John-g: 2006 Ranger Reg cab,3Ltr,auto,LB. Picking it up tomorrow, (errrrr, maybe the burned out shell?!!) What I don't like about the Ranger is the pick list. You can't mix and match things such as trim. You are kept within that package's option list even though most of the parts are small and interchangeable within packages, and are 15 minute bolt off/ons in the service bay. Another is the "Pick and Choose" courtesy option list that has various trim components listed around 2-400 bucks, what a joke. With this you can pick anything you want up to 1000$. They had a chromed spider rim which I thought would look nice rather than the stock rim, and I picked 3 other options as well, totalled 930$. I felt pretty good about it. After looking closely, it said 400$ bucks "each" for th e rims. So that means for 1000$, and if you don't pick anything else, you get to buy 2 Rims?!!! Am I buying a 2006 Ford Rickshaw? Like my granddaughter says .....Duhhhh! When I looked at the dealer, he gave me that, "Hey, don't blame me, I didn't make up the promotion" look on his face. Another thing is, you will note that none of the basic packages really shines. What I mean by that is everything is painted, or two tone with flat black, unless you go to the top XLT models, then you get a chrome grille. There is no hint of chrome that makes you proud. What shines if anything is a steel silver painted wheel. How long I plan to use it? Well I'm 60 now, and I keep trucks until they're in the same condition as John Candy's rental car in the movie "Boats,Planes and Automobiles". So my trucks go for a good 10 years. I just brought my 86 Comanche to the scrap yard today, and everything worked on it. Fix my own cars, except inner engine components. I bought it in 97. I'm on a tight pension budget, so I guess it'll be the last one, and it will outlive me. Andy

The best vinyl shops are in the Lower Haight, a pretty funky but fun area. Jack's Record Cellar and Rooky Ricardo's have been around since I moved here 27 years ago. From there, you can walk west about about eight blocks to Upper Haight where all the hippie shops are. On your way from Lower to Upper Haight, turn right on Pierce Street to stop at Mickey's Monkey, a funky used stuff store. Then walk two more blocks down Haight and turn right on Divisadero. 1 1/2 blocks down on the left is a store called The Other Shop. It has mostly mid century mod stuff with some fun vintage clothes in the back. Golddust mentioned the Goodwill at Mission and S. Van Ness. There is another one in the Upper Haight. The Mission District has several used bookstores and another great thrift store called Community Thrift on Valencia Street. Actually, the Mission District may be fun for both daughters. Used bookstores, used and new hip clothing stores, galleries with works by young artists very influenced by Japanese pop culture, Clarion Alley murals (see link below), and a comfortable lesbian presence on Valencia Street. As marti8a found out, the Mission Street bus can be real (ahem) urban experience. I would recommend taking a cab or BART. You can easily rent a car from downtown for a day to go to Muir Woods. Also, the Dickens Fair mentioned by Fun2BHere is really fun, especially if your daughters have read any Dickens in school. Have a great trip! Lisa Here is a link that might be useful: Clarion Alley

....info I got back from OPWC when asked which systems I was looking at.  Hi.....! Thanks for contacting the Ohio Pure Water Company...! I prefer the Fleck 2510 SXT valve over the 7000SXT, as we have had better results with the 2510 model, and I believe it is the better, of the two controls. The 2510 model is also easier to work on, than the 7000 model. Plz Note that all our Residential Softener units come are complete units including, Top Baskets, Fleck Stainless Steel Bypasses, larger 15x17x36" or 18x33" Brine Tanks on the 64000 gr size softener....... and the 18x40" Brine tank on the 80,000 gr softener. All Brine Tanks include Salt Grids in the bottom of the tank and the Fleck 2310 Safety Float Assembly, too. 1.) Our 64,000 grain water softener with the Fleck 2510SXT Electronic Metered valve, for whole house filtration of hardness from your water, and can be located at this link on our web site..... http://ohiopurewater.com/shop/customer/home.php?cat=181 I would recommend this softener be set to regenerate about every 2000 gallons, which would be an average regeneration of about every 7 - 8 days, with 4 people in the home. 1ea Fleck 2510SXT Meter On Demand Control Valve Water Softener 64000 Grain Capacity 12x48 resin tank 2.0 cubic feet of resin 13 gpm service flow rate 3.0 gpm backwash flow rate Floor Space Required is 28x15x56 Selected options: Fleck Valve Connection: 3/4 Inch Stainless Bypass Valve Tank Color Option: Blue Brine Tank Size: 15x17x36 Rect Brine Tank Softening Resin (2.0 cuft): High Capacity Resin Our Price............................................. $742.00 Or..... the larger 80,000 gr size unit.... 2.) Our 80,000 grain water softener with the Fleck 2510SXT Electronic Metered valve, for whole house filtration of hardness from your water, and can be located at this link on our web site..... http://ohiopurewater.com/shop/customer/home.php?cat=181 I would recommend this softener be set to regenerate about every 2600 gallons, which would be an average regeneration of about every 9 - 10 days, with 4 people in the home. 1ea Fleck 2510SXT Electronic 3/4 Inch Meter On Demand Control Valve Water Softener 80000 Grain Capacity 13x54 resin tank 2.5 cubic feet of resin Gravel Support Media 18 gpm service flow rate 3.5 gpm backwash flow rate Selected options: Fleck Valve Connection: 3/4 Inch Stainless Bypass Valve Tank Color Option: Blue Brine Tank Size: 18x40 Round Brine Tank Softening Resin (2.5 cuft): High Capacity Resin Our Price............................................ $885.00 We have all items in stock and our internet price includes Ohio Sales Taxes & Shipping to your address in the lower 48 US States....!

NHB: it is fine dining and the most special part is the farm to table aspect. Almost all of his suppliers are a few minutes away. Meats, poultry and vegetables, cheese etc all come from right in the area. He is thrilled , to say the least. You can check their blog on the website and see his latest menus and the wine dinner menu. He actually went to the farm that supplies the ducks and geese and he and the owner did the slaughtering right before Thanksgiving. He was able to get tons of fat from the ducks and is in " confit heaven" LOL. Bonnie, caminnc and sandy.....oh my what gorgeous pics. So serene. Beautiful . tina: we travelled up there to see them several times in the year they were there but not in the dead of winter. We loved the area. I am really looking forward to seeing the beautiful scenery of his new location. c