The company I work for has fleet of I/C powered forklifts. In 1989 & '90, we switched from diesel engines to LPG fueled engines (which are gasoline engines converted to propane). A few years later, the company selected a "test group" of forklifts to run in an extended oil change evaluation. The test was conducted in alliance with an "oil testing laboratory". The lab had to agree to use the same test procedure on "our" oil samples for the duration of the test. We did not know how long we would be testing. Our previous oil change interval was "Every 750 hours" (using the OEM hourmeter). This interval was in place when we ran diesel and gasoline powered I/C 'lifts. We wanted to determine how long we could safely run the oil between changes without harming the engine. The guidelines for the test were pretty simple on our part, the forklifts in the test group would not have their oil changed "Until further notice". Instead, we were only to "top off" the oil level when we drew an oil sample for the lab every 750 hours. Our 'lifts operate 24/7 with an average daily run time of 18 hours per 'lift, so we were pulling an oil sample about every 6 weeks (where this would have been an "oil change" prior to the test). The lab reported the test results of each sample to our corporate headqurters. Corporate only told us whether or not, to continue the testing of each 'lift, based on the report. At about 20 months into the test, we submitted a sample to the lab that had 10,000 (ten thousand) hours on it. Corporate headqurters informed us at that time to remove that 'lift from the test and change the oil based on the lab report that the oil "was degrading" and it's continued use was not recommended. We were instructed place the unit on a "tentative" 3000 hour oil change interval until the testing was ended on all 'lifts. By 24 months since the onset of the test, the oil in all the 'lifts had reached the 10,000 hour mark. The lab reports on a 10,000 hour old sample was very near the same for all 'lifts. The company ordered each 'lift that was part of the test to be placed on the same "tentative" 3000 hour oil change interval until further notice. It took the company almost a year from the end date of the testing to make all the changes to the inspection forms (for our PMs) and put the new standard of 3000 hours between oil and filter changes into effect. Our 'lifts remain in service at the "large distribution centers" for about 6 years (from the "new vehicle in service" date) at which time they will have accumulated from about 30,000 to 36,000 hours. At that time they are transferred out to "small town" locations where they may only get 2 to 4 hours run time per day. On these 'lifts we change the oil annually by the calender instead of going by the hourmeter. When a 'lift reaches 12 years old, it is sold on the public market. We have yet to "wear out" an engine. In fact, the only engine failure our location has had was due to the forklift operator continuing to run the 'lift after the water pump/alternator belt broke. We periodically check compression on our engines (24 month intervals) and I see engines near the 36,000 hour mark with 160 to 170 P.S.I. readings on all cylinders. Each owner of any equipment must decide what kind of oil change interval they want to use for their machines. I think it is safe to say that most of us can change the oil in our L&G equipment annually without worrying "if I'm doing it enough". I prefer to change the oil at the end of the season. I don't want that "contaminated" oil just sitting there in contact with the works of the engine for 6 months. I drop the oil (and filter where applicable), put in the fresh oil and run the engine for about 10 minutes (to make sure I get the oil "hot", gets rid of the moisture from the cold start up) before putting the machine away for the "off season". I feel that the fresh oil clings better to the engine parts than the old oil for the duration of storage. No matter what the "Oil experts" may say, some of us will continue with our own practices. For the people who lament that we are changing the oil "too often", well......there are some people out there who "never change their oil", so don't their habits offset the overall consumption average??

I came across a strange little patch of completely and perfectly white bluebells years ago. They were surrounded by the usual blue variety so they really made a statement! I carried an old washtub down there and carefully dug several large clumps to transplant here and after all these years they still haven't spread too much. And yes, they still bloom snow-white. Naturally, I refer to them as my whitebells... Speaking of native blooms, I read that tradescantia (spiderwort) is notoriously hardy and easily propogated but they have been a large disappointment so far for me. Maybe this is because I initially relied on stock that I bought from a dealer instead of simply relocating some from the woods around here. I didn't think I wanted to dig up any of the stuff right here because most things do best right where they are without some human trying to 'improve' things, but maybe I should stick with a strictly local variety. If I dig a few tradescantia plants for my native bed here closer to the house, will they recover soon enough as I have read? And I'm talking about my own property and not just going about willy-nilly digging up stuff all across the county...

I'm sorry you are going through this with Mojo. Having had a dog with it, I know how disconcerting the episodes can be. How is Mojo now? Did you get to talk to your vet? When our dog had her first episode (pretty major), the vet told us it was an unpredictable condition. You don't know if they will have them often, rarely, or if they will just stop. Our dog was "off" for the better part of a week after her first episode, and then had a second one that was not as bad. After that she had minor incidents for the rest of her life that we guessed was probably the CVD, but they weren't significant after the second one. I hope this doesn't get to rambling, but did Mojo have any head trauma prior to this? I ask because a few weeks before our Abby's first episode, she had run full speed into a sliding glass door, apparently not realizing it was closed. My mom is a PT who sometimes treats people who have had inner ear problems (small bone misalignments?) that result in episodes sort of similar to what our dogs have- the ones she sees in people are often the result head trauma from an accident of some kind. In people there are exercises that can be done to assist in realignment, but I don't know what they are, and am of the impression that it requires a lot of control and understanding on the behalf of the patient, so not sure that a dog could do them. Since Abby's settled down, I never asked her for more information about those exercises, but probably would have had she continued to have them. Not saying that they could have been done, or would have worked, but we would have checked them out and attempted them in some form for the sake of controlling the episodes. In Abby's case I felt that there was a pretty good chance there was a connection between banging her head and the start of these episodes. I hope Mojo's stop occurring, or at least ease up. I'm sorry you have to go through this. After Abby's second episode, it was a long time before I relaxed- I just kept waiting for it to happen again. (((HUGS)))

My gut tells me she is lying to her BF. It's too convenient that she has been with him two years and he is finally confiding in his ex wife that he made a mistake and regrets everything he's done, and that is the exact time that BM gets pregnant? Too convenient, plus she told DH a few years ago she can't have kids anymore. If she is pregnant, then she was lying to DH and judging by BF's reaction, it was not planned. (at least not a plan BF was involved in... BM may have planned it) It will be a real mess because SD already feels her mom ignores her. The other thing is that BM's older DD14 just moved up with her after living with grandma for two years. We figured she moved her other DD there because we made sure the court knew she has full custody of her DD but she lives with grandma. So, we thought she moved her in to show the court she now has her DD with her, but now we think perhaps she just needs her to babysit when the baby is born? (if there really is a baby) As you can tell, I really think she is lying. Maybe I am in denial.. I didn't think she could do anything crazier than she already has but she just keeps going and going and going and going.... For me the worse part in what BM is doing, is that BF's kids were already just dealing with their parents divorce... they divorced a few months before he met BM and now they have been told dad is marrying BM... they have set a date two or three times... BM has bought two different wedding dresses and shown the kids her dresses... BM has asked SD to ask me to bake her wedding cake... BM has actually bought wedding stuff on ebay and posted a blog on her myspace announcing her wedding to all her friends. So, BM has been, for the last two years, kept this charade up that she is going to marry their dad... and kept her daughters pumped up over it. Her older daughter posted a picture of BM & BF on the internet saying "my mom and soon to be stepdad"... SHE IS STILL MARRIED TO HER OLDER DAUGHTER'S FATHER!!!! I don't think BF would be telling his kids he's marrying BM if he really knew she was still married. So, that brings the question: Would he tell his kids she's pregnant if he wasn't absolutely sure? Well, he is either still believing what he is told or he has gone with her to the doctor and it's true. I tend to believe he is taking BM's word for it because she is very convincing... even now, if we didn't know all the lies she's told & been caught in, she might get one over on us still. So, I think while he's at work, she is saying she's been to the doctor, etc. Only time will tell if that's true or not. If she ends up saying she had a miscarriage.. it will be really hard for me to muster up sympathy (which I have for anyone that suffers that) because I really think she is lying and of course if she really is pregnant and has a miscarriage, then my indifference would be sinful and that thought bothers me. I just have a hard time when it comes to her... If she weren't such a liar!