Before I left on my vacation, I didnÂt really have anything to add to this thread-----but I do now! Oh, boy, do I now! I have DEFINITELY "reconsidered" bears! Last Sunday nite I got stranded in Capitol Reef Natl. Park and wound up spending the nite on a rock, under a rock. (Lions and tigers and bears! Oh, my!) I was wearing short shorts, a very short sleeve blouse, and my standard hiking boots: soft sole moccasins! I also had with me a 35mm camera, a pedometer (wound up walking 14,500 steps), my watchÂwhich I couldnÂt see, and a chapstick! I was at something called The Tanks, which are deep natural "tanks" in the rock that hold water even when everything else is dry (the pioneers used to use them on their trips thru Utah), and once I got there I couldnÂt find the rock cairns marking the trail back downÂplus, some "very funny" person had added their own cairns that led to dead ends! When it became obvious I wouldnÂt find the trail down before dark I considered what to do and decided that any "wildlife" in the area would be looking for the water, so I found a rock overhang that wasnÂt too close to the waterÂand collected a pile of small rocks to use for "ammunition" during the nite! DidnÂt have any paintball guns or bear mace!!! I "bedded down" under the rock and the last time I could even see my watch, much less read it, was at 8:00. The next time I could see it well enough to read it again was at 6:30! I couldnÂt believe how TOTALLY BLACK it was out there! Once I got my pile of rocks together, I tried to not think about WILDlife, because there really wasnÂt anything else I could do about it anywayÂand I was VERY busy trying to not freeze to death! It got down into the low 40's overnite (39 at the nearby cabins where I was "staying"), and rained 4 times! All 113 lbs. of me somehow survived to see the sunrise! Gratefully I didnÂt hear anything during the niteÂtho IÂm not sure how much I would have heard anyway since everything around me was sand. When I talked to the owner of the cabin where I was staying the next afternoon (after showering and warming up and eating and sleeping and drinkingÂwater), I found out he was with the Division of Wildlife and I asked him about dangerous animals in the areaÂand he assured me that there were both mountain lions and bears around there! I have DEFINITELY "reconsidered" bears! Other than that, I had a great trip! Skybird

This was my post on one of the 'Washer/Dryer' threads: Posted by lolamina (debmacjake@comcast.net) on Wed, May 14, 08 at 1:07 Can't speak on the washer/dryer combo...I have inclination to steer clear of 'combo' anything. But just purchased LG 7188 dryer (w/all latest bells and whistles) and I'm thrilled. Service, as for anything we purchase that we can't fix ourselves, is a concern...but if you take an up-front view of how often service has been needed on specific appliances...that greatly reduces it as a prominent decision factor. LG Clothes Dryers just received the 2007 J.D.Power and Assoc. HIGHEST RATING of ALL MAJOR BRAND clothes dryers! We searched for weeks, read hundreds of reviews, and really did our homework - LG hands down for best performance and best value. Also highly rated by all the 'subscription' consumer guides. Before you listen to any one persons 'service experience' and apply it to the entire Brand...get Pro-Active and see how often service is REQUIRED for your MODEL. Best bet until combos (one machine to do it all!) are perfected, side-by-side and stackable models may well out-perform and require less service. Good Luck!

I also did my own backsplash. I had tiled quite a bit in the past, and my recommendation is to buy an inexpensive tile saw. I bought a Harbor Freight cheapie that I have used for several tile jobs. Planning your layout is the most important thing. I would NOT use mastic if you use a natural stone, as the oils in the mastic can stain the stone. Fortunately real thin set is a lot cheaper and is easily mixed with a drill and "egg beater" type of attachment. If you do decide to DIY there is not better place on the web than the John Bridge Tile Forum for advice. Also, don't let the counter top people talk you into putting in the 4" backsplash if you don't like the look. I know that a lot of people tile above the 4" backsplash, but to me it always looks like an afterthought. We lived with our unfinished backsplash for over a year and it wasn't a problem to leave it just painted drywall during that period of time. Actually, to be honest, I still have 2 small areas in the kitchen where I haven't done the backsplash yet, and we've been in the house for almost 5 years, but I don't suggest that you do that! Here's my tumbled copper slate backsplash:

I'd have to agree with Justmetoo. It's his money -- you knew going in -- nothing has changed but your feelings -- I think it's awesome that this man is financially able to keep his child in the same lifestyle he always intended him to have. My boss is this way. He is a billionaire so he can probably afford it but his ex wife never worked while she raised their children. She lived in a nice huge home and drove a nice car. His second wife worked for a while but now that all the kiddos are grown and out of the house/in college, him and his THIRD wife live in a very nice house and she doesn't work, she plays at the pool, travels, wears Tiffany, and plays with grandbabies all day. I'm betting wife # 2 wished she had sucked it up, accepted what he had already laid out for her as his wishes for HIS money... Cause apparently wife #3 ended up enjoying the very things that wife #1 enjoyed, making wife #2 a jealous wreck... I don't care much about 'alimony' vs. Child support. I received spousal support for a while because my exhusband provided a lifestyle for my daughter and I financially that we had to adjust from. I had to find a job, meaning I couldn't ease my way in to a professional wardrobe from a SAHM wardrobe of shorts and flip flops. I had to move into my own place meaning, I did not have a job yet but needed to show income to qualify for an apt, I needed a deposit, 1st months rent, utility deposits, enrollment fee for Dd to start daycare, etc. Yes I think years of alimony is ridiculous but it depends on how long they were married and the circumstances. My mom was married to my biological father for 14 years and had 3 children. They have been divorced for 27 years but once he retired from his cushy government job, she has and will until forever receive a portion of his retirement pension. That was the law back then. His third wife/my Sm hates that my mom gets a portion of 'their' money each month until mom dies but ... That was in place 20 years before she came along and it can't be changed.... She just needs to accept it or move on. I say the same to you. He was honest with you, accept it or move on. Do not try to come between him and his obvious desire to provide for his son. If he can and wants to, I applaud him This reminded me of something else. I adore my lawyer. He is the cutest little country cowboy with a sexy Matthew McConehay (sp) kind of look. His wife is just as adorable and sweet. But he has an ex wife with three kids. They live next door to each other. They have lots of land so obviously they don't look at each other through the breakfast window but they are close. He 100% provides for that household so that their mother can be at home to raise their children. His now wife works. She works for him but she is working... And not at home with her son. If she had never met wealthy lawyer, she would not be living in a home that size or driving that vehicle but she would still be working and sharing custody with a jerk who barely pays a dime. She has told me before, this is just the way it was when she came along and she would not want it any other way. Those are his kids and he wants them at home with their mom and he provides that for them. It's odd for some people to see it this way but there are 'some' divorced people that just didn't want to be married anymore but still think the other parent is an excellent parent and they support them 100%. We are all just used to the drama of divorce and shared custody it's like a foreign language ....