Kath, thank you so much for responding. Seems I have a bit of work to do since I did not cut it back. Last fall, it died back in the pot while I had it inside (brought it in from the porch when started getting cold). I thought it was dead since the branches died. But lo and behold, a couple months ago (it has been sitting in a bright window area), it started sprouting leaves. I was ecstatic! Some of the tendrils are about 2 ft. long now. I will grit my teeth and cut them back (LOL). What type soil is best for this repotting? What type fertilizer when I start to feed it? Seems this one will remain a potted plant. Again, thank you, Kath!!! P.S. it hangs on the front porch on the south side of the house, but is out of direct sunlight. Is that OK?

Thank you everyone! mydreamhome our neighbors have 5 GPM and they drilled down only 320 ft. but we are higher up on the mountain. The neighbors across the neighborhood on the other side of the pond from us actually had to dynamite to get the well. I have no clue what was done to find the spot for the well. We also had 4 geothermal wells done too, and all the wells are in one spot on the side of the driveway. Our lot is very very hilly so there was a limited area where the wells actually could go. We are paying the extra cost of this because we just had a well allowance and between doubling the cost + putting in the geothermal wells, we've got a shameful amount of money invested in wells already and really do not want to spend any more! Our inclination is to just go w/ the 4 GPM and we have 800 gallons of storage + a 150 gallon water heater, a 75 gallon water heater and a 50 gallon geothermal water holding tank. If we have an issue w/ water, our builder said we can just drill down deeper later, although it will cost more. GreenDesign, someone else on the other forum said that too. I wonder if it differs from place to place. I can't imagine our builder would have done something wrong, he is wonderful and extremely well respected here, everyone we talk to from the bank to accountants to tradespeople to random strangers we meet comments on how well built his houses are. And to answer the tub question, we went w/ the MTI caribe. I loved the customizability of being able to pick exactly what features we wanted and I loved that it was cheaper than the kohler! Did you get the kohler sok or a different one, I'm not sure how many there are on the market? Thank you bus_driver, that was very helpful!

When we were researching breeds, we seriously considered Boxers, but we went with Great Danes (and later English Mastiffs, as well). Boxers and Danes are very similar in temperament, as they are both "working" breeds of German origin, but we went with the lazier, less active Dane. I'm sure we would have loved having Boxers, too, given how wonderful the many we've known have been. Boxerpups gives you some wonderful advice, and I'd suggest you follow it carefully. Finding the right breeder is the hardest part. Good breeders do thorough genetic testing (not just vet checks), so find out which genetic problems are common in your breed and expect that your pup's parents would both be tested for those issues and certified by the appropriate organization. When you contact a good breeder, expect to be grilled. Don't be offended, be glad. In fact, if they don't ask you more questions than you ask them, walk away. Good breeders care deeply about where every pup they produce ends up and what happens to it for its entire life. They would rather keep an entire litter for life than let one pup go to an irresponsible owner. The breeders who don't know what they're doing are the ones who will be anxious to make the sale. Don't respond to newspaper or Craigslist ads for puppies. Those tend to be the worst breeders, who will sell their pups to anyone who has the cash in hand. You can find responsible breeders through breed clubs, but don't assume all breeders registered with their club are good. Do your homework and find someone you can really trust. I'd like to echo ae2ga's recommendation of books and DVDs by Dr. Ian Dunbar. He is the originator of the trend of puppy training and the founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Trainers used to insist that it was important to wait until a puppy was at least six months old before initiating training. Dunbar recognized how ludicrous this was and began his Sirius Puppy Training program. He has both a DVM and a PhD in Animal Behavior. His methods are consistently positive, and I've found them much more effective than the punishing "corrections" advocated by some trainers--even for controlling very large, powerful, and stubborn dogs. We've had 11 very large dogs over the past 25 years, each well over 100 pounds, and we've never had to do an "alpha roll" or use any other harsh techniques because we started early and consistent training with Dunbar methods. Back when I was competing in obedience in the late 80s, I attended a Dunbar seminar and have been a huge fan ever since. When we were breeding (we only have rescues now), we would send each puppy home with a copy of his Sirius Puppy Training video. Check his web site for upcoming seminars--they are well worth it! Since you are doing your homework now, I especially recommend his book called Before You Get Your Puppy. His site has a bunch of other free advice books and pamphlets for download, too. Here is a link that might be useful: Sirius Puppy Training

I hate urethanes and UV. It is inevitable the finish breaks down, and getting it off is a total PITA which has to be done as new urethane won't amalgamate with old, yielding either poor bonding and/or witness lines. I tried a type of semi-opaque stain that has some degree of varnish in it, water beads off when in good condition, the pigments help block the UV, and is easily sandable with fine grade paper, say 220 Alox. A scuff is all you need to wipe or brush a new surface. It is available at one of the big hardware names, IIRC, it's called Woodsman.