Staying at a hotel in Boise, I noticed they used a simple trick to save water.

They had a small sign in the shower asking guests to try a 5-minute timer challenge. It made me think about installing a similar timer at home, but I'm worried it might just annoy my family. Has anyone tried something like this and had it actually work long-term?

TIL the old stone wall in my backyard might be way older than I thought

I was clearing some brush on a job in Concord, Massachusetts, and I noticed the way the stones in a property line wall were stacked, with no mortar and these big flat capstones. I mean, it just looked different from the 20th century walls I usually see. I got curious and looked it up, and apparently that style was common for early colonial farm boundaries in the 1700s. Has anyone else stumbled on something like that just doing regular yard work?

People keep saying you need a special license for a truck over 26,000 pounds, but that's not the full story.

The real rule is about the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, not what you actually haul, and I've seen three new drivers this year get fined for not knowing that. Anyone else run into this kind of mix-up at the weigh station?

My helper pointed out my knee kicker technique was wearing me out

He said I was using my back too much on every tack strip, not my leg. Switched to a proper thrust with my thigh and my lower back doesn't ache after a 400 square foot job anymore. What's the one piece of advice that saved your body the most wear and tear?

Overheard a gardener in Seattle say something that flipped my whole view on houseplants

I was at the Ballard Farmers Market last weekend and heard a woman telling her friend she only waters her snake plant once every two months. I always watered mine every week and it was getting brown tips. I tried her way, and after three weeks, the plant looks way better. Has anyone else had a plant do better with way less water than you thought?

My mentor always told me to pre-finish drawer boxes before assembly, and after my first set of 12 drawers for a kitchen in Dayton, I get it now.

He said 'you'll thank me when you're not trying to brush poly into 90-degree corners,' and after doing exactly that on a rushed job last month, I'm never skipping that step again, so what other pre-assembly steps do you guys swear by?

I saw the weirdest cake in a bakery window in Portland yesterday

I was walking past this little shop called 'Sugar Rush' and stopped to look at their display. In the middle of all the normal cupcakes and loaves, there was a cake shaped like a giant, perfect avocado. I mean, it was green fondant with a pit and everything. I went inside and asked about it, and the baker said it was a special order for a 'millennial housewarming party'. She said she spent 4 hours just getting the color right. It looked so real, I almost tried to pick it up. Has anyone else had to make a cake that looks like something it's definitely not?

A binder in Seattle told me my French link stitch was too tight, and they were right.

Warning: The new library in Springfield has a carpet seam that will make you wince

I was there last week to pick up a book for my kid and I couldn't stop staring at the main reading room floor. They used a nice, dense commercial loop, but the install is a mess. The main seam runs right down the center of the highest traffic path, and it's already starting to fray and lift after what, six months? It looks like they didn't use nearly enough seam tape or weight when they glued it. Has anyone else seen a public job where they clearly sacrificed a good install for speed?

Found a weird fix for a flickering monitor that worked for me

Last Tuesday, a customer brought in a gaming monitor that would randomly go black for a second. I checked all the usual stuff, caps and connections, and nothing. On a hunch, I reflowed the solder on the power input jack with my Weller station, even though it looked fine. It's been solid for a week now. Ever had a problem where the fix made no sense but just worked?