Here in Madison, Wisconsin, our raspberries are beginning to leaf out. This is despite a cool and overcast spring. My experience has been that raspberries are pretty hardy with regard to frost, they will withstand a light frost with little or no damage. Two days of freezing weather would be something else-I would not expect the raspberry leaves to survive. You might be able to cover your raspberry transplants with a 5 gallon plastic bucket, in the event of a hard frost. That would likely give good protection, even if you had to prune back the canes a bit to make the bucket fit.

Seems like you mostly have your mind made up on the type of vehicle. At work we make axles for the Jeep. I've not worked on that line in a couple years and then only to do an egronomics study. Gal at work bought a new Liberty and loves it... her first 4 wheel drive. We also make lots of Ford parts. I don't think any go in the vehicles you mention. I try to focus on the type of vehicle I want rather then any particular one. Last time I went shopping I wanted another Bravada but came home with a Blazer. The Chevy was about 5K cheaper then the Olds I looked at and well optioned. No heated leather seats but I'm happy with the cloth. That was in '03 and the little white truck is still trucking. About 3K in repairs/maintenance but that is still cheaper then car payments... I paid off the loan in 3 months so I only have to keep up with repairs. When I was younger I often looked for vehicles that needed repairs. If it needed tires, brakes, battery, muffler it was a good excuse to demand a rock bottom price. My Firebird needed all that stuff and the dealer knocked a couple grand off the asking price... which nicely covered the needed items. When buying used I make low ball offers and stand firm. I tell the seller I have "X" amount of cash and ask if they will take that. Then I pretend I really don't have another dime I can scratch up. I put the blame on the bank and say that is all they will give me... that way they don't waste time trying to work me over for more money. They can say no and I can find another vehicle to make an offer on. Most of the time I get the vehicle! Watch out for little snakes that want to run a credit check first. They are really just fishing to see how much they can soak you for. Tell them you have your own bank. First sign of pressure or implication you don't have enough money just walk. I've had them chase me to my vehicle offering to try to make the deal work... umm no... deal square from the get go or I'm gone. Sales people hate me... and I like it that way. If they leave you in the waiting room for an extended period of time just leave. Car salepeople tend to be fat heads that think it a sport to jerk you around. Always remember you have the money they don't. Any car dealer having a sales event should be avoided... they have special teams of high pressure jerks at those. : ) lyra

We got hit here too, 8 inches of very heavy wet stuff. I spent 2 hours shoveling the driveway, the deck, the backyard. Cooper is afraid of the snow and he pooped in the house twice. He's a Michigan dog, fer crying out loud. I finally just tossed him out. He got even by chewing up the cat's catnip mouse and throwing up. We're supposed to get another foot, at least, and we have blizzard warnings. 50 MPH wind gusts, blowing and drifting, white out conditions. Yup, it's winter and it's Michigan. The snowplow plowed me in this morning, Ashley never made it to work/school. There was a 3 foot wall of wet snow at the bottom of the driveway but I just put the Jeep in 4 wheel drive and went to work, not a hesitation. Have I mentioned that I LOVE that Jeep? LOL. We'll see what tomorrow brings, and I have to get out to the farm and check tanks and hay feeders too. It's about 10F here now, but the windchill is way lower than that. Annie

That is what I am reading about, Lisa G. Our 12x12 glue down vinyl tiles in Colorado withstand a lot of temp changes but it's not like in TX, where it can be 80 one day and snow 2 days later and be in the low 30's. CO also does not have the humidity TX does. The foundation is crawlspace and subfloor is unknown. Assume plywood but I have not lifted the existing vinyl. The downstairs bedroom, upstairs and staircase have the original wood flooring. I could hope that is what is under the vinyl but I am thinking it is particle board sub floor, just by what seems to be under a piece that is coming up by the stair case. Sheet vinyl may be the way we have to go if our uncontrolled climate conditions will make plank not ideal. Thanks