Oh, gosh, if I put things in capital letters I do it for emphasis. I would never be so boorish as to yell at someone on a forum. So if I have offended anyone I apologize. My mother was a squabbler and it was really embarrassing for me as a teenager because she would take anybody on and run her mouth till she figured she'd "won". But my best friend had a mother who always said, "If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all". I really respected that woman for her restraint and her good manners. So you won't find me being obnoxious on a forum, on purpose, anyway. I appreciate everyone's input. Even if you don't all have the same opinions, it still gives me lots to think about. And, knowing that some things sound more harsh when they are written than the writer may have meant, I try to take everything other people say at face value. I love these forums and feel like I have learned so much from them. Cearbhaill, I'm going to offer Pearl a raw chicken wing tip today and see what she does. Stbonner, I will watch out for gluten on the ingredients list from now on. And also "meat by-products" or "meat and bone meal". Thanks for that information. Those who use blood-soaked sawdust from the floor, what would they call that? Does that fall in the "meat by-products" category? Minnie, I think that's a good idea you have there. I think it would be good to e-mail all these pet food producers who have the above items on their lists of ingredients and tell them we know what that is and we will not be buying their products as long as those ingredients are on the list. If they are just asked "if" they include euthanized pets and roadkill in their food, they'll just find someone who works there that doesn't know about "anything" that they put in the food, who can then truthfully tell you "I know of no such ingredients in our brand". Here's the ingredients list on the Chicken Soup brand of cat food: chicken, chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, ocean fish meal, white rice, potatoes, oatmeal, millet, natural chicken flavor, salmon, turkey, duck, flaxseed, sodium bisulfate, egg product, methionine, potassium chloride, choline chloride, dried chicory root, taurine, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flakes, yucca schidigera extract, L-carnitine, Enterococcus facium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganese oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid. I had never heard of Eagle Pack. I checked the price and it runs about $2 for a 13-oz can of cat food, if ordered from Amazon.com. I have sent an e-mail to a distributor 35 miles away to see what their price is. For that price, though, I'd think it would be cheaper to feed raw chicken if she will eat it. Would there be calcium in the cartilage that's in the wing? When I had cats as a child we always fed them milk and table scraps, and they supplemented it by hunting. Then people started saying cats couldn't digest milk and not to feed it. My dog, Sonny, has gotten so that he doesn't want to eat the dry Chicken Soup dog food. So to about a cup of dry food I've been adding about a half cup of leftovers from our most recent meal and some water that had sausage cooked in it (fat removed), or water with dry milk powder added, and he has been cleaning the bowl.

I'm sorry, but those chairs and table are nice, but they don't belong in that room. Hill country is big and relaxed, not prim and proper. They might work with a rustic console between them, but I'd hate to see her spending money to furnish for sale. The room wan't that bad -- just needed some editing and maybe a couple of accessories. The way the curtains are hanging is much better, but the color is a bit much, especially with the TV built-in, which is very hill country/southwest. I'd save the $$$ and work with what she already had and just make it work better. The fireplace is looking better, but I'd try the candle down beside the fireplace or try something just a bit shorter. Has she tried the chaise with the revised fireplace, leaving the pillows on the hearth or the floor in front of the fireplace and draping a throw or blanket and a couple of magazines or books (come curl up look) rather than covering the chaise with it (the hospital bed look)? The baskets might work if they weren't smooshed against each other and the ceiling. If the chaise is in bad condition and the blanket was being used to cover it, I'd try another option. Maybe cover more strategically or --- paint it. Reminds me of the wing chair I saw recently. Some latex paint and paste wax and you can create a faux leather look that would be great in that room! That might cost a few dollars or be done with paint already on hand. It might not be something she would want to live with for many years, but this is staging -- minimum dollar for maximum impact and temporary. Don't replace the fan. Maybe update the light kit or glass, but this is Texas, mid summer and a vaulted ceiling. Keep the fan. No one will not buy the house for a fan that is easily replaced, but they might not buy the house if the room is hot or stuffy and they are worried about their comfort. Besides, a slowly turning fan beckons you to come relax.

Wow! Thank you all for responding. You gave me a lot to think about :) awm03- your vanity is beautiful!!! I love that! beverly- is that your bathroom? Gorgeous!! I also am not fond of the ogee edge, gsciencechick. Yours looks great! lol- I still don't know what to do! Looks like I need to price it all out. Another reason I like integrated sinks is bc honestly, that's one less thing to buy, or 2 in my case bc we have a duel vanity. So not only is sold surface more $$$$ but I would need to add on an extra ~$400 for undermount sinks.

lukkiirish, I'm sorry for your experiences. It sounds like you've been seeing sub-par GP vets, you've become distrustful, and you do have the right to complain. You need a new vet, and you should definitely see specialists when a medical problem seems to be beyond the ability of your GP to treat properly. You can go on your own, no referral is needed. sjerin, I've always had conflicting views when it comes to winter weather and rain. I wish it could just rain overnight and allow these 75-80 degree days all the time. Animal nutrition? it's binary, it's either adequate or not. When a commercial product is found that a pet can tolerate digestively, the pet will receive adequate nutrition with all required vitamins, trace minerals, etc, and will thrive. Changing to a product with sweet potatoes and not rice, or fish and not lamb, accomplishes nothing nutritionally.