Our jetted tub was here when we moved in and seems to have been here a while, so I estimate it is at least 15 years old. The jets work fine and cleaning is easy. The previous owner told me to use a half a cup of dishwasher detergent and run the tub for 20 minutes with hot water to clean the jets and that has been all I need to do for them. I clean the inside of the tub by wiping as you would expect. We are looking to renovate our bathroom and want to fix the down sides to our tub with our next purchase. 1. The jets are loud. It bothers me but not my husband. I want soothing in a bath and they are jarring to me. They are great for mixing the water if it has been sitting a while and the top is hot and bottom cold. 2. The tub is acrylic and it slopes down from the inner edge heading to the wall tiles and seems to pull away from the caulk, making gaps due to the weight when the tub is full. I have tried caulking it with a full tub of water and letting it set that way, but that did not work either. I end up recaulking more than once a year and that is a royal pain. The area in the corner on the end by the faucet collects water after every shower and even as the water drips from the wall. It should be sloped the other way but isn't. 3. It does cool down but I do not see any insulation when I open the side panel so perhaps that was an installation issue. I think a heater may be a good feature to have to conserve on water. We have solar electric so would not feel too guilty using more power in that way. 4. The acrylic has not held up too well the past few years. There are some nicks in it and I do not know how they got there. We do not have the space for a longer tub but could do wider. I don't want super tall sides since I often rest my tablet on the side while in the tub and that stresses my shoulder. I also sometimes work on a laptop on a small table and have the same shoulder issue. As you can tell, I take long baths, lol. I'd love to hear about the sounds in the newer jetted tubs and the new air tubs. I'd also consider a plain tub with a heater if my issues with our current tub are inevitable. It would help if anyone went from a jetted to an air tub and can tell me the pros and cons. I think my hubby will want another jetted one but I am not sold on that idea. These are the early days of planning and I know I will be researching everything to death and reading old posts. Thanks for any advice you can share.

I can certainly sympathize with your situation...I have been without a printer for many months now because the ink cartridges are so expensive. I have a Canon Multipass 550 which has been a lifesaver in the past...being able to fax, copy and print...then when you do breakdown to buy one...install it and it still says empty cartridge, you really want to scream. But get this...the cartridge isn't the problem...it's the print head...to the tune of $50 or so and this is the third time I have replaced it and lord only knows how many cartridges were full before I wised up! Now get this....those print heads can be washed in your kitchen sink, dried on the counter and reinstalled...I sure am glad I saved the other two, i'll try that next time! But, now...I can't get the printer to print everything on the page....it prints one or two lines of the document, then skips a good paragraph size area and picks up the print again......any suggestions! and of course, it doesn't help that the manual is online and no hard copy is provided...I'm ready to do the old uninstall/reinstall thing and see if that helps! Technology sucks....here today, obsolete before noon the next day! and it wasn't a cheapee either...about $250- $300 smack a roos 2-3 years ago! Even with the cheapees....you spend a fortune on ink, that's were they make the money i guess! So what do I have to lose if the washing dosen't work......blank pages! Congratulations to anyone who can buy Canon Cartridges for $2.00 what is the secret! Here is a link that might be useful: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wilf.james/cartclen.htm

Rosewitch, England was definitely one of my favorite places I have ever visited. My folks took me there when I was 14, and I remember bits and pieces the Crown jewels, walking amongst the Stonehenge stones (roped off now, vandalism), Stratford upon Avon. Time for me to take my own 14YO. Im trying to think how I can get over there for a whole summer, LOL. Dlynn, I could have worked so much more. I didnt really look at night time stuff and there was loads to do. Greece: cant help you, but shoot Yasou a line, she went a few years ago. LOL Annie! Teresa, well go together. I wanted to explore more cooking and food shops/stores but didnt get to. Terri, here is more a link to Pictures of England, a website pointed out to me by Denise. I started it on Bourton on the Water, where we stayed for a few days. Thanks Sharon, I was actually thinking how can I even come close to posting her quality of travel guides, I dont do the pictures she does LOL. We might have sat at the same table in the Cheshire Cheeses dining room! Sawdust still there, but we didnt make it to the cellar. I missed a lot of the British Museum. It has changed.check out the new atrium. I couldnt keep up with DH and DS16. Afternoons, when I planned museums, I crashed. Next time! Pam, lots of people did more than we did per day! Theater every night, more attractions, I cant imagine. Gina heh heh yeah I need another vacation like a hole in my head. Speaking of whichDH has another week off in August. Nooooooooo! Kathleen, DH says he took an average of 200 pictures a day. Yup. Me, I just buy the post cards or Google the images, same thing (DARFC from the photo bugs here) Cathy, thanks for giving me the War and Peace moniker heh heh. Next time I go with CF friends! LindaC, I know. Im still exhausted. Speaking of the V&A, did you know there was a Dale Chihuly chandelier in the entrance room?

I just wanted to say that it's so inspiring to come here and read about everyone's efforts. We all have our down days but I know it helps me when I have some accountability to someone other than myself. I don't normally share my exercise highs/lows with others IRL (except dh and my exercise partners), and I don't normally "brag" about what I may have accomplished. But having a chance to share it with others here (who don't know me IRL) who are doing the same thing is a way to keep myself encouraged and accountable. And when I'm not feeling especially motivated, it's nice to come read a thread such as this one and see what everyone else is doing and think, gee, just go DO something. Hhireno, thanks for continuing to post these threads - and you are so kind to respond to each and every one with thoughtful words of encouragement and affirmation. Bethpen, I'm sorry that you are feeling so much stress and hope that you can find ways to cope. Baby steps are good, any step is good! If you can't find time to exercise, then do simple things like park as far as possible from where you are going rather than right near the door, take the stairs. And if you can find the time, try to make at least a few make ahead meals that are healthy so you can bring them with you up to NH so that you aren't relying on carb-heavy meals while you are there. I have a couple of good chicken recipes that are fairly easy (one is a Greek marinade that you can quickly make, put the chicken in a ziploc bag and freeze then take with you and then it's already for baking or grilling when it's meal time). If you are interested, I can post it here or email it to you. My friend just emailed me a bunch of recipes from a Bikini boot camp class she took - most are very easy and tasty. (I'm making one for dinner tonight - turkey lasagna with eggplant as the noodles). I'm sure you probably have plenty of healthy recipes...it's just making the time, I know!