Last night I worked for another hour on my lawn, and couldn't believe how much work and time this machine will save me, compared to my old Husq/Honda push-mower. Tackling my slopes is so much easier now. I've got another 1/2 hour or so to do, so roughly 2 1/2 hours to do the lawn with the new mower. Previously, it was taking me five hours.(3.5hr for the slopes/ 1.5hr for the "flats") Another point; With the light-weight aluminum body, I figured that the center-of-gravity might be a little higher, and that this might cause the machine to want to roll over, when mowing across a slope. This was not the case. Also, I used to remove the bag when mowing slopes with my Husq/Honda. It was wayyyy too heavy and awkward, and the machine actually flipped over on me, on several occasions. With this new Toro, I have no hesitation to use the bag on slopes. Even with the bag nearly full, the machine easily deals with the added weight, and remains stable. The machine has created one problem for me however; I had just ordered a fairly heavy-duty garden-tractor from John Deere (X-500/ 54" deck). The JD rep was here on Monday, to take a look at my slopes, and he says the tractor would do "some" of my slopes, but downhill only. He felt that even a 4wd tractor wouldn't be able to climb the slopes. A Kubota rep who came later the same day, said the same. Now I'm thinking that I should cancel the X-500. I'm torn, but it's hard to justify the expense, if I'm only using it to mow the "flats" of my yard, when the new Toro takes care of that area in less than an hour. If I relegate the mower to slopes only duty, and use the tractor for the flats, the tractor would see only 15 hours of work per year. For snow-removal, I'm using a "tracked" Honda 11/32, and I'm entirely happy with that machine.

Based upon the posts I am reading I am never going to open my mouth in public again for fear that I am being ridiculed. I can guarantee you that I have violated everyone's pet peeve at one time or another. I live in a very snobby town where people are prejudged all the time. My daughter left for her Senior Prom tonight practically in tears because someone said her boyfriend was too goofy looking for her. She refused to take any pictures until we finally convinced her that sometimes people say mean and hateful things without taking the time to know the person. Many of the posts on this subject are no different than what she went through tonight. The difference between what your daughter experienced and what we've posted here is that we've not said rude things specifically to someone's face. Yeah, I have language pet peeves, lots of them. And though I might mention some of them in an online discussion such as this, aside from correcting my kids (for their own good), I wouldn't dream of correcting others to their face. It's not the same thing to point out someone's bad grammar in conversation as it is to point out to a company that they've made a mistake in an ad. I think the motive in correcting the ad is more to help them see their relatively permanent mistake, whereas the motive to correct someone in conversation is more along the lines of showing that you know better. In normal conversation, as well as on these forums, we all make gramatical and spelling errors. It's the nature of casual speech and writing. I see and hear these errors all the time (including my own!) but it's just nicer to overlook them and move on. So please, don't hold your tongue (or fingers!) around me. I'll never say a word!!

She is always saying that "Tot Mom" is wanting millions to be interviewed, just how does she know this???? She has never spoken to her. I don't know how some of these talk show hosts get away with telling such stories and the sad part is people believe them to be telling the truth. Nancy is always screaming about what a liar Casey is, but she is telling lies nightly on her show.

Hi folks, Not only is Newfoundland ruggedly beautiful ... ... the inhabitants are hugely hospitable, and make people very welcome. Remember 9-12 ... when New York airports were closed? Hundreds (I think) of airplanes ... including thousands of people ... landed entirely unexpectedly in Newfoundland ... where there wasn't a large quantity of spare food and accomodations available, but the Newfoundlanders opened their homes and freezers, community centres and schools to make everyone welcome. Many who were the enforced visitors for those few days have returned to renew friendships with the lovely people that they met in Newfoundland. They'd be delighted to have you come for a visit ... in summer, if you so choose ... ... maybe in winter, especially if you're a writer who'd like some largely uninterrupted time for composition. Many Newfoundlanders were fishers, depending of the cod for their food and income ... but the huge factory fishing trawlers pretty well sucked the ocean dry, as they are busily doing with many other high level fish (with some assistance from hungry seals) and when Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans forbade fishing them, well over 10 years ago, with everyone hoping that the stock would recover, many have found it difficult to survive, with the food source and income provider gone up in smoke, so to speak. Now many people are screaming about the mistreatment of seals ... resulting from wildlife-supporting agencies using mainly pictures of white-coat seal pups, that are very photogenic ... but haven't been hunted in years. Newfoundlanders have acquired a certain reputation for partying, as well: and they'd be pleased to welcome you to those, also. A visit to Newfoundland is a memorable experience: even well-travelled Glenda would find it impressive, I'm sure. ole joyful