What is your soil type? Calcium and Sulfur will do little to loosen clay soils while organic matter will. What did that soil test tell you about how much organic matter, humus, is in your soil. Many soil testing labs will tell you that 3 percent OM is high while some of us with long term experience feel that 6 to 8 percent is adequate. Sending soil samples across the border from Canada to the United States is prohibited. Adding Calcium to balance the high Magnesium levels might help some, depending on how out of balance those minerals were. Mid June to now is too quick for you to have seen much, if any, change in that soil. Perhaps these simple soil tests will be of some help. 1) Soil test for organic matter. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drainsâ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. A recent study of the Milwaukee Sewerage Commissions discharge water into Lake Michigan found quite high levels of medications. This post was edited by kimmsr on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 7:57

well, kicking the ball against a wall is not "having nowhere else to go." Little kids kicking the ball on the ground back and force to one another, or riding trike and squealing--those actually, depending on one's personality, could be pleasant noises to hear outside one's home. And I think you need *first* to tell your landlord of the problem. Documentation (setting up a video camera, or something) might provide him w/ a tool to use against the other tenants. So, if you can, try to get video of the problems, and put that on a disk. Or take a snapshot of the motorcycle, and print it out (or get a print made, if you use film). Write a letter to the landlord detailing these problems. Tell him the time of day the kids play, and request that he come and see it for himself. Tell him you fear that these other tenants will act against you if they suspect you have complained, and request that he investigate these things directly himself, so that the complaints can be clearly seen to be coming from him, independent of you. Then ask if you can move to another unit. Then you have to give him time to fix it, if you want to break the lease without being forced to pay the rent until he finds a new tenant. Your landlord certain doesn't want someone kicking a ball against his wall, so he needs to know. And does he know about the problem w/ the breakers? In order to have any legal leg to stand on, you have to give him a chance to fix these problems.

wow, that looks really bad what you had, much worse than our wall, (also, in Southern California we do not get as much rain) did you have to pay for all the repairs? looks extensive and expensive... you are correct, the best way to go is to redo the stucco, but I do not think that I can afford to do it right now. maybe after my daughter is better and my wife can get a job. meanwhile I'll hope for another dry winter (this winter we only got sporadic rain, about 3" total the entire season) and will be even more expensive if there is a need to take out the windows, these are monster windows, 12ft x 6ft, and we have two of them, one on top of the other, no floor in between the wall height is 18-19 ft on the inside. though it seems that you did the repairs without taking out the windows. however, in my case, I also suspect the window frame. it is vinyl, and it is cracked in the corners (when they mounted this monster windows, they probably bent/flexed and destroyed the frame. I did put a lot of caulking in the corner of the frame, and it did seem to help a bit. I think we actually had two leaks, one from frame, and the other from the stucco on the other side of the window. however, water seem to travel along the beam from one side of the window to the other. by the way, I was not thinking of roofing tar, but more of the synthetic elastomeric seals. but you are correct, might as well do it right this time around. yes, please do send any info you have to: avi [at] carmi [dot] us My daughter is doing sort of OK, seems that the maintenance chemo is too strong for her and she got anemic, going to get a transfusion tomorrow, and reduce the chemo. hope it will help her feel better (while still strong enough to fight the leukemia) thanks, -avi

Sorry to hear about your dog, Charlie. Goldens are very susceptible to cancer but I do not know which are common for them. It sounds as if you have not been to an oncologist yet. I do know that prednisone interferes so it is advised not to use it until all testing is done and an oncology plan is in place (if that is the path you choose to take). As far as treating cancer goes, know going in that they try to get a remission in pets, not a cure. The remissions are often short. Once they relapse, another remission is possible but is shorter. I have been through this several times now. It is very hard on our pets, very expensive and not much time, if any, is bought (quality of life, for what purpose, is another aspect). The oncologists are aggressive and will fight the disease to our pet's last breath. As their caretaker, know the specific cancer and typical outcomes to determine if it is right for you and your pet. Some cancers are slow, so treating can make sense if quality of life is good. I would never pursue the aggressive cancers again but will choose to let my babies go with dignity and in peace. Too early is better than too late. I do not want them used for research or for profit ever again.