Hello K. , There is lot to be said about growing aloe vera, but let me be as short as possible. Aloe vera has to most crucial periods, summer time , when it should get fair amount of water (when first inch of soil drys up you should water it deeply until water drains through the bottom)from 2-4 times per month, depending on how fast your soil gets parched. Aloe vera (at least my plants) cannot take direct sun light, they burn beyond recognition, but they do really well if sunlight penetrates through light foliage of some thinned down bush. Depends on where you live, dry period should come from the begining of October all the way until the end of March, and during this time it should be kept real darn dry (to immitate nature), and you can give it only 250ml glass of water once per month. Aloe vera cannot take outdoor freezing temperatures and will surely die in such conditions. My neighbour tried to overwinter his beautiful aloe vera just to see it wilting until nothing left above ground. Sometimes it may recuperate but i wouldn't experiment with it on account of this incredible plant that takes care of a household in which it is kept. Check some info on the google search and search under: aloe vera care and you will get more links than you can read in a whole year haha. On potting soil, the best soil to go for is a cactus mix. Once planted, try not to rub against it or accidently disturb it by walking by because it will severely slow down the growth rate. If plant is isolated properly it will "feel safe" and grow happily. Cheers, Anton

For the last 35+ years I repaired/serviced my own laundry equipment. My Kitchenaid and Whirlpool TL washers and dryers lasted 20 to 25 years and were replaced when I moved or when the washer finally rusted at the top of the inner tub. Nine months ago I sold the TL washer and dryer that were in excellent condition and purchased a Speed Queen FL washer and dryer. I hoped to save water, electricity, detergent and most importantly clothing wear and tear. I recognized a better built product when I saw it. If you take the units apart and you will observe commercial quality components without the fancy options. I do not need fancy options to clean laundry. Based on my observations with the FL washer and dryer, Speed Queen is not cheapening their products by substituting plastic for metal. After researching the issues, I placed my money with Speed Queen and I expect reliable and long lasting products. How many manufacturers use a stainless steel outer tub? Have you heard of mildew/mold problems with Speed Queen equipment including those abused at Commercial Laundromats? In addition, the size the FL is fine for my family of four. The FL gets the clothes clean without needing long cycle times. The dryer dries quickly and its moisture sensor works better than the one I had in a Kitchenaid dryer. In my opinion, Speed Queen marketing could be significantly improved to allow better public access to their products. Seeing, touching, inspecting, and comparing products would allow the consumer to make an informed decision based on component quality, reliability, warranty, price, cabinet size and energy efficiency. Speed Queen designer colors consist of stainless steel and white. Speed Queen can not compete based on initial cost or fancy features. If consumer priority is based on cost over a 20 year period, Speed Queen is very competitive. As the size war (interior volume) continues in the home washing machine market, consumers need to ask themselves how big is big enough for thier use and space allocated for laundry equipment. Speed Queen has years of experience in the commercial laundry business, but only markets one size washer (either FL or TL) for the home consumer market.

Lico is a 'supplier' so you won't find very much on them in the USA. They focus mainly on the European market. If you can speak another language, you are welcome to look at their 'German' or 'Spanish' language page. They have much more detail. Their certifications are all in German...so if you have anyone who can speak that language you will find HORDES of information about them. https://finesse-floors.com/downloads/ This is where you find the 'good stuff'. The testing information. These floors have been tested by the ECO Institut (Germany's highest testing level...only Japan has a more rigorous testing process). That tells me all I need to know. Testing at the ECO Institut is SOOOOO expensive (how expensive is it SJ?) that most companies won't even try. They cannot afford the price to test and they cannot afford to fail...because it is upsetting to spend all that money only to have your product fail. Lico also produces some AMAZING laminate (so healthy I could just spit ;-P). And everything that is 'recyclable' has a caveat (which includes your water bottles, pop bottles, etc). The facilities do exist...just not in N. America. They exist in Europe...but not here. Why? Because they are EXPENSIVE. And in Europe, if a company says their product is recyclable, the company has to PAY a premium (a cost of $$ per square foot) to ensure the country has a facility that can take their product. It is all part of the European infrastructure which does NOT exist in N. America ('cause we like the idea of the Wild Wild West). Good luck. I know you will find what is right for you.

Chicago area is 'yellow', but NW Indiana and parts of Wisconsin are still 'orange'. We're promised rain Saturday night into Sunday. Long time no rain other than one 20 minute shower earlier this week. May was 2nd driest in history, and drought is continuing into June. There's a wet spot in the lawn. When we called the irrigation company they said they aren't making appointments for repairs. I'm hoping our landscaper still know a guy who knows a guy.