Hi- I did a JD-dealer Onan replacement five years ago, and went so far as to sand-blast the frame and re-paint everything I could. The wife even let me buy some JD chrome 'baby moon' hub caps in honor of the project's completion! But I keep getting the hard-sell from my mechanic at the shop about stepping-up to the 0-turn 800-series (only 10K just for the tractor/deck, so I won't be buying two & paying cash!), due to the scarcity of some 318 parts. He is correct, in that I have had to "cobble" some items for the front-mounted log-splitter and snow blower I initially purchased with it. I would love (and seemingly need) to keep my 318, as I lost my right leg below the knee about 30 years ago. The dash-mounted hydrostatic control is perfect, given my less than daft-control of seemingly any new models, that all have the forward-reverse foot pedal in place of the hand-controlled 318 feature. Was there ever any type of conversion kit available for transferring the operation of the motion/foot control back to a similar method on the dash or at least somehow by hand in later models- 420-425's, etc? I've looked into the possibility of fashioning something myself, but there's a lot of reverse-engineering in that pipe-dream. I was also wondering what the current wisdom would be on the price of a full-width garden tiller for the 318, if I can even find one. Thank you

Love venison and live on it when I can. I'm guessing you mean whitetail venison... mule deer and elk are different meats all together. My current lust is cajun venison. Hot frying pan of bacon grease and toss in venison coated with cajun spice. I like mine rather rare... it will turn to jerky if you go for well done (which is not all bad). If it is home butchered watch close for any stray hair. One stray hair and the whole pan will take on a oily gamey taste. The hair has a protective oil that keeps the deer dry when they run around outside. Home butchered is often best given a quick rinse with cold running water before it hits the pan... I don't rinse but then I have years practice butchering so no stray hair or other booboo. If you pan fry it and it strikes you as gamey I highly recommend A-1 steak sauce... that should keep it edible to even the most sensitive taste buds. I don't recommend tomato based dishes unless you eat venison regular. There is a chemical in many meats that gives the "gamey" taste. After awhile your sense of tastes adjusts so that it is not remarkable. Tomato will bring out that taste and highlight it... as in venison chili. I eat venison chili but vension is regular table fare for me. My dad always likes a stroganoff dish. Fry venison, make cream sauce, stir in cooked noodles (kluski!). My grandfather's favorite burger was half venison and half pork. I don't recommend boiling venison. It won't be ruined and I boil scraps from butchering for my animals. I have tasted boiled venison... not bad. My cat Tuna loved it that way and could eat her own weight in just a couple days. For human consumption you want the meat juices to get on the hot pan and turn to a sweet brown carmel... the browning on meat. Buffalo venison I don't recommend as anything other then ground meat. It is so lean it starts shoe leather tough and gets tougher. Elk is one of the finest meats in the world. More fat then whitetail/buff so it can be panfried. The sweetest and mildest of the venison family that I have tried. Mule Deer are fairly fatty with a beef like texture. I find it stringy but tastey. So... don't let it sit in the freezer! Get out a package and make something. If it tastes bad give it to the dog and try again. Letting it sit until freezer burned is a waste... it won't improve with age. : ) lyra

What a great get together ya'll had!! And already planning another. Cool. Lake sure caught on quick to protect the wine, eh? Sherry I'm sorry about your FIL. My condolences to you both. Your house is so beautiful. The crab quiche looks perfect and I too look forward to the recipe for that mousse cake. Yummm. Thanks for all the pics Annie. I wanted to see the gazebo too.. lol.. but you did better than I would have just getting the food and people!

Ellen, welcome to my world, where EVERYONE is taller than me. Even you. (grin) Karen, we all missed you, I would love to see you again, and Pam, one of these days we'll meet up, I'm sure. And you'll be taller than me too... CC, that would have been great fun to meet you too. Maybe on my next trip out to visit the California boys, we'll be driving that one, I'm betting. No way would Elery leave his "favorite girl", Molly! Annie