ceiling for 15 years in the basement and haven't had any reason to touch it. If you want to identify any potential problems while the ceiling is open, fine. This way you minimize opening the ceiling at a later time. Say for instance there's a bathroom above on the first floor in a house that's 40 years old. I might look at the tub or shower traps as potential issues and replace them while the ceiling is open. Every house is different and you don't need to anticipate every possibility. It's drywall. If you need to cut it open, cut it open. You repair the ceiling and paint it. It's not brain surgery, but alot of the tools are the same. Ron

This is Kmcg85's photo, a GWebber posting in 2009, of their basement room in BM Audubon Russet. Out of all the BM fandecks, my daughter picked this as her second and darker BM Mayflower as her first choice. Can't find a room of Mayflower to post. Anyone have these colors to show? Any opinions? Off to get samples. Feedback appreciated! Edited to add I know I said I didn't want to go too dark, but at this point to make a decision, I need to be more flexible and I'm trying to open. A pox on all those "it's only paint!" people.