Zengeos, Solving the "I don't have beds prepared" problem. Let me preface to say I've only been gardening since I started WSing 4 years ago. I'm no pro, no expert, no vet. But this is what I did and it worked famously. It's basically a lazy lasagna gardening: 1. Lay down cardboard ASAP. Let it take advantage of your late Winter snows, early Spring rains...then you don't have to wet it down yourself. It's amazing how quickly the worms start working once that darkness is there (and protecting the ground from the moisture evaporating). 2. When it's time plant, put down a layer of manure-kitchen scraps-whatever-you-got organic matter. Doesn't have to be too thick in this case (with lazy-lasagna). You can add to it through the season and in the fall in prep for next season. 3. Put down potting soil on top of the organic stuff. If you don't have a lot, just concentrate on the one little area you are going to plant in immediately. Make sure the depth is enough that the seedlings won't touch the manure if that's the organic matter you used. 4. Plant your seedlings. You can do it the same day...the same hour. I have. And I've had no problems. When I have more time in the summer, I usually will amend the soil in that area some more, and apply the layers of medium more thoughtfully in the fall. But when I need a quick fix, this "lazy" method has worked great for me. I turned the area where an above-ground pool was into a garden this way, with very little work, and done within days of planting (and that was all sand underneath in that area!) --Also, don't forget containers...big pots and window boxes. Sometimes, I have just put a bunch of overgrown seedlings into big pots on my porch as a "holding bed". Sometimes they looked so good in there when they started blooming, I kept them there for the whole season. -- and on the sprouts...that's why I don't even look at the containers until I can walk the ground consistently without any snow and without a heavy coat on. I don't want to know what germinated early. There's always seeds in there that wait. They know when to sprout. Linda

I sent a gift card ahead of time because I didn't want to risk it getting lost at the graduation or DH forgetting to give it to him. DH said the son wasn't going to send out invites, it was his father who told him to do it. DH didn't want to punish the boy for it, besides he couldn't attend the ceremony without a gift. That would be tacky too. When my sister's son graduated she wanted to send invitations to relatives 3000 miles away, even those she's never even seen, 2nd cousins and all that. I told her not to and she argued with me that all she wanted was to let them know how proud she was that her boy graduated. She couldn't see the forest from the trees so I laid it out as plainly as I could...if you do that they'll think you're bucking for money because they have no relationship with you and they're too far away to attend. Better to send a letter after the fact and mention it in passing, skipping the formality of the invitation. She never bothered which is what I expected she'd do. Have you ever received an invitation very,very close to an event (like a wedding) and then wondered if you were on the second-tier guest list? They wait to see how many respond in the first round before sending invitations to the 2nd class folks!

The cost to refinish marble countertops will be based on size,condition of stone(how severe is the scracthing, etching and or staining,cracks,chips,etc)type of stone(darker stones and some limestones can be tricky to refinish)time and materials. Special pricing if we change the finish from polished to honed(easier and reasonably priced) or honed to polished(which is impossible to do to granite on site- very-difficult to do on marble(can be pricey). Our pricing on an average kitchen(60-80sqft) with normal wear and etching will start at around $650.00 and up. Larger kitchens with multiple islands and multiple countertops and other areas over 100 sq ft can that can be done in a day will start $900.00 and up. Pricing will vary region to region. Stone refinishing is one of those trades where experience is very important. I have been doing this since 2003 and still learn something everyday. While some stones are easier to work on others can be a serious undertaking. Not to mention the possibility of damaging fixtures back splashes,cabinets etc. Other issues could be dust or water containment and proper masking techniques so appliances,wallpaper,furniture and fabrics are protected . So While I am sure that a very handy person could do or try to refinish the stone there is the question of purchasing and using the proper equipment. I think in the long run it is cheaper to hire a bona -fide refinisher with references. Stu Rosen www.mbstonecare.com www.stoneshine.com

Thanks everyone!!! I think I am going for the arctic white. I just had a guy come by who owns a pool service co. The pool ctr. hired him to clean the spa of the calcium build up from the water sitting stagnant during the remodel. He clearly is very knowledgeable on pools, and he said to pick the pebble sheen. He said if I plan to be in the house for a long time, that the pebblesheen is the way to go. He said it is a much better product and he thinks I will notice the speckles in the other product. He also suggested adding 5% blue quartz. He said he was just at a hotel pool with that combo and it was striking. He also said the blue quartz would look good with the tile and it makes the water just a little bit bluer. He is also going to service my pool. I am really happy I met him, because finding someone who can work the computer and understand the pool is difficult. He showed me how all of his clients are on his iphone and he can constantly monitor their pool conditions. Since I am redoing this pool so soon, I dont want to make any mistakes, so I will just bite the bullet and pay for the PS.