I'm all about rescuing! There are sooo many good dogs out there that need loving homes. Even if you are getting into a particular breed, there are alot of rescues out there for plenty of them as well. I live in the city so one would think I wouldn't need a hunting dog. Well, so far he has gotten a rabbit, a dove, & the last conquest was last nite. About 3:30am he starts barking like a mad man, jumping up on the window sill. He's part White Shepherd so he is also a protector. Anyway, he woke me out of a dead sleep & I started to freak out because he never has gone nuts like that before in the middle of the nite. So I get up, turn on the porch light & open the door. Grant you, I would never have done that if he wasn't there, he makes me feel safe :) I didn't see anyone or thing & opened the door. He ran out & w/i seconds I could hear him growling & shaking something in his mouth. Just as I got down the steps I see him running to the walkway shaking his head & sneezing. I looked over to see what he got a hold of & because it was dark, I only saw a black animal with a white stripe...you betcha, a skunk! He sprayed him right in the eye! I got him in the house very easily since the skunk was no longer of interest & got his face washed as best I could. Waited til the crack of dawn to go back outside to see if it was still around & it wasn't so it couldn't have been hurt too bad. In the bathtub he went! The only part I can't get 100% clean is his face :( I washed it 3 times & it still is kind of stinky. I will inform you as of the minute he is doing great, looking well groomed & holding both eyes open! suel41452 has a great point! I adopted him at 1.5yrs & he had been well trained & is a VERY good dog. Being a single person there was no way I could potty train a puppy. Perfect solution for me! The pound dog, the skunkster, my Jasper...

You must bear in mind that herbs are medicines, just as much and in the same way that the prescription products your doctor may describe are medicines. They should be used with the same cautions, too. Many 'conventional' medications are derived from plant sources, or are copies of plant components. I do not recommend St. John's Wort for severe or chronic depression, where it is contraindicated. While it can be useful in mild, passing cases, it has so many side-effects and interferes with so many other substances, that it often causes more problems than it solves. Severe depression is a serious medical condition and you really should consult a doctor about it. Whether or not he prescribes medication will depend on the severity, and to some extent, the causes. If he does prescribe Something, then take it. It's possible he will prescribe a herb or herb-derivative - such as valerian, scullcap, catnip or chamomile. Certainly, you should never take any herbal remedy without consulting an expert first. 'Natural' does not always mean 'safe' in all circumstances with all people, you know! Why not gather up a bunch of lavender flowers and put them in your bedroom (or elsewhere)? You could burn the essential oil, too, or put some into a relaxing bath, or sprinkle some over your pillow and sheets - just a drop or two is enough. Lavender has a wonderfully calming, relaxing effect. Remember the old saying, 'Stop to smell the roses'? The smell of roses has a similar medicinal effect. You could also consider the Bach Rescue Remedy. It contains Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum (all combined). Very helpful in a crisis.

I have a small house. Small baths. You don't like housecleaning nor wiping down after kids. One thing I did was I got rid of the ceramic tile tub surround and had white swanstone panels installed. I never want to clean mildewed grout again. I love tile and put it above the panels. Yes, I prefer, way prefer the look of tile but not at the cost of cleaning it. The swanstone looks pretty good. Sorry no pics. I have two Americast tubs and I think they are acrylic..I love them. Had cast iron before. They are shiny, sparkly, fresh and white. I think my cleaners use a spray to clean them. I am glad you are thinking this thru before you do extreme drastic measures. 1000s f is not going to be better with the addition of windows. Editing, building up, and up going storage will help, not windows. Natural light is overrated. Look at small space solutions and not at glam or cliched luxury sites. We built closets onto our bedroom walls instead of new dressers. Up to the ceiling. Think California closets. With drawers and cabinets. Not pretty but functional. We have ikea Brimnes headboards with under bed storage drawers in our new house. I am an ikea slave. Your family is always going to take a lot of time and energy and that's just the way it is. A 1000sf house will not be easy but it's home. And I love love your kitchen. Think about the life you live for now. Think first before acting.

I know you don't feel emotionally ready for a new feline, and I completely understand that, but I also think a new feline friend may be the best possible solution for Orange. He's in mourning for his buddies, and now that he's restricted to the house (which I also completely understand), he has nothing to distract him from his losses and loneliness. A new buddy would give him something on which to focus his attention, and the "right" new buddy would give him a companion with whom to bond and feel that all-important same-species connection that he's missing. But you're right; it can be tricky finding the right match. Annz has made a great suggestion about fostering, but I would modify it to "foster with the option to adopt". You would need to make sure that any shelter or rescue you work with would give you first option to adopt your foster kitty. The last thing Orange needs is to start bonding with another feline, just to lose that buddy to an adoption to another home. Alternately, you could find a shelter or rescue that would allow a trial period before finalizing the adoption to make sure the match works well. If you do consider getting another feline, I recommend a young kitten. I have adopted felines of all ages, genders (intact and desexed), and personality types, and I can tell you that the easiest integrations have been the kittens. Kittens don't tend to pose a territorial threat to adult cats, and young kittens' playful antics aren't interpreted as serious attacks. I would caution you, however, against adopting the most boisterous and playful kitten of the bunch. A really rowdy kitten (esp. male kittens, who tend to be relentlessly pesky and aggressively playful) may be overwhelming for Orange. Look for a kitten who is self-confident (not shy or skittish) but who is also fairly laid back compared to other kittens. Avoid the kitten who's always pouncing on his/her littermates. Go for the one who is more moderately playful and enjoys snuggling with littermates. You may also find that Orange will take more quickly to a kitten who is the same color as Figgy. Some cats have very definite color biases. Think about getting Orange a new companion. I have seen bonds form in my own household between strays-who-decided-to-stay and resident cats who didn't previously have buddy relationships in the household. Those bonds have dramatically improved not only the resident cats' emotional wellbeing, but their physical health, as well. Laurie