Heh...'branch out'...luv it! I couldn't resist posting this. This poor mockingbird is apparently not having any luck finding a mate although he is trying his hardest. I thought I would help him out by posting his profile here on gardenweb. LOL.... ;-) He sits on top of that telephone pole all day long in the hot, hot sun and all night singing and singing and singing his little heart out. I can't believe he doesn't 'cooked' in the heat. Sometimes, he performs 'aerobatics' above the telephone pole where he will fly up above the pole in a leap/fly and then settles down and perches for a while to sing some more. Poor thing....I hope finds true love soon....

Rule #11. Cookies that are ruined because you pull out the lower rack leaning the baking pan too far, and the cookies fall forward...since they're "no good", and get all bent and broken, they don't have any calories... (I did that accidently as I had one rack immediately below...and when I pulled it forward, the first two rows when scurrying on chocolate chip cookies...I saved the 3rd and 4th row, they were OK). As sung in "A Christmas Story"..at the Chinese restuarant..with Ralphie and the hysterical Mom when they cut the head off of the duck at the table..... Fra-ra-ra-ra-ra RA-ra-ra-ra.....

If you are interested in Simonton, you can go to their website and enter your zip code. That will at least get you a few dealers and a few wholesales. The wholesalers can recommend a few more dealers who aren't listed on the site. From there, I'd check the BBB. Don't be overly concerned if a dealer has a few complaints as long as they have been resolved. Often a large volume dealer will have a few complaints just by virtue of the greater numbers of prospects they come in contact with. The key is whether they were resolved. When setting up the appointment, ask that the salesrep bring at least 10 local references with him. You don't have to call all 10, but that will at least prevent them from stacking the deck too much with only very happy customers. Call a few of the people and go by and look at the installation if they will permit it. Pay particularly close attention to the trim coil wrapping. Is it fitted well? How does the caulk look? Is it smooth and sealed well? How about nails, are they well hidden or did they drive one right through the middle of the sill? Ask the homeowner how long ago the windows were installed and if they have had any issues such as cold air infiltration or excessive sweating on the edges of the glass. Other than that, trust your instincts. Does the sales rep know what he's talking about or is he trying to BS his way through your questions? I'd also throw a few unexpected questions at him. Ask about DP ratings, condensation resistance etc. See how they handle those kinds of questions. If he doesn't know, is he honest enough to admit it and offer to find out, or does he just make something up? Good luck!!

Now I know why cookies taste so good at Christmas! Thank you for sharing. Marie