Josh, Update on the "Little Ice Ages" of the "middle ages". Those occurred during the Moulder (sp?) minimum, where for a couple centuries the number of sunspots dropped drastically. During this time Europe had extreme winter temperatures that are refereed to "The Little Ice Age", and many people assume this was true for the whole earth. Nope, was not the case. Turns out it was a regional event. While the total radiance of the sun did drop, it was by a very tiny amount. There is little or no evidence of significant cooling over the rest of the globe. The puzzle was why? There has been no know explanation.... until recently. Turns out the sunspots are likely key. Reason being, ultraviolet light. Evidence indicates that ultraviolet light emissions from the sun dropped by up to half due to lack of sunspots. This ultraviolet light heats the upper atmosphere where the ozone is. Less UV=cooler upper atmosphere=changed conditions for the planet and climate. Turns out when you feed these resultant conditions into our current climate models, the jet stream shifts significantly OVER EUROPE and the north Atlantic, but not so much elsewhere. Result is much colder temps over Europe but not elsewhere. This is not proof that is what happened in the "Little Ice Ages", but it is a mechanism, and is an area of continued research. Assuming this turns out to be essentially correct as appears to be likely, then far from refuting that small changes in temperature will have little effect, it actually confirms it. Lastly, for those of you that don't understand the way that science is set up, it's not the same as the corporate world we are all familiar with. Everyone is trying to make a name for themselves. It's not profit (though money can come if your successful enough), but recognition. The way you do that is prove you are you are right. But to way to REALLY make a reputation is to PROVE everyone else WRONG and that your RIGHT. Why do you suppose you know the name Albert Einstein? Answer, he PROVED EVERYONE else wrong, and I do mean EVERYONE, and himself RIGHT. The upheaval that Einstein created happen once a century or two at most. Issac Newton, Darwin, Galileo, among a few others are comparable. Science is self correcting, that is why the story can change over time, but usually actually just becomes more complex as the understanding becomes more complete. So for a climate scientist the ideal would not be to confirm the current thinking, but to actually sink it. Problem is, that is looking less and less even a remote possibility. Arktrees

If LA = Los Angeles and NOT Louisana, The Capital factory is in Santa Fe Springs, Calif, (Not that far from LA, off the 5 freeway). I do like the idea of the Capital oven being made in California, but I've had the Electrolux Icon 7 years now, and completely trouble free. It has 3 ball bearing full extension rolling racks, huge window and large display and controls so it is still very handy to use even thou it is mounted below counter, but elevated about 6 inches. I agree with your decision about the Miele dishwasher. I've had the older model "Optima" for 7 years now and completely trouble free and luv that top cutlery rack. Not sold on the SZ, old style (on'off) compressors, expensive, and it keeps food no longer than any other fridge---You will find many posts about "My new xx fridge keeps food so fresh", regardless of brand. This is due to better insulation as well as better seals to meet energy requirements, and those fridges that have the Variable Speed Compressors, (Jenn-air, Liebherr, Miele and probably most Kitchenaids) keep the temp at a more constant temperature, particularly the single compressor ones, as they do not have to over & undershoot the target temperature like an on/off style compressor does. In fact the new JA is specified as +/- .5 degree F, (try to find such a specification on the SZ). Thinks I like about my Jenn-air fridge is I can set the meat compartment for the optimum temp there, set the veggie/fruit compartment at a different temp and the chrisper has it's own temp setting.All different temps from the main fridge temp and all digital readouts and controls. Also since we are in our 70's we prefer the SXS fridges as we use the freezer a lot and I dont want to get on hands and knees or do a lotta bending to get into the freezer. (Not sure the new JA's offer this). We should however not get carried away with the "Keeping abilities of some of the new fridges. The USDA has posted "guidelines" for keeping fruit and veggies. briefly summarizing the USDA report, it says you will lose a lotta vitamins and minerals in the produce if you keep it too long, (even thou said produce still looks great)! I've had the Maytag Washer and dryer set for probably 5 years now, We went from a 35 year old Maytag top loader and I think a hotpoint top load dryer to front loaders. Much to my surprise, I we really like the front loaders, although they are on stands. I'm 70 and alto I can bend, I like not having to. all our towels etc come out much softer than with the old machines, and we haven't changed detergents etc.

All good points mentioned above. I'd keep the range on the same wall as the sink, for ease of moving prepped items, and also for easier venting on the exterior wall. Do you have a supplier for shallower than standard uppers? I'd put shallow uppers on the fridge wall, for convenient snacks near the fridge and MW. We have vintage 10" uppers on one wall, and they hold a lot of stuff--small baking items in one section, vitamins and other pharmaceuticals in another. They aren't deep enough for plates, but they accommodate gallon jars, in which I keep grains and flour, to keep bugs out. In the following version of your layout I added shelves on the sink wall, along with the expanded window, and left off the angled cabinet. I added a trash pull-out to the right of the sink, and took a few inches off the drawers under the prep space to make the base on the right of the range wider:Is the piece behind the table an existing item you want to keep?

I have to take 10 "pills" a day, of 6 kinds. I kept the two prescription ones which I've been using, in a white "days of a week" carrier, old and one lid's hinge broke. Son gave me a larger one, clear plastic, which sits on the kitchen table, so think in the interest of keeping them at most effective level, I should return to the white one and try to make a hinge. The glucosamine sulphate, which helps reduce complaining joints' problems, the calcium, vitamin D3 and iron which were recommended following the radiation (prostate cancer, and it ain't "prostrated" me - yet), reside in their original containers at the bedside, kitchen table and in the briefcase. I first used one planning system, with a column for each kind of pill, subdivided into three for the glucosamine sulphate, of which I take three a day, and into two of which I take two, with each day's record on succeeding lines. I soon decided that I needed another planner, with a colimn for each day and hour by hour on the lines below. I rule a column for each day as I go, writing the initial of the pill in the line of the hour that I take it, and preplan for each day in the blank space on the right, writing lightly in pencil to allow for easy erasure, day by day. Often other interests made it hard to remember to take each pill on its assigned hour ... so I got behind (over a week for the 3-pill-a-day one). After I got the cell phone, setting it for the hour for each pill helped me keep the plan - and by taking 12 pills a day for a while enabled me to catch up. It helped me build the habit of keeping the phone with me all of the time, as well, in the interest for seniors' safety of being able to call for help. Sometimes when I have a lousy day and get behind again it's easy to catch up once more. ole joyfuelled