Several notes specifically related to your Wheel Horse: 1) You mentioned your mower deck will not accomodate wider tires - must be a 42", as the 48" will. 2) 24" tires should fit ok. 26" may fit if on the proper rims but will be a very tight fit at the fenders. If you go this route I think you'll want to space up the seat/fender with some spacers under the fender. 3) If you use the 23 x 8.50-12 tire size on original rims, I would recommend Firestone 23 degree or a similar tire with relatively flat footprint. The Carlisle lug tires I have seen in this size have a very rounded footprint that, in my opinion, does not work so well on harder surfaces. 4) if you're looking for a used set of rims to fit your WH, they'll most likely need to be from another WH, as few other tractors use wheels with the proper rear offset. 5) My preference would be 23 x 10.50-12 Carlisle Super Lugs mounted on the wider wheel rims as originally used on the 520H and 520-8 tractors. I don't think the 5xi series rear wheels had the proper backspacing for the Classic style tractors. This combo will provide the added benefit of improved side-hill stability, especially if you add bolt-on wheel weights. They will also fit in conjunction with a 48" mower deck, but as you said I don't think they'll work with a 42". 6) I use a 520-8 regularly for mowing with the above wheels/tires and rear weights - haven't seen any adverse effects on the lawn, no spin marks anywhere, and very stable on the hills. It also does a fine job of moving my 6x12 trailer in the yard and even moving dead cars around. 7) Loaded tires work fine for traction, but as a hobbyist restoring old tractors I am not a fan of any corrosive liquid in the wheels/tires. Ed

My wife is 5'3" with short legs for her height. She is one that is not comfortable with 19" heights. We put in the Kohler expanse which is 17" (actually 16.25 from the finished floor), which is comfortable for her but she does note that it feels high. The thing that people fail to consider besides height of tub is the width of the ledge you have to step over. A wider ledge means you have to stretch you leg further over, which requires a bigger leg lift and also a longer distance to be off balance. if you can't get in the tub itself, check out your local box stores and plumbing supply houses for tubs of similar dimensions and try those. If that's not an option, I suggest creating a sort of mockup, which can be done by stacking scrap lumber, or whatever other stuff laying around. You just need to create something a couple feet long and that can mimic outside height, inside height and width of ledge. Then you can step over to see how comfortable you will be. Have someone with you when you do it for safety. If you don't feel comfortable then go with another tub. I suspect if the 14" tub is already close to your max comfort, that the 19" maybe too much, but you should really check it out to be sure. From my own personal research, I have come to recommend for shower/tubs a max of 18" for comfort and long term practicality, but many people go higher and it works for them. Installing grab bars for support will also help mitigate tub height issues.

thejimbar...cool design and idea. You will like the shallow water for soaking you're feet and lounging while watching the kids play. A few thoughts as it relates to our experience with a large shallow area of the pool. Ours is about 4" deep and 10'x20'. 1. I think anything shallower than 6" is called a thermal shelf because it actually heats the water rather nicely in direct sun. Here in Louisiana, our shallow area of the pool is comfortable to soak your feet year round when the sun is shining. In NJ, this probably isn't a big deal but you will notice your season for the shallow pool will definitely be extended. 2. If you think you will use this shallow pool more in the off-season than the regular pool, you should consider this when deciding to tie it into your existing pool. If you winterize your pool, it will be hard to do so and still keep the shallow pool in operation longer if it is tied together. 3. On the other hand, tying the two together will give the added benefit of heating the primary pool also, if the shallow pool is located in a sunny area of the yard. 4. If the decision is to tie them together, technically, it's possible to do so and still keep the two bodies physically separated from one another as you originally wanted. The equalizer line would have to be sized rather large (and likely multiple lines needed) to keep up with the passive flow from one body to the other during high flow requirements in the shallow body. 5. Would also recommend a separate pump for the negative edge pit if you already have water features that require flow with your existing pump...nothing more aggrevating than hosting a party and not being able to use all water features at the same time because of pump limitations. 6. We love our 4" shelf for the heating benefits and soaking your feet any time of the year. We also love our bubblers in the 4" water...nothing more relaxing than sitting in a chair with your feet being massaged by water coming from the bubblers in the floor of the pool (that's what I'm doing right now). We have a separate pump for the bubblers, aerators and deck jets also. 7. Connecting the overflow from the negative edge directly to the pool would be the easiest way to tie the two together..much like an oversized spa and no need for equalizer line. This may not meet your original vision though if you were thinking of keep the 2 bodies physically separated. One last thought, if you keep the 2 bodies separate from one another, then the new pool will have to have it's own filter and sanitizing system. If you tie them together, it will save cost but you will not be able to winterize one and keep the other open. They will have to be closed at the same time...if you close the pool at all. Oh..one more thought...size the negative edge pit so that you can fit your favorite leaf skimmer in it to scoop out leaves and debris easily...all the debris will end up in the pit and you'll want to skim it easily. Decisions....decisions. Hope this helps.

Yes, I understand that the immediate intention for the play area is not to install a play set. But it's coming eventually and do you want the planting scheme to do dual duty by working now and also be ready for the future without any major alterations? Or do you want to subject yourself to the possibility of making a lot of changes when a play set is installed? A year is NOT a long time. As the play area develops, it is divided from the planting area with a bed line. The bed line is something to be figured out now, on the plan (as information about the play set/area becomes known.) The bed line divides places where people could possibly walk ("floors": lawn, low groundcover, mulch-only) from places where they couldn't ("walls" & "furniture": shrubs, perennials and tall groundcovers.) Trees ("ceilings") could be located in either areas Another possibility with the pitts is to cut them down and do a total rejuvenation -- where you control/shape their re-growth (which will happen very quickly since they already have developed root systems) -- and trim them so as NOT to reach way out into the yard. Let them grow as a much narrower hedge which is later trimmed into tree forms and reaches and screens above the fence. Based on some of the prior discussion, I'm going to speculate that one potential problem that could come up is not devoting enough depth to the planting beds (that are likely to surround most of the yard.) In general terms, this bed(s) ought to be allowed 6' depth as an average minimum. There are usually instances where it can easily be deeper, and possibly some instances where it can be shrunk to 4' when sacrifices must be made. Plants require space and trying to maintain a bed that is too skinny/shallow is not only difficult & more demanding of maintenance, but it doesn't look very good either. That's something to be mindful of.