LynnF

That's too bad. May potentially be able to meet up depending on the dates. Lemme know what you're thinking and I'll see if something can work with my work schedule/days off.

Any plans to make your way up to Calgary at all?

I'm off Friday too. But only because my company gives us the full Friday off around the long weekends. I love my company. I think you'll be able to shoot a cannon through downtown on Friday....so I'd bank on that big guy.

That's why husbands should fish with wives. Then there's no argument. Cuz the wife gets the good water first and always and always gets it back when the fish start to rise. It's just easier than paying the consequences.

I wish. But building permit and twice the cost of the pet turf

So....I've exhausted all my gravel options...and I haven't found anyone that can do what we want before October and I'm not even sure I want a whole big dog run with all gravel anyways. I really want an area where my dogs can lie down and be comfortable, which is what I'm trying to fix. So...we have a long dog run at the side of our house. Half of it is done in 28mm washed gravel and graded for drainage. That's where the dogs do their business and it works great....no mess, no smell. The other half, however, we decided to sod 2 years ago. Big mistake (I know....what were we thinking) and now it's just a big pile of dirt that we have to block off when it rains or else the dogs bring the mud (and I do mean mud) into my house. So....to fix that I've looked into gravel and into professional dog turf which is going to run me about $3,000 for 250 square feet. That is not happening. But that got me to thinking. Why not just plain old Home Depot Artificial Turf? Level out the area, put down 10 year weed block landscaping fabric, a couple of layers of poly with holes poked into it for drainage and then artificial turf on top? Stops the mud from coming up through the turf and allows water drainage when it rains. Sure it would have to be replaced every couple of years, but it's a good solution in my mind right now - inexpensive and solves my problems....I think. The dogs don't do their business in that part of the yard so we would have the stain/smell issues - it's just their place to play and lie. Only issue I can think of would be wear and tear. Anyone ever done this? Any comments on whether or not this application would work here? I'm trying to avoid the "sod disaster of 2008" all over again.

Ouch. Definitely not photoshopped. Apparently all the geologists there have big hard-ons these days over this. They're supposed to be going down the hole to check out what they think is a cave underneath. Coincidentally enough, or not, a similar sinkhole, but not quite as big, swallowed houses in that area some 3 years ago. Were it me, I'd be moving toute de suite. Amazing nobody was hurt or killed either....the thing swallowed a whole factory!

I don't know what BP's shares are trading at this morning - going down faster than a whore's pants on payday - but if you believe that a company is going to survive losing over 15 billion in market cap and running close to a billion to cap this thing and haven't met with success - I've got a well in the Gulf of Mexico I know you can invest in. I think this sinks BP....and rightly so. I hope they're used as an example and something good comes of this. For all the damage and tragedy, something significant has to come of it - laws, fines, restrictions...everything. Obama is gonna be in the hot seat for a few years over this one. Edit: Ya...15 billion is what they lost today....total market cap loss is $63 billion so far. Ouch. I can't even fathom what the lawsuits and relief wells and cleanup and fines are gonna total. So...either BP is a good investment right now or it's done for. I wish I had a market sixth sense...because if I did I would have bought TCPL at $3.00 a share when everyone thought they were tanking and I wouldn't be typing this from my private island that I could now afford.

Even sadder than her obvious stupidity, questioning how she got to the point where she is in life still alive, is that the US is so litigious that this will actually probably make it to court and she will get some money out of it. Funny or sad. Or both.

That's exactly what I want....a bobcat to throw it over. We just put the fence together last year - it's 6 foot wood with lattice on top. I would take it apart if there was no other way, but I'm convinced they can throw it over with a bobcat...I've seen it done. And now that I know it is done...I shall look for a landscaping company to do it. Thanks Brian!

Step 12 - explain to her it's socially acceptable, on a river full of multi-tasking, serious males, to scream like a giddy school girl when you catch a fish - an experience similar to finding a good pair of Louboutins on sale. Step 13 - pink fishing reels. Enough said. Step 14 - it's OK to take your Go Girl fishing with you. Step 15 - fishing should always be preceded by a manicure so that your nails look good when you're holding that 26 inch brown that you're gonna rub in all the boys' faces Step 16 - if you catch a fish bigger than your partner's, there is a very real possibility that you won't need the "I have a headache" excuse that night...because he will want nothing to do with you. Step 17 - waders do make your ass look big. But that's OK because you've got a big rack and that's what the guys will be looking at.

FYI also....I heard on the news today that BP is "seriously considering" using Kevin Costner's centrifuge machine (that he personally invested over $20 million dollars in and that has been proven to work) to clean up the mess. Call him a quack or whatever...but sounds like he's got something viable that might save some bacon.

I found this: On Rakhi Purnima (Rakshabandhan day) the coconuts are thrown into the sea as offerings to sea-God Varuna. In western India, the festival is called Nariyal Purnima (Coconut Full Moon). I know it's not the sea, but clearly throwing them into the River has similar meaning I would think. I think Troutfriend is on the right path.

It's no worse than a pile of haggis being launched into the river on Robbie Burns Day every year. I always say....when life gives you coconuts....make a cream pie.

My youngest found one down on the banks of the river by Southland Offleash area a couple of years ago. Must be some big Hawaiin luau going on that Dave and BBT need their coconut bras for.

We've seen guys with bobcats do it in similar situations with both dirt and gravel. Just need to find someone - and I can't believe how hard it is to find an outfit to do this.

Thanks...I called Burnco this morning as they have the gravel I need...but they will only dump it in the street.

Need a referral or suggestion for a gravel supplier who will dump a pile of gravel over a 6 foot fence. We live on a corner lot and need about 300 square feet for our dog run....don't really want to pull the fence apart and shovelling gravel from the street to the yard is not desirable either. I'm having a difficult time finding a contractor who will do this for some reason. Any suggestions or ideas?

FYI....there is no biodegradeable or environmentally friendly detergent on the market that would be allowed or legal - this according to City of Calgary (311). You aren't even supposed to be washing dirt off your car in the driveway because all the mud and oil and stuff from your vehicle/driveway winds up in the sewer (this again according to the City). I know because I called - and the woman on the other end took particular pleasure in telling me everything I was not allowed to do in the privacy of my private driveway. I called because I got sick of watching my neighbour wash his car in his driveway with soap while I spend $7 at the carwash, abiding by the law. So I put a letter in his mailbox. A nicely worded "I've witnessed you do this and the next time I'm calling 311 and the fine can be upwards of $2,500". He stopped. Had he not, I would have called. I'm not a busybody or a bitch, but the law is the law and this one is in place for a reason. PS Tiana - I think you should write an advice column.

Mike had it....I saw the pain and hope I never have to live it. He weathered his one attack for 5 days because we didn't know about the meds that were out there to help during an attack. We do now. We were told preventatively the best thing he could do was cut down on red meat, beer and wine, drink lots of water and eat sour cherries daily (you can buy them in a glass jar in the grocery store). He's done that (doesn't eat the cherries anymore) and not had another attack since. With things like this I believe prevention is the best medicine....as much as it may suck. But I hear the pain sucks worse.

I've camped and fished with him before....you don't wanna mess with Big Al, Little Dave. Might wanna change your post to "Al...yer such an angry but strikingly handsome fella".

Need some advice on those floor units that are portable air conditioners for a room. I've heard some put incredible humidity into the air and will ruin your carpets with the dampness. And I've heard the ones that vent through the window are the way to go. Anybody have one they think is worth buying?

I wish I had that much sunlight. I tried so hard to grow tomatoes last year - husband even built me a "moving greenhouse" that I moved with the sun as it shifted in my yard every day (I was off work last summer, didn't have alot going on). Draped them in plastic at night, started early, picked late. Abysmal. Good luck! And what Clive said.

I think the booby fly might be appropriate in this case if you're looking to match the hatch.

Ummm.....dress shirts should never be washed. That's what dry cleaners are for. Sheesh. Men+laundry=fail.