Nice. Add a pair of handles to the fender and you might fool people into thinking you're driving an X500. I think a rotating light is the absolute best idea. I'm not sure I'd want it mounted in front of me - too annoying - but with these little red guys in the back, you've got yourself covered. Drivers on the road will probably see your headlights shining on the back of the yellow blower first. Then they will see the red glow from your taillights and recognize what they are looking at.

Lisa, some time check out Williams Nursery West of Suamico on Elm Rd. They also havea the name Showplace Gardens, or some such. Good prices. The guy who started that place is a real plantsman-has many varieties of various genera that have his name on the plant patent. Silver Creek, down in Manitowoc, is good place too, tho not sure they do retail. Green Bay Nursery, on Military Ave. is also a decent source. I'm sure I'll think of more. I'm the horticulturist for the City of Appleton. So yes, I know a lot of plant sources, tho many of the ones I deal with are wholesale only. What do you mean when you say you're in a dry area of Kewaunee Cty? We've all been experiencing drought, but there is nothing that I've noticed in my travels to suggest that your area is esp. dry. In fact, Kewaunee is one of the counties I'm searching for land in. I love that area. If you have the right setting, by all means get some "cedar" going. You're in the best area for growing this tree. Now here I'm using the common name that is used by EVERYONE in these parts. The tree I'm referring to is Northern White Cedar, aka arbor vitae. Botanical name is Thuja occidentalis. I'd try and source some actual species rather than horticultural variety, as so many of the latter are multistemmed junk. I'd also try a few Thuja 'Green Giant'. I suspect they'd do well in your area. Deer will munch on these trees, so protection will have to be considered. I'm a big fan of the Norway spruce, and if space allows, I'd def. have a few of these going. I'm gonna leave it at that for now. Others will chime in with additional ideas, I'm sure. p.s.........know of any partially wooded property for sale in your area? +oM

This might be a COMBO smoke/CO alarm. (Carbon Monoxide). Is the gas fireplace vented to the outside, or is it a ventless type?? If this is a combo alarm, or just a CO alarm - you need to immediately have the fireplace repaired by a qualified individual in order to be able to use it. If this is just a smoke alarm (smoke alarms are particulate based / fire alarms are heat based - (rapid temperature increase)) - you still have some sort of problem going on. A ventless fireplace has an low oxygen sensor on it; but you still have to be aware of CO and combustion byproducts. A ventless unit - ALL compbustion byproducts and generated heat are deposited into the room. A vented unit should have an outside vent; and room air, and combustion air should be totally separate. Combustion air should not be in the room at all, in any way shape or form - with a vented unit. These function somewhat like a small furnace. Ventless units are supposed to be extremely efficient - which is why they can be 'ventless'. It is a good idea, on ventless - to have a window open slightly when operating. You DO have a problem with the fireplace - since the 'smoke' alarm is going off when you turn the GAS fireplace on... A wood burning fireplace can have chimney height issues, draft issues, etc, which could cause a smoke alarm to go off - with an actual wood burning fireplace - a smoke alarm going off - would not necessarily be an actual true health safety problem. But would indicate that the chimney has some sort of draft problem. (Plenty of wood burning fireplaces do have draft problems.) A GAS fireplace does not have these type of problems. And the functioning of this gas fireplace needs to be repaired by a qualified individual asap. A gas fireplace burner installed into a wood burning fireplace box - could be not burning cleanly - and having particulates going into the room... sort of like a wood burning unit. If this is a gas fireplace vented unit; and not a ventless or a wood burning converted unit - you could check, and see if a vent is clogged by a birds nest or something. The sealing of these things is not watertight. They work somewhat on the principle of "least resistance". (combustion air is kept separate by pipes; but these pipes are mostly just tight fitted together - they don't have a bunch of sealant. And a burning fire is looking for air to burn...) So if a vent is visibily clogged; your clearing of the vent might easily solve your problem. But if you don't see anything obviously wrong when looking at a vent - get it repaired. (or don't use.) Plus - CO or Carbon Monoixide - is COLORLESS - you WON'T see it. And has NO SMELL. You won't SMELL it. It is COMPLETELY INVISIBLE to ALL of your senses. Your red blood cells will bond to it more easily than oxygen. And it can kill you quite easily. Poison you very slowly. If your fire alarm is a combo unit (smoke and CO) that is a great saftey feature for you; and again - your fireplace would need work like what I suggested above. Mostly - it sounds like this needs some sort of repair, and this does concern your safety and health.

Hi, thanks everyone! Huskyridor and tsunami thanks so much for reassuring me about the design. I am having a moment of analysis-paralysis I think. We first started thinking we'd do a rectagular pool and then decided on a shape given the constraints of working with the existing patio and keeping the pool in the sun. I must have done two dozen different designs before we picked this one and now I am starting to second guess myself again. Plus my husband who wants this pool started ASAP has just decided he'd like to possibly add an attached spa so now I have to figure out where to put that. :) Yes, jennifer_in_clyde that was exactly why I was told the steps might be dangerous - that the way i drew them someone could fall off the sides of the first step and given that the side of the pool is really close hit their head or something. Would this be much better? I would prefer for the bottom step not to wrap around so my husband can still have a bit of a swim lane on the sides. Here is a link that might be useful: