Hi Wantonamara, Welcome to the forum. The drought, heat and fire situation are scary and have been for months now. It is just that everything seems to be escalating almost out of control now in terms of heat, drought, and plants that are going dormant or dying---whether they are native or not. If it is any consolation, I don't want to do anything outside either. I try to do my gardening chores and animal feeding chores very early and very late. Otherwise I attempt to hibernate inside the air-conditioned house. I agree that we have reached the point in most of TX and OK that mowing can be dangerous in terms of sparking a fire. I think it is more dangerous to not mow, so I'd mow, but with a water hose hooked up and ready to go and a bucket of water very close by to where I was mowing, and a rake, shovel and wet burlap bag or other heavy-duty cloth all close to hand. I'd keep a cell phone handy too so I could call 9-1-1 right away if a fire sparked. We are seeing incredibly rapid spread rates here with grassfires, and once they are up and running, they can get into brush and trees very quickly and become full-fledged wildland fires. For about 2 weeks now, I've been watching fires spread more quickly than I've ever seen any fire move in summer. They are moving as if being pushed by 35 to 50 mph winds even though on most days the wind is in the single digits. I'd mow closest to the house and work my way outward if I could so you always have the shortest grass between your house on the one hand and your tractor/mower and the tall grass on the other. Often people start out at the farthest point and work their way inward, but during high fire danger, that's a big risk. Having said all that, if I had those brush piles, and especially because they do contain cedar, I'd consider plowing a WIDE firebreak around the property if that is possible, or at least around all the structures. We've been having very bad fires in the western half of our county this month and you wouldn't believe how many people have started plowing firebreaks around either the entire property or the structures or even both---the outer firebreak just inside the fenceline and the inner firebreak around all the structures. The closer people live to the site of a recent fire, the more likely they are to be out plowing wide firebreaks. A few ranchers are plowing up entire fields. I am not sure if it is for fire prevention or other purposes. (It certainly is far too early and too dry to be plowing in order to plant winter wheat here.) The time to decide to cut back dry landscaping near the house is not when a fire is a few hundred yards away, but rather somewhat earlier than that. I hope it is not a choice I ever have to make. We have worked so hard to plant nice trees that will eventually shade the house quite nicely and I do not want to sacrifice them for fire prevention if I can avoid doing so. We have limbed up all our trees, except for the fruit trees, so that the lowest limbs are 8' above ground in order to keep fire out of the crowns. One thing that anyone with a house in an area prone to wildfire might want to consider is to buy a homeowners kit of sprayable fire retardant that can be sprayed with a simple garden hose. You can spray-coat your house or whatever else you wish to protect in just a few minutes. It isn't terribly inexpensive, but protecting our home with it would cost less than paying the deductible on our homeowner's insurance policy. When fire is near my house, I focus on wetting down the ground on whatever side the fire is approaching from. Other than that, I try to get all the cats and dogs in the house so they are as safe as they can be as long as the house stays safe. Finally, I make sure the car is already parked facing the street and ready to go in case I have to make a run for it. To be honest, when we moved here, wildfire was the last thing on our minds. We've seen several horrid droughts and fire seasons since then, and we have an 'escape plan' in place. You have to. If the fire is close enough you can see flame or smoke, it is too late to be making decisions about what to do----you need to be doing it! Stay safe everyone. We had three fire calls today. That's right. Three in one day. Except in the worst of drought years, that just doesn't happen. It is happening now. There are many, many fire retardants available for use by fire departments, insurance companies (some insurance comapnies hire fire protection companies to come in and spray homes when a fire is approaching, if time permits), and even homeowners. You can find them by Googling, but I'll link one below to get you started. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: Thermo-Gel Fire Retardant

So far, I like the watch a lot. It can compute how many calories I burn during exercise and shows what percentage the exercise heart rate is compared to the maximum heart rate. Very nice.

I use one every day , chest type and love it the key is keeping them clean washing them after each use. Sweat and dead skin builts up on them so keeping them clean is a must. Im to the point if I dont wear mine I feel naked. I love knowing my heart rate and carloies burned for each workout . My goal is to be in the burn zone for 60 min a day so the HRM is a must . Also must mention you do have to keep it tight on your chest but I have no issue with it messing up and have been wearing it for the last 18 months . Good luck

Years ago I did a 'bra fitting consultation'. Wasn't very useful. I've worn 36DD for years and have the grooves in my shoulders to prove it. I'm shrinking now though, and am 36D. Well, that's what my five-year-old ratty-looking Vanity Fair underwires say they are! LOL I haven't smoked for 35 years and never did smoke more than five a day. I use only Advair for the asthma. Seravent did absolutely zip for me when I tried it. My non-allergic asthma came on within a month after my mother died of leukemia -- along with sinus problems and a sensitivity to aspirin. (It's some noted doctor's triad of symptoms.) I had pneumonia for the first time Feb. 2009. Had a biopsy to look at some 'stuff' in one lung -- negative for cancer; it was just 'there'. I drink half coffee half milk in the a.m. and one cup of tea with sugar in the afternoon. I do eat chocolate, but only one or two small pieces in any day. MD had prescribed iron (Slow FE) when I complained that my hair seemed to be falling out at a faster rate. (The KT helped by explaining that could have been from the fever and drugs for the pneumonia.) He's told me to continue taking it. Anyway, these *whoops* episodes pre-date that. Blood work last week was normal. I guess all I can do right now is roll up my sleeves, loosen my bra and slap on the heart monitor. I sure hope medication would help -- not looking for a ninth surgery if I need a pacemaker. MGM had 'a bad heart'. She lived to 93, but it was mostly just surviving, not 'living'. I'm an 'only', as was my mother, so thre's scant 'family medical history'. You are all SO kind to reply with your experiences and kind words. Thank you!