Our central heat takes care of keeping the room at the right temp - usually set about 67/68 in the day, 65/66 at night. Our floot heating mat is programable, and we have it at 75 most of the time, but heating up to 82 for a few hours in the early morning and late evening. I don't remember the specific times exactly but I think we have it set so that it starts to warm about 4:30 am, 1/2 hour before I get up at 5 am; and again about 7:00pm and staying high until about 10:00. I LOVE how it feels on my feet when it's at 82, but it's still fine if we use the room when it's only 75.

Proudmama: Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for in a light maple. Puppy farms? Egads, just another category of purchases to feel guilty about.... I can't buy anything from China without a twinge of guilt either.... Ellen: Thanks for the insight into Amish business practices. I'm glad they've found a way to survive and still hold their belief system together. I admire those people for their lifestyle and discipline. Thanks again for all of the replies!

I think I understand what you have now. I will say that blacktop patch would give you good traction and have other benefits. First, being black it'd absorb the sun, heat up so on a nice day it should melt, solving part of the problem. It's a rough texture so that would help. It's cheap, about $5 for a 40# bag (you'd probably need several bags). And it'd make a slope instead of the bump. I used it to build up in front of my garage skirt and my sister used it to build up her driveway next to the house to slope it away from the foundation. But you'd need it fairly clean and dry so you'd need a reasonably nice an sunny day and keep the patch in the house until you use it. You could warm things up with a salamander heater and a couple heavy tarps. That should bring the temp up enough to get a patch on. It probably wouldn't be very permanent but it might help you get through the winter. Looks like we're having an old fashioned one this year! Oh, and you could mix in some pea rock or something too. Even some larger stuff to make a rougher surface. Don't hesitate to overlap it onto the garage skirt if you wanted although if you wanted to take it off later, it might not be easy. Hope you find a solution! Permanent or temporary!

I had a mat, but the chipmunk who lives in our shrubbery decided to eat it. I don't know where the little beastie put all the mat; he must have welcomed some of his rodent friends over for the feast.