Based on what I have seen here the blue cedar will have a stake due to a deformed rootstock being used, and the tops of the box are plenty big enough for their roots to be matted - the magnolia will not be the only one that needs work at planting. With deciduous magnolias it appears you want to be subjecting them to root damage only when they are in leaf. Otherwise they may just sit there and rot. When a potted plant has the correct proportion between top and roots the top looks undersized to many consumers. This and growers not keeping up with potting on anyway results in under-potted stock being the general situation in the retail setting. Loosening up the outside of a matted root system is not too hard to deal with; corkscrew roots, hard woody root turnips and other severe deformities in the center of the root mass, right below the crown - resulting from stock being left in bands, liners or 4" pots way too long at production facilities - is a different story, and just the thing to spoil a woody specimen after it has grown for many years and made a nice big top. Tall, fast growers like cypresses or pines may even break loose and go over, when part of the root system is caught up in going around and around - instead of all of the main roots immediately leaving the vicinity of the trunk and radiating outward to their full lengths and forming a good anchorage. This post was edited by bboy on Tue, Dec 31, 13 at 16:38

FF: While Chef King griddles give you more flexibility, they are heavy and awkward for somebody with a bad back. The built in griddle will be a better choice for you if you will use it frequently. Depending on what you use them for, griddles may or may not require extra hood cfm capacity. They won't be like a built-in grill, but if you use the griddle for searing lots of burgers, steaks, etc., they can put out a fair amount of smoke. For that 48" gas rangetop/cooktop, you definitely want a range hood. Also, do talk to your builder about whether you will need make-up air because 48" hoods can really move a lot of air. (Threads here often use the abbreviation "MUA" if you want to research the subject.) I would not put much stock in ratings by JD Power. They tell you virtually nothing about long term reliability and durability. Kind of like asking somebody if they are happy with product X because it looks good and didn't break on the way home. That said, the Consumer Reports annual membership survey got 82,000 responses on refrigerators purchased since 2007 and showed Samsung SxS with best in class reliability, tied with Whirlpools which have been the most reliable. That may not be saying much because the defect/problem rate is 14% (one in seven). This is significantly higher than for other types of fridges but is probably a reflection of the very high proportion of SxS fridges with through-the-door ice and water dispensers. As akchicago says, these things are statistically trouble-prone. OTOH, I have friends who view the ice and water dispensers as absolutely essential and think of cold storage as a nice extra. FWIW, everybody I know who has a Samsung SxS or FD (five families) has been very pleased with them. One other consideration with large SxS fridges -- all of them, not just Samsung --- is that their compartments are deep and narrow. Reaching back into the rear depths might (or might not) be a consideration with your back problems. If it is a problem, you might want to consider shallower "counter depth" models. A couple of suggestions about the Bosch SHX55 which I think is an excellent choice for a dishwasher. (I have a very similar SHE55 model). First, if at all possible, I suggest seeing one in person and making sure it won't be a problem for you and your dishes. The loading pattern is a little different than you may have been used to. I have no problem with it, but there have been some complaints here. Second --- and this applies to any dishwasher, not just those by Bosch -- if reaching down into dishwashers might be a problem for your back, consider a custom mounting where it sits higher off the floor. (Maybe have a coffee-making station above it, or have it built in a shelving stack where it can sit higher.) This post was edited by JWVideo on Thu, Mar 7, 13 at 12:05

Roobear, those mini trampolines are indeed great exercise and very enjoyable. Just a cautionary word though: Be alert at all times when you're using yours. I used to have one several years ago, and one evening I was on it, listening to music and just kinda "zoned out". The next thing I knew, I was on the floor and my ankle was twisted up underneath me at a very awkward angle ... I had come down on it wrong, my foot turned, I fell off (on the hard tile floor, no less) and given myself a very nasty sprained ankle that took a long time to heal. I'm a little too afraid to get back on one now, and I always have to turn mama bearish and warn others who use them to be careful! :-) I applaud each and every one of you who are endeavoring to be healthy and fit. On Thursday of this week it will be one month since DH and I joined a gym together (we've gone daily - haven't missed a workout) and while my weight hasn't dropped, I can see a difference in my body's shape. My arms aren't as flabby as they were before I started this, and my legs have tightened and toned a bit. I want to incorporate more weight training into my routine, but for now I'm enjoying the cardio and interval training.

I would have thought I had died and gone to Heaven if any of my "single military woman" apartments would have had a kitchen half as wonderful as that one, LLucy. In fact, it is light years ahead of the kitchen I have now. I've been thinking about this post a lot. When I was single, and traveling all over while I was on active duty, I lived in all sorts of small rentals. None of them were grand, elegant, or magazine worth, but each of them was my "home" for the time I lived there. My take is that renters are real people, too. They all eat; most cook some of the time, and I have never ran across anyone in my travels that ate all their meals out. I would often work 12-hour days, and 7-day weeks happened a lot. Still I'd come home, kick off the combat boots, and whip up something hot and tasty on the small stove. I baked bread; I made spaghetti; I roasted meats. I enjoyed bowls of popcorn or ice cream at home. I had company and dinner "parties." A real stove and oven, even a small two-burner stove, and a self-defrosting and temperature-regulated refrigerator are very important. It needs to be a dependable refrigerator - what if they need to store temperature sensitive medications, such as insulin? As your designing the kitchen area, please keep in mind that all people eat. It can be a minuscule kitchen (my last kitchen's total footprint was 4'x8') and still function for one or two people. I would never have considered any apartment that offered only a hot plate for cooking. I could have stayed in the barracks and used the communal kitchen. With 350 square feet could you find a way to put a stacked washer and dryer somewhere in, too!? A "real" kitchen and the stacked w/d, would elevate the place to "luxury apartment!"