Q: Most types of asbestos-containing plaster were manufactured between 1942 and 1974. If your house was built or renovated during that time, it's a good idea to have it tested. That said, asbestos was used in stucco and drywall as early as 1910, and use continued at a slower rate until at least the early 1980's. Asbestos is even used in some building materials today, but the risk is fairly low if your house was built in the 1990's or later. These dates are most accurate in the United States. In some other industrialized countries, significant asbestos use continued until about 2000. Don't rely on a hard cutoff date, since bans on manufacturing sometimes allowed companies to use up their existing supply. These textured plaster ceiling coatings were a common use of asbestos, especially (but not exclusively) between the 1950's and 1970's. It's worth testing these ceilings if they are getting old and crumbling, or if you plan on doing nearby renovations that could disturb the area and release dust. Even if the plaster does contain asbestos, this is not a health risk as long as it is in good condition. If you see crumbling, cracks, or water damage, or if the plaster has been sawed, scraped, or sanded, it may be releasing asbestos fibers. If the plaster is undamaged, it's usually best to leave it alone. Check periodically and take a sample only if damage appears later.
A: Know your dates. Be wary of popcorn ceilings. Look for signs of damage.

Q: If you notice even a small hump or rounding of your shoulders, it is a good idea to bring this up to your primary care physician during a regular check-up. You can also schedule a specific appointment to talk about your hunchback if it is painful or concerns you. At the visit, your doctor may ask you to bend forward and reach for your toes. They will then trace your spine and look for any curvature. If your doctor suspects that you may have kyphosis, then they might order a series of X-rays or a MRI scan. Your primary care doctor may refer you on to other specialists who can develop a comprehensive treatment plan for your hunchback. A chiropractor may focus on aligning your muscles with your bones through various sessions. A physical therapist can help to create an exercise program that will help to strengthen the muscles in your back and neck area. If you go to visit your orthopedist, then they may fit you for a back or neck brace. Your doctor will direct you to wear this brace for a certain period each day, often between 18-20 hours total. Or, you might be able to wear the brace just at night. Most braces are designed to be worn under clothing.  Some braces are made out of harder plastic pieces, while others are primarily composed of a series of thick straps. Make sure to wear your brace as much as your doctor suggests or it won’t do its job. Spinal surgery is a very serious procedure, so most doctors only recommend it to patients who need a higher level of care. To treat a hunchback, a surgeon will reposition the spine using a series of screws and rods. Most people begin physical therapy almost immediately after surgery.  Most people take around 1 year to fully recover from the surgery. At that point they can resume most pre-surgery activities. Another surgical option is called kyphoplasty. This where a balloon is placed between the vertebrae (back bones) to lengthen them out. If your hunchback isn’t noticeable or causing any health problems, then you might want to wait to treat it medically. It may be enough to make some simple lifestyle changes. This is often the case with younger children and adolescents whose bodies are still developing. The hunchback might disappear with the growth process.
A: Go see your doctor. Work with a chiropractor or physical therapist. Wear an orthopedic brace. Agree to surgery only in the most severe situations. Leave it alone.

Q: If you don’t want to gild your entire object, use painter’s tape to cover the parts you want ungilded. This will keep the sizer and gold leaf in the areas where you want them. Because the tape adhesive isn’t very strong, you can remove the tape easily without damaging anything. Use a piece of sand paper to go over the areas that don’t have any painter’s tape.  Continue sanding until the surface is smooth. Use a tack cloth to remove the dust you created by sanding. Use a primer that's formulated especially for gilding. Gilder’s primer works with gilding sizer to form a tacky surface that will permanently hold gold leaf. It’s also pigmented to hide any flaws that might remain visible after the leaf is applied. If you use regular primer, you will have to apply a base layer of pigmented paint called a bole before applying the primer. Wait at least 30 minutes until the sizer has dried to a clear finish. At this point, the sizer will still feel tacky (fairly dry but sticky to the touch). It will then remain tacky for several more hours, giving you time to apply the gold leaf.  An alternative way of testing for tackiness is to glide your knuckle down the surface of the object. If you can hear a squeak, it’s ready for the gold leaf. While the sizer is drying, clean the gilding cushion.
A: Cover the areas you don't want to gild. Sand the rest of the surface. Prime the object. Apply the gilding sizer with a paintbrush.

Q: Chickens like a secure nesting area, and often, areas underneath things like bushes can look appealing. Get down on a chicken's level and look around. You may find some eggs! You may also find them at the base of trees or nestled down in the grass. If you have places in your yard like a barn or a shed that have openings for your hens to get in, check in there for eggs. Your hen may decide a hayloft or a manger is a great place to lay, especially since it's out of the elements! Make sure to look in all the hidden holes you can find in these buildings! Hens aren't particularly rational about where they lay their eggs. While they typically pick a shaded area for protection, yours might decide to lay on top of a freezer or in a tractor seat. It really depends on the chicken! So make sure to search the area from all angles, as you never know where you'll find eggs.  Some may even lay eggs in the middle of the yard. If you have kids, get them to help you look! They can spot things down low you might not see. Chickens often like to lay eggs next to a barrier or in a corner, so check your fence line for hidden nests. You may find one in a far back corner, for instance. The same is true around your house. Walk around the outside of your house to see if your chickens have laid eggs around the border. Have a good look inside your chicken coop, including the run and under the housing, as your chickens may have laid their eggs in the coop but not in the nesting area. You may find them in corners, in the roosting area, or even in the middle of the floor.
A:
Look under bushes and logs. Check in warm, semi-indoor areas. Search high and low in places you might not expect. Walk along the fence line. Make sure the eggs aren't in the coop.