You must have done a wonderful job planting and caring for them last (droughty) summer to only lose a few leaves. The bed I have my last three (of 8) gets fertilizer for the roses but not extra for the viburnum. 10-10-10 is fairly mild as fertilizers go. If you don't see any browning of the leaves or other stresses, I suppose a light application of this fertilizer wouldn't hurt.

I promised in this post to post my vows. Again, we didn't exactly do vows. My brother-in-law started the "ceremony" be announcing that we would basically recite our thoughts and feelings. He did a wonderful job. I don't have a copy of dh's words, but you'll get the idea from mine below. We had this party as a backyard picnic sort of thing, did the "ceremony" on our deck with microphones. It turned out beautifully. Really enjoyed it. Here is what I said (names changed to protect our privacy) My dearest John, 25 years ago, we stood at the alter together and pledged our commitment to each other. I remember standing there hoping we would be right for each other and that everything would work out for us. Little did I realize what a gem of a man I was marrying. We have had a wonderful twenty-five years together. This ceremony would not be complete without the mention of our wonderful children. We were both elated at the birth of each of our children. And have continued to be very proud parents as they have each grown into wonderful human beings. And each has their special traits and personality. Dana is a beautiful young woman who has really blossomed with her education and Chinese language and cultural experience. And John has turned into a wonderful young man with the determination to learn to fly at 17. But John, you have been a wonderful man, husband and father. No woman could ask for anything more. YouÂve put up with me for all these years and I know that has not been easy. I know that I can be demanding and difficult at times, but I have always loved you. When we got married, we had nothing, except our love for each other. WeÂve both worked long and hard for everything we have today. We were only in our early 20Âs when we married and we sort of grew up together. But the most important thing we have that we have built is this marriage. WeÂve had our good times and our bad. As I write this I try to think of our good times together, but I canÂt think of any in particular, because our entire marriage has been our good times. Our next 25 years together promises to hold some unusual challenges for us both. But at this point IÂm certain we will make it through those challenges. Thankyou John, for all that youÂve meant to me. I love you John Robert Smith and I always will.

There is quite a bit of misinformation that you have been given Mr Jones, I'd definitely take some extra time to sort through it all and make sure that you have accurate facts. I'll go through some, all of which are easily verifiable: Manufacturer and material : All three are very reputable, with Andersen and Marvin having a longer history. That said, Okna has indeed been in business since the early 90's and is a top 100 manufacturer as well. The 3 materials have similar histories as well, as none have been used commonly in a residential window application for more than 20 yrs. All three have their merits, although all three do represent a small "niche" . Vinyl and wood are FAR more common. There is no clear winner here IMO. All are suitable with no decisive pros or cons, particularly considering that each individual product is designed and engineered to exploit the respective materials' inherent strengths, and mitigate its weaknesses. If there is one that I'd put slightly behind the others it would be the Renewal, as adding wood flour/sawdust to vinyl really doesn't add much. Appearance: This depends of course on what areas are examined, however the Marvin all ultrex integrity is by far the slimmest. The Renewal and Starmark are both somewhat bulky by comparison, although neither is very bulky compared to some other products. Despite the slim lines, the all ultrex Integrity is actually the least attractive based on the feedback that I hear. The wood/ultrex on the other hand is bulkier. This category is in the eye of the beholder. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Interior appearance: well stated. Some folks would prefer the rich, real wood interior (Integrity) with only a 10 year warranty, others would prefer the synthetic stainable with lifetime warranty and no maintenance (Starmark). Winner again depends on the individual and their needs/wants. Hardware: The Renewal and Starmark both have more attractive hardware options than the Integrity IMO. Both are all metal, both have multiple finishes available. Performance: Here's a big one. To accurately compare, it is necessary to look at apples to apples glass packages. At .25 for a standard double pane package, and .19 for triple pane argon, the Starmark runs away with the win here. With equivalent glass (surface 2 low e, argon fill), the the Renewal and Integrity are .29 or higher. You can switch to any other glass package across the board, and apples to apples the Starmark will be multiple points better. This can be verified via CPD number (certified products directory) at nfrc.org Air Infiltration: Another big one. The reps that you have spoken to are either flat out lying, or being highly manipulative. The only window of the 3 that sees that .05 AI number is the Starmark. The other two are in the teens at best, if not .2+. I would request a structural test data sheet for reference. If renewal or Marvin will provide it, make sure to compare the size of the window and configuration. It is highly likely that your rep(s) are using casement or picture window ratings to compare to the starmark double hung. The starmark is .01 as a casement. Patio doors: Since this was mentioned, the differences as stated for windows continue for patio doors. If the real wood interior is preferred at the expense of performance, then the Marvin or renewal options are better. The Starmark will be a much better performer, but without the real wood interior. Installation and durability: On durability, this is another area that would trend toward Starmark based on containing no organic parts that can rot, and also on the lifetime warranty. Renewal and Integrity are each 10 years (20 on glass). Installation itself will vary by dealer, and should be given proper weight. One cannot speculate on the quality of installation based only on material however. The only thing that could possibly be considered on that line of thinking would be availability to contractors I suppose. Integrity can be purchased by anyone, whereas Renewal and Starmark are exclusive products where dealers are regulated by the manufacturer. One important thing to note, is that comapanies that install Renewal windows are NOT owned by Andersen. They are a dealer that exclusively carries that line and meets Andersen requirements, however they are not actually part of Andersen. Price: This again will vary by dealer and area. Renewal has a reputation as having the highest price, using high pressure sales, and also of posting thinly veiled, inaccurate info where THEY talk poorly about competitors (not to say that is the case here, of course). That said, I'm sure that there are some great Renewal operations across the country, just as there great Starmark and Intergity dealers. Ultimately, these are three windows that are solid to excellent, and each have their own pros and cons. You are unlikely to go wrong with any of the three, it really depends on which options most closely aligns with your goals for the project. It sounds like that is the Renewal at this point, I'd only recommend getting the accurate performance information, and then perhaps that would (or not) impact your decision.

My house was built in 1940, and AFAIK it still has the original city water pipe connection. We did change the inside shutoff to a ball valve, but that was a simple job for the plumber. What problem are you trying to solve? Is the "unnecessary" pipe in the way of something you want to do? Bruce