Thank you , thank you , thank you . I can't say enough good things about your swap and your place. The availability of plants is amazing. We had a wonderful time and are REALLY glad we are on you list. Kareen Here is a link that might be useful: Our pond and gardens

The June issue of Horticulture Magazine had an article about cactus that suggested these. Escobaria vivipara(Coryphantha vivipara; beehive cactus) hardy to zone 4 Echinocereus reichenbachii subsp. baileyi (lace cactus)hardy to zone 5 Echinocereus triglochidiatus (claret cup hedgehog cactus) hardy to zone 5 Opuntia humifusa (prickly pear cactus)hardy to zone 4 Opuntia phaeacantha (purple-fruited prickly pear)hardy to zone 5 Cylindropuntia imbricata (cane cholla)hardy to zone 5 You may also want to check with the; Cactus and Succulent Society of America P.O. Box 2615, Parhump, NV 89041-2615 www.cssainc.org

On a budget, I'd certainly keep an eye on the Habitat for Humanity Restore down in Menands. Not likely to find a whole kitchen (though some times they have pretty substantial cab collections), but you might find the odd element there. For instance, I bought an Elkay Lustertone prep sink there for $5. It was used, but being a high quality material it cleaned up perfectly. There is an Amish/Mennonite cabinet maker just east of Hoosick Falls in Rensselaer Co. on Route 7 (Down the Northway from CP to New Rt 7> Go east, past intersection w/ 787 > then east up and out of Troy on Hoosick street> through Brunswick > past Tomahannock Reservoir > past intersection w/ Rt 22 > past stop light at the BBQ joint and then about 3/4 mile further east on your left. They have an oversized wooden bedframe in the front, filled with blooming annuals, a "flower bed", LOL) I like Feiden's in Latham for appliances. Of course, there's always IKEA in Stoughton, MA or the one in Paramus NJ, each about equidistant from here. Worth looking into, even though it's a long haul (4+ hours). I plan to use some of their cab boxes with custom door/drawer fronts ordered online from a third-party. Maybe we should see if there are a few GWers from the Cap District interested in a recon trip to IKEA this summer and make up a car pool. Perhaps even go in together on a rental truck to bring stuff back on a later date. I am always surprised to find so many people here who are GW/KF readers and local residents, because I never find one in real life. Most of my KF-gleaned ideas are complete novelties to my friends who are doing kitchens. L

Requiring both partners to be home for an expensive sales pitch is not unusual. It has happened to me at least three times. All companies have complaints. Are they dealt with and corrected? That's the question. Ask your friendly handyman for some references Alside windows are no where near as bad as made out to be on this board. The complaints are too emotional for professional consideration. I have had Alside Excalibur for over 5 years and I can assure you, there is no gale force wind blowing thru my house. You are right about the installer. I understand a good installation is 80% of how your windows will perform.