Jeanne - No, its not a spinning vent but I like those and your stuff is always arranged so neat. This is sorta a smaller cupola type vent. I wondered about using a spinning vent like yours (top round part) upside down for a hanging planter last summer but never found one. And maybe that wouldn't work if I actually saw one up close. I went outside and took some pics. The one with the windmill is my parent's shed. They live a couple blocks from me. Someone we know (& her sis) had a "repurposed items" sale a couple yrs ago. Lots of cute stuff. She had the other half of a windmill blade up high on her barn and the other half for sale. My mom bought it. Its in much nicer shape than the one I just got. Soooo, my idea is not at all original. Little birdbath $5, chick family $5, cupola, duck & goose from C.L. purchase at $5 each a couple weeks ago, concrete kittens $5, smaller roof vent (the green/yellow paint has got to go!), windmill on shed at parents The misc. statue things a guy near Omaha had ad for lots of free stuff last weekend. Cleaning up damaged, misc. stuff from his concrete statue business. I also bought a couple of cute gargolye statues from him as I could tell he was hurting for business. Put them on each side of my front steps but now I think they are too small so gonna have to find them a different place and keep searching for something for those steps. Now if Jeanne could just head south and arrange all this stuff somewhere in my yard. ;) I'm not so great at that and she seems to have a real talent. Plus my job is going to keep me waaaaaay too busy for at least the next year starting pretty soon. :(

I purchased my Cub in 1999. GOt a 2135 for yard work and a snow thrower attachment for the drive in the winter. First two years were great. After that, nickle and dime issues, VERY POOR reliability, electrical wiring issues, stearing parts broke, in 2006 the engine died with 234 hours on it (we think a valve rod bent) It was the most unreliable piece of equipment I have ever owned (and it was $4,300 for the setup in 1999) Service from the dealer was 'ok' but they had big International Harvester (or whatever they're called now) equipment to work on, so my cub was of little importance, profit wise. I understand that these are made by MTD and not IH like they were in the 80's. MTD makes mediocre equipment at best and the Cub Cadet is a testimony to that decline in quality. It's like what happened to the US auto industry in the late 70's and early 80's. Focus is all about profit and nothing about quality and it's all overseas. I have since replaced it with a Simplicity (out of Washington state, I believe.) So far I'm VERY pleased with the quality and attention to details. Under 5 minutes to drop the mower deck AND remove the bagger. And 2 wheel traction is a nice plus when climbing uneven terrain. I'll never buy another MTD product again. Make sure you know what you're getting

Whew, I thought it was hot here today but it is only in the high 80's! You guys have got to be melting down south. I was out putting in a tiny lasagna bed next to my shed this afternoon. I totally overdid it with hauling wheelbarrows full of compost. I thought I was going to collapse afterward. Wasn't nearly this bad when I did the big bed in June! Goes to show how the humidity can make things so much worse. Yick! Joan, you aren't lazy! Heck, with that kind of heat even breathing is hard work! Frances, I wish we had some rain to send you but it has finally dried up here. Trina, I am so happy that you are finally getting some good rain. I hope it sticks around. I know it's not in time to save the vegies but at least the perennials may perk back up. Marie, you are certainly not a newbie, you've been around for ages darlin! I have a firm bathroom policy here. If I am in the Potty then do not ask me any questions, don't bother! If I hear "Mom?", I ask "Is the house on fire?, Is anyone bleeding?" The answer is always no. Then I say "Don't bother asking I am IN THE BATHROOM!!!!!" A girl's got to have some privacy! lol!

I also agree. I thought that my 20 year-old, 7 SEER, Trane Weathertron heat pump died last week but it turned out that the compressor overload was tripped from a power interruption. The unit has given me zero trouble in the 5+ years that I have been in the house. However, this summer I will be buying 2 window a/c units and storing them in the shed as back-up, just in case. You are correct that your payback will be 10 to 12 years, and who says that your new unit won't require servicing during those years. Like Blacknumber1 says, save your money until you have to buy a new unit.