Glenn: You seem particularly concerned about cedar apple rust on your apples, which I can well understand since this disease has also been a serious problem for me. First, the Ferbam. I was able to find it at a chemical company that services the commercial grower trade, and I am quite sure that if you searched the net you could also find it by internet or mailorder. I do not personally believe that ferbam is highly toxic to humans, but whether it is or not, I place myself in no danger and I do not dress up like an astronaut when I apply it. I do have a long, stand-back wand for my backpack sprayer, and spray only when wind conditions are calm. If there is even a slight breeze, I keep myself upwind. I apply ferbam wearing a t-shirt and shorts (and sunglasses), and wait until the spray has fallen on the leaves before moving around to a different angle so that none of the spray material falls on me. It also helps to keep your trees pruned down to a reasonable height so that you seldom find yourself spraying upward. That's one of the reasons I have converted all my central leader trees to a lower vase shape. A series of consistently windy/rainy days can effectively shut my spraying operations down, but that's just the way it is. I don't spray on days like that. Commercial orchardists use highly powered motorized sprayers that fill the entire orchard with spray mist. They have to suit up before doing this, but my spraying techniques are much more careful and targeted, and I don't believe I have to. CAR strikes very early, and if you are going to have it, it will be there before you thin and bag the apples. It is visible on the calyx end of the apple, and the little developing apples are often distorted because of it. If you see a perfect apple, without any sign of the yellow/orange stain, you can bag it with confidence because the CAR spores are effectively cut off from the apple by the bag. I do think that dormant copper sprays are effective at controlling overwintering spores of CAR, scab, and other fungal diseases, but new CAR infections can blow in with the rain from elsewhere in any given spring. Ferbam may not be the only fungicide effective against CAR, but it is the one I found and was able to buy. To be effective, the first Ferbam spray should be applied as soon as apples begin blooming. The fungicide component of Bonide Fruit Tree Spray, which is Captan, is not effective against CAR even if you applied it in pure form and at full strength. My only complaint about Ferbam is its granular composition, which never fully dissolves. As a result, I have to clean out the in-line filter in my sprayer wand with a toothbrush each time I refill it when using this chemical. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I have a 30" Jenn-Air microwave/convection - it is a wall oven, but I believe there is an over the range model. It was installed in May and we have used it daily since. What to do I love about it? As there are usually only two of us, we use it in convection mode instead of using our regular 30" oven, which has a much larger volume. It heats up quickly, is efficient, and cooks beautifully. It has a speed cook function too, which combines microwaves with convection. I have to say I have only used that function once, but it did work well and dinner was ready in a fraction of the usual time. So... I LOVE having the small convection and I cant live without a microwave so in that respect this product is perfect for me. What didnt live up to expectations? Cleaning! Microwave/convection combos are not selfcleaning and you cant use oven cleaner on stainless steel, so what to do? This wasnt a problem until I used the broil function and spattered the stainless steel interior with burnt on oil. It is extremely difficult to clean off. Certainly the advised procedures (steaming water, vinegar, mild detergent) didnt touch it. I dont think that this problem is unique to this brand of oven - burnt oil and grease makes a mess, even on stainless steel. IF I ever get it clean, I will not be cooking anything messy in there again. It is not really an issue as I have a selfcleaning oven for broiling and roasting - but it is something to consider when deciding whether a microwave/convection is the right choice for you.

You need to look at the construction of the attic ventilation system above the insulation. You indicated they put the channels in and left a gap for airflow, prior to insulating the rafter bay. In order to get condensation in the attic, it takes two things, Presence of moisture and a condensing surface. Obviously, there is moisture present, and the source will need to be identified, but what baffles me, is that a conditioned attic (heated) remains cool enough to have a condensing surface on the heated side of the insulation. Have you looked into the insulation and up onto the baffle that was installed? It is my guess that by installing the baffles continuous from top to bottom, that they possibly did more harm than good, particularly if the channels are continuous or sealed. They certainly have a ventilation channel, but you need to consider the reasoning for that ventilation channel. Attic ventilation first and foremost (at least in my heating climate)is to relieve the attic of moisture. The other reason is to relieve the attic of excessive heat in the summer time. With the insulation at the rafter level instead of the attic floor, they will need to have a continuous(sealed) vapor barrier or a dual purpose air barrier, such as drywall (ADA Approch). Kraft facing is not an adequate vapor barrier.retarder, in this application. Couple this with warming the attic temp, should alleviate the problem, but dont do it by simply warming the attic without the sealed vapor barrier or you will just drive the moisture deeper into the insualtion system. With the types of temperature differentials this winter has provided us, problems are going to arise, that didnt happen last year, irregardless of how many occupants were there last year.

Took me 2 minutes to find this on www.insurance.com: Cost to insure an empty home Coverage limits and premium costs for unoccupied and vacant homes vary, based on how long the dwelling will be empty, its vacant or unoccupied status, and the steps you take to protect your property. For example, an unoccupied home may be covered with the addition of a permit or endorsement, and this typically costs less than $100. Without it, damage that occurs while you're away is unlikely to be covered.  Vacant home insurance, on the other hand, is considerably costlier--between 1.5 and three times as much as standard insurance for occupied properties. However, the higher rate is an annual one. Most property doesn't stay vacant year after year, and many vacant property insurers recognize this, allowing you to prorate the annual cost and only pay for the time you need.