I didn't know we even had ag agents here in California. All I ever see are the master gardeners. Now some of them do really know their stuff inside and out, but I don't think it is the same thing. I thought it was all part of California being the only state I ever heard of that did not offer low cost soil testing through the extension. Maybe you have to be a professional farmer before you are worthy of an ag agent's attention. I've been educating myself differently. I read books, garden forums, talk to experienced gardeners (and farmers, too), try things out, join interest groups, and even take a formal class now and then. I don't know nearly as much as I'd like, or nearly as much as would be useful, and boy do I keep making mistakes, but every year I know a little bit more than I did the year before. It would be nice to have one expert to go to for all my garden answers, but I suspect that no such creature exists. Fortunately I have come to know a lot of people who know a lot about their own area of interest and are willing to share that knowledge. Rosefolly

I would just insure that the chairs had the proper rollers on them and not even bother with pads. The rollers for hard surfaces are softer than those for carpets, so they shouldn't affect the flooring very much. High heels probably are much harder on the flooring than the rollers. Having worked in offices that had carpet tiles in most areas, almost every chair had one of those dreaded pads. We once developed a mold problem, and when the technical folks came in to take measurements, some of the worst areas were under those pads. Although we had carpet tiles that were readily replaceable, new ones don't always match up very well with the older tiles, color-wise. We also had to get all new pads that had more holes in them so as not to trap moisture. Carpet is quieter than the laminate flooring, though, so there are pros and cons on each side. Anyway, I would focus on high-quality rollers for the chairs instead of any pads. Good luck!

H&M will custom make a lumbar pillow for you on request, or can actually customize the chair and add padding in the lower back. But you really do want to try out a stock one first, before customizing one. I ordered mine sight unseen (the first one) and thought it good enough to get a second one for home, but your husband may be looking for a particular fit.

There was a store that carried them in a neighboring, larger city so I did have the opportunity to try it out. I ended up ordering it online. I believe that Herman Miller only has an annual sale on their products, which expired on the 11th. By ordering online I was able to save on another trip, get free shipping and saved on sales tax as well. I'm eager to get it as I'm really ready to get rid of the chair I currently use. I think it is likely that you will have to find a place in a larger city that carry the more expensive chairs mentioned. I have never seen them in a place like Office Depot or Staples.