Stucco can darken slightly during the first year. However this darkening is so subtle that you would probably never notice it unless you had an original sample of the color and placed it next to it. Unlike paint, stucco contains natural minerals that go all the way through the product making it less prone initially from fading from the sun. If you are really unhappy with the color, you can have a product sprayed over the existing stucco that is not a paint but a cement coating that will become part of the original stucco. LaHabra Stucco calls theirs Fog Coat. I don't know how expensive an endeavor this will be, but it is an option. As a piece of advice for anyone considering stucco or EIFS on their home, make sure you see the color you choose either on a very large sample that you view outside in the sunlight or have the applicator give you the address of a home with the same color. The color representations on those small chips are notoriously inaccurate -- in fact they all give some type of disclaimer about the consistency of color charts. Also be warned that very dark colors will eventually begin to lighten after exposure to the sun. Although not usually used on residential homes, colors such as red, black, dark blue, etc. will fade out completely. I've seen red trim on commercial buildings that turn to pink in less than 10 years.

I am not sure how old this forum is but it seems that not too many read some of the posts here. Anyway, I think what you are going through is pretty normal for peri..I am 48 and my periods have suddenly changed as well. I just got over mine too and it feels as if it is on its way again. I also get the bloating, cramping, irritability, fatigue, and on and on..OH and did I mention nausea??? When was the last time you had your annual check up from your OBGYN? I doesn't hurt to get whatever is bothering you checked out just for peace of mind but I wouldn't worry too much because irregular periods are a sure sign of peri-menopause. Mine are now coming later and later but as soon as it is over I feel like it is coming again!! As for your swollen tender breast,is it just the one breast?

Hi, I'm in Maryland, Zone 7A. We did have a pretty cold winter with about a week below 20 degrees and single digits on a few nights. Then we had the big snow fall of about 28" that's finally pretty much gone now. I don't know how they would have done outside this winter. I suppose the question is how soon I can put them in the ground outside. i.e. Just go ahead and plant them, or wait until it's likely not going to be freezing, or wait until after the average last frost date (April 15th)? We are definitely not done with it being below freezing at night (likely at least once a week), and I wouldn't be shocked if we had another night or two in the teens. I know boxwoods aren't necessarily tender plants, but they're still little and have never been outside. Thanks for your help.

As I said above, I have a Rowenta Focus. This thread got me to thinking about it. I decided it's really stupid for Rowenta to require tap water. My tap water isn't all that bad, but it still leaves white marks on the soleplate, as well as gravel-like deposits inside if not cleaned faithfully after every use. What about people with really bad water? But it is a great-performing iron and I enjoy using it, for the little ironing I do. So I've decided to keep using it, with purified water that we already get delivered in the big 5-gallon bottles (mainly for my wife who doesn't like to drink the tap water, which comes from a well and goes through a calcite neutralizer, hence the white stuff). I'll keep using the iron, and if it shows signs of failure from internal corrosion then I'll toss it.