Some of the newer hybrids come with seperate seed for the male and female plants, but most plants will have both male and female blossoms on them so, theoretically, you should only need to plant one plant to supply you with watermelon.

Hi FoodJaunts, No, my cooktop is not the matching GE, it is a KitchenAid that I got from a scratch and dent dealer new, in a badly beat up box, but the cooktop did not have a scratch on it. It's MSRP was $2800 and we got it for $1200. Like you were planning, our blower motor is in the basement, so there is no need for a bigger base cabinet. So you are not flipping this house, you are buying it to live in, from a flipper, and because he has not yet done the work, he is willing to install the appliances of your choice if you pay the difference, right? If flickering gas was the only problem with downdrafts, I would say that getting an induction cooktop with a wok burner would be a good idea (they do make burners shaped like a bowl to accommodate a real round-bottomed wok). HOWEVER, my set-up does not pull grease and steam from the front burners. It gets most of the steam from something cooking on the back burner, however. I would not expect my set-up to work for stir frying. DH agrees, saying, "not unless it was a really short wok and really close to the downdraft!" Anyway, here is an inexpensive portable countertop induction wok burner: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UI882A/ref=asc_df_B004UI882A2252470?smid=A294BYNQDK07T&tag=nextagusmp0355811-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B004UI882A and a discussion about that burner and about cooking with woks using gas, electric, and induction that I found very interesting. http://www.cheftalk.com/t/68139/adcraft-wok-induction-burner I also found this expensive built-in separate wok burner: http://www.katom.com/084-MWDG1800.html?CID=Nextag&utm_source=Nextag&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=CSE&zmam=29342707&zmas=1&zmac=3&zmap=084-MWDG1800 But look what Dacor is now making - a 15" high downdraft pop-up with up to 1000 CFM external remote blower. They show it on a serious gas range and talk about "capturing smoke and steam from all of the burners:" http://www.us-appliance.com/erv3615.html And Miele has one that rises 14": http://www.us-appliance.com/da64901000.html You can always look into getting the 48" downdraft with your gas cooktop, then put the induction wok burner beside the cooktop, right under the downdraft. The chef in the discussion likes the induction with the round wok bottom better than residential gas burners and a wok. So things are looking better in the downdraft department. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor to find the right system to work for your family. Here is a link that might be useful: Built-in induction wok cooker

Younger kids are easier to buy more for... there is so much cute/fun stuff to choose from that they'll like and as kids get older, they may have particular interests and it' gets harder to know what they'll like or think is silly. But, the issue isn't really about the gifts, right? (Gifts are given from the heart & should not be forced.) I decided this year, to buy SD separate gifts than what DH gets her. I bought a few nice things but nothing fancy or off her "list" which consisted of iPod, laptop, PS3, & lots of other expensive, unrealistic items. Then DH went shopping on his own. He spent more $$ than me, but he got her... well, I thought it was boring, lame things like a comforter & backpack. (just plain ones too!) and I pictured SD opening them & then the tears... nothing from her list. I know she will not tell DH anything about the stuff he got her, she cares about his feelings. So, I went & got a few more things & added them to the "from Santa" pile so she won't know they are from me. I don't plan on being around when she opens them. (she comes back on Sunday night) My presence would probably make it less comfortable for her so I'd rather her share the moment with her dad, unless she asks for me. As for her noticing favoritism & it affecting how she feels about you. That could be happening. But, sometimes there are differences in how stepchildren relate to the stepparent based on gender. Son's usually 'like' and are nicer to a stepmom than a daughter. That could be because two females are 'competing' for dad's attention/affection. A stepmom might be seen as a rival to the daughter but the son may see the qualities in the stepmom, that attracted the dad to her. Likewise, son's may feel more rivalry with a stepdad... it's seen more when they are 'competing' to be man of the house. Daughters may see the qualities in the stepdad that mom finds attractive. There could be many factors in why people like or don't like someone, and in step situations it's more complex because there are the stereotypes, different perceptions, assumptions, etc. It's made worse when kids experience mom & dad splitting to two houses... but when they hate each other, find someone new & want the kids to be as excited as they are, etc. Imagine how a child feels hearing mom say she's found her soulmate in the new BF.... what about my dad? or vice versa. Oh yeah, I have three kids. I love them all. I'd jump in front of a bus for any of them but they all have different personalities & traits. They all get on my nerves at different times... occasionally all at the same time. I do more for one or another when I feel they need more & trying to be fair or equal doesn't work. I don't consider how many gifts or the price of the gifts when shopping for them. I try to get them what I think they want, need & will appreciate. This year, I bought my middle son many things (he has moved out & is his first apartment, struggling financially), my daughter got less but everything she asked for (she still lives at home), and I have not yet bought my oldest son anything... I may give him cash because he has to fly back to his base & it would be very expensive to ship anything back east. He needs furniture for his new apartment so cash will suffice. I bought his son (DGS) about half of what SD got, mostly because he doesn't really need anything & he's running out of room for toys & clothes. He's 21 mos... he won't really care.

I have the typical top freezer unit in the kitchen and a dorm sized unit in the garage. Used to use the small one for beverages when I worked in the garage a lot and for the extra room. Stopped using it when I wanted to cut electric use. It doesn't use that much but it really wasn't needed. Then after the surgeries started a few years ago I plugged it back in since I needed some specialty foods during recovery and since mobility has been so limited in the last years, it's just more convenient to put some of the things in the little one when I bring them home and bring in other groceries and stuff when I can. I'll unplug it soon since winter is approaching and I have the "walk in cooler/freezer" (aka garage) available. Grainlady, I bought a Kill-A-Watt a couple years ago but never got around to trying it out. Been meaning to then forget about it! Gotta get that thing out and check some things out. I'm curious about some things.