What a great present! Don't worry about learning everything about the camera at once. Anne hit it on the head: use the autofocus (green on the dial) and the sports mode (the little running man icon) at first then work your way into the more complicated stuff. Heck! You might not ever NEED the complicated stuff Patti! The macro function (the little flower icon) is really fun too for closeups. Let's see some photos! Lori

I think I wrote in an earlier post to you that you need to be careful about the costs of additions -- they are expensive! That was about the construction cost, not the architect's fee. I cannot say how much it should or might be but I can say that we paid $5,000 for just a structural engineer's work and towards the upper end of the range you set out for the architect -- for a 2-story addition. I'm sure there is more than one way to accomplish all of this but here's one way. First, you shop around for an architect, the same way you would for anybody else: interview, check references, look at portfolios. While I personally would not recommend design/build firms you do want to make sure that the architect you hire really has a firm grasp on construction costs. You seek to have something that could be called "phase I" drawings or "conceptual drawings" or something similar to that. These are just the ideas -- more than one but probably less than four -- and that costs you maybe 1-3 thousand. (I'm sure that if my range is wrong someone will correct me.) Once you have that, then you can obtain an estimate on the cost of construction. This is just an estimate, it's not based on what actual ppliances, flooring, etc. you will have. It is not a firm bid. Nobody is promising that this estimate is accurate. This is where things can also go very wrong. The estimate may be way lower than the actual costs will be. This is where you have to throw away your desire to hear Low Numbers and Demand that your architect give you the really bad news. If you read mightyanvil's comments it appears that he is suggesting that you have a GC involved during this whole process whose job it is to keep an eye on the costs on a consulting basis. (I think this is the idea of hiring an expert on costs to be involved which costs you more up front but keeps you out of trouble later. I have no experience with this.) If your architect doesn't know enough about construction costs he or she will be useless to you at this critical stage because this is where you decide whether you want to plunge in and hire the architect to enter the really expensive part and you need to know what the construction costs are going to be before you make this investment. Now, perhaps your addition isn't at all complicated and you just need drawings, not really anything that's the least bit of design work...I have no experience here either but perhaps someone else can advise you.

I agree that the larger burners should be in the back. I solved the exhaust problem by installing a vented microwave above the stove, under that tiny ceiling cabinet above the stove. I just turn on the microwave vent and wahlah! Steam gone. I also agree that glass tops for stoves is a ridiculous and stupid idea. Can't get away from them, though. No way to do away with the scratches and bubbles without replacing the glass top. Oh, well. It's a stove, not a fashion display. I'll live with it.

I know this is an old thread, but I thought of it when I read this post on the WestJet facebook page (I do not personally know the woman who posted it, I think she's from Edmonton, AB but it's been making the rounds up here in Canada): "So as Canadians, most of us are probably already aware of how awesome Westjet is. But when you're in a line up of likely around 15,000 people in 34 degree temperatures with no shelter or food and Westjet pulls you out of that line...you worship them. And I worship them. We arrived at the Cabo San Lucas airport yesterday to a very very grave situation and I was panicking. Hurricane Odile hit on Sept 14th and tourists were stranded for 4 days. Most with little water and food at their resorts. The line up of people trying to fly out was miles long and I suspected over 24 hours long. Suddenly we hear "Westjet?? Canadian? Come with me." I was so thankful in that moment, I can't even tell you. Pretty sure I cried a little. Westjet took every Canadian, whether you had booked a flight with them or not, and got us home. They had snacks and water in every seat. They gave us free food. They paid for our hotel, taxi and food in Calgary. They bought Tim Hortons at the lineup and handed out donuts with smiles. I will never be able to say a big enough thank you. What an amazing company."