Hi Lynn, I went to Camp Cuyamaca in 6th Grade, I still remember the Camp Song (YEA,YEA,YEA,YEA CUYAMACA ;-) Yes, Oregon Clay and yes, it loosens it real well, check out my video link below. BTW.. Also ..Yes , I use Decomposed granite for breaking up the Clay as well as for providing Micro-nutrients to the Beneficial herd. Decomposed granite is a rock powder and is an excellent amendment for clay soils. All rock powders are great sources of minerals and micronutrients. All growing soils need them. As the microbes and macrobes like earthworms, digest the insoluble minerals, they break down into the various soluble micronutrients that all forms of plants need. For example, limestone rocks are rich in calcium. Granite rocks are rich in potassium, etc. Seaweeds of course are the king of micronutrient fertilizers and soil amendments. There can be up to 70+ trace elements in seaweed. In locations where seaweed is not readily available; rock powders is one answer to the problem. Research continues to reveal that insoluble tiny particles like rock powder minerals, can be easily digested or absorbed via microbial activity, over time, into the anatomy of growing plants, thriving in the presence of rich organic compost, and other forms of powerful biostimulants like aerobic compost teas. Obviously a heavy clay soil is very difficult to initially dig, whereas a sandy loam is much easier. Heavy clay soils can be improved considerably by adding a lot of sawdust and mason's sand. DO NOT use beach or river sand! Mason's sand, being crushed granite, has sharp edges and actually loosens the soil. Here is a link that might be useful: Jon's Wonderful Soil 2010

I don't normally look at this forum, but felt compelled to respond. Absolutely YES I'd want to know- just the same as if it were cancer, diabetes- any major disease. This is, to me, one situation where ignorance is not bliss. My mother had it (AD), as well as a host of other diseases and health issues. She turned into an absolutely unbearable person, and that was hard on my dad - who suffered a massive stroke after several years of being her 24-hour a day caregiver (he refused any outside help, and it nearly cost him his life). I will always love her, but personally, if I'M the one deteriorating, I want to know so I (and my family) can plan ahead. Frankly, I can't see why anyone would NOT want to know they have this life altering disease - knowledge is power - power to plan, power to lessen the effects on your loved ones, and yourself.

We eat a lot of nuts and I buy them raw and toast a pound at a time several times a week. Once you know what the perfect time is then all you have to do is set the timer. For my oven, with the aluminum sheet pan I use, almonds are 15 minutes at 350. Cashews, the same. 16, 17 minutes will create a slight burnt taste, 13 minutes not toasty enough. Adding oil or sugar or other seasonings changes things and then I hover. I set the timer then immediately take them out.

Here's something to keep in mind. When you counter offered they didn't come back with anything. If I were the potential buyer and really interested in your house I would have come back with something between your counter offer and what I had offered, unless I was at the maximum offer I was willing to go. Having sold a house in the past six months and understanding the reality of trying to sell I would take the 228k without any hesitation. If this doesn't work out in 6 months you'll really wish you had too. Keep in mind housing prices are due to drop up to another 11 percent in the next couple of years. "U.S. home prices will decline as much as 11 percent by 2012 as weak demand and rising inventory extend the housing slump, Morgan Stanley said in a report yesterday." Here's a link to that story. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-09/homes-in-u-s-poised-to-lose-1-7-trillion-in-value-this-year-zillow-says.html Here is a link that might be useful: Housing losses