yep, read them years ago. More interested in individual opinions and experiences rather that reports. Don't get me wrong I don't like wasting money changing oil all the time, but I'm no CheapA## either. IMO there is black oil (usually still drips off the dip stick or lets big screw driver tip dipped slip through you fingers) and there is dirty baked black oil and has lost it ability to drip or run IMo (which can no longer be filter very good). Hourly intervals could be too late or too early depending on the conditions, equipment, amount of oil in the system, type, and filtering of the oil IMO. I had friend that never changed his oil only the filter and of course added some to top it off. After about 80K miles he didn't have to change it it changed itself. knowing that would we buy his vehicle??? NOT Me! Course that was years ago, oil and engine design has come alone way since then.. I also knew a guy that drove 1K week or so with dually BBC, but highway conditons. he usually had 8K or more on oil changes. He also when on condition of the oil, which his change intervals were every 2 to 3 months depending on his driving conditions. Course could get the oil analized by lab (cost effective for big rigs, but not for home owner use IMO) which in most cost more than the oil change??? When I say oil related problems that also means no smoke, no knock, no useage.

I have had a chance to move some rather large camellias in the past. In fact I moved over a hundred back some years ago. You may be moving them a little early in the year but on the upper Pacific Coast, the weather might be in your favor. First, root prune the camellias at about 36 inches from the trunk. If you can get wider, go as wide away from the trunk as possible. The Camellia has shallow roots and you will get most of them within the top foot of top soil. I would use an 18" sharp shooter. Go all around each plant about 18" deep. Second, prepare the place where you are going to plant the Camellias. I would till up an area about 6 ft. in diameter per plant. After you till the soil to at least 18" to 24"deep, I would add about 3 or 4 cu. ft. of a combination of ground up pine bark and sand. I would till this into the spot and also add some natural fertilizer. If you have cotton seed meal available, I would use that. I would put in about 10 lbs of cotton seed meal into the mixture of pine bark and sand. This will give you a real fluffy mound. It should be about 6 ft. wide. Let it sit for as long as you can before moving the large plants. When you move the plants, the later in the year the better, I would move off the top foot of soil from your prepared bed, sit the large rootball on top of the soil and cover it with the soil mixture that you removed. You will note that you are planting the Camellia on the top of the ground. Do not dig it out so that you are planting the plant in a hole. You want to have it sitck out of the ground at least 8 to 10 inches. Prune the top of the plant back to about 18: from the trunk of the plant. Keep it watered good but do not drown it. Let it settle on its own. Within 3 or 4 months it will settle about six inches and will continue to settle a little more over the next year. Keep at least two inches of the soil mixture over the exposed roots. I would also use some root tone in the hole to stimulate new root growth. I wrote an article for the Camellia Journel several years ago about moving established Camellias. If you would contact Tom Johnson, the chief gardner at the American Camellia Society through their web site, he could probably get you some articles on moving large Camellias. Ann Walton is the Executive Director of the A.C.S. and she may be able to point you to someone in the Washington area who has some experience as well. Bob

Yes, I think you are correct in that I'm usually very trusting of people. It's not my nature to look for the worst in people and I'd like to think that people will treat me the way that I treat them. However, in the past few years my husband has taught me a valuable lesson in what happens when you are too trusting. When I look back on some of the different situations that have happened I can't believe that it totally slip past me or how deceitful he is as a person. I trusted him to move money out of my checking account to pay monthly expenses until one day when I was trying to make a purchase and the clerk informed me that my debit card was declined. My first thought was my account must have been hacked. On my way home to figure out what had happened I remember how during the past few weeks he kept reminding me that I was spending a lot of money. I only spent what I knew that I could afford to spend and never more than what I was making. His statements should have been a clue. When I went online to view my banking account I saw where he had transfer more than $30,000.00 out of my account over a period of year and half without consulting me. Hence the "you're spending a lot lately". I never really checked my account because I always knew that I had a pretty good cushion for what I wanted to spend. My spending was nothing more than a visit to Walmart every now and then and I knew with the amount of money that I make (retired Federal employee and now a government contractor making six figures) that I really never had to worry about my card being declined. When I confronted him about it the first thing he yelled was "I pay the house note out of my check'! There was about an ounce of truth to his statement with the exception that the money was first transferred from my account to his account and then of course he paid the house note but using my money. What a snake in the dirt! At that point I really just wanted to know what was going on with him so I was willing to sit down and discuss the situation with him but he got angry and slapped me across my face. He told me that I had repeated to him that I didn't really need to know what was going on with the budget just as long as everything was paid and on time. That was his excuse for not telling me that he was taking money out of my account. Well needless to say when he put his hands on me I used his cane and beat the crap out of him. No one, and I mean no one is allowed to touch me in that way and every since that night we have not shared a bed. I knew then that the marriage was pretty much over for me. That happened last March and I'm still trying to figure out how to get out. It can't be that difficult because people do it all the time. I think I need a some sort of life coach to help me to navigate all of the changes that I'll need to make. The other thing that I noticed is that he no longer takes his mom and sister out to dinner and movies anymore and he's not offering to guy rounds when he visits a bar. REALLY?? When I look back at the time that I've spent with him and various situations that are questionable I realize how he's been lying to me all these years. I've had people question me about his comments and how they say he bashes me behind my back. Oh well, I'm sure you're probably bore and have heard enough of me. Thanks for your time. Pam (forgive all errors in this almost book that I've written. I'm writing this while on my break so I don't have much time to proofread.)

rebunky....thank you so much....you and all the others who have commented have been more than kind about my posts !! I do mise en place also and I never ever prep by the sink so having a large amount of space for that near a sink or having a prep sink would be wasted on me. Aisles are : 40" - movable island to cooking / 30" island to DW/ 48" walkway between island and fireplace/ 46" walkway island to baking center soapstone run. So yes the clearances are good except the DW but it isn't ever a problem as it only is open less than 10 min. at a time. The unit to the left of the Caldera 5 burner is a Miele built in deep fat fryer. We used to use it ALL the time. Less so now unless we have company. It works fabulously...which is a curse and a blessing :) The soapstone sink is antique and there is a huge one in the adjacent sunroom. I got all my salvage for the house renovation from Nor'east Architectural Salvage. They are great to work with. The countertops are teak on the " L" around the sink and cooktop area and soapstone on the baking run and in the sunroom. The reveal was in 2007 . The hood is a 1400 cfm Tradewind liner with a remote blower. It works great !! The baffles have to be cleaned every week...that is how I KNOW it works...and my open shelves are always pristine. I will put a link to my photobucket and unlock the pics so you and others can view if you like. mushcreek..I have seen your building process...you are an ARTIST !! Wow....if you cook like you build then I am sure your wife is thrilled with you :) c http://s63.photobucket.com/user/41455/library/?sort=3&page=1