Zone 4 Tucson, AZ Sonoran Desert, 2500' elevation Corrie, I REALLY like your thinking. I REALLY want to do that, I'm somewhat afraid of it. I don't want to end up with a pond full of a bulging, heaving, mass of green monster, either. How often do you need to remove baskets full of it, and what do you do with it? And, where is the beauty of submerged, or even floating non blooming plants? I might as well fill it in with dirt. Help me out here. Okay, I've read about hornwort, I'll get some. That may be the first plant I put into the pool. No duckweed, though. My pool is too deep (3 to 8 feet) for even lilies, which, as I said, I thought were floaters, not rooted in dirt. What can I use instead of, that hang their roots just in the water? And why can't I do that with water lilys? These expensive floating gardens support land plants without dirt, in the ponds, and their bare roots are sucking up water... I DO know I can't do everything at once, or even much at once. If I start out with hornwort to keep it clean, how much work is there to controlling that stuff? I don't want to solvle one problem and make others. And doesn't that stuff get caught in the filter? Don't you have to keep the water moving, at least some movement? I don't want stagnant, stinky polluted nasty water. Mike, No, I do not PLAN to use it for swimming, but I might, so I will test it at times. And if it's clean enough, might have dogs in it on occassion. I may put some edible fish in it. Doesn't the water need movement for them? Do I need mosquito eaters? And then bigger fish to help control them? Or, are they edible? Deep fried and chocolate covered? Ella Thanks for your responses.

At the time of Canada's hundredth anniversay in 1967, our son was about 5-1/2 and daughter about 2-1/2 and Sue and I went with MIL to Montreal to share in the great experience: I'd have loved to have taken our children, had they been a bit older and could have appreciated it. But that was more of an experience than an adventure. I've encouraged our children to have a wide-ranging, adventurous spirit and to be curious about this wonderful world in which we live. Daughter went on an exchange scholarship to Germany near the end of High School, and enjoyed it ... including travelling to various parts of Europe and to North Africa. When they were about 10 and 7 they drove with me from southern Ontario to Thunder Bay, at the north end of Lake Superior, then flew back home alone while I travelled to the Prairies. As I consider this, I regret that I did not take them on more venturesome activities - but they have been involved in such things, on their own. Folks who lack a venturesome spirit ... ... miss out on a lot of interesting, challenging and memorable experiences in life. Broaden your horizons, folks ... you'll find when you go to various parts of the world, including rather primitive places, that folks are friendly ... and generous. Many who have little have a less acquisitive - and more friendly - spirit. ole joyful.

Soon-to-be, As for being attacked, I've been attacked too, when I first started to post. I suggest you try to ignore that and glean what you can from the good advice given here. You are about to make a big change in your life with marriage and becoming a step-parent. My stepdaughters were in their early 20's when my husband and I got married, so I don't have experience with a child, but when kids are spoiled and allowed or even encouraged to get away with bad behavior, it can really mold their personality as an adult. The case in point are my two stepdaughers. The older one was absolutely spoiled rotten by her Mom and Dad. My husband has even called her a spoiled, rotten brat and we're talking about a woman who is over the age of 30 with a family of her own. She was never displined and there was a huge disparity in the way she was raised versus her little sister and what she got versus her little sister. Now everyone, including both of her parents, are a little bit afraid of her because she screams and yells when things don't go exactly as she wants them to. It obviously worked when she was a kid, so why not now? She has a mean streak a mile long and I've seen this in her attitude toward her father, her mother, her younger sister and even my dog, who she kicked once simply because he was in her way. I avoid her like the plague. It is the only thing I can do and keep my sanity and sense of well-being. Is it my fault that she is like this? I didn't raise her. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the youngest SD, who has a sweet disposition and is a loving, unselfish person. She didn't receive the same physical and intellectual blessings as her older sister. Her parents were very loving with her, but didn't over-inflate her ego like they did with the oldest daughter. I absolutely love her and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her. You are wise to take note of this child's behavior. It is a red flag of things to come. Does your fiance see her behavior as a problem? Does he have a strong enough personality to help make a change in her behavior now, before it is too late? If he doesn't see it, it will be a great source of problems for you when you are married. Best of luck and please keep posting.

The window is on the larger end and the blinds that were previously there were two separate blinds on one valance so I stuck with that. As for the TV, I brought this to my boyfriend’s attention and he says he usually watches TV with his seat reclined so he mounted the TV to accommodate that. I don’t watch TV often and when I do it hasn’t bothered me but now that it’s been brought to my attention, I can see that it looks awkward