Kelly, you're right...there are no internodes on my aus.lisa either...hope it stays this way!....it's like a nice-sized rosette. Karen...so many hoyas have nice shiny leaves...and then there are those that look so dull...especially those with the remarkable venations...the leaves look so dull, but are brilliantly beautiful when wet...it'd be nice to have them always look that way. I wonder why some hoyas have such shiny leaves and others have dull-looking ones. Some of the hoyas, expecially the callistophyllas tend to have leaves that actually look dirty and dull....when washed they look magnificent...but, as soon as the leaves are dry, they look dull again. I'm just wondering if there's something natural that can be sprayed onto the leaves to make them look as gorgeous as they're capable of looking. I'd also try it on the finlaysonii complex...though their leaves aren't as "ugly" as those in the callistophylla complex. I wouldn't use anything that would harm the plants...just enhance their beauty. Sorry, the word "ugly" really isn't the case...they just lack the sheen seen on most hoyas. Do you know what I'm trying to say...I know I can be so dense in trying to explain myself! Best wishes, Patrick

The $9091 for the Bryant, is before any rebates or tax incentives, correct? There are many happy owners of Goodman systems but my opinion, based on what I've seen and read and experiences of neighbors, is they tend to be a lower grade product. Now, most brands are very similar in terms of parts, but to some respect it still holds true. Goodman is geared toward lower budget applications and can be bought fairly easily and at a lower cost. Feature wise the Goodman is lacking compared to the Bryant. If you are comfortable with the Goodman dealer, see about having him quote a more comparable system to the Bryant Evolution. I do not see any mention of a thermostat to control the Goodman system. The Evolution control is above anything else on the market, though the VisionPRO IAQ from Honeywell comes very close. A one-man operation did the HVAC of a new construction home 18 years ago? That's pretty impressive (of course I assume he must have had the help of a few others). Usually these jobs go to large sub-contractors.

Can't really improve upon tigerdunes minimun specs above, efficiency performance dehumidification (if sized correctly..)staging electric strips. R-8 should be for all ductwork supplies and returns. All connections should be mastic..not foil or duct tape but paint on mastic and/or mastic tape. load calc to show how much air is needed and how to distribute air.(duct sizing & design) I'd invest in the room by room load calc and see how they plan to size the ducts and lay them out. you don't mention where ahu & heaters will be located. one in crawl space the other in attic? both in conditioned space with ductwork in attic and crawl? one thing to know going in is that sheet metal duct is best under houses. animals love flex duct, while you can usually deal with mice in attics..coons, possums can wreak flex duct. also sheet metal duct ( I call it hard pipe) leaks air at all connections. in addition to screwing duct together all joints and seams should be mastic sealed...before duct is wrapped. duct wrap should be stapled, and taped with duct tape (fsk tape) 80 years ago we built houses for ventilation. tall ceilings, balloon framed walls. to add central air to these homes is to change the dynamic of the house. in my area we usually foam floors with closed cell as it is the most cost effective way to both air seal and insulate the floors. here is a link to LaHouse (LSU Baton Rouge, La) about insulating floors: http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/D33F711D-DC4B-4E4C-9ED6-A97DCE9DB026/79806/pub3187insulatingraisedfloorsHIGHRES.pdf you'll have to cut and paste for it to work.. if ductwork is in attic, another option is to foam the roofline and keep ductwork in a conditoned space. this will minimize problem areas like recessed lights that are not air tight, which allow attic air and insulation particles to enter the house. we use open cell installed in rafter bays and covering the face of the rafters. in my experience with older homes you have to fix the house in terms of air leakage and insulation for the central installs to provide comfort, dehumidification and savings. otherwise you just throw more tons of a/c at a leaky structure. insulating floors and attic would be to your benefit. air sealing the house is a good investment. there are lots of energy raters in Texas. you should talk to a few and get more information before spending so much for a/c. unlike a lot of audits an energy rating unbiased information that provides a blue print for efficiency, recommendations specific to your home and performance & install verification. best of luck.

I had a facelift at 50yo (6 years ago now) and would not suggest one at 80yo. For me, I didn't have wrinkles, but my eyes and jowls were starting to sag. My surgeon, now retired, is world renowned and one of the two original inventors of the microscopic brow lift. I look the same, only fresher and younger. One of my mother's healthcare companions yesterday asked me if I had any children. When I said they were in their late 20s and early 30s, and that I had 2 grandchildren she said she thought I would have toddlers. Most people can't believe I'm a grandmother. It's nice to hear, but I did it for myself. Now if only my hands looked better, but I'm not willing to do fillers (anywhere) especially when they are not longer lasting. My older sister had a facelift (same Dr) after me, and breast implants - he is also well known for breast cancer reconstruction surgery. She was 55yo when she had hers. If anyone is considering a facelift, or any kind of facial surgery, I would question whether or not they leave in tubes. My Dr did not. Mine was removed the morning after surgery. Recovery was easy. Sleeping in a recliner is best. I was no in pain, but I did swell and bruise a lot (fair skin). One of the benefits is not having a headache for over a year. I could not sleep on either side for awhile, and my left ear has a tiny bit of permanent numbness, but it's not painful and doesn't bother me.