Actually, was thinkin with aggressive scratching wood ones

We put in a wood stove - I haven't used natural gas [2008-10-21]
xx

We have cherry wood floors next to lighter [2008-07-10]
xx

ok, so you got me thinkin... [2008-05-06]
and i really wanted to know the answer to your question as well. check out this site, looks pretty good toward the bottom. i didn't have time to go through all the links but i think it will lead you to the right stuff... i.e. army corp of engineers, forestry projects. http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/PublicService.shtml

I think what a passive/aggressive manipulative jerk!. [2008-04-17]
x

Actually, was thinkin with aggressive scratching wood ones [2008-04-09]
x

She has a scratching post that I bought when I first got her, but she never... SM [2008-03-11]
goes near it. Just isn She doesn I don I let her outside sometimes to chase the birds and squirrels because I feel sorry for her when she sits on my desk and just stairs out the window watching with her tail flicking and her eyes big.

no problem..I was thinkin' about home too much to correct myself quickly enough. [2008-02-18]
Maybe next time I I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXDonUxBxig Cat

Scratching is instinctive to them... [2008-02-04]
My cat is declawed on the front (since a kitten - neutered at the same time). He still scratches on everything, but no damage is done. He still has his back claws so he can fight and climb trees if he accidentally gets out and needs to defend himself. He really enjoys sharpening the claws he doesn't have on edges of books, etc, because he likes the noise it makes. Used soft paws on a different cat (too old to get easily declawed). They kept coming off, and she seemed to be constantly pulling at them with her teeth as if they irritated her. The declawed one seemed to be the happier of the two.

Holly Wood &Harry Marble (nm) [2008-01-29]
nm

My last MIL cooked everything on wood stove [2008-01-11]
and things were delicious. She never had electric nor gas and probably would have never wanted one. How she did it, I will never know. She cooked everything from collard greens to breads such as biscuits and cornbread. Yum, yum.

Always better on the wood stove... [2008-01-10]
My grandfather had a room in the back of the house that was heated by wood stove (they got central heat when I was a kid, but he closed off the vents and heated that room with a wood stove because he liked it better). Sometimes my grandmother would cook in there just because it tasted better.

wood stove [2008-01-10]
That really was the good ole' days......

Wood stove [2008-01-10]
My ex-inlaws still use one.

Research passive-aggressive behavior. (sm) [2008-01-09]
Do you feel you are always at emotional crossroads and everything you decide to do together is handled like warring nations, not like loving partners? Living with a passive-aggressive behavior spouse creates a daily emotional roller coaster. One is stressed on an almost constant basis and feel as if caring for an unresponsible teenager. The passive-aggressive personality pretend not to listen, forget on purpose, and purposefully do not complete tasks they agree to accomplish. Sullenness is also a characteristic of the behavior. The passsive-aggressive behavior can rob another one from a beautiful relationship. They cannot always see themselves and have a tendency to blame others (especially spouse) for their behavior. They sometimes display revenge. To rule out other serious medical conditions, encourage your husband to schedule an appointment with his primary care physician for preventive care only, letting him think nothing is wrong. The physician should order lab testing, and ask for thyroid function studies, etc. Wishing you the best!!

Btw, wasnt thinkin of this from a religious standpoint [2007-12-06]
x

Passive-aggressive people - [2007-11-06]
Does anyone have to deal with passive-aggressive people in their lives, and how do you do it? Quick example of my sister: Sister calls many times a day with histrionics asking for advice. I give my advice, sister does the opposite. Things do not work out. Sister blames me for things not working out as I was not supportive enough. That is my vicious circle that I deal with all the time and want to stop. Am thinking of breaking up with my sister, but that seems extreme. Any ideas?

Well, my significant other and I went away today and I was driving. Now he is a very aggressive [2007-10-07]
driver and I am much more cautious so it did not go well. I just dont pass everything in site with one foot on the gas and one on the brake. What a pain to have a passenger like that in the car telling you this and that and I would have been way up there by nowetc. Not much fun. I dont like to drive by the seat of my pants.

The wood chucks eat everything in our little burg [2007-08-30]
s

That's a good idea - something productively aggressive LOL - My stressor is (sm) [2007-08-23]
My dad is being sent home from the hospital to live with me. He has nowhere else to go. He is actually my stepdad. I think highly enough of him to help him out when he needs it, not let him live on the street or do without anything, but now it seems I am going to have to take care of im physically for several months while we are on a waiting list for an assisted living facility. He can barely walk and cannot tend to his lower hygiene needs. He and my mother were married from the time I was 3 until 8. He was very mean to us during that time. My mom divorced him, but he had adopted us and given us his last name. He got visitation rights once a month, and was very nice during that time, paid child support for a while but then in my teen years stopped paying it. Later I heard from him about once a year from the time I was about 21 to 39. He lived with my brother (his biological son) for a while when he was healthy. Now that he is ill they have shipped him three states up to me. I have two little children at home, a marriage that is on the rocks, and I work full-time. I also have some health problems of my own. Right now I am having extremely bad PMS and tomorrow morning I have to bring him home to my house. In addition, he curses all the time and is very loud and annoying, and I don't have a bedroom for him, so one of my kids is going to have to give up their room. Whew!! I feel better just spitting it all out!!

Love the Wood Wick candles...sm [2007-07-27]
sounds like a crackling fire...and they are strongly scented - excellent quality. I also like the Swan Creek Candles. They are highly scented and have some delicious scents. My favorite is Buttercream Vanilla and they have crumbs on top of the candle that melts...wondeful... Never heard of Circle E candles but try Swan Creek if you see them!

If you do it yourself, practice on some scrap wood a few [2007-07-23]
s

Question re wood laminate flooring [2007-06-25]
We have wood laminate flooring in our study, which we love. However, we are going to put a room-sized rug in there because my beloved dog, Fox, a 10-year-old Pomeranian, not only has problems with patellar luxation (with four surgeries on his back legs in his first 3-4 years) but now has chronic dislocation of his right shoulder. So you can imagine how much trouble he has trying to stand up on the slippery wood laminate floor. We have tried putting down runners all the way across the floor, plus he has a bed and a blanket down there, too. But it is much cooler lying on the floor, so that's where he stays. He is in here with me all day as I work, but every time I get up, he gets up, scrambling like crazy to get his balance and get his legs firmly under him. So....to my question. This is a fairly nice rug we are buying, but it says it has a polypropylene backing. Should I get some kind of pad to go between the rug and the laminate floor? I have included a link below, I don't know if that will give you any more information. But I don't want to damage the laminate - the backing on one of the original runners I bought (cheap, from Wal-Mart) stuck to the floor. It didn't damage it, but it was a very small area and I found it fairly quickly. This rug is going to be on the floor long-term. Thanks in advance for any info!

Agree with the catnip on scratching post - works for me. nm [2007-06-13]

The wood will last longer if you [2007-06-08]
use containers inside of it. If you want to disguise the containers you can put something like spagnum moss over the dirt and let it cover the edges of the container(s). Sounds like it is going to be neat. What kind of plants? Climbing vine?

If you don't already have a wood scratching post - sm [2007-05-28]
get one, you say you have some cat things, but is it just plaing wood, not one of those carpeted ones. I got ours at PetsMart, it is a special wood post with holes in it to attract the cat. We got ours when she was a kitten and has always uses just that. There is the stray try on the bedpost or dresser, but luckily I have always seen these attempts and just yell at her and she stops; so far no harm has been done as I have always caught her before she dug in. The only other thing she likes to claw at is an exercise mat (one of those that go under a piece of equiment), we have it over the brick pad in our kitchen (for a wood stove that we do not have) so the kids would not fall and hurt themselves. The cat loves to claw on that, I generally let her though cleaning up the little black pieces is a drag, though the vacuum gets them up quite nicely. But she leaves the furniture alone except to lie on it and sleep all day! My daughter wants to get another cat, I don't, can't believe we would get another that would be so good. I guess you could just keep a really good eye on them and if they start to scratch, maybe use a spray bottle on them to deter them, or a sharp no (that is what I do when I catch her in her rare lapses). I hope you find a solution.

putting up Xmas lights [2008-12-02]
Sorry if this may seem really dumb but I've never done this before - how do you attach the lights to siding on a house around windows and doors? It's not wood siding, it's an older home with aluminum siding.

Oh, do I remember! [2008-12-01]
It was a big deal around Christmas time. We'd take the bus or train to a store in another town because they had a Christmas display made up of moving figures as big as a 3-yo child. People would come from miles around to see it. We hadtwo 5dimes in our town right aside of each other. One was modern, bright lights and big display windows complete with a lunch counter and all open displays. The other was dark with all wood shelves and bins, so cramped only2 people could fit in the aisles if they turned sideways. This store also had the candy in glass cases that you paid for by the pound. We also had another old general store like the older 5 dime but he even sold shoes. He had a pair of red shoes with bow ties on them in the window one year. I wanted them so bad because they matched a skirt I had at the time, but they were $10. I only got an allowance of $.50 a week. I was afraid it would take me forever to save the money. Our school's magazine sale was going on at the time and I worked hard to sell as many as I could to win the $10 prize. I won and bought the shoes. It was one of the happiest days in my life.

Speaking of shopping........ [2008-11-30]
Anyone remember how the old stores were when there were 'Main Streets'? Remember the wood floors and the merchandise in wooden bins on tables? Remember the cookies and candy they sold that was all encased in glass? No escalators, and only the best stores had elevators? Elevators with a man asking 'what floor'?, elevators that creaked and had criss cross bars across the front, instead of doors that closed? Evening in Paris perfume for our mom's at Christmas, Old Spice or hankies with his initial on them for dad? Remember when all you could use was cash? And of course, those wonderful lunch counters? I remember one of them sold sardine sandwiches! Anyone remember?

Oh yeah...sm [2008-11-30]
I think I was probably 6 or so. I remember those squeaky wood floors at Woolworth I remember wanting to just sit at the counter where people were eating (eating there would be totally out of the question), but I knew not to even ask. I was raised that kid's didn't ask for anything, and you were grateful for everything!

Yes & could you help me find the best Scrabble game ?? sm [2008-11-25]
I have turned my grandsons onto Scrabble. They are very into Wii and computer, etc. When they come here we have a Scrabble challenge and I cannot believe they want a board game so when I go over there we can continue. There is one at LL Bean for $50 that turns and is wood. One at Hasbro.com which is an anniversary addition for about $39 but plastic. I am just so happy we have this connection and this contest going on, I am searching, but perhaps you know the best place. Of course, I am Grammie so it takes me longer. Keep on playing board games as these kids are addicted to technology!

being a grandma [2008-11-24]
My son-in-law hits the baby. He acts like he is all hyped up on drugs andis really aggressive. There is nothing I can do. You should give your kids a book about how really smart and gifted children act like heathens when the eat junk food. There are tons out there. Maybe they will take the hint.

I have a Ford Explorer (20 to 24 mpg), DH a [2008-11-17]
Subaru wagon (24 to 30 mpg) and we have the trusty old Ford P/U for hauling wood, etc, that is used only a couple of times a year.

One thing I forgot to add was that - sm [2008-11-11]
a big part of the problem is owners who don't neuter their male dogs. Most of the attacks on the news in my area seem to involve un-altered males. The dog that had me cornered was also an un-altered male. There was a really horrible attack in San Francisco a couple years ago... a 12-year-old boy was killed in his own home by the family's pet pitbulls. (Un-altered males). Apparently there was already a problem with them, and the mother knew the dogs couldn't be trusted with her son (who was afraid of them) home alone. A female she had was in heat at the time, too. The boy was home alone, and the mother had locked the dogs in another room. Somehow, they got out, and tore the poor boy to shreds. Imagine being the mom and coming home to that! When animal control picked up the dogs, they had the boy's blood all over them. I actually recognized one of them - had seen someone walking it through the park one day. So the problem was... even though the mother knew the dogs might be dangerous, and she tried to do the right thing by locking them up, on that particular day, that wasn't enough. Granted, they don't all act like that. Plus just about any breed can revert to a predatory pack mentality under the right conditions. But again, irresponsible breeding has changed the breed in large part for the worse (they're bigger and more aggressive). Unresponsible owners who don't properly socialize the dogs (or who fight them, or encourage them to be aggressive for 'protection') are the worst offenders. And those who are backyard breeders. Now there are 'way too many of them, and 'way too many with the bad bloodlines, too. And you won't believe THIS: Remember the story about the huge Presa Canario dogs that killed a woman in a San Francisco apartment hallway? (Earning their owners some well-deserved jail-time). Well, some people are actually crossing pits and Presas! Saw some for sale the other day on Craigslist. Talk about breeding 'biting machines'! Those things will grow up to be 150-lb. pitbulls-on-steroids.

I'm a dog lover, and most dogs love me. - sm [2008-11-10]
I can be walking down the street, simply make eye contact with one and smile without saying a word, and the dog will usually rush up to me, wagging his tail like crazy and acting all silly and lovey-dovey. In the past, some of the absolute sweetest dogs I'd ever known were pits & rotties. But that was in the ྌs, before the big 'gangsta-dog' thing became popular. Then people started breeding these dogs more for a surly attitude than for good temperament, and it seems to be a dominant trait that's getting passed forward, even when unintended. So fast-forard to 2 weeks ago. I was out walking in my neighborhood, and was coming up a long flight of sidewalk stairs that go up the steep hill I live on. Halfway up, I saw a big brown pit bull standing there looking at me. I had seen him running loose on my street earlier in the day, and wondered whose he was, but then forgot about him. He had an aggressive body-language that I didn't like. But I'm not afraid of dogs, and continuned on up the steps, and talked to him nicely as I reached the top. But then the dog totally went off, and began barking, growling, and making charges at me. I knew to stand my ground, and first tried sweet-talking him. Didn't work. If I tried to slowly move away from him in any direction, he'd come around and try to come in at me from behind. There wasn't a soul around. I tried scaring him off, but that only exacerbated the problem, so I decided to just stand there and let him do his thing. 20 minutes later, he was just as aggressive as ever, maybe worse, because his charges were coming closer and closer. The only 'weapon' in my possession was a single can of cat food in a plastic bag, that I'd walked down the hill to the market to buy. Considered whacking him with it, but didn't want to be in that close to him. Turns out the owners were in an apartment right across the street. A couple finally came out and called off the dog, stating Oh, we didn (I doubt that - the dog had been out all afternoon.) Anyway, I told them I'd call the sheriff and/or animal control if I ever saw him out again. When I got home, I called animal control anyway, and filed a formal complaint, so that if he bit anyone in the future, there would already be a complaint against him, and he likely would not be released from the shelter. Animal control said they'd follow up with the owner, which hopefully they did. In the meantime, I did 2 things: I programmed the sheriff's phone numberinto my cellphone, which I now slip into my pocket whenever I go out for a walk. Good thing to do, anyway. The other thing is I went to Army-Navy Surplus, and bought a cannister of professional-grade pepper spray. Not the wimpy, .02% 'dog-repellent'. I doubt that would stop a pitbull. I got the 15% stuff that will bring a 200-pound, raging crack-addict to his knees and keep him there for more than an hour. That goes into my pocket, as well. Now I can walk & bike with peace of mind. Meanwhile, those pitbull owners should consider themselves very lucky that their dog went after someone who knows dogs, is not afraid, and didn't RUN. If a timid woman, or worse, a child, had come up those steps that afternoon, the resulting attack might have made the 6 o'clock news that night. There are probably still some gentle pits left out there, but I think their numbers are declining because of the current fashion statement of being a 'big bad gangsta, with my big, bad gansta-dog'. They want their dogs to intimidate people, and then they wonder why they can't rent an apartment or get homeowners insurance to cover dog bites. In some cities you have to post a $30,000 bond in order to keep one. It's little wonder that unwanted pits and pit-mixes are clogging up our animal shelters. I feel sorry for the animals, but if I were adopting, I wouldn't want the financial liability of owning one.

pitbull statistics [2008-11-09]
The statistics which appear to show a high rate of attacks due to alleged �pit bull-type dogs� are full of inaccuracy simply because any dog that can pass for a �pit bull� will be called a �pit bull� by the media. And yes, American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are often referred to by the slang term �pit bull,� but were these the actual breeds responsible for the attacks? Probably not since a slew of other breeds of dog � like Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Spanish Alanos, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Bandogs, Dogues Brasileiros, Dogo Argentino, Guatemalan Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, Boxers, Bull Mastiffs, Bull Terriers, English Bulldogs, and even Labradors, Rottweilers, Akitas, and Chow Chows � have also been labeled �pit bulls.� Statistics are inaccurate because they are not based on �reliable breed-specific population data� Still, it is a testament to the quality of the breed that even though many are unsocialized, tortured, and otherwise ill-used, very few are human-aggressive. I hesitate even to include abuse as a factor since even when they are abused most bullies are incredibly friendly and loving towards humans. You can thank over a hundred years of proper breeding for this trait. There is no scientific evidence that one breed of dog is more vicious than another.

Let's get to know pit bulls...sm [2008-11-09]
A lot of people on here I am sure do not own a pit bull. It is hard to know the breed when you aren't around them on a day to day basis. I would just like to share some traits of pit bulls. Pits are robust. They are active and love to play. They are a smart breed of dog too. I guess you could say they are roughnecks. They will do anything to please their owners and want to be a big ole lap dog. Oh yeah they will and mine does (all 70 pounds) climb up in your lap wanting to be nurtured. LOL. If I had to describe their personality I would say first of all contrary to all the media hype and hysteria of pits, the dogfighting community (by the way I do not condone dogfighting) did not breed pit bulls to be human aggressive. They wanted a dog they could work with in the fighting arena and not have to worry about these dogs attacking them or other people watching this sport. (which is unscrupulous but just trying to explain this is how they were bred). A lot of pit bulls are so happy on meeting owners friends they don that some people who get them worry they won't make a good guard dog because some happily greet strangers. The protective instinct a pit has usually won't surface until they are about a year old. I would say they want to be the center of attention. They are very self confident dogs. I have to say pits can be funny. One reason is pits have some of the most expressive faces. Sometimes though you may have a perfectly nice pup which will grow up to be mean because he was encouraged to be mean. Raised to be mean. If pit bulls could choose their owners instead of the other way around then I would say a pit would choose an owner with high spirits and a joy of living. Good owners of pits are able to handle their dogs. A pits character traits seem to be contradictory in that they are strong but sensitive; rowdy but gentle; outgoing but devoted; easily fired up but highly trainable; mischevious but sensible; energetic yet serene; peaceful but always alert. All these describe the pit bull.

You say pits were bred to attack...sm [2008-11-09]
They were. But they were bred to attack dogs not humans. One thing the unscrupulous people who bred these dogs did right was breed them to not be human aggresssive. Because when they were in the ring with the dogs they couldn't be worried about the dogs attacking them. So they wanted a dog that wasn't aggressive towards humans. I have done research and read this to be true. That doesn't mean all pits are not human aggressive. There may be some that are but it wasn't bred into them.

Off subject - Many insurance companie won't insure - sm [2008-11-09]
your home for certain breeds, Pitbulls and Rotweilers are two of them, also Siberian Huskies and German shepards in others. I have had huskys for years and they are the friendliest dogs in the world though they look fierce since they closely resemble wolves and are probably the closest domesticated dog to a wolf. It is unfair to the breed to mark it as dangerous because of its looks. My dog does get aggressive around other dogs but he is the Alpha male here, but with people he is just fine. I have the only husky in the world that does not bark or howl, he talks on rare occasion. The breed doesn't usually don't bark much as it is, but they love to howl. We have another dog but a female lab and the two of them are fine together. While I like pitbulls and I have known a few to be very good dogs, I will always be on my guard around them as you never know what might trigger it to become aggressive. Dogs can feel threatened over the such little things and cause such heartbreak in the process.

Heat Surge electric fire place [2008-11-09]
I posted a few weeks ago about an article I saw for a Heat Surge electric fireplace with a wooden mantle built by the Amish. Well I received it about 1.5 wks ago and I must say that it is absolutely beautiful! It is virtually noiseless, I seriously cannot hear it running at all. The brightness of the flame is adjustable and it has a low and a high heat setting. Best of all, it works! It does exactly what I had planned on and keeps the back of my house at a reasonable tempurature during the night so I do not have to worry about keeping the wood stove in the front going full blast all night. The kids turned it on one evening when they were playing pool and they actually ended up turning it off because it got to warm. So in my opinion, if you want something that is beautiful, well built, safe, and does provide more than enough heat for a room or two (mine is between the family room/kitchen which is all one long room) then it is absolutely worth the money.

PitBull's are misunderstood... [2008-11-09]
Instead offocusing narrowly on only your dislike of PitBulls, why don't you look at the bigger picture as a whole... First of all, the statistics on fatal attacks...well it doesn But that still doesn't mean PitBulls are more likely to bite... The statistics that I have read regarding breed specific likelyhood of biting have shown that small dogs (and mixbreeds) are way more likely to be aggressive towards humans and other dogs. Specifically Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Jack Russell Terriers to name a few. PitBulls were more likely to show aggression to unfamiliar dogs. I_udi=B6T48-4SNGRDR-2_user=10_coverDate=06%2F03%2F2008_alid=765300851_rdoc=2_fmt=high_orig=search_cdi=4968_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_ct=27_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=a9e7d67a2a45dc01019b232cbbfa3bf5 Here are some other good points from websites that are unbiased: To reduce the number of dog bite-related injuries, adults and children should be educated about bite prevention, and persons with canine pets should practice responsible pet ownership. (CDC website) �While at times informative, statistics on fatal dog attacks can also be misleading. For example, a number of cases where a Pit Bull, Rottweiler or German Shepherd Dog were counted as causing a human fatality, in reality the direct result was from gross human negligence or criminal intent�. (http://www.thedogpress.com/Columns/Jade/07_Dog.Bite.Stats_09.htm) A fatal dog attack is not just a dog bite by a big or aggressive dog. It is usually a perfect storm of bad human-canine interactions -- the wrong dog, the wrong background, the wrong history in the hands of the wrong person in the wrong environmental situation. (Malcolm Gladwell, Troublemakers - What pit bulls can teach us about profiling, The New Yorker, Feb. 6, 2006.) www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/breedlaws.html Our Country was not founded on the restriction and punishment of the masses based on the actions of a few. Focusing legislation on dogs that are vicious distracts attention from the real problem, which is irresponsible owners. These very breeds as a whole have proven their stability and good canine citizenry by becoming Rescue' dogs, Therapy dogs working inside hospitals, professional Herding dogs and family companions for years. Banning the so-called dangerous breed will merely hasten the upswing in popularity of some other breed that will be used for vicious attacks on people and other animals. There is no valid reason to deprive animal lovers of their well behaved pets. The reports and statistics are flawed. Among other things, a dog bite victim is usually unable to identify the breed of dog that bit him or her. Therefore, victims will name the type of dog that currently is on people's minds as being the dangerous dog. (From the Animal Farm Foundation.) One more thing, the best K-9 drug searching dog in America is a PitBull...his name is Popsicle because he was rescued from a man who tried to kill him by putting him in a freezer. -Cindy, owner of 1 PitBull (Zeus) and 2 Beagles (Max Osiris)...and yes they do get along!

and you can also hang one [2008-11-06]
ol-timey style over an open fire (or in a fireplace)or on a wood (box) stove. We also have one of those double-sided screen things that you can put steaks (any meat/veg) in and cook over fire.

How to get paw prints off polished furniture [2008-10-30]
I have a small mahogany chest next to my front door. My son's girlfriend's cat is living with us temporarily while his owner moves into her new house. She's a lovely cat, but she likes to hop up on the mahogany near the front door to see who is coming and going. She's left lots of paw prints on the shiny surface. I tried polishing with pledge. I tried cleaning with Pergo wood floor cleaner, and I've tried something called Cabinet Magic, a cleaner for wood cabinets. I've gotten a lot of the prints up, but there are a few still there. I've put a towel over the surface until Kitty moves to her own home this weekend. But how can I get those last smudgy prints off my shiny wood surface?

hubby just called our 5 year old a dumba__ [2008-10-27]
He was in the living room making a fire and my son kept touching things he told him not to and i heard him say, I said quit touching the wood, dumb__ I came out of the bedroom stomping down the hall and took my son back here with me. I am in tears, I can't believe he would call him that!!!! am i over reacting??

Wow, thanks everybody, you have [2008-10-23]
answered a few of my questions. I had wondered about the Eden Pure, this is the first comment I have seen about the product. I have been using spot heating as needed (space heaters) and I have an old electric blanket I can haul around and one on the bed, of course. Frankly, I sleep better in the cold air. The heat pump is just too expensive and does not get the job done in really cold weather, plus I then have a light bill over $450 a mo. My son has a wood insert with blowers in his fireplace in east Texas, and that sucker will run you out of the house. It also does not burn wood as fast as an open fireplace. I would warn everybody about the plugs on appliances including toaster ovens and especially space heaters. We all hear about fires from having a heater too close to the drapes or blankets, but you really have to keep a check on the plugs. I think they are just not sturdy enough for the amount of juice they have to handle.

SAVE ON HEATING BILL! [2008-10-22]
A friend told me about these and my husband brought an article home today. They are Heat Surge Fireless Flame miracle heaters produced by the Amish. I will try to attach the link to the web site so you can check them out....dondo not have claim code to see where in the country you are and get the phone#. You only have 48 hours to order, and mine started yesterday. I sure hope he wanted me to order one, cuz I did!! We already have a wood stove but this will help me not have to get up to put wood in it all night long to keep it going since I have not turned on my house heater in 3 years and refuse to!!!!

I would say.......... sm [2008-10-22]
that if hubby is upset that you ordered this, then HE could get up all night long to put wood on the fire to keep the house warm! LOL

That ad has been running for almost a year in [2008-10-22]
our newspaper, also with the must order within 48 hours. When I saw that, it rang a bell for another heater I did buy and was I ever sorry. I would have checked out the company claims a little more before jumping on something like that. Another point: You will not get the amount of heat you do with wood. Can you possibly convert your wood heater to coal and wood or even pellets? Weused wood for 20 years (Fisher stove)and I, too, was tired of getting up in the middle of the night 2-3 times. Ibegged forcentral heat in our new place and boy, was I sorry. I was always cold (for 10 years). So, last year we bought a used coal/wood burner. What a difference! I'll never go back to central heat again. That stove heats our 1500 sq. foot home and I'm never running around with sweaters on anymore. I don't have to get up in the night to fix it, either. My son bought a pellet stove last year for his 3 story home. They love it and doncentral heat either. It does cost a few bucks more for the pellets.I think he bought $1000 worth, while we only spent $500 on coal and the wood is free.

Well I'll let you know how it turns out [2008-10-22]
Since I ordered one, we'll see. Talked to hubby and he said he had talked to somone who actually has one and they think its great, they also heat with wood and use this to supplement at night, that's why he left the article. I don't want to give up my wood and convert because its free and I love the smell (hubby cuts me hickory!) but I know someone who has a corn stove and they love it. I love my wood stove and wouldn't go back to central unless forced to, its the only time in my life I've been truly warm in the winter!

What I am doing is putting vinyl down...sm [2008-10-16]
that looks like wood. It is in vinyl planks. Do it yourself easy. Me and my mom put it down. My son's room cost about $80 to put down in there. My hall floor is only costing $38 and is looks very nice. I don't care if it is cheap it looks much better and is lots cleaner.

Need help from people who know about Dogs [2008-10-16]
I am in a bit of a predicament. There is a couple from our church who are very low income and cannot really take care of themselves. Well they have adopted (more like picked up off the street) this dog. She looks like she is part pit part lab part something. Anyways, they have had her for awhile, and she is in bad shape. She looks like she has had puppies, and I doubt she is fixed. It also looks like she has mange. I checked her ears and she definitely has a lot of gunk in there, and probably ear mites. She is scratching so bad she is making herself bleed. It is a horrible situation. I don't have the money to pay for treatment for her. I thought about offering to take her and at least take care of her for awhile (the wife is in the hospital) but I can't risk my dogs getting sick or getting mange. Where we live there isn't really any kind of help for low income people who have pets. What should I do? We are going over there next week to build a wheelchair ramp and I thought about taking some stuff to treat her with, but I don't know what. I'm going to research online, but I just wondered if anyone on here dealt with dogs and knew? I worked at a vet clinic for awhile but of course everything we used was prescription and I doubt a vet will give me anything without seeing the dog. I'm not 100% sure it's mange, it could be fleas too. I had a chow that was allergic when I was little and it was awful. Sorry for the long post! I understand these people love this dog and literally cannot afford it, but it breaks my heart to see that dog so miserable.