For those who have mentioned grass (quackgrass, crabgrass, lawn grass) growth problems to this method, I have a miracle cure! Quackgrass has been the bane of my gardening existence. It has overridden my gardens and beat me many times. I agree with others, some grasses will come right up through that whole lasagna bed as soon as the cardboard/newspapers start to decompose. Actually, it will even poke right through it. Well, after re-doing so many beds, I finally found a product...it's Ortho's Grass-B-Gon. This product can be sprayed ON an existing garden (roses, veggies, perennials, shrubs, etc) and it WILL kill any grasses, but no broadleaves. It sometimes takes 2 applications, but I sprayed with a heavy trigger (pent up anger) and saw that quackgrass brown and dying within the week. New growth that comes up from roots underneath, give it another spray. I started this 2 years ago and all of my beds are nearly free of quackgrass. Since, it's in my lawn, it does get into the beds, but a confident squirt or two and I know that it can be stopped, or at least severely stunted. Grass-B-Gone can be hard to find, many Big Box stores don't have it. I found it at Walmart and I think I saw it for 1/2 again more at an ACE Hardware. I stocked up when I saw it last, buying about 4 spray bottles. Guess what? The problem is so under control, I still have 3 left from last year! It does say on bottle to avoid freezing, which I did not do, so I sprayed some grass the other day and am waiting for the browning. Lastly, this product will kill ALL Grasses. Therefore, I have decided that I am not going to plant ornamental grasses in my gardens. I love the ornamental grasses, but I don't want to worry about killing them when I have to treat an area. Here is a link that might be useful: Ortho's Grass-B-Gon Review

I start my tomatoes in an unheated garage after solstice in Oregon. After the seedlings come up, I take them off the heat mat and use just the lights close and have a fan running to imitate wind. They are very stocky that way. I also bring the tray out on sunny days a few minutes and work up to more. When I pot up the the first leaves they go into an unheated green house and I open up the green house for a part of the day. They are very stalky that way.

I'm late for your party, but when I have hamburger and want a hurry-up dinner, I'll fall back on hamburger french dips. Lightly butter and warm the rolls while cooking the patties, shape them depending on the size of your chosen bread. Packaged au jus mixed with water and simmered a few minutes while the hamburger cooks... If you serve with steak style fries, bet those teenage boys will be dipping the fries in the au jus too :)

prill... I have no idea how much that tile is or if I can buy it directly. I found it while playing yesterday. I must have googled every combination of words relating to tile possible. The manufacturer is Soli. I'm jumping way ahead (for a change) cause I probably won't be able to afford the SS until the beginning of the year... never mind the backsplash. But save I will and I won't be in a rush. I've waited 3 years, I might as well hunker down for the long haul cause I really don't want to compromise. Unless that is, that the tile is some ridiculous price like Ann Sacks tile. I won't go over a certain price per sq.ft. There's just too much pretty tile out there. pickles... I LOVE Danby marble and your slab looks beautiful. I actually had considered it as one of my choices for the entire kitchen. I am smitten with this SS though now. I'm hoping to find a marble remnant for the bakers table. I need approx. 72"x30"... I haven't slab shopped yet so i don't know if that qualifies as remnant size. In the meantime, I check craigslist daily... you never know! I spoke to Florida Joshua. When the time comes, he'll be able to do the SS for me. It'll involve some planning, and extra trip charges (we are about 3 1/2 hours away); but well worth the money to know that the fabrication will be absolutely perfect. I"m very very very excited. DH and I came to the decision, that come the end of the year; we'll permanently move into this house whether we're done or not. Then I'll be able to rent my house and save the money I need to do the things we want. First, I'll have to do some tweaking work to my house to get it top dollar rental ready.