What a nice surprise to find some old friends here this weekend - Florence, I'm glad to see you're doing well - I think of you! We're getting a little break in weather today (spring has been cool, wet). I pruned roses a little late, then found critical deer had done my job over, which led to me pruning again to straighten up what they'd reshaped. Someone has to come to an understanding around here on who gets the final say on the roses :) My fault, I'd been lax in spraying repellent with the uninviting weather, now this afternoon I've got to get that done so it doesn't happen again. (((((hugs)))))

I used to drink with a crowd of really great older guys in Gera... fishing information, shuffle board, homemade horseradish. It was the concensus and advice that joints should be replaced asap when they wear out. A couple felt like they had wasted years of their life by attempting to make-do and deal with the pain... "don't wait until you are 70". A gal that works on my production line had hers done a few months ago. Pretty certain she went FMLA followed by a lay-off due to the economy. I used to tease her by calling her "limpy". When the weather was changing or she had a long day she would develop a visable limp. She didn't know she was limping and my teasing was one of the factors that made her get the hip fixed. I was not teasing to be mean... when she limped I also pushed her towards easy tasks. Today she is much better. The limp and the pain is gone. She has a very physically challenging job... 35lb lifting 30 times per hour, constant walking with stops at different work stations, steps to climb... everyone gains muscle. (Something when you put muscle on a farm girl... her other job is tending a herd of cows.) She is not having any problems with the job, no limp, faster then I am at the same job. I try to take care of her by getting the heavy stuff and she tries to take care of me by getting the heavy stuff. Just started a 25 y/o that can't yet handle the physical demands. We work in a factory making steel things so nothing is light or simple... and it is hot humid uncomfortable work. From what I'm told and can see replacement leaves most people better then before... much better. Speaking of work... I have to go in early. New machines, new jobs,... hiring soon *happy dance*.

I'm a tad over 70 now. I have two artificial hips. Left was December 2004; right, January 2006. Needing to use steroids for asthma ruined my hip joints early. Hips are *easy*, with easy recovery. KNEES seem to be much harder! (Hips move 'back and forth', while knees have to 'rotate'.) Thanks to 'a better world through chemistry' (drugs), this is NOT a painful surgery or recovery. I borrowed a raised toilet seat, walker and cane from our Senior Center's lending closet. I bought a long shoehorn which I still enjoy using. I walked the day after surgery and came home after a couple nights on an ordinary surgical ward. DH was my 'step and fetch it' and was able to nuke frozen dinners for the first few nights. I was walking around the grocery store with him a week after surgery. (How many frozen dinners can a person tolerate? LOL) A visiting nurse came to our (single level) home to do the blood testing while I was on blood-thinners. A physical therapist came to our home to teach me exercises and put me through my paces. (DO them! You will recover faster and have greater strength.) My first hip was somewhat more successful than the second -- but I'm happy with both. I can't imagine NOT doing this so that you can WALK WITHOUT PAIN again. Oh, I just remembered that I was on a plane to Maui shortly after the second surgery. I had wheelchairs at the airports and made sure to walk around a bit in flight to avoid clots, but...no worries! No need for heavy meds after either replacement.

What you list is a take off rather than a specification. The contractor should tell you the brand, quality and type of composition shingle proposed. The copper can be reused only if it has not worn too much. The take off say it will be removed and reused so maybe it is OK. But the contractor should tell you for sure one way or the other. Ice & Water shield should be placed below the copper. The comment about the decking is confusing. The contractor should clarify what he means. Laminated layered shingles are too random to look like shakes but the texture and shadow is certainly more interesting than single thickness shingles. Without knowing the climate there's not much anyone can tell you.