Gosh, everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to write a little birthday greeting. This forum is full of so many nice people. Karen, I knew that your son and I have the same birthday. Luvs and I got to talking the last time we were together and discovered that Luvs' husband has that same birthday too. Do you think that makes all three of us siblings (no, I mean all five of us - Whoopi Goldberg and Robert Louis Stevenson too) ???? Hostarhodo, castles are overrated.

"Gary, out of sheer curiosity, what wholesale HVAC warehouses did you look into around our area (though I believe you bought it in PA, didn't you?)? Is there one for Trane/American Standard you checked out (do you think you could somehow get equipment from them?)? I think I recall you saying you priced an American Standard system for around $3k and was curious where this was." Ryan: I did indeed get an A/S quote "back in the day" when I first started looking. It was a Heritage 13 3-ton (don't think the air handler was v-s) with 15 kw strip heat for $3600. It was from Northeast Plumbing and Supply. They weren't too happy that I called them for pricing as I am not a pro. I wound up geting a 14 SEER, 12 EER, 9 HSPF Goodman. Copeland scroll, and a full 36,000 btu cooling and 35,000 btu heating. I went with the 3-speed air handler and TXV. Also got a hard-start cap, bypass humifier, filter/drier, sight glass, and condenser mounting pad. Paid $2500 for everything from DESCO, over the MD state line in Hanover PA. I picked everything up from their warehouse with a tow trailer. They provide the 10 year parts warranty. My wife works for a Property Management Company so I paid one of their pros $1200 to install it. 2 guys, 8 hours each. He had to fabricate 2 custom duct pieces for the installation. $3700 total for the new heat pump. So far so good with the Goodman. Take care.

So funny you should say that fuzzywuzzer. My main impetus for change is that blue gray clashes with the garden in summer. I love it in the winter against the mounds of white snow, but in summer - hate it. I'll get a sample of the Tudor. I'm sure I'll be getting a lot of samples. Last time, the front of the house looked like a patchwork quilt. Cyn427 - yes, I don't like the busy-ness either. By painting out the trim, I meant paint it the same colour as the body of the house. I'd love to change the trim colour to something creamier, but that would unfortuanately escalate the cost. trailrunner and lesterd, thank you so much for the links. They provide much inspiration. Even though I'm hoping for a slightly more modern look than the lovely painted ladies, it is wonderful to see what the colours look like on a house with siding. I'm on vacation this week and think I'll spend some time driving around the city looking for inspiration. Such a huge investment, I want to get it right this time.

Where is her mother? Why does dad have sole custody? If HE is the better parent, and he isn't willing to see or deal with her problems, then it becomes easy to see why she HAS the problems she has. Poor kid has been dealt a raw deal in the parents category. You have two choices: Stay & allow your kids to suffer along with you. You can try to make a difference in her life but there's no guarantee that you can get through to her. She has a lifetime of whatever happened in her 17 years to bring her to this point. She is angry & self destructive and neither of her parents gives a crap enough to do a thing. If they don't care, unless she WANTS your help, nothing you do will be well received. Meanwhile, your kids & her sister will learn from her example. Good luck when your kids are older. There's a good chance your kids will become resentful if you force them to be in a bad situation. They may lose respect for you for staying & I don't know how any of you can currently have any respect for your DH. Some guys stick their head in the sand... your DH is completely buried! His daughter is cutting, sabotaging her diabetes, is rude, committing crimes, and has problems in school. "she is always creating some kind of drama, and it keeps going up a notch -- probably to get attention." YA THINK???? "My husband did nothing." Sylvia is right... there ya go! It will continue to go up, notch after notch because her parent's don't give a crap! She is trying to get attention & if her dad doesn't step up, she will get her final attention in a funeral where everyone will ask why did this happen to such a young person? Then her dad will have to answer questions, like WHAT DID YOU DO TO HELP HER? Is he going to feel guilty the rest of his life when her life ends or is so screwed up because of him not doing anything now? That will be fun for you! Your second choice it to leave & save your own children from suffering through your husbands baggage. It is not fair to drag your kids into this situation & it probably wasn't the wisest decision to have a child with a man that isn't a very good parent to one of his existing children. What a mess & I feel very sorry for the younger children that don't have a choice in witnessing this mess.