You have caught me on, so I will comment (Go 'Skins! I hope have not cursed them...lol..she says with fingers crossed). I have bought several times from Ronda. She has sent me very nice plants. This past spring, she chose to send extra fan(s) vs a bonus, which I liked. I found her trustworthy, if that is part of your concern. No one pays interest...lol...but that is just the way this game is played. There are a couple that look very tempting (to me) but I am trying really hard to be disciplined. I have failed at this every year so far...lol. Remember that she grows pretty far in the south, so the concern about losing plants over winter is probably not likely. If you want the ones she is offering and the price is right, pretty much (there will be a few exceptions) from here on out...you're going to see a lot of "for spring 2009" deliveries. Also, if you check her "About Me", you will see that she is very forthright about her spraying program. This may or may not be a concern for you, but I appreciate sellers who give me a headsup.

The One Hour is a national frnchise. They bought up bunch of small mom and pop contractors, whom now pay expensive dues to get marketing and business advice. If it is made by Amana it is made by Goodman equipment. With this in mind, get a few other quotes, the Goodman (One Hour) should be at the lower end of the scale. Amana WAS good stuff until they were taken over by Goodman.

Wow so many with the same situation, although mine is not because of him losing a job in this economy. I always seemed to find the really nice guys that lacked motivation - I married two of them. My first husband was in finance, and figured that he could work fewer hours and manage to make enough. I was working and had two young children and he did not think that his free time was for housework or watching the kids even when I went to the gym - I had to get a sitter so that he would not have to commit to being home. No matter how much counseling or discussion between us could make him see how it felt to have him sitting on the front porch reading the paper while I was going crazy in the house getting lunches ready and the kids and me out of the house every morning. The neighbors even noticed! I felt if I was going to live like a single parent, I might as well be able to date, so I divorced him. And then I did the same thing again! What the heck was wrong with me?? When I met my second husband, he had a job, but all of his jobs were not long-term or careers -- he was also an under-employed carpenter. He was an awesome person, and a great step-father to my kids, but the housework was not even on his radar. However, with his more "flexible schedule", he was the one that could get a sick kid at school or be home if needed, so he was a bit of a house husband and that allowed me to concentrate on my job. But once the kids were off at college, I joked that he was my oldest child, but it really wasn't a joke. Unfortunately he died suddenly a little over a year ago, and although I miss him terribly, I am not going to make the same mistake again. I'm fortunate that I can support myself as I've been doing it for years anyway. If there is a next guy he will have to be at least where I am financially (which is not much!) and be interested in a true partnership. We all have to put up with stupid bosses and policies, but how can these men think it's OK to put their pride before their employment because they won't tolerate whatever they don't agree with? You can't be an employee and do things any way you want - we all have to suck it up for a job. If these guys didn't have a wife, I wonder what would they do? Please understand, I'm not knocking your hubbies - especially after the men I married! Many of you seem to be adapting to the new normal in your households. What makes it work is a sense of teamwork between the two of you, each doing what needs to be done. A wife can't be the breadwinner and then come home to housework & cooking while the husband plays - that situation won't last long without resentment.

IMO the only thing I would suggest is to not have it honed I think honing stone opens it to staining for sure so if the benfits of reals stone are what you want have it polished . As foir the rest I guess stuff in a natural stone can be present but in my experience not a deterrent for me. I guess that is the reason I love real stone .