Hope this is still active. I have my sprinkler system controller in my garage. I have valves for the front yard sprinklers and valves for the back. My controller will still turn on front yard sprinklers, but not the backyard. It usedan to wor fine. The connections seem tight at the controller. Don't see any loose connections by the valves though it is somewhat complex looking at there. The valves will turn on the sprinklers if turned manually. How can I check for loose connections versus wire shortages. Not sure if relevant, but we (gardener) did change front yard sprinkler stations prior to the backyard issue started. But I can't remember if the backyard sprinklers were working after that for a short period of time or not. Thanks for any help.

"Wertach,too many apples? Didn't think that possible. Wish we were closer - I'd gather all the fallen ones for you. Do you compost them?" Yes, I have too many apples! I have 3 huge trees, 2 are Gala and the other one is an unknown variety, it came with the house. They are too big to spray, so they are blemished. People want organic fruit but they also want them to look like the ones in the grocery store! I can't use all of them and can't even give them away! A few people at work are in to the total organic thing. I have took perfectly good organic apples to work for years and they wouldn't eat them because of blemishes! No worms or anything, just not "perfect"! I do compost them, it's a chore since I have to pick them up by hand and fight off the bees. I have plenty of easier things to compost! I wished you lived close enough too, I only pick them up for compost to keep the diseases down.

Years ago when I worked at Tinker and back in the days when all computer's had to be hard wired, we had to have power poles placed at every computer station. I was constantly being called to come check someone's connection or power source, or hardware, so I always needed a few tools and had no where to keep them. I usually just carried them in my purse so I knew where they were when I needed them and no one else had access to them. One day I was rushing to get dressed to go somewhere and my youngest daughter decided to switch purses for me. Finally she just stopped and said, "Mom, you don't need a purse, you need a tool box." So true. Congrats on your separation Lisa! LOL

*sigh* I must be sooooo behind the times. Charging stations....I've heard about and seen them and in theory, this would be a perfect solution to all of our sketti wire messes all over the house. The charging pad? WOW....never even knew that existed until now. What a neat concept. Again, in theory this would be perfect. No landline here so everyone has their cell phones, Ipod thingys, earbuds, etc everywhere....wherever there is an outlet that is convenient/within reach, you can almost expect something is charging from it. I didn't want mine wrapped up in everyone elses mess so in my bedroom....where it's the most convenient of all places to charge my cell because I need it "on" and need to be able to hear it in that end of the house even while charging, I came up with a somewhat neat plan to disguise the cell and cord while charging. Actually, I'm sure the plan is everywhere, it's just that I hadn't seen it yet. Yardsale: purchased a sweet, medium-sized oval Shaker Hat Box for a buck. In the back of the box, using a very sharp utility knife, I cut a small square out of the -I think it's like- Balsa Wood. Ran the little plug that goes to my cell through the hole. Plugged my cell in, put cell in box, lid on top. Hat box is on my nightstand. Cord/plug runs out of the back of the box and down my nightstand between bed and nightstand, and into an outlet. You'd never know there was a cell phone charging in that Hat Box. It's much neater looking and less chance of my phone getting tangled up with everyone elses electronics that need charging, in the house. Did the same for Mr. Amity's phone since his whole life seems to be on his nightstand (keys to auto, keys to the shop, keys to storage, nitrate bottle, change, money clip, wallet, glasses, a red tiny chunk of stone kids gave him while in hospital)...it was the most logical place to put it. I had wanted so badly to be 'organized' when we first got the kitchen in a working mode. I set up a surge protector inside a decorative 'empty' book and tried this for 3 weeks....I ended up doing more nagging than anything else. Wasn't worth it as everyone wanted their cells in their bedroom at all times. But the rest of their electronics, they plug in wherever there is an empty plug. *sigh* The Cleavers, The Nelsons, we're not. LOL