Thanks for the info y'all. I have used staw bales before that I left out to get rained on to sprout all the seeds in them, so they wouldn't sprout in my garden. Mulching potatos this way produced some of the best potatos I've ever eaten, and what fun it was to run out before dinner and dig up a few crispy fresh Yukon Gold's right out of my own garden! Right now, since I am a single lady, my problem is getting the spoiled hay or straw from point A...the farmer or rancher's barn or whatever...to point B...my garden :( But, I'll look around as per some of your great suggestions and see what I can come up with :) However, right now I am preservering and on top of the mushroom compost and peat moss, I'm using a bunch of last year's dead grass clippings that I'd piled up, some of which were partially composting, and I am breathing prayers that there is no fungus in this material to affect my potato plants which are growing like crazy. Afterwards, I lightly dusted with Bonide Copper Fungicide, which I hope will control any potential fungus, and that it won't do more harm than good. Also, even though the plants look healthy with no sign of potato bugs, "something" seems to be nibbling the edges of some of my plants. If it gets worse, I'm going to have to fight back rather than have all my hard work destroyed by some trespassor! Another question I have is, when do I stop adding more compost, hay, straw or other mulching material on top of these fast growing potato plants? None of them have started blooming yet.

I cleaned out MIL's house, it has certainly motivated me. Should have gotten DH to help, he might have learned something. I admit I am the hoarder but I have realised that he has contributed in more subtle ways. He certainly doesn't have a flexible mind and it's taken me a long time to understand how much that has affected us. I asked teenage DS the other day if he could remember DH ever being the driving force behind sorting through something or getting a new bookshelf or replacing a broken piece of equipment or anything at all. No. In fact we've ended up with bigger problems, and major arguments, because he never wants to do anything. Having a well-functioning organised comfortable home is an ongoing process. (Yes, and a hard balancing act.) DH doesn't get that. Marie, in MIL's case some of the stuff was just things she needed that we didn't. We all have plenty of dishes, nobody needed hers as well. She had an excess of some things. A huge amount of old blankets. That surprised me as she'd lived most of her life in warm climates. Some things hadn't been looked after properly. I didn't want more stuff cluttering up my house just because it had the potential to be cleaned or fixed. I took a box of deteriorating photos though and knowing I'll have to deal with that sometime is causing me stress. Some things she hoarded. Sheet sets still in their packaging, which I suspect were bingo winnings. Pantyhose still in its packaging, which DH bought her for every birthday and Mother's Day and Christmas. He used to choose a main present but he always added a few bits and pieces as well, including the pantyhose. Finding it all in the drawers in the second bedroom unopened was probably the biggest shock.

Stay away from A series. I'm going to replace 13 windows in my 60 year old cape. New sideing also going to be put on so I'm going with new construction windows. Started last fall with one Anderson A series window just to get a handle on how the project was going to go. Thank goodness I only ordered one window. My A series window is a nice looking unit with good features but when I lock it the sashes seperate instead of coming together, 5/32 of on inch on the sides and 3/16 of an inch in the middle. Pictures are available on DIY chatroom, I hope link below works. Go to Windows and Doors then to Anderson 'A' series window. There is no air leakage between the sashes but for the premium price of this window I don't think this is right. So far Anderson's response has been to replace the sash lock. which made absolutely no difference. My next 12 windows will be Marvins which by the way are $100 less expensive. Area Anderson Rep. has been useless, DIY posting got responce from Anderson factory rep. that has gone ok but I don't expect problem to be resolved. Here is a link that might be useful: DIY chatroom

Remodel for YOURSELF. Not resale. Because if you are remodeling for resale, you’ll lose money, as all remodels do, and lose the pleasure of living in a personalized home both. Designing for the generic future buyer is like grandma’s living room, with the plastic covered sofas. No one is allowed to sit on them without the plastic, and you never ever feel comfortable in there anyway. Everything is preserved and untouched, just in case the mayor schedules a state visit. That fantasy “better” life in your head doesn’t happen. It’s the tiny enclosed back porch with the card table and ragged old sofa and new 60” TV on top of the dead console TV below where LIFE takes place. The baby learns to crawl on that threadbare indoor outdoor carpet, and the new puppy pees on it. Pay attention to how you really live. Not how you hope you’ll live after Samantha wiggles her nose and the project is magically completed, and your bank accounts are unmagically overdrawn. Also do a lot more research on how huge construction costs have gotten, and plan as minimal changes as possible. Paying for good design in advance let’s you spend your dollars more wisely. But only if you are ruthless with yourself in analyzing needs and wants. “We’ll only do this once, so while we're at it.....” kills your budget. Absolutely kills it. https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2019/