Doug, Typically, what CAUSES THIS is a breakdown of the hydro oil over time, due MOSTLY TO, overheating of the oil. As you use the tractor, dirt/debris will build-up on top of the trans, and sometimes the cooling fan can lose blades or blades damaged in some way....ALL OF THIS...causes the oil to get very hot. To replace this transmissions is VERY EXPENSIVE....usually in the $500-600 range. This trans is probably a Hydro-Gear or Spicer/Dana unit. I would consult the owner's manual for servicing of these units. You can empty the fluid/oil out and replace it, which might very well....SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM. Also inspect the cooling fan for any damage, and clean off the top of the unit thoroughly BEFORE you attempt to remove a drain plug. Keep ALL DIRT away from the drain hole to prevent contamination. After you've replaced the oil, there's a "purging" procedure you'll need to do to remove all air that can get inside during this oil replacing process. The owner's manual will also tell you the PROPER OIL to use when doing this. WRONG OIL.....A REAL NO NO !!! T-Man

I have kind of a funny/awful Static Guard story. A number of years ago I worked with a woman who kept a can of that stuff (or something similar) in her desk and during the winter months when things went "electrical", she'd get it out and spray up under her dress to keep it from sticking to her legs. One day a man walked by the office and saw her do this, and later I overheard him asking another male colleague, "Was she using feminine deodorant spray?" A comment completely inappropriate for the workplace, to be sure - but it was another place and time, and it's certainly a comment I've not forgotten! (OK, back to your regularly scheduled thread discussion ...)

They have wall paper out there that resembles an old world or skip troweled finish.It's a heavy ,but flat type of texture.I saw it in an inn and had to look close to see that it was wall paper. You can achieve the same look by actually doing a skip trowel on your project, even with the imperfections, but it's time consuming dealing with the bumps and bruises on the wall when your blade knife hits them. It just takes patience and a little practice and experimenting with the thicknesses of the mud. Best of luck on your project!

Thank you everyone! Pamplisest - That is a big help. I might temporarily replace them with the ikea ones that louislinus suggests until I can find some quality ones that arent too expensive. Do you think the ikea ones would be an improvement? I like your bedroom - especially your dresser! Louislinus thanks! I am thinking I will buy the ikea ones for now and maybe replace them later? 9.99 is so cheap! Alternatively, I may have to get custom because the height is not standard. nosoccormom-that is an amazing house! I hope mine looks half as good as it does. I swear I saw that house for sale when I was in PS last year. lazygardens - I wish there were water for submarines around here, but then I couldnt afford to live here! That is good to know about the grommet. I dont want to change the hardware. Thank you! rgps - small world! This is a great part of town-central to everything. Thank you melle sacto and outsideplaying! It's just one small step in the landscaping, but it feels good to have made even a little progress! This post was edited by rockybird on Thu, Aug 7, 14 at 0:01