Just keeping everyone updated - Vintage sent out the roses that are still left after the first rush and that's posted below. Among these, I see an additional recommendation for The Prince's Trust that I got from Vintage a few years ago, and it's a red climber that very enthusiastically wants to grow. It was probably the biggest band plant I've ever seen at nearly 4 feet long, and it put on another 5-6 feet in its first year. It's a very healthy happy climber in my zone 5. Cynthia Remaining list as of March 6: Ch "Ferndale Red China" 1 ChCl Setina 1 E Jeannie Deans 1 Fl Centenaire de Lourdes 1 Fl Europeana 1 Fl Fire and Ice 14 Fl Fred Loads 1 Fl Holstein 1 Fl Impatient VID 1 Fl Jazz Fest VID 1 0 Fl Kirsten Poulsen 3 Fl Lili Marlène 1 Fl Lipstick 1 Fl Orange Garnet VID 2 Fl Playboy 1 Fl Showbiz VID 2 FlCl Heidelberg 9 1 HB "California Malton" 1 HM Heinrich Conrad Soth 1 HM Verdi 2 HP Dr. Masaryk 4* HP François Arago 5* HP Marguerite Guillard (Loubert) 8* HP Mme. de Staël 15* HP Paul's Single White Perpetual 3* HP Rose de Bouffarik 2* HP Silver Queen 1* HP "Souvenir de Mme. Berthier" 5* HT Blithe Spirit 1 HT Broadway 1 HT Chivalry 3 HT Die Welt 2 HT Ellen Willmott 1 HT Frances Ashton 1 HT Harry Wheatcroft 1 HT Kalahari 3 HT Love VID 1 HT Macho Man 1 HT Maria Callas VID 1 HT Movie Star 1 HT Peach Beauty VID 1 HT Slava 2 HT Tropicana VID 1 HTCl Amy Johnson 1 HTCl General MacArthur, Climbing 1 HTCl Queen Elizabeth, Climbing VID 8 HTCl Reine Olga de Wurtemburg 9 LCl Casa Blanca 2 LCl Coral Dawn 1 LCl Crimson Cascade 1 LCl Doubloons VID 1 LCl Dr. Covell's Carrotrooted Understock 2 LCl Eden 6 LCl Étendard 1 0 LCl Gold Rush VID 2 LCl Golden Threshold 3 LCl High Noon 1 LCl JACclam (aka America™) 1 LCl Joseph's Coat VI 1 1 LCl Lawrence Johnston 4 LCl Leverkusen 3 LCl Olive 5 LCl Pelé 4 LCl Rosendorf Schmitshausen 1 LCl Salita 8 LCl Sympathie 2 LCl Tempo VID 1 LCl The Prince's Trust 1 LCl White Cocade 2 LCl William Baffin 1 2 M "Joséphine de Beauharnais" 15* Min Magic Carrousel VID 1 Min Oakington Ruby 1 N "Lingo Musk" 1 N Narrow Water 1 Pol Ave Maria 5* Pol Mme. Taft 2 4* Pol Petite Marcelle 24* Pol Rösel Dach 16* PolCl Rose de Montplaisir 4* R America 3 R Baby Shower 4 R Chevy Chase 5 R Cooper's Burmese 4 R Dr. Huey VID 4 R Harry Maasz 1 R "Mystery Muse" 3 R Not Cherub 4 R Purity 7 1 R Ramona 3 R Roserie 2 R Wartburg 1 R Windermere 3 S Ferdy 10 S Hamburger Phoenix 7 S Illusion 1 S Romanze 1 S Rosy Cushion 4 3 S Salmon Wings 7* S Sandrine David 2* S Yellow Butterfly 3 S/AUS John Clare 6 S/Aus Red Coat 1 *Starred items are French Imports priced at $30 each

*SIGH*... Y'know mownie, I really do think that the hard-to-turn-the-engine-over syndrome is related to the starter. Now I can't get it to turn the engine more than a single revolution at all even when it is cold (I have it uncovered so I can see what it is doing when cranking it), let alone turn it over to fire. This is what it was doing when it was hot. So can't try out the carb adjustments yet since I can't get it to turn the flywheel fast enough to fire the engine at all. What HAS been happening is when you turn the ignition key, the starter driveshaft pops up, the gear engages the flywheel, then it stops wmmph at a high compression point in the engine or something, and then labors and can't turn it past that point, like something is jamming up somewhere. At least once tonight though it cranked the engine a couple revolutions without incident but it wasn't seeming to get any firing action; that was right after I put the battery on the charger briefly. THEN, after that a couple times the starter drive shaft (or whatever it is) did not pop up at all upon turning the key; it sat there and spinned....so we know it is getting current. Tried a little WD-40 to the shaft under the silver disk-shaped part below the gear but did not make much difference...a and finally another time the shaft popped up, engaged, stopped (when it stops it is engaged with the flywheel and stays there after releasing the key; you have to turn the shaft to make it come back down), and then there were a couple of clicking noises coming from inside the starter too when the key was held in start briefly past the jam-up point. That also happened on one or two tries. Sooooo....Battery? Starter? Neither? Both? lol. I replaced a broken plastic part at the top of the drive shaft on the starter season before last; will have to look up what it is called but remember removing and replacing the pin that holds it all together to the drive shaft was next to impossible...so kind of hesitant to try to tear it all down again because it was such a pain. Way easier to just buy a new one, albeit a lot pricier.. Might make more sense just to put the battery on the charger to be sure it does have sufficient charge before blowing $125 on a new starter but will it hurt the battery if it DOESN'T need charging to do this? Can't afford the starter at this point anyway. Sorry to change this thread so late in the game, if you think I need to start another let me know. Dang dinosaur...it just doesn't want to do any work, that's all... :^\

Thank you so much for your replies! This quote is from Salesman #3. He is the grandson of the man who started this heating and cooling company in 1945. His dad and 3 brothers all still work there. They were voted "Contractor of the Year" in 2002 and won an "Ethical Business Award" in our area last year or the year before. I thought they would be the most expensive, so I had him come out last, but his quote is the best. (he said he could do gas heat with heat pump,but doesn't recommend it based on our cheap electric. He said you have to set a temp where heat pump turns off and gas kicks in, same as Salesman #2) Last question - Does it seem reasonable that in this area people haven't been spending the money for a higher SEER unit because we only need to cool for 3 months or so? (it takes too long to get back the initial added cost) He said there hasn't been the demand for these units in this area, but I wonder if the stimulus rebate changes that. The $1500 rebate is pretty new, do they just need some time to catch up? Is it worth pushing him to quote me something from Rheem that does qualify? From what I can see on the Rheem website they have a 3 ton system that qualifies, in their high-end systems. It has lots of "bells and whistles" and I can't tell how much more it will cost. This contractor has said that he prefers to "keep it simple". less areas to have problems down the line. Do you think it is worth pursuing this in light of the new rebate?

ur realtor has done a great job and in two months we have had a lot of lookers but no offers. I really don't think it is over priced but she is talking about lowering the price. Our competition is new construction and some have gone to that. The two things people don't like so much are the smaller 3 bedrooms and a smallish entry which we cannot change.It would bring a new set of lookers. Almost all of the lookers we have had were from her realty co...tho not all from her office. So if we were to go with another large co. does it stand to reason there would be another whole set of lookers? I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love this site because it gives me a window into the minds of sellers. Mar-cia, WOW! You have read on here the nightmare stories that sellers have with their agents. For the most part, the people that post here are unhappy with them. Their pictures, their advertising, the lack of activity, they arent doing enough etc. YOU have an agent who you are happy with, she does alot, she advertises, she gets people to look at your house, you yourself said she has done a great job but you want to change realtors because she hasnt brought an offer? NO ONE, can make someone buy your house. All she can do is market it to the right audience. It sounds as if she's getting them there and they are choosing new construction. That in itself means your price is too high. If they can get new construction the way they want it, the colors they want, the cabinets they want, the room sizes they want, for the same price as yours, they are going to go for it. Your buyer pool has just been limited to someone who wants something "newer" but can't wait for new construction. The next "new" agent that you sign with will most likely want to lower the price too because it didnt sell. If you are in the MLS system, you are already reaching the other offices. Just my opinion, but your house looks on the cold side to me. I would warm it up with some warmer neutral tones and reduce the price like your realtor advises. The longer you are on the market, the lower the price goes. You could reduce now and sell for higher than if you sat at your price for another 2 months.