Wouldn't that be a great workout video for winter time (down time for gardeners)? Somehow simulating all the moves we do a hundred times a day throughout the growing season. Fall comes and BAM! down I sit, and that's it til spring (usually 10 or so pounds heavier). I always find that this time of year is the worst - but by the end of the summer, I feel much better, almost no pains at all. I am 50. This year - my 6th winter sowing was almost a non-starter. I just didn't feel motivated - kind of depressed actually - aches and pains. But, somehow I forced myself to do around 30 containers (previous years it was in the 100's) - maybe I'll do a few more while the nights are still frosty up here. But let me tell you, when I saw my first sprout 2 weeks ago, I got that same old thrill - it's still there :)

We have that too in spots - I can feel very tiny bumps (to the touch seems more like tiny pebbles I would say) in places with my hand - don't really ever notice anything with my feet. I think it is just the texture of what is underneath (we have concrete under the liner and have this too). I'm pretty picky but I figured there was no way to get the underneath perfectly smooth. Our pool is new, so far no problems...

Glad you are feeling better. Starting yesterday I noticed my throat felt sore and today I started to have that little tickle and a cough. Hope it isn't something that is going to last weeks. I feel pretty lucky though cause I haven't had a bad cold or virus for a couple years now.

Rebunky - will do. Contractor is sending someone out tomorrow to take measurements. He did tell me that he sent my sketch (the one above) to the builder, and that the builder confirmed that it could mean significant savings. Of course, I have no idea what "significant" will mean. No, I understand what you're saying about the transom, and that could work. I'm not sure that I'd do it only because, well, I think if I try to make the window & door match too much, it might end up looking stranger - like, trying to make two things that are clearly not the same look the same, but I'm not sure. The other though I had was just leaving the existing window, and cutting out the bottom to put a second, stationary window right below the existing double hung. The stationary window will be bigger than the transom above the door, but maybe it could actually be a point of interest, if not symmetry. I wasn't clear, earlier - it's not that the slider would cost what I paid for the house, the entire project would. If I went for the big slider, transom, and all bells & whistles (under cabinet lighting, etc) the project would cost close to what I paid for the house. House is worth a lot more, now, but still... My compromise sketch is really growing on me. I find sliding doors to kind of be a pain in the butt, for one. Maybe still talking myself into it, but, if so, that's pretty good, eh? If only I could talk myself into preferring cheap wine, cheese & chocolate... I agree with you about the grids - time for them to go! I bought this door at Lowe's some 5 years ago for $200, it was the only glass door they had in stock at the time, so I got it. I may get rid of the security gate, too. Maybe remove the bars on the back window, too. I hadn't thought about that, whether it makes sense to do so in terms of security. Hmmm. That's a questions...