We just aerated our lawn today with our new tow-behind aerator. It's from Home Depot online--brand is Brinly (I think). We live on hard-packed clay (from new construction last year). I checked the size of our plugs versus the size of the plugs laying around in the subdivision's common area that was done last week by the HOA's lawn service, and ours were just as big. We're pleased with our purchase. Our clay is going to take several years of aeration and topdressing of compost before it's healthy enough for a nice lawn. The purchase will pay for itself. We previously had an aerator from Lowe's (don't recall the brand). We sold it before moving here because we knew our stuff was going into storage, and we were trying to lighten our load. I don't think it would've held up to this clay--it was much lighter that this one which is quite heavy on its own, before adding weight. Our last soil was nice, rich black soil which was easy to work with.

Adding no value here, but maybe some information??? "Sure it doesn't say in the owners manual".. That's not to big a deal, it's the pre-ventive maintenance procedures and schedules that most of the time that gets overlooked. Mowie I like how you listed the torque in in. lbs. rather than foot pounds. More acurate IMO. If am measuring something I would rater be inch off than FOOT! (torque wrench are usually only acturate within + or- 1 and that usually not calibrated or acturate in the lower 20% range of the wrench) For those that don't have inch pounds torque wrenches just divid by 12 and you will get foot pound torque. IF you don't have torque wrench at all you may go by degree 1/8" to 3/8" turn past hand tight.

I'm with your husband -- I think it all looks nice. Maybe the mosaic is a little busy with the busy countertop, but the other splashes look pretty good to me. I love the grey and the blue - might change the outlet covers to something that blends better with the blue splash. Is the wood you show walnut? I sure wouldn't stain that to almost black. It looks custom built and gorgeous...maybe pics from further away might give a better idea of things that I'm not seeing? The general wisdom on these boards is to wait 6 months and live with your new home before you go changing things -- you may find that you go changing all the tile, and then realize that it was the countertop you didn't really care for and you should have started there, or what you really wanted was different colored cabinets. I get the impulse to re-do immediately, but I think if you wait and plan it out, you will be more satisfied with the final result.

I looked those two up out of curiosity - pretty. Then I searched blush hostas & found ”First Blush” wow! And a smaller one it is too! Here’s one of the links with info First Blush I don’t usually start daydreaming about being outside playing around until February. I’ve just cleaned up most of my hosta mush except my June which is still mostly alive! We haven’t had frost or temps below low 40’s in my PNW Zone 8 Vancouver WA yet - just lots & lots of rain & wind.