Dear Dr. Lawn-Guy,

Does the pre-emergent tip also apply to people who would normally be having cold but are suffering through unseasonable warmness just now? Cause we've got all kinds of emergent tendencies in our lawn and nipping them before the bud would be really cool.

(:

All I have to say about your lightbulb thing is: "Oh dear, not you, too!" Don't you know flourescent bulbs were created by "The Man" in order to subjugate us to his will more easily through a patented soul-sucking process completed by said lightbulbs? I know, I know, think of the energy savings. But really - what's more worth saving, pennies or sanity?

My pups tend to be overachievers in that vein as well. Silly girls.

I would say, yes, you also should be putting down pre-emergent. Or, you could just put swirls in your outdoor sockets. ;-)

I've started marking the installation date on the bases with a Sharpie

So now we'll see just how "permanent" the ink in a Sharpie really is, subjected to heat for 7-10 years. Have you thought about asking to be paid for your research? I'm sure there's grant money available ;-)

Gwynne, your comment prompted me to do some actual research -- which, as you well know, normally has no place in the development of my theories and opinions -- which entailed removing one of the floodlights to see how hot it was. The bulb was warm to the touch but not uncomfortably so, as was the insulated base of the lamp. The glass near the base was quite hot, but the ceramic insulation around is effective, and so I think my Sharpie notations will hold up just fine.

Plus, this carefully documented research should only enhance my chances for getting those grants you mentioned.

Pre-emergent? Shee-oot... if we get the rain that's predicted for this weekend, I'll have to go straight on to the Weed B Gone.

Do your fluorescent bulbs come in a light temperature similar to incandescents? The problem I've always had with fluorescents is the sickly green (think Tom Hanks' office, in Joe vs. The Volcano) light they cast and the bummed out way that makes me feel. You know, like here at the office.

To my eye, they might be the tiniest bit whiter than incandescents, but you really can't tell much difference. They're definitely not blue. You can can the color temp you want when you order certain styles from 1000Bulbs.com. They sell a 13 watt bulb that's 2700K and another that's 5000K. They give the color rendering index (82 for the former and 84 for the latter) but I don't know what that means, or how it compares with a standard incandescent bulb. (Even after looking it up, its practical use escapes me.)

I do think that the attractiveness of the light is subjective and my advice is to try them out in a limited setting before switching the whole house over to them.

See? Foo gets it.

Though if they kill weeds, I'm all for them going outside. (And actually, I think we do have them outside. Cause bugs don't like them real well. Who knew bugs had souls?)

OK, I do have Joe vs. the Volcano, on laser disk, no less.

On the swirl lights. I installed these types of lights in my home when we bought it 6 and 1/2 years ago. Mostly the conversion was for the kitchen because we had eight 75 Watt Bulbs heating up an already hot room.

By far the lights in our kitchen are the most used lights in the house, and in 6 1/2 years I have replaced 3 of these bulbs because they went out. I did however move the remaining 5 to different places in the house when they came out with the smaller and brighter versions that use about the same wattage as the originals.

The scorecard for me is 15 bulbs 6-1/2 years three dead.

The scorecard for me is 15 bulbs 6-1/2 years three dead.

That's a pretty good track record; I'll be more than happy with those kinds of results.

Well, you wouldn't want Abbye to be an underachiever, would you? Don't be silly!

No, but I'd settle for her being average in this one area. ;-)

"The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400."

Dude...you could have a dog that competes in field trials all over the country and has a part-time trainer who requires boarding at his house???

Zack is 3...and I'd be willing to bet he's close to beating Abbye's bills...;)

But, man, do we love that dog!!!

Yeah, but I don't think you can hang those expenses on Zack. Those fall into the "obsessed owners" category! ;-)

[Of which there are many, by the way. Takes one to know one, right?]

Obsessed? Moi? Surely you jest, kind sir! ;)