Althea-It amazes me how you find this stuff, but I appreciate a good laugh any time. I rate Fox News right up there with Comedy Central...no wait, that's not fair...I actually pay attention to Comedy Central :) Our local Fox station seems to go out of their way to find the most verbally challenged people they can interview when covering stories. Uh..not that there's anything wrong with that.

As some have suggested - maybe cut back to much less strenuous/risky action, but not need to stop entirely - quite - yet. I'm thankful that my body seldom has said, "Listen, you darned old fool - you can't do that any more!". But I have felt it wise to cut back, some, on various things. I agree that, for many of us, in this auto-addicted society (which was encouraged heavily by the auto companies) ... ... one of the major difficulties is agreeing to give up driving (prior to getting killed - or killing/maiming someone else). I figure that I can live here as long as I can drive ... ... but hitch-hiking 20 - 30 km. (12 - 18 mi.) to town in winter ... is a good way to get one's thumb frozen. ole joyful

My sympathies for this heartbreaking turn, Nik, and I am glad you are seeking another love. Sissy was beautiful, as is Lara -- I think gold-colored dogs are especially beautiful. Funny about the "wrong color". My late uncle, Bob Zimmerman, among the last of the true cowboys, was renowned for his line of "yellow" McNabs. McNabs are a local (originating at the McNab Ranch) lineage of Scotch collies that are usually black and white, but he got a gold-colored one in one batch of pups ("Gyp"), who went on to father offspring where the occasional pup was that color, too (recessive mutation, I suppose). Gyp was an exceptionally good herder, who won sheepdog trials at the county fair, as were many of his yellow offspring, so rather than being shunned, the yellow pups were highly desired by local ranchers. They seemed to consider them a sure bet for a good dog, as well as being of that relatively rare and novel color that lent prestige. But, as Camps points out, not so practical, considering that most of lower-elevation California is the same color as these dogs in the summer and fall -- Gyp, son Teddy, and grandson Rowdy (the ones I knew best) were hardly visible at a distance, at all, on the range.

This could have just as easily been a subway tile..... Sometimes its fun to take on a "sticker shock challenge" ( For only the right client!) Today with all the budget materials and Big box store sales you can get crafty and build a waterproof budget shower id say for around $4K. Shower pan/drain- Prefab insert ( would be around +/- $500 installed but we salvaged her old one) Fixture-Reused old valve/trim Waterproofing - Goboard and sitka sealant ( This stuff $20/board) Budget sale tile- Big box Ceramics/mosaic (2$-$3/sq.-ish) Glass- Prefab kit( $300-ish) This is what we here in the midwest call an upgraded Menardo's job ! This client blew up at sticker shock for a real shower. Since I was already Rebuilding their staircase and working onsite I took it as a challenge to meet a price point. Client bought all the materials I specified (she chose tile and did some driving around and procuring of materials) and the labor was kept at $2750 flat rate(demo to finished). This is my version of A budget job but I think it came out OK for a Price point and so did my clients....... it meets TCNA /ANSI specs..... Its waterproof ! There was no budget for lippage tuning glad i can float..... Not bad for a budget rush job ! It is very hard to build an Tile industry compliant waterproof shower with tiled pan for under $5-6 K you will find handyman that will attempt it but you may end up here on the forums crying in a few weeks time...