Tim Carter, Tribune Content Agency
Q: The grout line between my kitchen granite countertop and the tile backsplash has cracked for the umpteenth time. Each winter the crack appears, and each year I re-grout it hoping it will be the final time. Am I using the wrong grout? How would you repair this, and why does the crack disappear on its own in the summer? I have the same issue with other cracks around my home that mysteriously open and close depending on the time of year. --Gary K., Columbus, Oio
A: I swore off almost all gambling years ago when my wife caught me trying to make double-or-nothing basketball shots with my young son. She made me pay the $100 I was up to when she opened the garage door and discovered me frantically trying to make a basket. Of course, he ratted me out because he thought he was rich. Iâm pretty certain he still has that money, and the shameful incident is brought up with regularity at family gatherings!