Hi...thanks for all your responses. I have been mulling over what you all have had to say. Mary...I am used to organic gardening since I've been doing it for about 25 years. Yes, I understand there are bugs and there are weeds, but that doesn't mean I intentionally invite some into my yard when they have been gloriously absent from it. Everyone's situation is different and my garden does seem to be an 'island' in some respects. It is in the middle of a suburban neighborhood where very few people have more than grass and a few foundation shrubs in their yards. I don't inherit my neighbor's bugs or weeds for the most part. I do mulch, but I don't have access to enough to put down a lot routinely and the last time I had a perennial grass weed, it took me three years of effort to rid myself of it. Perhaps you have a lot of time and/or energy to tackle whatever comes up in your garden, but in mine, I have majored in prevention because I don't. So I guess our situations are different. Kim...yes, if Beetle grubs are in your soil and they find a food source, they will stick around and multiply I suppose, but despite having roses and hibiscus and many other Japanese beetle treats, I have not had an infestation in the past 15 years, at least, for whatever reason. No one in our area treats for grubs but if they had any, I imagine I would have them too. I think I am more concerned about the beetles than the weed, only because I did defeat the same weed once already and know how to do it now, but still. Yes, I have healthy soil. Lots of organic matter has been added over the years and I have had few pest problems that have not taken care of themselves. I do attribute my results to preventive minded decision making and my location I guess. I appreciate all your responses because at the least it has shown me I have my own priorities that require me to make the decision myself, but it helps to see how others would approach it. I sometimes forget my circumstances are not everyone's. I am not going to use this soil for vegetable gardening but in extending a mixed border that is raised and edged with rocks. It would be SOooo nice and easy to just use it and be done with it. The mixed border is right next to the vegetable garden though. I do have the other option of perhaps creating the rest of the fill with lasagna layers, but it would mean dragging out finishing that bed at the least convenient time of year in a garden. Well, looks like I am going to struggle with the decision some more. [g] No one has an idea of something I could do to the soil, to reduce the weed/pest population? My idea of sifting it and trying to remove as many grubs as I can seemed futile to everyone? I am not thinking there are a ton of them either. It wouldn't be such a bad job, just pouring the buckets through a screen into a wheelbarrel before using it. Right? I suppose I haven't even touched on whether the previous gardener may have had soil borne diseases that I don't have as well. I am feeling like this wasn't such a good idea after all. I'm happy with my own soil and garden. Oh well, every day you learn something new.

was reunited with cast iron a few years ago when I picked up 3 different size skillets at a yard sale for a song. They were Lodge, Griswold and... whatever the other "name" people want. And all were totally cuddy with someone elses CRUD. What I did was probably heresy to purists, but I just used dollar store spray oven cleaner. It took SEVERAL applications to clean them up. Then reseasoned well. Found that one key to getting the most out of these great pans is USE THEM as much as possible. After the first 3, started collecting. Most uniques is a small diamond shaped Lodge specifically marked for eggs on bottom... perfect fit on square bread for a sandwich. Have to restrain myself to keep from ending up with dupes. WOuld LOVE to find a deep "chicken fryer" and muffin pans. Have heard people say to run thru self-cleaning cycle in oven. Also heard of someone putting crusty cast iron in center of wood fire. Once you get pieces cleaned up and reseasoned, don't store in oven. I did that for a while and rust started developing. Thinking steam from stuff being baked or roasted while CI sat in bottom of oven. Most times only need to wipe pan out with paper towels. If something happens to stick, I used cheap, plain salt and scrub away under hot water. Then back on stove burner till HOT, followed by a little dab of bacon grease... that's what my grandmother always did. Personally, I would probably try to strip the pans back to unseasoned state and start over again.

Greetings again Anne, How great it is that your aunt remembered you in her will. If there are taxes due relative to the estate, that'll be the business of the estate to take care of. When you receive money from an inheritance here, it is not taxable: I received thousands from my Dad's estate in the late '80s and I didn't have to pay a cent of tax on that income. When I invested some of it, it had become part of my assets and I had to declare the income that it produced, year by year, along with whatever other income I received. If you invest it wisely and it earns you $300. next year, you'll have to declare the income that it produces, $300. in the year that it's produced. Enjoy the addition to your income. If the income isn't to go on for many years, I have a suggestion which may be of interest. As it's more or less found money, unexpected, probably a good idea to spend one month's income from the estate in the first year and save and invest the second month's, when you haven't got really used to receiving it, yet. If you can afford it, continue that plan for another year or so. Then, for a time, spend two months' income and save and invest the third month's income. Then spend three months' worth, investing the fourth, for a year or so, as is convenient. If you can save 6 months' worth for a couple of years, then 4 months' for a couple of years, then 3 months' worth for a couple of years, followed by 2 months' worth for a couple of years if you can, and one month's worth for a couple of years ... after 10 years, you'd have saved $3,200.00, and if you could invest it at 8%, paying 2% in tax and allowing 2% for loss of value due to inflation, you'd have about $4,000. (more or less equivalent to today's dollars) in that investment account. If you chose to invest one or two of those monthly amounts per year as time went on, after while you'd have a substantial amount on hand. After several years, when the monthly bequest ceases, you'll have an asset that will produce some income to at least partially replace the bequest that isn't available any more. In the meantime, it's a nice addition to one's emergency fund, available when some unexpected expense comes along. In which case, one needs to make an earnest effort to replace the funds that were used for the emergency, if one feels that one may likely need that fund intact to produce an addition to ongoing income, later. Even if you expect the bequest to continue for many years, the plan that I've suggested may be a good idea, especially if you lack much of an emergency fund at present, for it's always useful to have some funds on hand to take care of an emergency without sweating blood when one comes up. Good wishes to you for the weeks ahead. ole joyful

Was your aunt the spouse/mother of your uncle and cousin (if so I don't understand why you are the heirs and not her)? If so, did she never take any action herself to settle their estates? (did she assume that there was nothing to be done because of low value? if they owned the property, that is the estate.) If this aunt truly has no claim on the property, and you are the heirs of your uncle/cousin, you can file the paperwork to transfer title. Or buy it for $1 from the estate. Tell the city that you are in the process of doing so, explain that your aunt has been unable to cope with it or has no responsibility and you are stepping in -- and see if they will give you more time -- then accept one of those offers to buy. Unless you think that you can and want to get more for the land or house in as-is condition on the market -- people making offers will often make them ridiculously low, knowing if you made the effort that you could get more. Obviously the place has some value or people wouldn't be making offers. My city will condemn and tear down a house that is abandoned/eyesore/nuisance even when they are quite repairable, even if still being occupied by the owner!, so don't let that be your guide to value. I hear you that you don't really want to deal with it, but you are already investing in the property by paying taxes, so do what you have to do. If the city 'dozes it, the property taxes are still owed I believe and they will charge you for the bulldozing -- they don't do it for free. Another possibility might be to get the city to declare it abandoned and let them take possession of it. to do what they want with it. You might need to fill out paperwork refusing to inherit (as mentioned on another thread) and stop paying the taxes -- I wonder if the fact that your sister assumed the responsibility will muddy the waters. Certainly the attorney that your sister has consulted will have more valid advice than we will -- what has that advice been?