Thanks for all the sympathy everyone - I know you all know how I feel :) Kateskouros: that's funny, but looking at it, it does seem as if ice skates would make those scratches - haha! There's little ice skating around here right now though since it's in the 80's and 90's, so I guess they'll have to come up with another excuse :) Kat: I know you realize exactly how I feel since you've heard all my rantings through email :) Maybe I'll have some GOOD news eventually! Remodelfla: yes, we've decided that it practically has to be a sanding issue. The scratches are hard to describe and actually look a bit different in person than in the photos. The kitchen photos do look as if the scratches were sunken in, therefore maybe didn't take the stain, but in person look a bit raised - I know that sounds crazy, and it's the weirdest thing I've ever seen!! I don't know much about woodworking and definitely not refinishing floors other than what I've read, but we're wondering if the reason it became so apparent once the poly was down is due to the waterbased Bona opening the grain of the wood - does that even sound possible?? I posted a question on the floor forum but have gotten no replies - it doesn't seem to be very active compared to this one! Anyway, I'm putting one more photo below of the scratch in the bedroom (which we KNOW was there before the sanding started) because it does look slightly more as if it's raised. Picture a scar - you know how once scar tissue forms, there's a raised area. That's kind of what it looks like in person! I have no idea why the one in the kitchen looks as if there's no stain at all because it does have some on it - but the more they tried to "fix" the worse it became. Desertsteph: we saw the floors after every process dried, so we first saw the stain and there were no scratches, then one coat of poly, and that's the odd thing I was referring to above - only after approx. the second coat of poly did the scratches emerge. So I saw the floors one morning when I was leaving for work, and then we didn't go up until later that evening when the poly dried. We IMMEDIATELY noticed that and contacted the floor company. The "coordinator/scheduler" said that he was out of town, but would send the guys over to look at it the next day. That's when everyone said they had no idea how it could have happened but it couldn't possibly be from their equipment. So...we began investigating and found everything I wrote above to Remodelfla. We haven't moved anything back in and weren't planning to for several days just to make sure we gave the floors plenty of time to "cure" or whatever. Unfortunately, everything is in storage which we are also paying for much longer now! Seaglass7: thanks for agreeing that it's unbelievable that the company would try to blame us for the scratches and that I'm not just being picky! I was honestly beginning to question whether we were just expecting way too much and if anyone else would think it looked fine (as the floor company tried to say!). We asked them if since they think it looks fine, if they are OK with us posting photos everywhere as a reference for them - see what they say about that - haha! Rubyfig: we do know that the refrigerator was pulled across the floor, but it was well BEFORE the floor company started. And we didn't worry about the fact that we could see scratches in the new unfinished wood because we thought they would be sanded out!!! And none of the appliances were moved after the floor company started - they simply stained around them. It would have been impossible to move the huge refrigerator and get it back in without completely messing up the floors after finished, so we just elected to stain around it. Not the best option, but oh well. Lukkiirish: Yep, that's the "profesisonals" we were lucky enough to choose. You'd never believe this company has been around for at least 5-10 years and isn't just some one-man operation with a hand sander or something - haha! They seemed fine until we had issues - that's when you find out what companies are TRULY like! I'm beginning to REALLY regret not going with prefinished :) Floor in bedroom - scratch corresponds to one that was there BEFORE sanding. It was a fairly deep scratch made by the bed which we just ignored knowing that we'd eventually refinish them - little did we know we'd have the scratch forever - haha:

Yes, I agree places to hide are a great help. About a year ago, my husband was standing near the chicken coop, which has trees/shrubs dotted around it, they were out running around, and a hawk landed on a lower branch just 10 feet away from him and aimed at one of the hens. He immediately shouted "hey!" at it and it was so startled it almost fell, but then flew off. In another incident, my largest Golden Laced Wyandotte hen had a small skirmish with a redtail hawk. I was in a nearby garden, and at first thought 2 hens were fighting over something, but the hawk jumped up to a limb and we made eye contact, and it flew away. The Roo was on his way, but I'm glad the hen was on the large side so she had a chance at holding her own for a few seconds. The turkey vultures like to circle low over them as well, and I've been told that they likely won't eat the chickens, but the way they behave, I think they will! They get very low, and I can see their eyes!

The fundamental issue is that fan/blower flow rates are measured in open air. The result is the zero static pressure flow rate. In a hood with filter, shape transitions, duct losses, and make-up air pressure losses, the actual flow rate is likely to be in the 200 - 300 CFM region. An 18-inch x 30-inch hood has an entry area of 3.75 square feet. At 90 CFM/sq.ft., the actual flow rate called for is ~ 340 CFM, requiring a motor rated at 500 CFM or higher, depending on myriad factors. And even if this is achieved, if the cooking plume is not entirely captured due to a smaller than needed hood aperture, there will still be grease, moisture, and odor escaping into the room.

Working with the two items you have, the mirror and table, I think the height is fine. What is making it look awkward is the fact that you have nothing on the table that can fill the gap between the tabletop and mirror. Try an orchid in a nice planter or basket, it will help to blend the two together, then add a couple of your favorite small tchotckes (don't over do it though, you could even lay two favorite hardback books with bindings facing out), it will be a beautiful greeting to all who see it! You're on the right track!f Life is better because of the beauty we find in it!