I am not the Ruud expert, but it appears to be a basic single stage system. Here is your Proposal 6: 2-stage, variable speed Carrier Furnace 59TN6080-14 (same as 5) 2-stage Carrier AC 24ANB736 Carrier evaporator coil CNPV3717 Infinity thermostat Comparing Carrier Proposal 6 vs. the Rudd system 2-stage 60KBTU vs. single stage 75KBTU (75K may be oversized) 2-stage 3 ton condenser vs. single stage 2.5 condenser 17 SEER (need to check) vs. 14.5 SEER Infinity thermostat vs. unknown thermostat The Carrier system is superior. You can get an equivalent Rudd system but it will cost more. I would spend the extra money on a variable speed furnace and a 2-stage condenser.

This has been the same petsitter I have used since 1999. Never a problem before. When she started with me she was a single mom of 2 high school boys getting ready to move on to college. She has now remarried and her husband has come with her the past two times she has sat for me. You cannot tell me that between the two adults, they couldn't get a plan together? She has a cat, I hate to even think how ineffective she would be if her own cat got out. I called several times from the boat, and she was fine. On Wednesday nite when I got a cell signal and called her, I could tell in her voice that something was wrong, but she kept telling me all was well. I was suspicious, but I thought perhaps calling her so late, I had just caught her sleeping - Alaska time is 4 hrs behind East Coast. I called again the next afternoon when we were in spot with cell service (on an expedition cruise - so not many cell tower signals when you are on a small boat adventure). When I called the next day she acted oddly again and I kept asking her if everything was alright. "Yes, I am just sick". "Are you sure, your voice doesn't sound right, is everything and everyone okay". "Yes, just not feeling good". She was very short with me. I knew then that something wasn't right. I immediately found my SIL on the boat and had her call the house as her dog was here for a few days while her petsitter was away. She then called to see how her dog was and said I was on a hike. Sitter fessed up to my SIL while I was actually sitting in the wheelhouse hearing my SIL's end of the conversation. I immediately had SIL give me the phone. Explanation through sobbing about what happened. Didn't want to ruin your trip, yada yada. I freaked out on her I told her I wanted her to pull herself together and stop crying and start acting like an adult - this woman is 50 yr. old school teacher. This was Thursday late night Eastern Time and cat was gone from Monday p.m. - too many days. She had done nothing except look around the yard and obvious places around the house. I went off on her (badly, I am embarrassed to admit) and told her to put the cat box outside, call the shelters, call the police and ask if anyone had reported seeing him or if they picked him up. I then called my parents to come to my home and pull out the beds - look well throughout the house to be sure he wasn't hiding, ordered 3 live traps from my exterminator, and asked petsitter to put DD clothes outfront. At that point she was fired. DH was out on actual excursion with a naturalist. Told him when he returned and we decided not to tell my DD until we were home. Still had 4 days to go. It was hell for the rest of the time as we had a full 24 hours of travel with a redeye coming in on Sunday morning and then a 2 hr. ride home from the airport. My DD was continually telling me how much she missed Louie and how she hoped he would like the souveniers she had gotten him. She had found some soft animal birds that chirp. I was physically ill when I had to lie to her. Lying to me is the number one no-no. DH feels torn. Understands that petsitter was trying to not ruin our vacation, but is upset at her inaction. We found the cat within 14 hours of arriving on terra firma at the house. I just felt that she could have done more. There are plenty of photos around the house of the cat, she could have made flyers, she could have done more. I kept checing back with her asking her if she had called the shelter again. Her answer was I left your phone number. I freaked again and told her I wanted her to call 2 times per day to each shelter and the police station that they were not going to call us. She was just plain lazy in this situation. At 4:30 p.m. eastern time the traps hadn't shown up. My exterminator is my neighbor, petsitter says I'll find the number in the phone book. I told her NO WAY - WALK UP TO HIS HOUSE, KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND TELL HIM WHAT IS GOING ON. She did and the traps showed up poste haste and my neighbor actually check the traps at 11 p.m. each nite to be sure the cat wouldn't be stuck in one all night should he go in. I will not have her back again. No bail money needed, just have no confidence whatsoever in her for future needs. I will find another petsitter, as I prefer to have my pets at home while I vacation. I do not board my animals, never have, never will. I am not going to lose confidence in all petsitters because of this petsitter's inaction. The lady who runs our shelter's adoption at the Petsmart remarked she should be shot. I think so too, but I am just so thankful we have him back that I am chalking it up to a terrible experience from which I learned a very valuable lesson and DD cat is home. Had this turned out differently, I may have needed some bail money - big time. Thanks for the positive responses. I hope the hints for looking can help someone should they face the same horrible situation.

I refer to them as Home Cheapo. Their instock merchandise is nothing better than builder quality. Anything special order you can find cheaper and receive it faster else where. So here is my story. I needed a simple storm door. I selected an Anderson instock door to be installed by Home Cheapo. I thought this would be faster and easier than going to a specialty shop. Stupid me. Someone came to measure. A week later another person came to check if the door frame also needed to be replaced. Everything was fine. I started this project at the end of September. I wasn't in a rush so I didn't follow up. At the end of October I palced a call to find out what was going on. Apparently they were waiting for a wind chain that I didn't order but they managaed to charge me for, to be back in stock. I wasn't upset about purchasing the wind chain because I planned on buying a new one anyway. I was upset because I couldn't understand how a giant hardware store could be out of such a simple thing for weeks. I told them to set up the install and I will purchase the wind chain from Ace Hardware. The GC who installed it had to come back twice over the next 3 months to adjust it. He told me that the frame should have also been replaced. I told him that maybe if he screwed the door into the frame and not the siding it would hold. So much for quick and easy. Their slogan should be changed to,"You SHOULD do it. Maybe we can help".

Nikki I feel for you. My DH has been looking ever since we moved to the country. It's rough all over but hopefully you (and everyone who is unemployed) will find something soon. SamKaren your resident DJ