Consumer reports examined dual-fuel ranges and found them not worth the extra money, overall. They recommended going all gas or all electric, depending upon preference and availability of utilities/prices. All gas is typically the most economical, if you have natural gas available where you live. On the contrasts between Bertazzoni and Bluestar, we have had some great discussions here. I am familiar with both because they both offered reasonably priced ranges in the 36" size we were looking for. I was sorely tempted by the Bertazzoni range. In my opinion, from the perspective of simple loveliness, the Bertazzoni range is the winner, hands down. It is an example of perfect proportionality, clean, modern, lines, and quality construction. They also have a good reputation among owners and have few drawbacks, a smaller-than-American-expectations oven being the chief detraction. The older Bertazzonis also had some kind of idiosyncrasy with the knobs that some did not like, but I think they changed that. In any case, you will likely really enjoy a Bertazzoni. Unless you are a Bluestar person. Bluestar people are folks who gravitate to restaurant ranges. The whole top of the Bluestar, minus the stainless front driprail and the peripheral trim, is made out of coarsely enameled cast iron. It is REALLY heavy. Pot-bangingly heavy. If something spills or boils over, it falls right down on the burners and from there down to a huge drip tray that you line with aluminum foil and clean out once and awhile. You can put the entire top of the range in the dishwasher if you want. I even run the burners through the dishwasher, ignitors and all, when I feel like it. I think the Bluestar is not as lovely as the Berta. It is more stodgy and muscular, and I don't think it has the elegance of finish one will find in a Wolf or Capital. But if you like cooking on big fire with open burners and a cavernous oven with the hottest broiler you have ever seen, then you should look at a Bluestar. So you can tell my Bluestar bias, I hope, and temper this recommendation with your own requirements and priorities, which may be markedly different from mine. But if I were looking for a range right now, I would be keeping an eye out for a deal on a 36" Bluestar RCS that I could upgrade one burner on to Ultranova BTUs. That is exactly what I did and I couldn't be happier with the result.

Thanks Bill, but I doubt you would like my work ethic. Do you allow nap times :) I swear I don't know how you do this all the time. It sure looks easier than it is. I spend hours on it and after having just gotten up a couple rows, I stand back and say "What in the heck took you so long!" And I am serious when I when I said my arms were sore. I kept thinking about Karate Kid... "Wax on, Wax off". Thanks for not picking on my for the crooked tiles. Can you see them? The mosaics to the right of the soap dish had slid down to the right and I did not notice until the next day. Grout hides a lot of sins huh? I asked my husband to get me a new blade for my tile saw the next time he was at Harbor Freight. He asked why. I said, this one is about done. No rush. I just will need one before the next project. He said "WHAT NEXT PROJECT!!!". Yeah, like there's not going to be a "next project". He's dreaming!

I have had "tonsil stones" for many years, but only discovered what they were a couple of years ago, thanks to the lovely people on this forum. I would often get a sore throat and then cough up one of those lovely "pearls" that stunk like YUCK! Then I discovered that I could avoid the sore throat if I got rid of them myself before they became too large. At first I used a tiny crochet hook to pull them out, but hooked my tonsil once and made it bleed. That scared me, so I stopped doing that. Then I found out that if I pushed next to those ugly white things in my tonsils (sort of like squeezing pimples) they would just pop out on their own. Finally, now that I am becoming an old lady, they have really slowed down. They smelled so horrible - I know that my breath must have been awful. By the way, I call them "pearls" because my understanding is that they are formed much the same way as pearls are. Some tiny speck gets in the pockets in the tonsils (a doctor told me that I have more and deeper pockets than average) and layers of yuck are formed around them.

" didnt understand "DH doesn't want to do PBJ because SS likes that too much--we want it to be a healthy alternative but nothing *too good.* " DH and I both feel that if the alternative meal is something SS just LOVES, he won't even give the prepared meal a chance. Also--in regards to the sauces--I always have them on the side. When I did the chicken w/peanut sauce, it was from a Family Fun magainze---the chicken was cut into tenders and then baked--and the peanut sauce was served on the side for dipping. SS didn't like that and we offered him ketchup or ranch and he just insisted he doesn't like chicken. Sigh. I get frustrated with it but I am sure I would be just as frustrated if it were my DD that were so hard to please. Picky is one thing--our issue with SS is that pretty much if it's not junk food, he doesn't want to eat it. This is absolutely not a reflection on him at all--I blame BM for letting him eat whatever he wants at her house and for not providing healthier meals. You should see his lunches that she packs--lunchables, or McD's or some other fast food--and then chips--and then he ALWAYS has two desserts, fruit snacks and then some sweet treat. Maybe she considers the fruit snacks a fruit??? haha. It's really sad. I feel like we try to counter-act with healthier but still yummy alternatives...but it doesn't go anywhere... We pack his lunch and it consists of a PBJ, or turkey or ham sandwich--and then chips (but we do the baked lays, or low-fat cheez-its), an apple or banana etc., and a cookie or some other small treat for dessert. And milk or a 100% juice box to drink. Then BM complains that he doesn't eat any of his lunch on the days we pack it. SIGH. It's hard....