OH NO! I'm surprised at all your iris buds there. Ice Follies are long gone here, but I'm not seeing iris buds...well, I've not really looked 'for them', since my total attention has been to so many daffodils, both established ones as well as numerous ones that I am seeing bloom for the first time this spring. I hope the temps weren't very low (just barely enough to get snow) and that it melts off quickly. Sue

Yeah! You shoulda' seen me, trying to work on the irrigation ditch with the Ruger strapped to my back after I saw the tracks!;~) I'm goin' to have to get a book and a mirror. Just to check if I have a "gazorp"! Sounds like something Mel Brooks would say!:~) I never got over 'High Anxiety'! I don't hunt at all and never saw the point. If I was hurting for food...well, yeah! I grew up fishing on the Russian River, and spent a lot of time around Clear Lake, Mendocino and all up and down the coast, but wasn't a hunter. We used to inner tube up and down the river. Those were the days!:~) I guess that the old hippy nudist camp just north of town, is now an upscale resort! If those waters could talk... Well, they'd likely ask for some pot!;~) Can you tell, Ginge, that I'm from Sonoma County!;~) Moved to Cloverdale, when I was two! My brother was born in Ukiah. He still lives in Petaluma and is a cop over in Napa. You couldn't pay me enough to live there now. Everything is gone!!:~( They alway said that the builders would turn it just like San Jose... They were right! The last time I lived there, was out of Sebastopol. A few miles out of town, heading toward Bodega Bay. Great place to grow up in during the '70's. Really nasty little place now. (Cloverdale, I mean!) Actually has been for twenty years. Yeah! I spent three years down in S.Cal, before moving to Sebastopol Then, after my parents moved back overseas in '93, I opted to move back down to Palm Springs again. I have very mixed feeling about the place. Many, many horrible aspects, but could be a lot of serious fun. I really missed trees and real water. The golf courses just didn't cut it. My biggest issue for the longest time, up here, were all of the raccons! Disney lied his butt off! They're not cute little critters. They're nasty, viscous and will really hurt you. It took me forever to erradicate them from my area. They had, eventually, ripped the roof off the chicken house and wipped everthing out. My Boxers won't even look at chickens anymore. They had develped an unfortunate taste for fresh chicken when they were younger. These new LGD girls have a very unhealthy interest in them, but they know that I won't have it! The foxes are mostly tolerated, as long as they don't become too much of a problem. They do a lot of good otherwise, so... As long as they don't push it, I sorta' like them. The weird thing is... They hang around talking to my cats! I'm serious! I've seen the cats and them, just laying around like they're having a good chat! I've went out and they just look at me. It's like I'm interrupting something! I swear, everything is so worthless around here!;~) Loose dogs are not tolerated! Period!! They are shot on sight! We don't believe in shoot, shovel and shutup! They will be shot and hung on the gate! That's if we can't find the owners. Although I generally put up with one of my neghbors old hunting dogs. Not thrilled. but I do try to get along. (Believe it or not!) Our mule, and the donkey as well, absolutely HATE dogs and will chase them down. Good entertainment! Our dogs have learned to keep a lot of distance!:~) X-rated words are the way I generally talk to... Well, everything! I'm so bad...I sound like an Aussie!;~) From the many that I've known, that's saying something! BTW... I picked up more .223 ammo today! Although I hate them, Wally world is good for somethings. The guy selling them to me, said that he's shot three cougars over the last coupla' years. They're really getting to be a dangerous problem. I really love most of the wildlife, but the predators need to keep some distance. I have a small herd of deer that I generally leave alone. They don't eat much and seem to tolerate me being close to them. It's sorta' cool, plus, they give me a heads up as to what's going on. I know that when they're around, it's pretty safe. I'm still armed, though!;~) Jeeze!! Is this reply long enough? Scott

I bet it's a combination of a learning curve (I'm sure the experts get it to go further) together with optimistic estimates on the packaging. I can't say I"ve ever gotten the full coverage estimated on paint cans, either. I really want to do blown-in in my attic, but the baffles they used with the batts are too short, I'll have to extend them, and add the cardboard blocking bits too. I also want to wait til I finalise the recessed lighting and other wiring I want to do. I had considered the cellulose esp since I'm a fan of recycling, but I probably won't use it for the following reasons: I've heard the fire-retardant begins to fail after a few years, and it's worse with heat (and our town is the hottest in Canada in summer, not that that's saying that much) plus I wonder about the fire-retardant off-gassing, plus the potential for rot etc if it gets wet. I don't know exactly what the white/pink fluffy blown in stuff is composed of now, but I have to wallow around in it regularly as part of my job, and it's not itchy. I think the cellulose can make you cough more if you're not wearing a mask.

Thanks everyone! Not a typical GW or Houzz kitchen, so finding pics to validate what I see in my head has been a challenge! The floors are Ten Oaks sealed unfinished hardwood. We actually like the light color, but will have them refinished to match the flooring in the rest of the house, which is much darker. The long run is double oven, fridge, full cabinet, buffet cabinet, buffet cabinet and full cabinet to finish. Counter templating is tomorrow and install is the following week. Counters are a dark brown granite. I am thinking cream subway or brown glass subway for BS, but the counters will tell me more once they are installed. I want to do an ORB lightover the sink, but can't find the "right" one. Argh! Looking forward to tommorrow and wish you all the best on your projects.