Quite a few of the trees around here (with the exception of native CA oaks) have grass that grows right up to the trunk. The arborist that was here told us that the grass shouldn't grow up to the trunk and when I did some research online, I found conflicting information. It shouldn't surprise me that something else we were told is incorrect. *sigh* I think I may pull some of it away and just mulch directly around the tree, for aesthetics. This house was built in 1996. Somewhere along the way, one of the previous owners planted the tree through a free shade tree program we have in this area. Our summers can creep into the 100's, just for a few days, so the local electric company partnered with a tree foundation to give out various free trees. We'd like to plant 2 smaller trees for privacy (we have a fairly good sized yard) and when their arborist was out to recommend the placement and type of tree he told us that the oak had originally come from them. He unfortunately didn't have anything written down as far as what type it was. My husband is the grass mower / weed eater. It takes him maybe 10 minutes to do the entire yard because he's very, very careful around the tree. He's a major tree fanatic. If it were completely up to him we'd be living out in the country on 10 acres surrounded by trees, with no neighbors for miles. Our grass is fickle. It may look like drought but it was like a swamp out there a week ago. We actually had a few mushrooms pop up and when we walked into the grass, we sunk. We ended up cutting out one watering cycle so it gets watered 2 times a week now for 15 minutes each time. It's been in the 80's... Thanks again for all of your answers, guys! Guess I was just worrying for nothing. Hopefully we'll still see some color change but if not, maybe next year. :)

Hi again Carol, How gratifying to hear your report of how things are going for you and family. Speaking of family - I hope that yours became accustomed to your upgraded situation without too much distress. Interesting, isn't it, how people get used to seeing others (and themselves?) in sort of a rut, following a familiar path? Sometimes I wonder whether some of the partially/slightly negative attention that they pay to someone else's changing course may have some connection with their unhappiness with their present situation, possibly having some inner desire to do something similar, but being rather unwilling to give that desire house-room, whether from inertia (? - I thought that there was a more precise word, called son, but this is the best that we can think of at the moment), fear or whatever motive. I'm pleased that you're finding some success in the field that you've chosen to pursue, and hope that it proceeds apace. Son and I attended a networking project called "The Beehive" last year that's rather different and enables one to meet a number of folks who might be able to offer mutual support/business contact/development possibilities. I heard of it through an economic development council that I've been connected to in our area and took son to one of their initial local meetings. Actually, it was while I was taking son home from their first meeting that I attended that my car got smacked! They divide a number of people in a room into several groups of about 4 each. They pass out a business envelope to each participant, with a card inside. Each person becomes a "Queen Bee", writing some question relating to an idea that they'd like to develop their business around. For me, a financial planner, instead of writing, "Would you like to pay less income tax?" (which would focus on the hearer[s] only), they encourage me to write, "Do you know someone who would like to pay less income tax?" (asking the hearer to think whether they may know of someone in that situation, in addition to themselves). Another member of the small group becomes the "worker bee", and when the round begins, starts by asking the question in her/his own group. If someone knows of a person who might be interested, s/he gives her/his business card to the worker bee. The worker bee takes that Queen Bee's question around to each of the other groups in turn, asking the question. If someone there knows of someone that might be interested, they hand their business card to the worker bee and the worker bee departs, to visit another "hive". They get some hype and speed worked into the situation, each flying worker wondering whether they've been to this or that hive yet, and when a worker bee has finished in a hive and departed, the members of that hive put up their hands and shout, "Over here! Over here!" to attract another worker bee. When each worker bee has visited every hive, they all gather around the coordinator and each reads her/his question in turn, with the other worker bees handing over their own cards if they are interested in that question. Then each worker returns to his/her own hive and hands the question card with the group of cards that s/he gathered to the "Queen Bee" who wrote the question. They usually run four rounds, if there were four members in each "hive" - so everyone gets to be "Queen" once, and "worker" once. They usually run four rounds - which means that each person puts four questions of interest to each participant in the meeting that night. Each participant usually goes home with a fistful of pre-qualified cards in her/his sweaty little hand. The recipient of the cards then contacts the owner of each card received to ask for the contact. This avoids the pressure of the person contacted being put on the spot. I think that several friendships are developed that way, in additon to there being an ongoing live contact. If one of the other members who gave me his card and meets someone a while later who might be interested, s/he might give my name to that person, or tell me about the person's possible interest. Check them out at www.neworldcoaching.com. I've offered a "Christmas gift" to folks here on the "Finance" and "KT" forums, plus here for several years now, a gift that should save them hundreds, maybe thousands, in their lifetime, in addition to keeping former friendships warm. Write the names of everyone you've known since childhood, with contact info, then, over time, add items that relate to them - training, profession, interests, hobbies, vacation destinations, etc. When you want to know something - ask the folks on your database. As time goes along, if you develop some items of interest to several of them, you might begin a sort of newsletter to send to all or a portion. As people become familiar with what you're doing, they may contact you when they have a question, etc. If you can be helpful in such a situation, that guy owes you one, right? Isn't that rather shameful - offering the same (no direct cost) "Christmas gift" to the same people, over and over?! I guess if one's as frugal as I, there are some things about which it gets rather hard to shame them! Well - I didn't do it last Christmas, at least. I hope that some recent comers weren't left without another potential arrow in their quiver, because of it. Good wishes as you step forward into your future, Carol! ole joyful

lovetodream -- I don't have photos of my own kitchen, but a Google Image search for "Adel white kitchen" pulls up a lot of other ones, if you still want to see any. It sounds as though you have reached a good solution. More thoughts from my own experience: The front edges of the cover panels are at the same plane (more or less) as the fronts of the drawers and doors, so there is some potential for edge dings. Also don't forget all the extra pieces you'll need, though you can probably get them on the fly from the lumber place as you go along. If you're using a range hood that's mounted under a cabinet, the upper cabinets on each side will need cover panels. That means that the sides of the cabinets flanking the range will also need cover panels to make all the widths line up down the run. (If you're using a standalone hood over a cooktop, obviously you don't need to worry about any of that.) Let's see, what else did I run into... don't forget light rail and top trim. If you are doing anything besides the Ikea standard, you will actually have an easier time getting custom trim to match if you are painting everything including doors yourself. To get our uppers to reach the ceiling, we used some kind of flat trim from Ikea (don't remember, probably light rail turned upside down) and then crown molding from the lumber supply mounted on top of that. Getting paint for the crown to match the Ikea trim took a couple of tries. My feeling after doing an Ikea kitchen is that using everything from Ikea is much easier if you're going to do things the Ikea standard way -- all the holes are predrilled, all the finishes match, etc. But if you are going to customize trim etc, it's easier to cut down wood than thermofoil-covered MDF, so you will be saving yourself at least a little bit of annoyance there. The fellows who installed my kitchen were willing to cut down Ikea trim pieces the way I wanted, but it did complicate things for them. (For ex. I thought the Ikea light rail was too wide so they ripped all those long thermofoil-covered pieces down, which also meant they could no longer use the Ikea installation hardware so they had to drill new holes and use other hardware -- etc. They did not complain about any of this and yes they were wonderful.) Re. the DIY paint matching the professional paint -- I think Scherr's uses Sherwin-Williams colors, so you should have no trouble getting a color match. However, the sheen might be different, so you might want to have a chat with the people at SW to see what they suggest you use. Maybe even paint a test board (comparing to a sample door if you can) to make sure it'll be close enough to suit you. The crown I painted is a little bit glossier than my doors but not enough to bother me (it is crown molding after all).

Thanks everyone for your feedback and comments about our new home! The votes are almost 50/50 - but leaning a little stronger on #2. To answer a question, I am looking to purchase 1 sofa, 2 club chairs, coffee table, 2 end tables and a chaise lounge - plus a dining set with either a round or oval table. More about the pieces, I definitely think #2 is a better quality, it's a Lloyd Flanders brand with a good warranty. They also do make real wicker, but it is not as maintenance free and I was told that it will eventually stain, and here in FL mold can be an issue. plus the real stuff would add a bit of $$$$$$$! Number 1 is a very, very nice set as well and the company that makes it (North Cape International) has a one year warranty. This is the companies nicest set (imo) and all there other stuff looks and feels fake, but sure is a step up from Wal-mart! Fabrics that I would go with are the companies standard, and for set number one I would pick these two fabrics: On #2 - I have narrowed it down to 2, and need to see them again. (colors are not so vivid as the photo) I also have sat in both, both are equally as comfortable, but set # 1 has a rocker/glider that is very nice. My concerns with set #1 is that it is too light in color, and I do not like the dining set at all that goes with it. However, this was actually the set I thought I was set on, until I saw set #2. Than I got confused! My concerns with set # 2 was that it might be too dark.. and maybe on the modern side style-wise..? I definitely like the dining table and chairs much more. However, one reply (or was it 2) said I should not match the sets... all the homes I have seen here do seem to match them. Please keep your comments and thoughts coming as it does help! Oh, and regarding my wonderful DH, he just doesn't care! His opinions are "just get what you like". I ask him what HE likes and he says' I am fine with either one". He will only voice his opinions if he absolutely hates it!!