Okay, off topic, Sally, please, please do a new post, for your reveal. I do enjoy all the white kitchens but for many reasons did not do one myself; we non-Somethin's Gotta Give remodelers need more inspiration photos! Was that Costa by the way? It's gorgeous! On topic: When one measurement changed, I did not think through how that impacted the rest of the plan. Despite research on the web and the store, when I received my microwave trim kit, the cabinet needed to get deeper than planned. I figured out pretty last minute that we now had a tiny unacceptable walkway and we moved the fridge over. We were so busy congratulating ourselves on our narrow escape, but the ride wasn't over. I didn't think about the 3 upper spacious cupboards that would now be microscopic when installed. The cabinet maker cut me a pretty good deal to redo that set with fewer but bigger doors. He definitely went above and beyond, and given what everyone else has posted about contractors, I am so very grateful that it got corrected as it did. Another one I did not think about soon enough was making a Ceiling and Texturing Plan. This is not the same as a Lighting plan, although lighting obviously figures into the equation. We did parts (not all) of this project DIY. We hadn't realized some areas that we needed to mud better because they would not be covered by tile or cabinet (ie above the window) and he had to add some hot mud last minute. Given the contractor we got (a personal rec), that was only a small upcharge. Also, be aware that once your texturing is underway, the room is sealed off. You can't supervise unless you are sealed in too. I would send in a big map or go over it with blue tape that you remind him to pull off before he starts that area. Like another poster, I also did not figure out that I wanted my ceiling light hung from a different position. I will not retexture, my husband is adamant that I find a table fixture that can be hung to correct position by a chain and a hook. It is what it is. The height and exact placement of the hood was not ideal. I was adamant that it be within the manufacturer's specs so that it worked properly. However, there were several inches of leeway within those guidelines. Have everyone pretend to be cooking and see what they think. It should have been higher to avoid my husband bumping his head. He is learning. But that was definitely a mistake.

First picture is a Four-lined Plant Bug, a pest, see the recent forum topic at http://nature.gardenweb.com/discussions/3148260/help-id-this-bug?n=2 for complete ID and control methods. --------------------------- Second image appears to be a katydid nymph: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2010/10/17/scudders-bush-katydid-nymph-2/ http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/PESTS/katydids.html --------------------------- The plant bug can do considerable damage to herbs; the katydid is less of a problem and can reward you with their sounds when mature.

The garden center where I bought the fuschias TOLD me to buy a 10" pot for them, so that's what I did, having never had fuschias before. A view of the top shelf of the wire shelving units, with my small hostas and heuchies. The larger one in the front is Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. The nice one on the right is Virginia Reel. Pure Heart is on the left, next to the red heuchie. Cracker Crumbs is in the double pot (inside the brown pot is an overturned plastic pot, to raise CC up to where it can be seen from the sidewalk). The variegated hosta on the left near the back of the row is Ivory Queen. The little hosta in the back which is elevated is Country Mouse. This is Zizu, looking for action at the geraniums, verbena, and bacopa. A strawberry pot of petunias, verbena, and calibrachoa. The two-toned beauty overlooking this pot is hosta Gypsy Rose. On the bottom shelf, in the green pot, is a little Rainbow's End, doing very well. This is the front window box, dripping with Cherry Star calibrachoa, yellow marigolds, Bandana Pink lantana. You can't see the several trailing vines of variegated vinca hanging down in front. This picture is the side of the balcony, featuring purple heliotrope, portulaca, Bandana Rose lantana and variegated vinca (which has red stems, so pretty). You can see a bit of Raspberry Sundae on the bottom right. It is doing much better in its fabric pot than it ever did in the ground--look at the size of those leaves! Sorry about the poor quality of the pic--it was taken through window screening of a room perpendicular to the balcony. So Ken--how is my balcony garden doing?

Thanks very much for the continuing conversation, Silica. The water comes from the city, and it tastes Terrible. A look at the latest "Water Quality Test Results" report from the company measures only 19 particulates. When I lived in So Cal, there were 72 measured items on the annual report, and That water tested good. My opinion is that This company measures (or publicizes) only the items that indicate a "No Violation" reading. On that report, the only part that (I think) could be related to SALT is the measure of Sodium, with a reading of 590 ppm in an allegedly acceptable range of 230-590.