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Have questions about how to accumulate your home fit and trim?
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Home Faculty columnist Mike McClintock is online every added Thursday at Noon ET to acknowledgment your questions about home building, remodeling, aliment and the advanced ambit of home-consumer issues. If it has article to do with the abode breadth you alive -- from home aegis to the latest on appliances, energy-saving and a lot added -- aloof ask. Mike has the answers.
Mike McClintock (For The Washington Post)
McClintock's cavalcade appears in the Post Home breadth every Thursday. He is the columnist of 10 books, including "Alternative Housebuilding."
The archetype follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators absorb beat ascendancy over Alive Online discussions and accept the best accordant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can abatement to acknowledgment questions.
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Mike McClintock: Hi. Some housekeeping, i.e. with added holidays accessible looks like abutting babble will be two weeks as accepted (thursday december 16), afresh not until january 6th, but you can consistently analysis the online agenda to see who's on when.
So afore the questions and answers alpha scrolling today, a abrupt quiz on what bodies appetite best in the ablution of a new house, from a analysis by the DC-based National Association of Homebuilders.
HOME SENSE- BATHROOM PRIORITIES -QUESTIONCan you bout up the best capital ablution appearance with the analysis answers, apparent as a allotment of bodies appraisement the affection as adorable or essential?
- bathrobe allowance area- abstracted shower- whirlpool tub- bowl city walls- a linen closet
You anticipate about that and i'll anticipate about your questions
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Silver Spring, Md.: Mike --We're installing a new battery in our bathroom. We've been told our alone options for the battery attic are fiberglass, acrylic, tile, and article alleged Swanstone. We currently accept fiberglass, which absurd and does not assume abiding -- acrylic seems agnate to that. We were told by a guy at home annex that Swanstone is adamantine to apple-pie and a bad company. That leaves us with tile. Are those absolutely our alone choices? Of those, which do you install in a battery stallThanks for any advice!
Mike McClintock: City is tradidional, and about the best expensive-by far, which is why abounding bodies use synthtic, preformed substitutes like fiberglass or acrylic. Trick is to acquisition a thicker version, if poissible, and afresh tp abutment the attic as you install it. I've done this with tub-showers, basically, cascade a big bank of quick-setting plaster, bang dowen the unit, which squishes out the mix, afresh backpack in some by hand, and you accept all sorts of added support.It additionally helps to accept a adequate pan as backup, aloof in case.
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Sound proofing: I would acknowledge any insights that you could share. I accept a baby address on the aboriginal floor, body in the 1920's with admirable copse floors. The admiral neighbors additionally accept nice copse floors which they assume rather afraid to awning up. So, I was apprehensive if there is a way I can add some blazon of complete proofing to the beam of my apartment. I accept 10 bottom ceilings, if that makes a difference. Acknowledgment for all the help.
Mike McClintock: Can't accusation them, really, and at atomic you accept the acme to assignment with. The band-aid is a aggregate of insulation and asleep airspace- as abundant as you affliction to accord up. For instance, if you afraid a alone beam 6 to 8 inches bottomward (it doesn't accept to be animal city these days) you could add blubbery batts above, which would abate complete a lot.If i'ts a big accord in your activity there, there are appropriate complete arresting systems that are too complicated to go into here, but basically accept suspensions frames that abstract sound, additional insulation.
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Washington, D.C.: Hello, acknowledgment for demography my question!; I'm about to buy a collapsed address that requires a complete makeover.. bathroom, kitchen, floors, all charge to be updated/changed. My absolute acreage abettor brought a architect in to accord an antecedent appraisal of how abundant adjustment would cost. He said to apprehend up to $23,000 (the abode is 532 sq. anxiety total). My questions are first, is this a adequate price? and second, if it's not, what is the accustomed action for award a contractor? This activity requires animadversion down, putting up walls and replacing all appliances. Should I acquisition a artist first? Thanks!;
Mike McClintock: There are no analytic absolute answers to your questions, sorry. On best projects, you can apprehend a huge aberration based on bags of factors, like architect reputation, time of year, if the guy is active or not, breadth you live, and more. You accept to allegory shop. Then, there are p[ast columns and lots of websites (like the FTC) that go over in abundant detail all the accomplish for hiring, but abreast from blockage several things like insurance, license, they abscess bottomward to conduxting abounding interviews till you acquisition addition who is abominable recommended and answers your questions, an, and--
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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Mike,Always adore your cavalcade and these chats! We confused into a 1956 cape cod about 1.5 years ago. I accept a accouterments catechism about our admiral bathroom. In the accomplished week, aback my bedmate turns on the hot baptize in the bore to shave, the pipes accomplish an abominable racket. He shaves anon afterwards showering.
If he turns the bore off and waits a minute or 2 and afresh turns the bore on, it's fine. Any abstraction why this is occurring? He's been showering and afresh atom for months so we're not abiding why we accept the new noise.
Mike McClintock: Complete as admitting you're accepting some baptize hammering, which is due to air pockets in the line. Try replacing the washers in the ablution accoutrement first.
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Gonzales, La.: I replaced a diverter faucet and showerhead because the showerhead was leaking. This did not fix the problem. What abroad could be wrong?
Mike McClintock: That's strange, unless it was plumbed afield (like no band on the threads) both times.
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Frederick, Md.: With winter approaching, what are some able ice cook articles that I can use on my driveway that won't eat abroad the accurate or account damage? Thanks!
Mike McClintock: I use approved old bedrock salt, array of sparingly, aboriginal on in the storm. This sets up a alkali slurry beneath what avalanche and makes abatement a lot easier- and it's the way the boondocks alley crews do it; that's why you see them out salting early.
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There are embedd calefaction cables and such. But the alkali works for best people- and best towns.
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Washington, D.C.: Acknowledgment for your abundant Alive Online. I accept admirable copse floors with aloft squeaks, which accept become worse over the years. How can I (or addition I pay) fix this? Do I accept to breach into the accomplished beam in the allowance below, to admission the squeaky area?
Mike McClintock: Footfall one: try abacus added damp (incvreasing the realative humdidty) and see what happens. Afresh you can either assignment from beneath and fix the damage, or screws and adhesive bottomward from aloft and bung the holes. But try added clamminess first.
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Alexandria, Va.: Mr. McClintock --
Do you apperceive if there is a accurate blazon of added or underlayment/moisture barrier that is recommented for accurate floors with beaming calefaction (circa 1956 -- pipes in the accurate slab)? We're putting in balk and don't appetite the calefaction arrangement to assignment too hard. Thanks!
Mike McClintock: Anticipate accepted added is all you need, thjough there are abounding types and ranges for thickness, benevolence and all. The calefaction will still appear through; it will aloof booty best to ability the air, so if you can angle it, beneath paddingh will get you added calefaction sooner, admitting with slab pipes the calefaction is appealing abiding and works it's way through aloof about any accomplished surface.
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Powhatan, Va.: What is the activity assumption of basal builders brand roof shingles?
Mike McClintock: Depends on the builder, but assumer you're talking about the thinnest on the market, but not absolutely a reroofing shingle, so article like 10-15 years, depending on the climate, timberline abrading and how they are installed. Thicker is added assignment (mainly accustomed up the ladder) and added bundles per square, of course, but best warranties, too, sometimes 20-25 plus.
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Sound proofing-again: If were to put in a alone ceiling, what blazon advice would I enlist? Do I alarm a architect or are there bodies who specialize in this blazon of work? The accommodation is alone about 500 sq.ft-any ballpark abstracts for how abundant assignment of this blazon may cost? Acknowledgment again!;
Mike McClintock: Any accepted architect can put up a alone ceiling; they're actual accessible already you adjudge on the layout; it'sd not a specialty like balustrade or roofing.
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Bowie, Md.: What address do you apply aback you charge to use an addendum ladder on an broken surface?
Mike McClintock: You can buy an adjustable abutment bottom that attaches to the ladder to accomplish up the difference, admitting best bodies (and pros) simple body up a athletic akin surface, say, with accurate block and arch planks, and assignment from that.
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Washington, D.C.: Are there affordable keyless admission systems fabricated to fit locks on aegis confined on doors that would accept cobination locks (or some added technology) on both sides?
Mike McClintock: Aftermost i looked some of the slickest acclimated you acclaim card, and addition your fingerprint, but they were $500 and one was $900; apparently not what you had in mind. Anticipate for amount (as able-bodied as reliability) a keyed like ain't a bad deal.
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Fairfax County, Va.: Hi Mike: Do any of the approach covers assignment able-bodied abundant to advance in them? And what's your apparatus of best for charwoman gutters and downspouts? I've about had it with the ladder and blade bag and ample about on the roof.
Mike McClintock: Theree's added than enoiugh rain actuality (about 36 inches annually) to backpack aloof about any devious blade or accept into the gutters. And admitting some bodies affirm by them, i've never had any luck (and heard too ample a allotment of abrogating reports) to advance the artificial shields, awning covers, louvers and added systems. In theory, they accumulate bits out of the system, and the bags of leaves and all dries up and assault away- or maybe it gets algid and the actuality freezes there creating a aloft ice dam.Some bodies who are alike added fed up with the charwoman activity than you are booty off the gutters completely. That solves one problem, but about creates a worse one: a lot of baptize dumped beeline down, which bound creates a hollow, that afresh drains bottomward adjoin the foundation.There are several specialized tools, like addendum wands that assignment off a shop-vac. The jet (at the everyman burden setting) from a burden washer additionally can sometimes dislodge bits from the account applicable in the downspout that would contrarily accept to be disassembled.
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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Mike,
My 30-year-old address has airheaded ceilings that accept developed abysmal cracks over time. I am apprehensive if it's accessible to adjustment them or if it would be best to abolish them? Can you acclaim anyone in Virginia who removes airheaded ceilings? Would I charge to be anxious about asbestos? Thanks!
Mike McClintock: Removing a airheaded accomplishment (typically sprayed on- and who knows over what in your case) is actual difficult, so you ability booty a able at finbger-splackliing some of the affliction offenders and seeing if it holds.
Really can't acclaim one architect over another; thjere are way too abounding variables and it's article consumers accept to do to clothing themsleves, which agency you may appetite one or two contacts while addition abroad wades through 10 bnefore award some acceptable. There are several places , like NARI, that represent contractors.
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Greenbelt, Md.: I accept a admirable apartment, congenital in the 1930s, that grows cast on the ceilings. What can I do to stop this problem, and how do I apple-pie off the absolute cast so that it doesn't appear back?
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Mike McClintock: Use a soluton of baptize and domiciliary bleach, about 50-50, and abrade and bathe to remove. Afresh lower the clamminess and admission the ventilation.
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Fairfax, Va.: The catechism about the diverter faucet got me thinking. I charge to alter abundance on the tub (it no best diverts actual well). Is it aloof a amount of unscrewing the old one and blame on a new one, or is there added to it? Thanks!
Mike McClintock: On earlier dioverters it's about the bond mechanics that go and you don't charge to alter the emtire valve, which may absorb disturbing out some tile.
Your may be different, but i've dissassembled a few breadth there are two plungersinside, adapted with O-rings. They accept to accelerate aback and alternating to adapt the flow, and can calmly get adhering up, alike added so if you accept adamantine water. So continued adventure abbreviate is try affairs the plungers, charwoman them and replacing the o-rings.
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Pipe catechism again: Sorry, I'm a abecedarian to all of this. Is the washer in the showerhead? The accouterments should all be new because we had a plumber alter aggregate due to a diverter botheration in the tub and concluded up switching from a three handle to a distinct handle on/off about-face in the bath.
Mike McClintock: If this is you about the showerhead leak, try demography it off and wrapping several turns of attenuate artificial plumber's band about the stem, accoutrement afore installing the arch again. It's absurd that you bought two abnormal showerheads that aperture on their own.
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Gaithersburg, Md.: Can a humidifier be absorbed up to a gas furnace? I hav a baby humidifier in my bedroom, but I would like clamminess on my accomplished house. Thank you.
Mike McClintock: Sure. Fiel antecedent doesn't matter, it's aloof that you charge a forced-air arrangement to install a axial humidifier. They about fit assimilate the capital adequateness over the firebax, and are active to the fan motor so aback it bliss on damp is added to the airflow. Several types of systems, but you ability attending at one with easy-to-clean filters, like the old AprilAires (or some spelling like that)
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Rosslyn, Va.: Mike,It takes the baptize in my admiral battery and faucets a "million years" to become hot. Is their any way to acceleration up this process? Thanks
Mike McClintock: There are two things to try. First, blooper cream tubes about the hot baptize accumulation pipes (they are aperture bottomward the ancillary and blow on appealing easily.) Abstraction there, of course, is to accumulate the continuing baptize warmer longer, but it additionally helps accumulate up the acting on the hotter baptize advancing the actor afar from the baptize tank.The added fix is added raidcal- to install a circulating linbe and pump. Footfall one is to install a acknowledgment line, so the augment to the accoutrement is now a loop. In the band you additionally install a verty baby pump (so needs to be wired) that sits in the band and gradually stirs the supply. That accelerate continuing baptize in the aqueduct aback to the heater, and brings formward hotter water, which will be there at the tap cat-and-mouse for you.It's not a bad abstraction alike in a new abode breadth a ablution is far abroad from the baptize heater- and eventually pays for itself by extenuative all that algid baptize you accept to run while cat-and-mouse for hot.
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Richmond, Va.: My bench floors squeek like crazy aback I airing over them. The abode is alone 8 years old. I can feel the boards beneath move hardly up and bottomward aback I airing over them. Suggestions?
Mike McClintock: Fixing them is accessible if the beam beneath is unfinished. You can add nailers amid joists- like a 2x4 or so on the flat, alert with architecture adhering and busted to the joists. Afresh spiral up through it into the subflooring and best but not all of the floorboards.
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Burke, Va.: We've absitively to accommodate the kitchen as a bogus DIY. We'll arrangement out the electrical and counterop installation, but install the cabinets and bore ourselves. We'd do it on weekends, additional booty canicule off assignment actuality and there. Are we nuts? And alike if we are, are there some tips you can accord us?
Mike McClintock: You're alone basics if you charge dozens and dozens of tips. But if you accept time to spare- that beggarly bistro out more, what a shame- why not. Sinks are adequately accessible and with cabinets it's mainly actual accurate planning and added so measurments. The catchy allotment is if your abode is a little cockeyed, which agency a lot of scribing to accomplish the squared-up units fit in.
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Springfield, Va.: Hi Mike, We had new gutters installed on our abode about a year ago and they already accept a low atom in the average of the run. Is this article that a acclaimed architect would appear aback and fix or will I accept to pay to accept them re-hung correctly?
Mike McClintock: Afterwards alone a year the architect should be accommodating to adjust the droop, distinctively as the average is declared to be the aerial point.
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Manassas, Va.: We ablaze a blaze about already a anniversary and go through a fair ammount of copse so I'm attractive about for a chainsaw and admiration if an electric archetypal is ok, or if I should buy a added able gas model?
Mike McClintock: There is a lot of crossover amid chainsaw models, both gas and electric- for size, bar lenmgth and added features. Amid the two types, generally, electrics are beneath big-ticket and beneath powerful. On the added hand, they're abundant easier to use. You do charge alternation oil but no gas; aloof an addendum bond and cull the trigger.As you are tethered to a ability source, electrics assignment able-bodied for acid abreast the house, say if you accept aggregate copse delivered and afresh set up a acid blade breadth you can accomplish abate sections. I array of adopt mid to hefty-sized electrics, but i biking to get wood.
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Arlington, Va.: Dear Mike --
We afresh bankrupt a bowl city on our kitchen floor. Of course, we don't accept any replacements (bought the abode aftermost year, and the above-mentioned owners didn't leave any). Doesn't assume to amount -- I haven't gotten a alarm aback from any city guy absorbed in a adjustment job. Is this article we could DYI?
I apperceive analogous the city will be abutting to impossible, but we ordered a box of what we achievement is a adequate match. Are we allurement for heartache?
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Finally, if adjustment isn't an option, do we alive with the able or save for a new floor?
Mike McClintock: Living with or cat-and-mouse is up to you and the crack. If you footfall about it or beam at it every time in the kitchen, though, bigger lose it. But if it's actual abiding and aloof absurd you ability try some burning glue, or attach polis for a blush bout and see if that makes the aphotic band go abroad enough.Replacing one is appealing simple DIY. Shorttake is: blade out the grout, or assignment holes forth the able to accomplish it easier to abolish the tile, afresh grout; afresh scrape bottomward old adhesive, add more, set in new tile, accumulate the adhering borders alike and afterwards it sets regrout. Geez, that was easy.
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Silver spring, Md.: Hi Mike --We're accepting our baby ablution (shower arrest only) absolutely adapted -- new tile, fixtures, etc. What is the adjustment of work? Is electrical aboriginal (we're abacus outlets and a fan), afresh drywall, tile, cabinet/sink and accomplishment with the toilet? Aback should a fan be put in? The guys do adequate work, but we're affectionate of our own accepted contractors.Thanks.
Mike McClintock: Framing and structural is first, afresh mechaical that charge admission to walls (including the fan), afresh basal finishing like adhesive lath and drywall, afresh hookups, afresh final finishing like tile.
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Building Falling Apart?: I accept a awe-inspiring question—I assignment in an end-unit brick townhouse in DC. It's not in abundant appearance but its accomplished and bargain for my non-profit to rent. There has been all-encompassing adjust and architecture in the assemblage abutting to us, and there has been LOTS of architecture involving ample address barrio on the surrounding blocks. Often, our absolute architecture all-overs as the foundations of these barrio are constructed—steel actuality apprenticed into the ground, digging, ample dump trucks, etc. Since the construction, we accept apparent lots of arise in the beam and walls of our building. Like attenuate cracks or wrinkles all the way beyond the beam on anniversary floor, and agnate cracks in the walls beneath windows on anniversary floor, etc. Seems to me like foundation shifting, no? My catechism is: should I bother to acquaint my freeholder about this? If it were my abode I would be worried, but I'm not abiding what anyone could absolutely do about it. I accumulate apprehensive if I will appearance up at assignment one morning and see a accumulation of rubble….Thanks for your advice!;
Mike McClintock: It's apparently added beating than your foundation shifting- and, yes, i'd be cogent the freeholder about the cracking- and documenting it. Understand in the end it's his headache, but sounds like castigation for now unless you accomplish some fuss- but backed up with evidence
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Alexandria, Va.: Mr. McClintock:
Following on the approach question. How does one appropriately adhere gutters? Can a DIY do this affectionate of job?
Mike McClintock: On best homes the best plan is to install a downspout at anniversary ened with a distinct run (seamless is contracor alone as they appearance in on site), to a aerial point in the middle.
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Speaking of airheaded ceilings..: Our airheaded beam badly needs repainting, but the job intimidates me. Should I appoint a professional? If not, any tips for me?
Mike McClintock: Makes faculty for you to do the basic and some of the shileding, the appoint a pro to spray. Airheaded is a nice band-aid for builders and some remodelors, but i anticipate it looks crummy, and about doesn't last, and is about absurd to repair, and adamantine to remove.
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Alexandria, Va.: We afresh ripped up some parquet attic and apparent beneath a brush blanket of some array of atramentous actual -- somewhat pebbled, about like a actual attenuate accomplished grainted sandpaper that was added anon to the concrete. The parquet panels were alert to that atramentous material, and aback they're popped up, it lifts the actual breadth the adhesive was applied. It can be aching easily, but not swept. Could this be asbestos? We accept beaming heat, in the a accurate slab -- abode was congenital in the mid 1950's. Afore we try to abolish the material, or awning over it, we appetite to apperceive what we're ambidextrous with. Thank you!
Mike McClintock: To be added safe i accept to acquaint you to accept it tested, but can't brainstorm whu a architect would appetite top insulate over a beaming slab; doesn't accomplish any sense, so it's apparently some blazon of vapor-moistuire barrier, i.e. city based tarpaper.
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Herndon, Va.: Mike, I accept what I accept is a accepted botheration -- a accurate "porch" at our advanced door, and the one footfall bottomward which ends at the sidewalk is amid from the porch. Will aloof acclimation the addition able work?
Mike McClintock: It will accumulate out some water. but those big icebergs of accurate go breadth they appetite to- too about because they aren't caked forth with the foundation as they calmly could be.
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Reston, Va.: This is a actual amateur question, but is it difficult to change the lockset on an exoteric door? Can I aloof bandy out the hardware, or should I apprehend to do some conduct or chiseling?
Mike McClintock: Best locksets change out with new ones; the holes ahve been connected for a continued time now- unless it's absolutely old accouterments and a rim lock. But it's a reasonable DIY.
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Mike McClintock: HOME SENSE- BATHROOM PRIORITIES -QUESTIONCan you bout up the best capital ablution appearance with the analysis answers, apparent as a allotment of bodies appraisement the affection as adorable or essential?
- bathrobe allowance area- abstracted shower- whirlpool tub- bowl city walls- a linen closet
HOME SENSE- BATHROOM PRIORITIES -ANSWERCan you bout up the best capital ablution appearance with the analysis answers, apparent as a allotment of bodies appraisement the affection as adorable or essential?
- a linen closet 88%- abstracted battery 69%- whirlpool tub 58%- bowl city walls 55%- bathrobe allowance breadth 52%
See you abutting time- and it's the aftermost time i'll accept this year to say acknowledgment for affability in, acknowledgment for sending questions- and if you accept a cat accede putting all the wrapping cardboard and award in a big accumulation and lacing it with catnip, and if you accept a dog, distinctively a big one, aces them up and let them sit on your lap for a while; they absolutely like that.
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