My shepherd mix has been shedding a Toto-sized ball of fur every 24 hours. It's really very alarming when you see she still hasn't shed all her winter fur yet.

You gals are making me feel better about my house. I still haven't scrubbed out the woodstove. I've swept it, but remains of the ashes from the last spring fire are still in there - and the glass is just awful. What's hard for me is I live in a small town - and just when I least expect it, and I have clutter everywhere, is when someone unexpectedly drops by. I'm starting to understand why old houses had formal sitting rooms: company-specific spaces to usher those drop-ins into, and keep them from seeing how you REALLY live!