I have an LA140 - about two months old - and have just finished my fourth cutting with it. I can't find anything to dislike, but then, I have never owned another rider.

I have trouble motivating FDH to parent A__ too... And like you, I think that FDH is just totally unaware of his son. If I'm not home, FDH will have A__ all darn day without feeding him a proper meal. It's easier for him to let A__ play on the computer all day than to think up stuff to do with him. But I just do things my way, and he goes along with it because he realizes that he's sort of a slacker if left to his own devices. For example, right now, FDH wants to watch Trailer Park Boys, and A__ is right here in the room, so I pointed out that there is too much swearing in that show for a 9yo. He changed it back to the ball game. FDH would probably do the same thing with Meet the Teacher night as your DH did... He's the king of "Oh, and we're supposed to be at this place at 6:30" when supper is already on the stove and it drives me nuts. I think it's inconsiderate of him to spring last minute plans on me... But I think it's a Mars/Venus thing: I plan ahead, while he ignores my planning ahead - He makes last minute plans, while I get mad about it. I've found that most men are like that (with some exceptions of course) For things like chewing with his mouth open, it's quite probable that DH doesn't notice. A__ can have his face LITERALLY in his food and be poking it into his mouth with his fingers and FDH looks confused when I remind A__ of his table manners. When I was a kid and I chewed with me mouth open, it was always my mom or my older sister who reminded me to close it - I don't recall my dad or brothers ever reminding me. Maybe that's a Mars/Venus thing too? It puts you in a hard spot though. Either you say "DH, your son is chewing with his mouth open" or you remind SS of his table manners yourself. Option one makes it seem like you're purposefully avoiding interaction with SS and he'll probably react poorly to that. Option two is that you're doing the parenting for DH, which you seem tired of. I guess for me, it comes down to this: If I do the crappy stuff like wiping dirty handprints off the wall and telling A__ to use table manners, FDH gets much less frustrated with A__ and they have a better relationship. The difference between our situations is that A__ has improved from where he was last year (which is a lot like where your SS is now) while your SS is still in a rough patch. I know you're still frustrated and SS is still misbehaving, but it sounded like he was progressing a little... Is he still?

I have the want to, but I am being attacked by the dreaded yellow pollen it's literally raining down from the trees. I go out to get started in the atrium and go into an allergy frenzy. It's a mess. I hate this time of year because of the pollen clouds. My vehicles are yellow, my outdoor furniture is yellow, the RV is yellow. The big Pines and oaks are apparently feeling very sexy and spreading their pollen far and wide. Taking benadryl at night to try to breathe makes my want to level lower. Work is getting done but a lot slower pace. Congrats to those who are ready and willing to give it full charge!

Yep...and that senior center certainly looks "incidental" to an engineer's work doesn't it? PS: All professionals know what the statues say. Yet these sorts of insulting and unthinking structures do get built, as the photos clearly show? Who's the responsible professional for this project? We will never know unless someone looks up and posts the official record. Whomever it is... should have her/his license (if they have one) suspended for 101 years, and required to spend a half-century in continuing education remedial courses. It's my story and I'm sticking to it. PPS: Thanks to JDS for all the state statue language. Which we professionals already knew.