We lived in Georgia when I was eight years old. Had a cool creek that ran through the backyard that my friends and I spent lots of time in, catching crawdads and throwing lily pads at each other. The first week of May I got horribly sick with what the docs guessed was an allergy. I couldn't breathe, even though I've never had asthma. My face turned very red and swelled to the point that I couldn't see. My hands swelled so much that they actually cracked and clear liquid ran from the cracks. It lasted for several days and then disappeared as suddenly as it came on. The following year it was back -- again in the first part of May. It was worse the second time and I ended up in the hospital, on oxygen and being pumped full of antihistamines. After asking tons of questions about anything new in my environment, the doctor finally told my mother that he believed I was deathly allergic to something that only bloomed during that time of year. His suggestion, besides documenting everything that I'd recently come into contact with, was to be GONE from the area well before the following May. Needless to say, we moved up North, and there were no more episodes until I went to an Easter Sunday service where the church was filled with blooming LILIES. The uncontrollable coughing started before we were even seated. Within five minutes I was having trouble breathing and freaking out. Mystery solved. I got out of there like my pants were on fire and my butt was catching! Nowadays I don't go to Easter services, or weddings, or funerals. I steer clear of the floral department in garden centers and grocery stores. No more lilies for me. For the record, I don't think I'm allergic to ALL types of lilies, but I have no plans to test that theory.

Hi, Sheesh. I'm a dental hygienist and I can suggest a few things. It's common for teeth to have sensitivity that comes and goes, especially in children---but it's usually cold sensitivity. Stay away from any toothpastes that advertise extra-whitening or extra tartar control. (That eliminates almost all of them on the market.)They actually use abrasives in the toothpastes that will abrade microns of tooth structure away, causing sensitivity. This is particularly bad for those with root recession, as the root is so much softer than enamel and wears that much quicker. I love plain ol' Colgate Total. Sensodyne is a good, OTC paste for tooth sensitivity but even they have begun to put abrasives in their toothpaste in the last couple of years. If you can find the original Sensodyne that does not advertise whitening, you're good. Fluoride usage will take away sensitivity. A mouth rinse that used to be prescription that just went OTC is called Phos-Flur. It can be found in WalMart for around $15 and is great for cavity prevention. All of my orthodontic patients use it, and DH and I use it at home too. It's the best stuff on the market that's over-the-counter. Other reasons for your sensivity could be that you're grinding your teeth, your bite may be off and you're hitting your canines hard, or you do have decay. If you went to the dentist recently, did you get xrays? And if you did, I'm guessing you got the annual 4 called "bitewings," and those won't necessarily image your canines. My recommendation: if it's been going on for over 2 weeks, place a phone call to your dentist. :)

You have to ask him what waterproofing system he’s using. And the answer can’t be ‘cement board is waterproof’ or ‘trust me I’ve been doing this forever’. There are a number of systems for waterproofing and make sure they do it correctly. Just like there are a number of ways to pad out a thinner tile to match thicker tile.

Where are you located...and have you tested your soil? I ask because Betula Nigra (Betula Nigra) do quite fine in zone 6 central Indiana where the soils are usually neutral to slightly alkaline. The soil in my yard tests just slightly alkaline, and I have a 6 year old straight species River Birch growing very well with not a hint of chlorosis. They can get quite large and are often planted in the wrong location...however they are everywhere in my area and grow well. Many cultivars of red maple and oak get chlorosis here...but not the birches. I always read the same things you did...however I feel they are much more tolerant than given credit for.