Hi H/W, Yes, skeeters are literally a pain. We have a salmon stream running through our property and there's a still pond part of it where they hang out and party in between taking chunks out of me for their dinner (husband never gets bitten). I am really personally opposed to DEET etc. and that definitely curtails my evening outdoor activities. There's some times when they seem to be worse. We have fish in the constructed pond that seem to take care of them and that is also moving water. We got one of those electric wasp things you hang out on the deck and it zaps a lot of wasps and a few skeeters. Every window in this house is screened and that helps too. The expense and bother of a fence were the very LAST thing we wanted to do. Since we plan to stay here we see it as an investment; we either forget gardening and surrender to the deer or fence in a portion of the lot we want to grow vegetables and flowers, leaving the rest of it to wildlife! We get black bears around here too and while they would just break down a fence they're not after the roses (go for fruit) Deer also leave a trail behind them (literally) that looks like it came from a giant species of hamster. Something else I don't want in the garden anymore. Nervy creatures, we caught one drinking out of the pond! (counted the fish and none disappeared through her slurping) There are some forums here about deer and one very funny one I read yesterday; the poster wants to nominate his resident doe for the deer Olympiad (she jumped a high fence and used his rockery as a salad bar) - so even a fence isn't 100% deerproof. Having visited a rose centre who have a deer fence grown over with roses that add another foot or two to the height works for them. A really thick rambler rose can withstand any grazing from the other side and their livelihood depends on protecting the 700 roses they have on their property. don't know the problem with the links. I just checked them and they were okay. Here's the URL's to copy and paste: http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/ccanadensis.htm http://ca.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sunshinecoastgardener/album?.dir=/bde2&.src=ph http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/reference/html_cheatsheet/

Hi Again. Here in the aftermarket many of the Hybrid vehicles are just now starting to show up for regular servicing now that many have had their warranties expire. First I have sold NO HV Battery assemblies. If the battery, the inverter, and especially the Prius transaxle has failed people simply trade the car in. I'm still the only shop in the county that has had formal training on these cars, and has invested in the factory scan tools to service them, as well as the rest of each manufactures fleet. Your lost key fob? I could have handled that, but otherwise you would have a 20+ mile one way trip to the nearest dealer. http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2006/10/prius_mileage_1.html Just google "real prius" and you will quickly see a google drop down list that suggests gas mileage. That link above was the first one that came up. Compare that number he quotes to the fact that my 2007 Mustang GT Convertible California Special consistently gets 29mpg with the top down on the highway. Next week I'll be out of town instructing a basic Hybrid class for a well know franchise based chain store. Most of those shops don't allow their techs to get involved with anything more than tires, alignments (one of the special things I have to teach with these cars) and basic fluid services. Anything else and the cars typically require the O.E. scan tool and only the dealers *(mandatory for them), and top shops like mine have stepped up and made the investment in those. Come back in about two years and we will see just how big of an impact these cars are having when the inevitable repairs start multiplying.

OK. Here's the update. I did check my manual and it said that I could use different blends of fuel but it said that the alcohol content should be no more than 10%. But, it did say I could use different blends so I think that is a plus. It gave a bunch of other requirements and numbers, but I'm focusing on the fact I could use different blends as a good thing. I am really confused by the bio-diesel or e-85 thing. I probably misread something on the pump but at newer Meijer stations they do have both sometimes. I checked their website and the one I went to does have both. But on the pump it said bio-diesel in green on top. But lower on the pump there was a sticker and I swear it had an e85 on it and said something about a low sulfer (I think it said sulfer) fuel. But, that was half an hour away from home and so I can't really be too sure which one I used since the station had both. I don't understand why the pump said bio-diesel and had a sticker with E85 on it. Like I said, it was late and I was obviously not focued too much since I pulled up to the wrong pump in the first place. But since the top of the pump said bio-diesel then I'm going to go with it being bio-diesel which I know means that it doesn't really matter that my car can use different blends. But, I drive a 2004 Beetle so it is fairly new and in very good condition. But, I did dilute it right away with half a tank of regular unleaded. Then I filled up and drove it the following morning for about half an hour. I got a bottle of fuel system cleaner and put in and drove it down to half a tank. I'm going to fill up again today and drive it down to another half a tank and fill it again and put in another bottle of the fuel system cleaner and then drive it until it's at about a quarter of a tank and then fill up and hope it's all out of the system by then. Good plan or no? And just to refresh, I did only put in a little under a gallon of whatever it was and immediately dillute it. And so far, there has been absoultely nothing out of the ordinary. No smoke, no odd sounds, no smells, no driving hard, starting up just fine. But thank you all for your advice! ps. Does anyone know if a bio-diesel nozzle is the same as a regular diesel nozzle? I'm hoping that you are right, John G, and that a diesel nozzle shouldn't have fit in my tank. But the nozzle looked like any other nozzle and went in the tank just fine. So, I'm glad I noticed the signage on the tank pretty quickly. I feel like such an idiot about this whole thing.

I'm sorry. Peace & quiet are not neglible things; don't trivialize your need for them & your right to have them. When you're being used (I say 'you', but I've been there), it *never* gets any better; it gets worse until you snap, or move out, or put a stop to it. One thing you must do is tell or warn your wife that this is going to stop, & you must mean it; if she insists on catering to her son at the expense of her relationship with you, then they need to find a place together. (It's amazing what this kind of change of perspective can do for a person's behavior...) After that, it's time to act: So far, there have been conversations & discussions & maybe arguments, but no action. Here are some things that come to mind: Cut off the money; your income will support 2, not 4, so stop doing that. You may have to move your money into a separate account for the time being. Give stepson a bill for rent & his share of utilities & groceries, & tell him he must pay it by a reasonable date. If he doesn't, serve him with an eviction notice. Follow through on the eviction notice, & if he doesn't go, put his stuff out (check with a lawyer or housing authority; in some places, you can set it outside, but in some other places, you have to put it in a secure place such as a rented storage building), & change the locks. If he does pay, thank him and give him a reasonable amount of time to move out,; tell him, and his mother, that there is no negotiation, no discussion, no alternative-and stick to it. Don't engage with or respond to his mother's enabling pleas or arguments; nobody can win this kind of emotional battle. Keep your discussions with her firmly based on the issues- money, time, space. The bottom line is, he's gotta go. I'm sorry, I know this sounds roughshod, but being sensitive works against you when someone is using you. I wish you the best.