antzy - You'll hear a lot here about avoidance of chemicals and not harming beneficial insects and the like. And believe me, all of it is good advice; after all, why kill an insect or worm if it is helping to aerate (and eventually fertilize) your lawn? However, I, for one, have suffered ant infestations that have so over-cultivated beneath the lawn that two areas dried out and died - because I was trying to leave them there after hearing they were good for the lawn (incidentally, I DO leave them in my front lawn, because they aren't creating mounds there and they aren't causing the lawn to die). Chemical control was a Godsend. Additionally, I nearly lost my front lawn to grubs (and the moles that followed) one year. Castor oil (nontoxic) successfully chased away the moles, but chemicals knocked out the grubs and saved the lawn. I now do alternating preventative treatments (Mach2 one year - Spectracide halofenozide product; Merit the next - Bayer imidacloprid product) - less toxic chemicals that replaced the more harmful "rescue" treatments necessitated by a previous avoidance of chemicals. I'm a busy man, but my lawn is a bit of a hobby and I've researched a lot of stuff, from toxicity to effectiveness. Ultimately, I've had a little experience, and continue to gain more. First, Rhizo's entirely right - Sevin's murder on earthworms. It can be a grub "rescue" treatment (admittedly, it's what I used to rescue my lawn), if necessary, but acc. to pros I've read from, Dylox (Bayer brand 24 hr. grub killer) is stronger (on grubs), breaks down more quickly in the soil, and won't cause AS MUCH harm to earthworms (though it certainly harms them). If you've determined you need some kind of control for pests, I would recommend you read the extoxnet and EPA info on the pesticides you're looking into, to see if they're good for your application. Additionally, lurk a bit on www.lawnsite.com, where professional lawn care people post regarding their experiences with different products (in the pesticide application section). For what it's worth, I've had great success with Triazicide - both granular and liquid (granules last longer) on killing ants in the lawn. Its active ingredient, lambda-cyhalothrin, is a synthetic pyrethroid - the family of chemicals used for interior insect killing in homes and restaurants. It lasts long because it bonds to the soil; however, while it's labeled for grub killing, many say it's bonding quality lessens the effectiveness (because doesn't get deep enough in the ground). As illustrated by synthetic pyrethroids' widespread approval for interior applications, it poses little if any threat to mammals when used according to directions and allowed to dry before reentry. Re earthworms, I have TONS of them after treating with Triazicide. I'm sure it's not good for them, but it hasn't changed their population noticeably. For grubs, halofenozide (Mach2 - the active ingredient in Spectracide Grub Stop) causes grubs to molt early, which in turn causes them to stop feeding and die. Imidacloprid (Merit - active ingredient in Bayer Season Long Grub Control and the new Scotts GrubEx) is brought into the roots of the lawn (systemic) and when young grubs bite, it kills them. Both are very light toxicity to mammals, but because they are so mild, their application must be timed with the grub (several beetle species, most common Japanese and June beetles) life cycle. Pros suggest you put them down in early July so that the young grubs get them right after their eggs hatch. Run a google search to learn about the grub cycle. Merit and Mach2 have virtually no effect on earthworms. If you have let the grubs mature come fall (or if your initial treatment fails), Bayer Dylox is the product to "zap" them. It uses Trichlorfon, an organophosphate insecticide, which is much more toxic to mammals so reentry rules must be observed carefully. Some suggest beneficial nematodes for grubs (and even ants, for that matter). But I've heard from many (including pros) that they are very inconsistent, die or burrow too deeply in dry weather, and are very expensive. I'm not going to use them. FINALLY, there is one product out that combines pyrethroids with Merit - Bayer's total lawn insect killer. It combines Cyfluthrin (a pyrethroid) with Merit, to get both contact killing of insects and systemic killing of pests that feed on grass roots. I may try this next season to see if it simplifies things. I share your concerns and wish you all the best.

Trailrunner - I was reading some of this to DH last night, he thought they sounded like great ideas btw, and when I was done reading the first thing he said to me was,"Wow, I can't believe people take the time to type that much out trying to help someone. " Ha. Gotcha on the wear them only for running. Oh I know not to wear the orthotics and insoles at the same time. I know now (didn't at first years ago!) to take out the pads shoes come with first. Powerstep is the brand of inserts I bought from the Podiatrist. Heard of or any thoughts on them? I forget what name my orthotics are they don't say anything on them but they came in a bag that did. The bottom is hard plastic but the top is blue firm foamy stuff. He said something about it being new stuff. Do you think the Podiatrist would give me a hard time about "put a good padded front made of the new high tech triple layer stuff they have or....you can get a good insert and cut it to fit flush with the front of the orthotic"? Guess I won't know until I try but I'm picturing them wanting to know what I'm diagnosing myself since they apparently didn't think I needed that. Oh, well. I wondered how the ball of my foot was getting any support if I'm use my new orthotics in shoes I took the insole out since there's nothing there. In the past (I'm sure from wearing heels) I've had pain in the balls of my feet. I tried to tell him this too while I was there but he wasn't interested in hearing it since I wasn't having pain. Thanks for the heads up about the glucosamine. I think it actually might be what DH takes! I need to check that out. He gets on me about how I really should take it. I can take all three of those types of pills. That does sound like a lot! I'm guessing it just kills the pain longer? Does that help with the healing process at all. Perhaps that's a dumb question. I checked out that roadrunner site and the chart and I'm not sure if I'm N or PN. I'm under 150lbs and I do under 25 miles a week for N but the PN says, you run races or enjoy fast running. I like fast running. When I said I never considered myself a runner it's because I normally don't do more than 3 miles at a time and normally it's intervals. The thought of a 50 or even 10 mile race makes me cringe. Figured I'd ask but thought N would probably be my best bet regardless? Also, the NB shoes look like they're for trail running and I'm normally on a treadmill, does this matter? I really like that site. It even tells you to order sizes up for some shoes. The current ones I have are on there and it does say to order 1/2 size bigger. Go figure. Onlines shoes didn't tell me that! How's this for the laces? It still feels kind of tight around the top. Probably just the poor fitted shoes. For now, I'll rest from running. I have other sneakers I can wear for biking or whatever. By the time I'm ready to hopefully run again I'll make sure to have good sneakers. Seww - Thanks for the link. It seems very common here that even running stores have people in them that don't really know what they're doing. They just find the size in the back room. I'm at least going to go and attempt to try some on in person. Deedee - Oh my, I laughed out loud when I read that. That wasn't real nice of him! For a long time I thought I must be the only person with wider feet! One time on ebay I bought a really nice and expensive pair of heels. I did not know B meant narrow (I think it's B - whichever one is narrow). There is no way I can wear them. Not possible. It was funny even trying to put them on. They're in my closet because I couldn't resell them. Nobody in the world has a size 5 narrow foot either. :)

cyn, Actually, no, the guest wasn't mortified. And we have been cohabitating for 19 years and has been in the house regularly before and since. :) The cleaning lady didn't really yell, it was more like an explanation of "why" and since my SO had been told explicitly ahead of time Not to do certain things, I think there was an understanding after that. And actually I would *never scold a cleaning person, because I think that is the sort of thing that would put them into a subservient position. She's providing a service that is actually kind of doing us a favor, and I think it's also up to the household to be accommodating to her, as well. Technically my SO was wrong, so I think it was okay for her to explain why. She's a little rough around the edges and she will never have the subtlety of a hostage negotiator, but that's why she cleans houses and isn't out running a major company. In fact, when my sister yelled at the former cleaning lady about something my mother made her apologize in person *and in writing. The cleaning lady and my SO just had a nice chat at my dad's 90th birthday party. :) Over the years the people who've worked for my parents have been sort of a part of the family, and sometimes there are family dynamics. At the former cleaning lady's funeral her son mentioned that my family actually treated her much better than her own. This post was edited by palimpsest on Wed, Jul 23, 14 at 12:07

OldGardener, that's how my husband developed his allergy to aspirin. Aspirin is the only thing that will get rid of his headaches and other aches and pains. He'd been taking an aspirin every morning for "heart health," and then he had a couple of days where he had a bad headache and some other aches/pains, so he had taken more aspirin. Then, at night he was taking Excedrin P.M. because he had trouble getting comfortable to get to sleep. Then, all of a sudden he had a rash over his entire body and itched like crazy. We thought he must have had a reaction to something he'd eaten while at a seminar with some coworkers. But, days went by and it wasn't getting any better. We ended up going to a dermatologist and an allergist and found that he had developed an allergy to aspirin. It was the allergist who warned him about the yellow dye. And there have been times when suddenly he'll have a rash and itching, and we carefully go over everything he's put in his mouth and then we'll discover some stupid little thing that has yellow dye (like the potato chips or the Tums, etc.). We don't buy anything without reading all of the fine print on the ingredients. Oh, many times folks who have a problem with yellow dye 5 will also have problems with yellow dye 6, so we avoid it, too. If something is yellow - OR GREEN - and has "artificial coloring" without specifying WHAT coloring was used, don't trust it. Although, United States Federal law requires that if a product contains yellow dye it MUST be stated. But that's where some companies get tricky, and just put "tartrazine" - because that's yellow dye 5.