It never would have occurred to me to purchase software to track my garden. Like you, I find an Excel spreadsheet to be a versatile tool for tracking the information that interests me, and a simple Word document, or file of documents, can contain any quirky info not suitable for a spreadsheet. In addition to the computer-drawn plan, I have a large-scale printout of my new garden plan with a 10' by 10' grid for a visual record of the location of specimens. The grid coordinates go into the spreadsheet, and my husband swears he's going to give me GPS coordinates for the plants. : ) I once had a paper garden journal, but my entries were very sporadic so the result is incomplete, and the journal lacked any organization beyond calendar dates, not very useful for the type of data you are keeping. These days I type far better than I write, such has been my evolution...

Thank you for this! Still can’t find an app to fulfill all my needs so creating my own one. Could you maybe expand on how you structured your various tabs in excel? For example your diary tab. Would be a huge help! Thank you!

Hi guys, I tried to open the "head" of the shredder and have run into a problem (what�s new), a removed 6 screws on the bottom of the shredder head (i.e. the part that you can not see when the shredder head is placed over the paper collection bin) and tried to open the shredder head to get a peek inside but the bottom part does separate from the top and I don�t want to force it (and break/crack the plastic). BTW, apparently Techko Inc makes the shredder for Staples and the Model number is SH1524CP. In any event, I would appreciate a little more help and will comment and/or address "my plans" for the fixes that you suggested. Suggestion: Check the safety interlock between the collection container and the head of the shredder. Bob: The shredder head and collect bin appear to be lined up correctly, the unit has an amble indicator light when it�s not and a green indicator light when it is aligned properly and "ready to go" Suggestion: I disassembled it and got all the sticky labels out of the cutters and it worked again. Bob: I am trying to remove any paper that I can see manually using eye tweezers but obviously will be able to do a better job if I was able to dissemble (take the bottom part off the shredder head) and any help would be appreciated. Suggestion: three internal safety switches in the forward mode. 1) Senses when paper has been inserted - can be a mechanical switch or an infrared optical interrupt with an LED on one side and detector on the other - either way is usually located in the middle of the feeder. 2) As Albert already pointer out, a safety interlock for the bin being in place. 3) A "bin full" switch that the shredded paper would press up upon. In addition there is the main power switch for the auto/on mode to begin with. The shredder has ALL three, a sensor when paper is inserted since the unit starts shredding immediate (in the Auto mode). Yes, it displays either an Amber or Green indicator light (as I previously detailed) and the amber indicator is displayed when the bin is full. ALL of these functions are "automatic so there must be a sensor for each check for wire connectors being pulled off any one of those four switches. Bob: I will need to open the shredder head to check this There is also usually an overheat switch on the motor that will reset itself after a few minutes if it's been running too hard or long - but that doesn't seem the case here. No I don�t think it is, I unplugged the unit and then plugged it in about an hour later and reverse worked but when I put a piece of paper in the unit, nothing happened. Thank you again for your help guys, Bob

I finally have a chance, and just wanted to update and acknowledge the help. Thanks, everyone for your helpful thoughts on this. I am following the procedure I outlined above. The tiling is proceeding, but very slowly. I find I can only do about 4 sq. ft per hour. I have about 130 sq. ft., so it will take a while! I am about 1/3 done now. I am really, really happy with how the floor looks. I think it is gorgeous. The ruby tiles look nicely distributed and quasi-random. Marcolo: I only did it 250 times, but the averaged colors were starting to get washed out, so I stopped... ;-) You and the others are correct, though: I am after the appearance of randomness, not the real thing. Like carefully mussed hair in a J. Crew catalog. remodelFLA: what a great link! I did play with that, although I wound up not using their excel sheet. The discussion was very helpful in synthesizing my thoughts, however. David: I like the idea. And, fortunately, with my memory it will only take me about 2 days to have forgotten! sass: that is a good, helpful idea. Large repeating pattern will likely not be detected. Especially as it will be broken up by things in the room Circus, I did post at John Bridge. From there, I learned that name of what I was looking for was a "distributed pattern," not random. Plus the mandatory digression into my subfloor! No actual advice on how to effect this, though. dianalo and prickly: that is a good way to pull it off. I'd probably need a bigger living room, though! Mtn: I'm curious, was Hirst advocating pure randomness and the draftsperson pseudorandom, or vice versa? mama goose and Green: Now we are talking. That will get us random, and not take any time! Casey: yes, thanks for correctly pointing out the problem with pre-layout. Also, I believe I will use an enhancer, based on how vibrant these guys look when wet. Prickly: Love the squint -- it really works. As for mixing the boxes, yeah, I have done that a lot. Christine: I don't quilt, but I like the idea. I have a funny image of quilters wearing what appear to be 1950s 3D glasses! Thanks again, everyone, for your help and input. I can't wait to post progress pix. I think I will start a "progress pix" thread when I get the floor done. I have the walls and windows in, and cabinets are in the garage (unassembled).