I know this isn't what you asked for, but when I went to the dermatologist recently she gave me something called "Replenix" to try. I have tried retin-a products in the past but they were always too harsh for my skin so she recommended this. It is a retinol product which is milder than retin-a products but works like retin-a to make pores smaller and reduce sun damage and I believe it would probably eventually remove the spots you are talking about. It is not a prescription item - you can buy it on amazon and other places. There are various strengths - I started with 3x and have just ordered 6x and I think it goes up to 10x. I use a tinted moisturizer from Smashbox which I like and it has sun protection in it too I think, but it is lighter than a concealer. Good luck - I too am fair-skinned and beginning to pay for all the years when I was younger and lived in the sun, using baby oil mixed with iodine for a tan.

Trying not to duplicate what's already been said if possible. The labeling was the biggest help for me. I printed a bunch of sheets with all the room names on them and would pack, tape a sheet onto the box and circle the room. That way I knew to look in boxes marked "Kitchen" if I wanted the coffeemaker or silverware. More detail is great and I'd make a comment on the bottom of the paper for things to help, but not go overboard. For instance, I'd note something like "desk drawers" "winter clothes" for the contents. You probably have luggage. USE IT! Why transport empty luggage? Pack your clothes in it or pack other stuff. Who cares. Make a grooming kit or kits. Pack the toothbrush, shampoo, soap, shaver, etc in there and you can work out of it at both places as need be. Put prescriptions in there and also things like aspirin, ibuprofen, aceteminaphin (sp?), antihisthemines, antacids etc. You'll probably be stiff and sore and stressed so even if you don't ever need Tums, you or someone else might. A briefcase is handy to keep valuable papers, checkbook, etc. Print out a listing of addresses & phone numbers for your contacts. Make a schedule and goal sheet. I like the 8 week countdown that you can find all over and adapt to your needs and if you have more or less time, adjust. But then you can see that if your goal was to have the bedrooms packed by Friday you may be ahead or behind schedule. Keep this in a binder with notes and stuff about the move. Could be a good place to keep bills, checkbook, pizza coupons, menus, envelopes, stamps and a pouch with paper clips a small stapler, and other office supplies. I call mine the "porta-office". You can also make notes on things to tell the next owners of the old place. Furnace filter sizes, things like how to use appliances, etc can be nice to know, along with a list of local numbers and such that they might need, even where to vote. But that's another thread! A cooler of pop and water is always appreciated. Some easy snacks, sandwiches, even a pan of frozen lasagna or a crock pot of sloppy joes or hot dogs helps keep the troops going. Maybe a friend or neighbor could tend the food for you? Even if a person can't lift, clean or whatever else, they probably could warm up the food and keep the thermos of coffee stocked. Of course, use paper and have wastebaskets and liners around. (An emptied box makes a good temporary wastebasket/recycle bin too.) Oh and have chairs handy so people can rest. Lawn chairs or folding chairs are fine. A few extra pair of cheap gripper-palm gloves are considerate too. Oh, BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER(S)!! Carry the backups with you in your briefcase and find a secure spot at the new place for them or put them into your safe deposit box. The bathroom will potentially become a mess. Live with it, it's a cost of the move. But have extra toilet paper out in plain sight and I'd maybe put a big wastebasket in there and use paper towels instead of the good towels. Make an essential box. Paper towels, napkins, etc that you would need right away. Paper plates, plate holders, plastic flatware, etc. Extension cords, outlet strips, a phone or two. Get the answering machine set up right away if you can. I've often thought about a "pre-move" move. To get the frig on and stocked with beverages, stock bath with supplies, set up phones and answering machine, etc. Have a stock of things you might need like prescriptions, painstuffs, etc. Small amounts but will cover you during the hectic worst. I would pack and stack boxes against the wall when moving out, but wanted the stack away from the wall at the new place. That way you can have two layers deep and access it from two sides without making as big a mess. Have some carpet runners laid out for keeping the mess down at the new place, especially if foul weather. Keeps the mess from 2-wheelers down too. Have garbage cans (or use boxes) for the trash that will accumulate. And a box for recycling the cans and bottles from the move. Don't skimp on these or you'll be picking up bottles and cans all over the place. Did I say it? HAVE ENOUGH 2-WHEELERS! Save your back! Don't expect people to carry all the boxes - wheel them! Rent them if you have to, you can buy them for $10-$20. I started bringing mine with me when I'd help someone because nobody would ever have them. Pack everything in a box that you possibly can so it can go on a 2 or 4-wheeler. How many times did I see a little stack here and a little stack there that they thought we'll just take that with us and it's a truckload by itself! MARK BOXES IF THEY AREN'T FULL! Otherwise people will stack on top of it and the whole pile will fall over and potentially a huge mess. Either make a briefcase or use the grooming kit to store the cell phone chargers, remote controls and things like that. Keep a phone available at both locations, keep your cell phone charged. If you don't have a cell phone, buy a prepaid phone. $20 investment will keep your sanity! And any numbers you need can be entered in that phone, you will have it on you if you need to call the attorney, realtor, mover, cousin Maude, the pizza place or whatever. I lived on frozen food and take out for several days. I also did some pack & move, although actually I had been packing for months so I would come home from work and load up a load of boxes and bring it to the new place. I basically moved myself the last time except for the biggest furniture. Made a box with cleaning supplies to have there. One move the first thing needed was a toilet plunger! Sooooo, there's something to know where you have it. And a pre-move item potentially. Or buy new? Or buy one and the old one can go to a second bath or whatever. Expect things to go wrong and then you'll appreciate what went right. Try not to overcomplicate things. If you're meticulously organized you'll need to inventory things more thoroughly. If you're less meticulous, put it in a box and mark the room. Some like to get the beds set up right away but I just used a sleeping bag the first couple nights and it was fine and I was comfy. Nightlights in a new place are nice to have. Keep some extra cash handy. Quick store trips or tips or whatever. You'll need it. Boy, what else? Oh, don't forget food, water & vet records for pets if you have any. Probably a good idea to have a few gallons of water so they can avoid Montezuma's revenge for the first few days following the move. It'll be stressful on them too. Just remember the most important moving tip: Life won't end if things don't go smoothly. So relax and bend with it. As long as everyone is safe and secure the other stuff is minimal so don't overstress. All will be well! Good luck!

alisande -- If I were you, I'd go with the cheapest premium. Yes, you *could* pay that $320 deductible -- IF you are prescribed enough meds to reach that limit. (Even if you did, it's still less than your current Part D will be in 2015.) That Humana/Wal-Mart plan is offered here, too. DH and I will each breeze right through that deductible with our outrageously priced meds, regardless, so it may make sense for us too. Our 2014 WellCare Part D is going up from $20/mo. to $30/mo. I don't see keeping that if we can do better. Have you 'run the numbers' on Part D plans on www.medicare.gov Re:Deductibles. In 2012 and 2013 we had a Medicare Supplemental Plan F that paid for everything and the kitchen sink. For 2014 we took a Plan F- High Deductible ($2200/pp deductible) and are money ahead. We could afford to pay that $2200 each if necessary, but I have only had about $300 in out of pocket and DH less. We were still protected in the event of HUGE medical bills. Re: Filling prescriptions. We are fine with 90-day supplies from mail order on our maintenance meds. This year my cost for Advair was a third lower via mail order. (It's still a big rip-off, but that's because the US doesn't negotiate pricing with the pharmaceutical companies.)

Howdy. Every time I think about sitting down and providing an update, I get upset all over again...just like every time I walk into my kitchen (many, many times a day), the awful feelings churn up. I don't consider myself to be someone who needs to LOVE her kitchen. But at this point, I have nothing but negative feelings (emotionally and physically, really) every time I lay eyes on my counters. So, consider this as follow-up, more venting...what, closure? Maybe an education for anyone else going through this? I glanced at the date stamp on my initial post: what a way to mark this one-year anniversary. I'll try to stay as focused as possible. Last autumn, with all the small claims paperwork filed, both parties waited for a mediation date to be set (which likely wouldn't happen til after the first of the year). In Texas, a mediation session is required for small claims cases. In December, I called the precinct to double check and make sure the hearing didn't get pushed forward: I was shocked to hear that the fabricator had filed a countersuit in October! Part of the shock was due to my never having even been notified...very odd business, I thought. Up til then, their attorney emailed and snail-mailed every scrap of formage and documentation. We've said it and heard it time and again on these forums: give the company an opportunity to 'make it right'. I can't remembered if I covered this here already, but after they honed my tops, I was left with grit all over. We went back and forth, the fabricator not sure what happened...got to a point where he asked me to do internet research, contact his tech rep at MIA, post the problem with the pros at the Stone Fabricators Alliance forum, etc. I was told by this company that, don't worry, at the end of the day, they were going to provide me with smooth (non-gritty) and sealed tops. Several trips back and forth to re-hone on site. They finally switched brushes/heads and 'leathered' on-site (after asking me to provide and put up plastic sheeting to isolate the dust.) The grit resolved, but the leathering was very uneven. Shiny spots were mixed with dull spots; and there were grinder arc marks that they couldn't figure out how to get rid of. I told them it was good enough. The next several weeks were spent helping them figure out the right type of sealer to use. Their go-to didn't work, so again it was on me to find a sealer that worked. OK, so, the counter suit: not only did they fabricate two phony invoices for the hours and trips spent getting rid of the grit AND properly sealing the counters (each time, I stood side-by-side with the owner, helping him with the sealer applications -- sometimes timing, other times helping scrub and rinse with water during the stripping process), they claimed that I was more than 90 days delinquent paying these two invoices...to the tune of ~ $4,000 more (ballpark...can't remember exactly now). PREPOSTEROUS!!!! I knew this countersuit wouldn't hold any water: history would show that I always paid my invoices within 24-72 hours. And they could never prove that I received these two phony invoices: all invoices were emailed to me, and I can guarantee they could never have come up with original emails proving I was invoiced. During all this time, I sat down with my attorney acquaintance and laid everything out. He reminded me of one very important thing: at least in TX, small claims judgements are not binding. He felt I had a rock solid case not only to prove my case, but also to have the countersuit quickly dismissed. However, even if the judgement went in my favor, there's no guaranteeing I'd collect a dime. Up until the time I stumbled upon the countersuit, I somehow (naively?) had faith in the system, and felt that if I won the case, that would be that. Seeing what low and underhanded lengths this company and their attorney stooped with the countersuit, I started to doubt that they would honor a judgement. My attorney friend says these are the types of companies/cases he takes, and he spends months and years chasing companies just like this. (Going to stop here and post...back in a sec with the next part.)