Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience ...

QDEAR TIM: I have a concrete fireplace hearth. Is it possible to cover it with slate? If so, is that difficult? Instead of slate, should I just install a hearth pad? -- Marianne C., Millis, Mass.

Q: I live in a Craftsman cottage in Davis. Like many Craftsman homes, it has a fireplace in the living room with a handsome mantel, a tile surround around the firebox and a tiled hearth. All appear to ...