keeferb, Well I just used your step-by-step process of filling tires with one execption: my method of breaking the top bead included two very carefully aimed swats with a sledgehamer--much easier logistically speaking. Just last year I tore the sidewall on one of my 23x10.50-12 turf savers. I wanted to replace both of the rears (even though the other was like new) with some HDAP (aka: HD Field Trax), but alas, they're not available in that size. I wasn't confident that the 24" would provide enough clearance, so I just replaced it with a like tire. But after slipping around for the rest of the season on my turf tires (and getting stuck while tilling), I decided to go all out and fix the traction problem once and for all. It would be nice to have a good all-around tire, but since I already had two like new (and expensive) turf tires, I decided to pick up a set of old rims on eBay and mount some serious traction tires. I found a set of rims off an old JD 200 series, which fit the GT225's bolt pattern but had about another inch of offset. They were a little rusty but straight. Then I found a pair of 4-ply Carlisle Tru Power lug tires (just a little heavier than the Super Lug) for $207 after shipping. I worked my way through college mounting tires, but after wrestling with a pair of crowbars for about 5 minutes, I figured I'd just run down to the local service station and pay them the $10 a tire fee to mount them (tires this size or bigger will fit on a standard automotive changer). I tried to get them to fill the tires for me but they were afraid of making a big mess, so declined. When I got home I removed the valve cores, gave them a whack with the sledge, jammed a paintbrush handle into the bead to keep it away from the rim and poured 5 gallons of cheap washer fluid into each tire (about 40 lbs per wheel). I probably could have squeezed 6 gallons into each wheel. I inflated the tires with the core out to seat the bead; then put the core in and reset the pressure. I did a little leaf bagging and was amazed at the difference in traction. The tires didn't tear up my lawn at all. All things considered (used rims, can of JD yellow, two tires, mounting, 10 gallons w/w fluid), it cost me well under $300 to turn my deere into a traction monster.

Thanks for the morning feedback. It's nice to know I'm not alone and get some ideas going about how to get past the idea stage. The conversation and wine over at love-to-dream's is great, by the way, if anyone wants to join us. It's rather nice to have company along the way - especially if no one in your real life is at all interested in, well, obsessive kitchen discussion! @wi-sailorgirl - I do spend a fair amount of time at Houzz and have some idea books. I also have extensive GW files of inspirational kitchens, features and possible layouts. I guess I'm not finding it pointing me in a direction yet, but I'll step back and take a longer look and see if that helps illuminate! @ eleena - Glad to know I'm not alone! It sounds like you have not found your investment with a designer to be particularly helpful? I appreciate the advice to go slow. On the other hand, I actually think one of the things that might force me to move faster would be having a GC instead of this DYI nonsense. I guess I even go back and forth on that! On one hand, the money saved through DYI is pretty substantial and my partner has all the skills, though we'd hire out some parts. On the other hand, partner is busy, I am a dreamer and a GC would force us into mobilization and deadlines and structure which MIGHT be worth it. @herbflavor - I appreciate the layout advice and have posted various options over the past year - more will no doubt be coming once that wall comes down and I can template out what I am working with, as I know my vision about how much space it is going to open up is just not real in this small house. An L + island would allow me to put a pantry on the end of the cabinets opposite a fullsize fridge on the other side instead of going with a tall, skinny fridge with a pullout next to it. However, the island doesn't seem to play as nice with the new backsplash window or sit in the best spot given the 2 traffic patterns required - and many people have commented that a U seems better for me given it blocks off the kitchen floor from the front door. Definitely holding off on that until the wall actually comes down and I do think that will help me commit at least to layout. (Please, please, let it help lol) @ caryscott - You make a good point that budget does eliminate a lot of options. I also think you are right that making one decision forecloses on many other things I might love. The place where I see that the most in my situation is counter/tile choices. I find a great tile, then try to imagine what that means for counters and it almost invariably just doesn't work with the other top choices. Maybe I should ask for help with creating some idea boards... @lovetodream - the wine and reassurance that I am not alone is more help than you can know. Promise! And it is so much easier to give you advice, strangely, than myself. (What's up with THAT?) I think if you (me) could just start with SOMETHING, the rest would maybe start to fall into place. Or, start a few idea boards with a few favorite choices and have a few options to mull over instead of a million? At the least, we'd end up narrowing the field and having SOME choices made, likely. Or, on the other hand, we can open up another bottle and talk about it some more... @2LittleFishies - I agree, the good news is the bad news here. It's nice to have time to really research, ponder, take breaks, etc. However, I'm really not sure, objectively speaking, how much I've gained from the time and additional research. Minus some big moments, like seeing BrooklynGalley's Liebherr tall and skinny fridge and realizing I -could- have a pantry with a U if I went that way. What ends up happening is I look at various kitchens and say "Ooooohhhh, ahhhhh! I love that! I could totally just replicate those pendants, cabinets and tile and be perfectly happy!" Then tomorrow I see another kitchen and do the same thing... I dream of being one of those efficient, clear-headed decision-makers. lol @Kali615 - Do you mind if I ask what one thing you started with that your DH loved? I really do think that's probably the thing - to get a general direction started with that first decision. I've also decided the box stores are probably not my friend in any of this... though I am going to go into the new Lowes and HD that were just built and see if they have anything that appeals before I totally give that up. Your island sounds like it is going to be great. How did you come across that bowling alley wood? Craig's List? @kashmi - I appreciate the functionality questions. Once that wall comes down, I'm going to mock up a kitchen and play around with how I want to work in the "new space". GW is so great for considering those questions. The truth is, there are 2 of us and neither of us are huge cooks. However, I'm really hoping that changes SOMEWHAT with a new kitchen and this isn't all for superficial reasons. lol @ ArchitectMamma - This idea board is definitely something I have been contemplating. I haven't learned how to use the on-line options people around GW have been using and I struggle to find all the pieces and parts of what I want. It's really getting to be about time to take it to that step, I think. @ Marcolo - Good advice. I wonder how much I could get done in my life period if I was off the net. lol Both you and ArchitectMamma are recommending some of the same resources and it's a good suggestion. I do try to peek through magazines but generally end up not buying because nothing is really grabbing me. However, I absolutely agree that the same stuff recirculates on-line. That's one of the reasons I got bored at Houzz. I just am not finding a lot of trade showrooms in Anchorage. I need to look harder and actually get out there. I admit to a little terror that I am going to find "the perfect stone" in some obscure granite yard way before I am in a position to use it and be haunted by it forever... What I need, ultimately, is a whip and a ruler to keep myself (get myself) on task. lol And as a final note of irony, I found a thread yesterday through GW on Shiloh cabinets. There was a link to a kitchen I really liked. A little cottage - a little modern. And, I thought to myself, "Self, you could just do this. You like it. It would go with the house great. They are well made. They are well reviewed. It's a good look." Then I went to the website. They don't have dealers east of the Mississippi, basically. I'm in Alaska. And so it goes...

Hm.... I think the island had to be a 36" cabinet max, with overhang off the back? There might have been room to have a small overhang off the left, near the DR. I'd have to double check. There are things I do like about the L + island, including the larger pantry in the kitchen. What I don't like is a) seeing the kitchen floor wide open from the front door b) the fact that it doesn't play so nice with the BS window and pushes kitchen seating towards the fridge/sliding doors. And, you are right, the plan doesn't work so hot with the bump out. If we went with the smaller 7" bump out, I could modify/customize a pantry cabinet on the end where the bump out is - make it less deep but long to accomodate a microwave and food storage. So, I guess it could still get figured out? As the bump out gets larger, it seems harder to make the L work. It also pushes the walkway space further to the left and squeezes it even tighter...leaving something more like an isle/atoll instead of an island. lol I was able to meet with the woman who designed that last kitchen - and can hire her for a $500 fee that would be applied to the cabinets if I went through them. I really, really liked her. She showed me the stacked stone - and it explicitly talks about it being cleanable, kitchen ready, etc. She's going to contact the owner, who she is still friends with 2 years later (I think that's a good sign) and see how it is holding up in the kitchen. I dunno, there's just something about mixing materials that I like here. The smooth glass tile, looking modern, combined with the stacked stone just seems fun and kinda true to the house? But, then the issue comes up about where to terminate the darn tile! Do you wrap it totally around the hallway to the W/D cubby or just end it on the wall somehow after the bump out? And how much does all this add to the budget? And what does it do the possibility of hanging shelves or what-not off of the bump out? (I have these great hammered measuring cups and spoons I could hang on the side of the bump out in the kitchen nook, if we bump out it) I have another appt at 11 am tomorrow to look at other frameless options, that are probably out of my budget. They offered to do some pricing for free, but they are expensive to hire. I FEEL like I am getting some momentum going and am not too far from appliance, layout and cabinet decisions I could live with and love. Getting some numbers should help with that. The flooring and counter and tile is still stumping me to a large extent - not to mention the darn budget. lol We are emptying the LR and kitchen (slowly) in preparation for the tear down. My partner is focused on moving the electrical. I keep reminding myself how much this is saving me when I think about how long it is going to take. However, up until now, him going slow has been fine because I really have not known what I want and so it just gives me more time. As I figure out what I want and get things ordered, I imagine I will get less patient... I love the materials in the enormous kitchen you just posted. The dark brown is about the perfect shade of brown, isn't it? It plays so nice with the white on top. That kitchen is not only huge, though, it is so open and has a ton of light and height. Look at the width of those floor planks, too! I like that floor color. Does it look brown enough and not too golden? I want to stay away from yellow, orange and gold tones on the floor without going too dark in my little house. Tricky. Something like that might be a compromise point? Thanks for the link to the cabinet info. This, I admit, is the stuff that bores me. I know, I know, I need to know. I also appreciate your first hand experience with IKEA. Did you ever post pics? Sounds like you have reservations of both the boxes/frames and the doors. My aunt in Chicago decided to remodel her kitchen after me - and is about 90% done with an IKEA kitchen. She went creme on top (the shiny modern doors) with a new door on the bottom that is sort of driftwood looking to me. Must be veneer. So, she is getting a 2-toned IKEA kitchen, without any influence from me. Irony. I'm excited to see it. Did you ever post pics of your basement IKEA kitchenette? I'd love to see! Icelady! It's good to hear from you. Saga is the right word! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction to get reconnected with GI. I've really lost track of the old crew.

I was assaulted and suffered a whiplash kind of injury (almost 12 years ago) causing a bulging disc and a tendency for one of the cervical vertebra to slip out of alignment; and ever since had trouble with headaches, pain especially if I simultaneously looked up and reached up (something I have to do for my job, or to get something off of a tall shelf) and numbness down my right arm to the hand/fingers. I would wake up in pain. 2 different chiropractors were no help, not manipulation, ultrasound, electro stim, or their physical therapy exercises. I bought a cervical traction unit and used that when the neck was aggravated -- I could feel the bone move back into position and get almost instant relief. (I am not recommending that anyone else do this unsupervised, there are risks). But the problem always re-occurred. I was sent to physical therapy 2 years ago after slipping on ice and what a difference that made!! Real physical therapists, not the ones that were called that in the chiropractor's office. They worked on getting my posture corrected, everything back into alignment, and taught me the exercises to maintain the improvements. They also strongly recommended that I learn to sleep on my back with an appropriate pillow, but I haven't mastered that yet. However, I have found 2 good pillows for my body size -- for back sleeping, the Tri-Core Cervical pillow, which supports my neck perfectly without letting my head sag or pushing it forward, and for side sleeping, this Ikea pillow: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70269839/ which is very firm -- important because it keeps my head and neck in alignment all night, but it gives just enough to be comfortable.