Just to throw something else in here on how ignorant we as Americans are and how with out question we will buy and consume products just because we trust the source or we just do not care. Thankyou to those concerned about this issue who have posted here. I am proud to be a certified Organic grower therefore I want nothing to do with GMO for me, or my familiy ,or my customers. The link below is an article on GMO potatoes. I tried to find another article about a law suet with Mcdonalds but I couldnt'. Bottom line Mcdonalds and Burgerking have been serving GMO potates for nearly 10years in America till it came to light thanks to concerned groups which sued. Mcdonalds as a settlement in the suet to squash the issue before it became too public decided to stop using GMO potatoes rather than have a public backlash. If it were not for those who are concerned you would still be eating GMO potatoes. GMO potatoes that contain a herbiced tolerant gene (roundout) and a bacterial pesticide(BT). It is one thing to spray or coat our food with a toxin. I use BT the organic natural bacteria. But I at least have the option to wash most of it off, But to put that same pesticide in each and every cellof the plant I intend to eat I can not handle. I have not eaten at any national fast food chain in over ten years and am proud of that fact. I also will not and have not shopped at any big box store in nearly two years. I will not be a hipocrit and say one thing and do another. I want to know what I am feeding to my grandchild and family and I want to support my country by buying American and local grown food. and products. Rodger

Oh, funnycide (death by being funny?), how I wish so hard that that was the case here. I'm so glad for you, though. You're tile guy deserves a cupcake for all of that, at least. I sent a calm email early this morning. Among the highlights, I wrote: - a brief description of that morning to jog his memory - my firm decision that these tiles cannot stay on that porch - a request for a "mini-break" so all players can return to a better equilibrium going forward - that if he needed to get those tiles off ASAP (per Bill), that he should come after 12noon (so I could be there, but I didn't say that...for all he knew, the drywall guy needed to be there during that time, which has happened a little bit in the last ten days) but re-iterated the needing-a-break thing for the next little bit. He didn't acknowledge the email. He came anyway. He came this morning instead of afternoon. He didn't remove any tiles. He left me a note to not do so either (which I wouldn't anyway, and wrote him in this morning's email that I would not without his say-so and instructions how to not damage the tiles or underlayment). I know he read the email from this morning, given the contents of his note. And the fact that he didn't stay to work. I don't think the way to handle a problem that stems from not listening to the customer (face-to-face)is to blatantly ignore what the customer requests (in an email). It's kind of freakin' disrespectful at this point. So the tiles are still there, still curing harder and harder, and now it is the weekend. Now what? A contractor that I know who does extremely high-end remodels told me that his entire job now is following the various subs around making sure they actually do what they are supposed to. He told me that the phrase he uses most often as GC is "rip it out" followed by "do it again, and this time, according to spec." He says this is basically his whole day. Two million dollar reno he headed last year had three separate tile crews; only one actually finished the job, and even they had to rip out the whole foyer because they did 1/4" grout line instead of the 1/16" specified like a gazillion times, including five minutes before they started setting it. This GC (not mine, can't afford him, but he's fun for stories) also says he posts details specific to that area everywhere through a build, clearly, many copies, taped to walls so subs have easy reference, etc. Nothing - NOTHING - stops the "mistakes." Regarding tile, he has actually layed out the tile in the order to be set, layed out the room, snapped the lines himself, yada, yada, yada...and they still disregard it sometimes. This is a guy who does beautiful, solid, conscientious work. And even he ended up on his knees, grouting 1200 feet of tile at 11pm because that crew just never showed to grout the final bit. (He did it himself to get the floor done in time for the next part of the schedule to start on time). For those of you who wonder, he never heard from them again (a respected crew in our town) even though they only got half the money. Think about that: they let go of HALF the money because they wouldn't show up to grout. It's disheartening.

coffee out my nose, thanks to fly... Seriously, though, if it was my DH, and he didn't want the TV mounted to the wall, I wouldn't do it myself as a "surprise." I'm sure your DH has good reasons for not wanting it wall mounted; have you asked him? Perhaps it's because you don't have studs in "traditional" locations. Post-and-beam houses are structurally different. Maybe he doesn't want it that high? If I were you, I'd buy or build a sturdier, larger cabinet or shelving system for the TV. We just moved our 52" flat screen TV to the cabinet DH just finished building, and I was terrified the entire 30 seconds because it felt so wobbly. I thought the TV was going to go over backwards. In your case, I would be very concerned about knocking it off that little cabinet. As far as location, an outlet that's controlled by a switch usually has one "constant hot" outlet and one controlled one. Just plug a lamp or night-light in to figure out which one is controlled by the wall switch, and then plug the TV into the other one. And, I am wondering how much someone who's practicing an instrument is going to be watching TV. ? If you're sitting at the keyboard, it would be very difficult to see the TV above the keyboard. I would place the TV where it's most convenient for watching TV.

Love - You said "He said fine, he would have to leave work early, didn't want to "inconvenience me" yada yada." and "I asked him what made him say that and he just said "well, I can't leave work early today." WOW. So I guess in his MAN MIND that is his way of acknowleding that I wouldn't do it." The way I see it is this was his way of making you feel guilty for being a SAHM, but unwilling to help him out with his kid. Don't give in!!!! Be strong in that HE needs to do what HE needs to do for HIS kid, and it wouldn't have to be this way if the (in the words of Sweeby) bat-sh*t crazy b*tch hadn't come in your home and punched you. Pseudo said "....I guess my point was if he puts BM before you ... if you had a child with him where would he draw the line ...." This is totally what I have been thinking for a few months now, but could never get the courage up to say anything. Where will he draw the line? Your DD has already been subjected to so much from this woman, and he's not even her father! How much would he put a child of his own through? Example: my friend has a DD with her DH who has 2 DDs with a crazy BM. The DH is a SAHD to the little one (DD with my friend) and would take her with him to pick up the other DDs on his weekend. It became a habit that the BM wouldn't be home at p/u time and wouldn't answer her phone. He would wait around for them to return (afraid that if he left he wouldn't get to see his DDs). One time, the little DD was in the car and carseat for 4 hours while he tried to track them down and waited for them. 4 hours! My friend finally said "You can wait around for 4 hours if you want, but you will not have MY daughter sitting in a carseat for 4 hours while you sit in your car outside their home." Basically, he had no problems putting BM ahead of his new DD. Remember...the squeaky wheel gets the grease. You just have to start squeaking louder than her. Jupiter said "I think that they need to see their ex's as good mothers (even when they clearly are not) maybe to somehow reassure themselves for when they are with her." So, so, so, true. My DH knows BM is a back-stabbing liar. But then he says stuff like "well, BM says it's SD's decision and she asks her all the time if she wants to visit". So why would he believe that one statement when he's caught her in so may lies before? The only thing that makes sense is he NEEDS to believe she's a good mother. Jupiter also said "I too run into arguments where he lets her slide on things that he wouldn't with me..I try to give him the example that if it was anyone else in his life he would have told them to go to h#$% because normally in life you don't do favors for people who don't do for you let alone someone who puts him down as a father..." and Love said "But it just totally goes against DH's overall nature, which is so frustrating." This is the issue. Which personality is the REAL one? I have this same problem with DH and I'm starting to think the way he is with HER is his personality when he's vulnerable and that scares the crap out of me because I guess I rarely ever see him vulnerable. I agree with FD. When I am flexible and accommodating with X, it is usually in the best interest of DS, and I do the work. I rarely (if ever) ask DH to do anything for DS, although he would be willing, because I feel like DS is my sole responsibility since I am the parent.