First, let me thank everyone for their contribution to this topic. In these trying times, with so many people homeless and with the crazy weather we are having, we need to ALL be our brother's keeper. "Except for the grace of God, there go I" definitely applies, even if you don't believe in God. Secondly, this is a very rural area. Towns are scattered and small (less than 1,000 people in most). There are only 285 people within the city limits in the town nearest us. When I called it a hamlet in the past, I meant a hamlet! Three churches, a city hall-library combo, a convenience store-gas station, a post office and that's it. We used to have a feed store, but he closed down this spring. There's a tire repair shop there now. The local school closed in the 70s and combined with another town's school system 12 miles away in another county. Until this past year, we didn't even have a police station or a building to house our fire department's pumper trucks. Lots of bean suppers, weeny roasts, and chili cookouts helped us raise the money to finally get our little building. We are all so proud of it too. The president's stimulus package gave us sidewalks downtown. We didn't have any before. That is so nice, especially for children, the elderly, and the disabled. The little town where I saw the man laying in the ditch is more of a village. It has a thriving school system and a Senior Citizen meeting place and a new home-style cafe, plus the Convenience store-gas station-laundry mat combo. I think it has at least a a thousand residents, but taking in all the rural folks, that could double the population. There is no Salvation Army, Homeless Shelter or any other services to help the homeless or poor. The only town around that is big enough to support a homeless shelter in Stillwater, and it is abt. 30 miles from there. They only have one that I know of and it is full to capacity and has been for several years. There is a long waiting list. Sad situation. Thirdly - All the fire departments are volunteer with pumper trucks. All the little towns within a 60 mile radius or maybe more, come to one another's aid when there are fires or natural disasters. The nearest town of any size with Ambulance services is Chandler, the county seat, about 14 miles away. They are fast to come though, when you call. I have called them for my dad a couple of times. Such nice young men and so tender with my Papa and helpful. Fourthly - I was in my husband's car that day. His AC is out, so it was probably 120 degrees in my car, even with the windows down. Keeping water or food was no option. Also, I had accidentally left my cell phone at home that day for some reason, I NEVER do that! If I would have had my cell, I would just have pulled over there and called 911 and waited for them to come help. However, I was already feeling sick myself, so quickly drove to the convenience store to seek help for him and get something to drink for myself! * I will remember that info about not giving fluids or food. Thank you! I didn't know that and I used to be a trained nurses aid! Just common-sensical though. Doh, on my part! These days, it isn't wise for a person, especially a woman alone, to stop and help someone. I have heard of people being ambushed in a sucker-trap set up to rob people and do they harm, and even of people being attacked when trying to help someone, but sometimes you just feel you have to do something! There were shade trees higher up on the bank and maybe when he laid down there he was in the shade, but he wasn't when I drove by. And lastly, as for the school situation - We have snow days here, too, bt no "Heat days". This year they started schools early, but the new governor and majority party in the state Congress decided they needed to cut back on expenditures, so they decided one area they could cut costs was to eliminate buses for city or town kids. Kids who live within a mile of school will no longer be provided with bus services. (I don't know if this applies to handicapped or special needs children or not). So those kids have to walk to and from school in this heat, (or rain, tornado, floods, snow or ice) for the first time probably in their lives. Also, think of the little ones who have no other way to get to school or kids who have no one to walk with to school. What will happen to them? A lot of parents are really upset over the whole situation, as they should be. Those children could end up as prey to the crazies, if not merely the victims of the weather, especially right now. That's why I said earlier that it was a case of indifference or stupidity or BOTH! They did not plan ahead for these things before they changed the laws. It just makes me so angry! When I was a little girl, buses only ran for the country kids. In California, I rode the bus to school as we lived out in the country, but when we moved back here, we lived in town, so I walked, come rain, shine or snow. We didn't have snow days either. It was awful sometimes. (I actually fell through a snowbank once and had an older boy not seen it and pulled me out, I might have frozen to death.) But, for the most part, kids back then played outside - all the time! We were used to walking everywhere we went and being out in all kinds of weather. Not so with children today. Most parents are afraid to let their kids run all over the neighborhood and town like we used to do. We roamed the hills and dales and mother never worried about us. We all played together outside until dark every night. She had to call us to come in. But it isn't safe anymore. Too many crazies! Cars go faster now too, and frankly, neighbor people and people in general don't watch out for one another's children like they used to do. Everyone is in their own little world. Those who have their own vehicles and women who don't have to work out of their homes can manage to drive their kids to school - they probably already do anyway. But the poor and the working poor probably don't have that option. Riding the school bus was the only way for their kids to get to school safely. It's cruel to do that to the poorest of the poor people. Just plain cruel and calloused. ~Annie

Just looked at all your tile photos. I am so sorry this is such a disappointment. When you have work done at your home you either need, A. Someone who really knows their stuff. OR... B. Someone who may not be as expert, but will keep working till they get it right. My DH does most of our work on the house and he fits into both categories, depending on the specific job. Your guy is not A apparently, but he could be B.....maybe. I want to ask one question, since I don't know how much you have posted on this before. I realize that the tile installer knows he messed up--that's why he has to keep coming back....Duh. But have you sat down and had a specific conversation with him about your tile? So, Joe....I guess this tile installation is just as frustrating to you as it has been to me. And while I feel bad having to keep calling you to fix spots, I am seriously wanting to have my floor DONE. I have other things to finish in my home and this tile situation is preventing that. You are the Expert. What do you think we need to do to get this job finished so we can shake hands and be done? You want to give 100% to other clients right now, and I want to not have any more thinset anywhere in my home. What are your suggestions? This is more or less how I would talk to Joe the Tile guy. Sometimes just having a real definitive conversation will provide insight on finishing up a problem. Now, you Know he's not much of an Expert and you are obviously More frustrated than he is, but it is still kind to word it like this. Maybe he feels that for some more $$$ he could go back in and do the definitive tile job for you? If that's what he says, then you can decide if you want to throw more money his way. Maybe he is over his head and doesn't know how to do a repair. In that case, you may need to hire someone else to finish. Either way, you may get some clarity. Red

Les, you are correct, this isn't our bedroom, though we've slept in it enough that it was temporarily (during construction) I guess I'm a creature of habit. Having been in my old home for 23yrs the ceiling fan and my bed were both centered in the middle of the bedroom and the ceiling fan was centered over the bed. I like the cool breeze - from Miami, need I say more? The dresser is opposite the bed, straight ahead. Closet is REALLY tiny, not even a twin bed would slide in there, I have a double. Not sure what I'll do with the valance. Had them all over the house. Personally, I like them, but everyone told me they were ugly and outdated. I still have them, I may just surprise the nay-sayers at some point later on. Nates, the table is square Forboystoo, Though I actualy loather Ethan Allen, I like the bed, have the dresser & hutch that goes with it. It's my daughters set from her bedroom, not an heirloom but like the way it goes in that room. We had a twin, full and queen to move in this house (and our king, but that was a given) and had to decide which way to go. We figured we'd get more out of the full and queen and got rid of the twin - hated doing so because that room was suppose to be the twin room - I would not be having issues if this stayed the way I initially intended (had sheets and window coverings to for the twin already) BUT, we've already been in the position that the full & queen were the right way to go, we've had visitors, the twin would not have worked. I guess it's me, and me being a creature of habit. We extended our master bedroom a few months ago by about 3 feet and we moved the fan over to have it centered over the bed, just like I had it in my old house. It's not centered in the middle of the room. I guess it's what feels comofortable. I guess we all have some quirks, and I know I have my share :) SIL is coming today for a visit with her BF, once she's gone I'll have to get in that room and see how the cubes will look with the bed the way it is. I'll take some pictures of it shifted over to post. This is just one room - there's so much to do in this house! Thanks again to you all!

If the rest of the house has forced air, why wouldn't you extend that to the bonus room? Didn't specify if attached/detached... If detached, depends how you heat the garage. If in-floor heat, obviously extend that upstairs. If modine/infrared, I'd run the gas line upstairs to a gas fireplace. If its a portable shop heater or something, electric fireplaces today throw out a decent amount of heat. You can do mantle units to slide around the floor. Heatilator/Simplifire make wall mounted units you can either recess in or hang like a TV, and they put out decent heat. Otherwise I have a Dyson hot fan that oscillates and heats up decent, but depends how much juice you'll have to this garage