For "heavy" or "hard" gardening and yard work, I wear last year's New Balance running shoes. My oldest pair is always designated as my "work shoes." For regular garden maintenance where I'm not like to injure my feet I have an off-brand, "Holey Soles," made in Canada, that I picked up at the Garden Center. They are lime green, look identical to the "Clogs", and cost $25. They do have a molded arch support; they're comfortable, but I wear old socks with them. I have "gardening socks" that are clean but stained. They can get wet and muddy. I wear the socks because I have diabetes and I don't want to risk rubbing a blister. They're comfortable without the socks, but I'm extra cautious; I plan on walking into heaven with my original feet! Yes; they're a fashion statement; but not one I want to make in public. I wear them while gardening and in my yard to check on the birds (Purple Martins and Tree Swallows.) I occasionally wear them in the evening while watching TV Pajamas, night shirts, night gowns and long johns/sweaters are perfectly acceptable and understandable early to mid-morning garden attire. I highly recommend them. If people don't have a sense of wonderment and humor, they should not live next to me!

I'd run a the Diagnostic Software (SeaTools) Seagate-exclusive hard drive diagnostic software designed to troubleshoot most hard drive issues. To me it sounds like a bad sector on the HD. You know what that clicking is. I'd be saying why me!, but the same problem on multiple new HD's, I'd be scratching my head. BTW - beautiful system you built there. Here is a link that might be useful: SeaTools

You can pick out that filler depending on what they used - I tried it just to make sure in case we wanted to use something else/tile in the future as I used a lot of screws. I didn't want the kitchen higher than the living room. It would be a nightmare to do, but you can do it. The luan is what is causing the problem - that needs to be pulled up and replaced with plywood not luan. Standard practice is luan and no one we talked to was willing to use nicer plywood even at our insistance. Luan is the smooth surface - the didn't need to use something different. We made the choice to use better plywood as we choose DIY/better materials with the money we saved on labor (so, we probably aren't saving any money and its a lot of work, but we are getting some better stuff). Even if you put the vinyl under the cabinets, vinyl is easy to cut, but it also depends if they used the glue down method vs. tape. We taped ours down just in case I wanted to change my mind in the future or we ruined it redoing the hardwood floors or something else given we are redoing the rest of the house. We glued our one seam under the fridge and we probably didn't need vinyl under there but we have the ice maker and I know what's under there (I also put it under the oven but not dishwasher except where I could reach). The real questions are how did the put it down and they probably are trying to do what is easiest for them. I would want the 1/4 inch luan removed and replaced with 1/4 plywood, screw down (not nail) with deck screws so they will not rust and are solid and they need to be counter-sinked, it filled (let it set for a few days), sanded smooth, then use the tape method for the vinyl, cover with molding. (I did everything but lifting the plywood and the molding myself (husband did that), so it is an easy thing to do, so don't let them tell you how hard it is and I am not a big woman). Putting down vinyl is one of the easiest things we've done (and windows surprisingly). Debi, were you the one who they put the wrong color in? If you were, I'm not so sure given this is the second mistake, I'd want them fixing it.

No landscape supply yards or bulk soil providers around anywhere? The stuff's gotta come from someplace so do a little research. And skip the Scott's - it's a great leap of imagination to consider it either 'topsoil' OR 'organic matter'. If you can't find anything else, look for any composted manures your local home improvement store might offer - they tend to be quite inexpensive. What happens to your yard waste in your area - leaves, trimmings, grass clippings? If you can, get your hands on some of this and start your own compost.