This is a good start, but beware, just because the nursing home has a good rating on this site does not mean it's as good as it is rated. I recently chose a NH based on this and with some prior experience with them, but was sadly disappointed with the level of care on the second visit. It troubles me greatly that when we are left to put our loved ones in the care of others that there is so much that still falls through the cracks. My experience with the NH's I have had to to use ( all well rated) is that I still ended up having to be there on almost a daily basis to make sure things were taken care of in the manner they indicated they would be. Whatever happened to doing things right and caring about your job, especially when the care of helpless are involved? I am glad this site exists, but this country still has a long way to go to take care of our elders with the respect and dignity they deserve. LBF

Background: 15 year senior living industry experience. The rating system is a good tool to use to begin a facility selection process. The ratings are based upon measured criteria, i.e., # of registered nurse hours scheduled, # of medication errors per resident, # of patient falls per resident, etc. A 5 star is the highest rating. Most facilities would find a 3 star rating to be poor. It is challenging to visit a facility and get a true reading of the care and treatment of residents, so the rating system provides a review of the institutional processes in place. Frankly, much happens during late evening and night hours when management staffing is light and family and friends aren't visiting! Do visitors have the knowledge to determine if the infrastructure meets current code, and that fire drills and emergency evacuations are tested routinely? Before the rating system, family members often relied on a quick sniff and general feel about the place. My bias is non-profit over for profit facilities EVERY time. Although acknowledge the for profits typically have resources to put into systems. IF finances are not an issue, don't recommend selecting a facility which accepts Medicaid patients. Generally, a competitive market will require higher levels of care and treatment to remain viable. ~bgj

Wait, I am a bit confused. So you didn't think BM was going to take SS to practice, but you did think she would pick him up at the stated normal time, right? And now DH has told her she can pick him up AFTER practice, which I am assuming means YOU will have to drive him to practice, and drive him home and then BM will get him? Just making sure I understand. I totally 100% agree with you that if DH is going to make changes to the schedule--HE needs to be around to deal with them and the potential fallout. It is unfair of him to make the changes, but then expect you to sit around and deal with them. Ditto on the fact that the judge may throw his hands up in the air, too. If DH wants a set schedule and times SO badly, but then constantly disregards it, then it's obvious (to a court) that it's not *that* important to him. Reminds me of a friend of mine--she has two boys with her ex. A six year old and a three year old. Never married to the ex, and the second boy was conceived during a brief reconciliation, and then they broke up not long after. The ex is a shady character---was into drugs/drinking for awhile there, and my friend, who is totally on the straight and narrow, working full-time in addition to majoring in Molecular Biology, didn't like having her boys go over to his place. BUT--she was in a bind all the time, needed him to help with the boys while she worked or was in class, and she would still let him keep the boys. THEN she would complain to her attorney that the boys weren't safe with their dad. Her attorney finally said---LOOK, if you do not think they're safe and you want me to pursue that avenue in this custody battle, then STOP sending your kids over there. You lose credibility when you tell the judge the kids are not safe but send them there anyway! He had a point. This was three years ago, and the dad ended up cleaning up his life and the two of them now share joint custody. Same kinda situation, though. When your DH changes things, he loses credibility. Just want to make sure I am understanding.

While I like red and I also like orange, I admit to finding that room (on my monitor) extremely bright. I guess because it is a bedroom. I really love the idea of the glaze over the color. I just did that to my laundry room that was brighter than a school bus yellow (ooops!). The glaze really toned it down, and now I like it. It's not a perfect color for my cabinets that will be coming, so the color may eventually change, but at least for now it is tolerable (and my original golden/mustard just was NOT!). LOL! I can definitely see that color left in it's current state, and used on an accent wall. With dark furnishings and maybe some greenery, that could be a very gorgeous "designer" space. If you did the "accent" on the wall where your headboard will rest, you'd never see the color at night when in your bed and supposed to be resting. And of course if you needed to kick up the passion, you and dh could just crank your necks around and glance at that bright wall. :o) LOL! Congratulations on your new cabinetry arriving. Happy for you that it sounds like you are on the home stretch!! ;o)