I also use transorb roundup. If I spray it and a few minutes later it starts to mist or rain, it still takes effect. Yes, it is a week or so before you notice any difference in the plants but it is very very effective. Someone said that the stuff that is in the local Cdn Tire and other hardware stores is a different kind...almost watered down...and you have to have no moisture for up to a week for it to take effect. Here the grass is definitely starting to grow. Today I want to mix up a batch of roundup and spray around the raspberries (they haven't leafed out yet and there are a few grass that I saw in there the other day). I only have to spray once with the transorb compared to the 3 times with the super concentrated stuff. It comes in a large jug and costs over $150 for the jug. When mixing it up in my backpack sprayer I put just over 1/2 a cup in a 4 litre milk jug of water. Two jugs of mixed roundup and I am ready to go. As soon as the roundup hits the soil it becomes inactive. What it does is make the plant grow so fast that it bursts its seams...therefore dying. Anyways, here on the 10 acres I have no quams about using it and absolutely would recommend Transorb. BTW, you can freeze roundup so, there is no need to store it in the house....important fact for us FNers. Been there and done the landscape fabric thing. Not any more. I use flax shives and find that they are wonderful. Easy to place down, a little layer will do you, cheap (a semi load just dropped off here for free since they wanted to get rid of it), makes a nice smooth surface and looks good. I am really interested to find out whether slugs like or dislike the little sharp flax shives. No problem on any plants that were mulched with flax last year. So, all the rest of the beds will hopefully be mulched with flax this year. Brenda

Hi Plllog! "That is, I know it's possible, but might not be in your budget." See, there's the crux of it. This little beverage center idea of mine was not in the original budget. (Nor, alas, were new drywall in the livingroom and halls, the gorgeous walnut top on my used cabinet island, the matching gorgeous top that will soon be on the new media cabinet and the near full gut of the bathroom.) And we're still determined to get through remodeling our ugly duckling without taking out a loan or dipping into savings. Conventional wisdom says: Wait until the coffers are full again but that's so hard to do. First off, I'm a cheapskate. Even if the goose who laid the golden egg waddled up onto my deck and built a nest, I'm not sure I would willingly pay someone to mess up the walls I just paid to fix. Second, I'm not quite cheap enough. My new kitchen is starting to look pretty good but, gosh, it would look so much better if the microwave and coffee maker didn't take up so much room on that one counter. I'm willing to spend a little bit more to change that, especially since I'm going to have a piece of countertop leftover that should be just the right size. Still, it's nice to know that it's possible. Maybe when the coffers ARE full again I'll put a tile counter outside on my deck to shade the golden goose should she happen to wander by ;) Thanks for your help!

DistressedWife, this husband of yours has problems and he is using you to make himself feel better about himself. That's what I think. He feels better after he has chastised you, belittled you. He wants to set the rules. I think that he needs a good kick up the arse but not by you. He's not worth a kick up the arse. I know he was your best friend and I suppose you were his best friend but now that you are married, he no longer seems to see you that way. You are his wife. He feels entitled. Well, he's wrong. But he won't know or think he's wrong. He's got a lot of growing up to do and that is his problem. Your problem is him, and a little bit you. (You need to build up your self esteem.) You have to get brave. Get yourself organised, pack your stuff, and get out to a better place. Your father's house seems like a good option. Take some control of your life and you will feel that you have some control. I wouldn't do this when he is around. Wait until he's gone out. He won't want you to have control over your life. And of course he'll want you back. He wants you as his underling. He is not fit to be your husband. Maybe one day he will be. But only he can fix himself. The longer you are away from him, the more likely he is to be motivated to do so. My de facto husband does bot believe in marriage, that's why he and I never married. He thinks that when people marry, they change. I think he is right. Life is about changing our minds. I changed my mind about ever wanting to marry my de facto. You might change your mind about never wanting a divorce. Or you might decide to stop wanting to work at your marriage when you are the only one doing so. For it takes two, to make a marriage work, and at the moment he has no intention. You can't change him but you can change you. And your predicament. All the best. And I'll be sending good vibes your way.

Two thoughts: - remote parking lots with only sporadic traffic and where people leave their cars for hours at a time provide a tempting target for those who want to break into cars. Whether up in the mountains, out in the woods, downtown in a city or in your neighborhood, valuables should never be left in a car. And anything of any value or interest to an evil-doer should be out of sight in the trunk or covered back space. -for those who often spend time in remote areas, there are two different kinds of electronic devices that can provide safety for you and comfort for your loved ones. I don't know the right names. The first and cheapest kind is a handheld device that will send and receive brief messages using satellite links. Some of these will also transmit location data, though the subscriptions for that run a bit more money. The second kind of device is an emergency beacon. These things, not cheap but offering an essential service, summon emergency evacuation services IMMEDIATELY worldwide. One of my kids with a penchant for doing extreme things in extreme places has one and it is a great comfort to know that service is available. This registration is through a US governmental agency, I forget which one, but it is for (I believe) global coverage. If interested, talk to someone at an REI store or another active/outdoor supplier, I'm sure there would be people in such stores who would know about what's available. .This one is about the size of a large stopwatch, so it's rather small and easily carried.