There are a few things to keep in mind here. As Bill suggested, a mix of fescues would probably be the best choice. Now there are several kinds of fescue, but to make it simple let's say there is tall fescue and fine fescue (fine fescues are comprised of many different kinds, but I don't want to complicate things). Tall fescue is definitely more lawn like, whereas fine fescues have very thin blades, almost like coarse hair. If you decide you want fine fescues, and you go the big box store route, always read the contents of the bag. There are many shady lawn mixes that are very similar to Canadian Green out there, which you should probably avoid. If you go the tall fescue route I suggest you bypass the big box stores and purchase a cultivar that does very well in deep shade like 3rd Millenium SRP, Essential, Rebel IV, Falcon IV, etc. Of course you could use both, combining the attributes of both grasses. Now when are you seeding? This spring? Well late summer would be better, but if you are seeding this spring then the area is question cannot be used for at least two months. The seeds will need to be watered daily, by daily I mean lightly at least twice a day, for at least two weeks. You will get better results if you topdress the seeds lightly. Applying starter fertilizer will also help. This is all very basic of course, there are a lot of little details I am leaving out, and to be honest a soil test would be a big help in determining what shape your soil is in, a key to growing good grass. Unfortunately the more you put into it, the better the results will be, but it sounds like there isn't a lot of money, or help for this project. Hope this helps.

cowboyind, Thank you for your thoughtful message, useful as usual. The Golf is efficient and the owners like it. Seems to last a long time, as well. Plus the price of used ones, as with a number of small, fuel-miser vehicles, holds up well in the used vehicle market. Actually, if fuel prices keep rising, possibly some owners could sell for more than they paid new! Some have been saying that this may well be tha last car that I'll need to buy - even when I'm talking the age of vehicle that I mentioned above. At age 76 - who knows - they might be right. But my Dad drove about 2,000 mi. to visit friends in this community where he'd grown up and farmed till in his mid-40s. He drove it alone, when he was 85 - and did it in 3 days, as he usually figured to do. And had done the year before, when I rode with him from the Canadian Prairies down here to my home in London, Ontario. ole joyful

>>They do not pay rent, my step son drives a car provided by my husband, he also has his insurance and cell phone covered by DH. We cover the cost of housing, Internet, utilities and most necessities. They buy their own groceries if they want something we don't normally keep in the house. Well of course they don't want to move out, who would in that situation? >>DH would like to retire soon but he's still providing for everyone plus paying off both his sons student loans.It's time to have "the talk" with DH. Gently point out that a) if he continues to support fully grown adults who should be capable of supporting themselves he will _never_ be able to retire, and b) it does fully grown adults who are capable of supporting themselves no favours to continue to support them. They need to learn to manage for themselves or when Dad finally drops off the perch it will be a very rude awakening. Once DH is onside you need to have "the talk" with your stepson and GF. Let them know it's time for these birds to leave the nest and become fully fledged adults. Give them a time line, say three months, when they need to have organised a place to live and moved in. Are the stepsons on student loans finished with their schooling and working? If so, time for them to take over their own debts and pay off their own loans.

I rarely notice vehicles of any kind backed into spaces so I paid attention while we were out running errands today. We were at Costco, Home Depot, the grocery stores, a large medical complex and went out to dinner before heading home. All total, I saw four vehicles backed into spaces and all were full size pickups, which is pretty much what I observe anytime I'm out. It makes me wonder if backing into a space is a regional practice not seen in my area or if most people tend to pull forward into a space when parking. Now, what really gets my goat is someone with a large full size pickup or SUV pulling a long trailer who takes up two+ spaces when they park due to the combined length of the vehicle/trailer. It's not the two+ spaces that bugs me; it's that they generally insist on parking near the store entrance and taking up two+ spaces with the butt end of their trailer blocking most of the lane between rows of spaces making it impossible for anyone trying to find a space to drive down the lane. These people are being rude and need to use the rarely used spaces at the edges of the parking lot so that they don't cause parking lot jams. Grrrrrrr... Edit to add that we own a full size 4x4 pickup, but always try to be polite about where and how we park. Hubby is good at backing into tight spaces, but I am a complete and dismal failure especially if any distance is involved.