SuzeY

We have a Toro irrigation system that uses valves without flow control. We need to replace a few of the valves. Is it okay to use valves that have a flow control? We tried to find the exact part replacement for our current valve EZF-05-04 and couldn't find it. What we did find was Toro EZF-25-04. Can the "25" be used interchangeably with the "05" part?

I'm considering going back to work and my sister (kindly) offered to watch my 8 and 10 year old children at my house after school and during the summer break, holiday breaks, etc. The thing is, I have absolutely no idea what to pay her. She is way too nice to give me a price, and I don't want to take advantage of her just because she's family. My kids' school charges $6/hr for 2 kids (I know -screaming deal), but having a loving aunt take care of them would certainly be better for the children. Also, she can get them to dance class, baseball, etc. which can't be done at daycare. Thoughts?

Any thoughts as to where to eat that is family friendly (and preferably not a chain like Applebee's) or what we can do on a Saturday or Sunday with a 8 and 10 year old? Thanks!

Okay, so I'm being cheap! However, I saw these really cute pink shag area rugs on sale at Target this week. I need it to be larger than the 5 x 8, so I was thinking of somehow binding the two so I would have a 10 x 16. Does anyone know if this is possible? I don't want to use anything too gooey to join them because the rug will be going over hardwood floors. Let's hear some creative practical solutions that will work please!

We're replacing our floors throughout the house with a medium colored maple hardwood. Our current baseboards are dark and ugly, but they do match the window frames and doors in the house. We have a pretty open floor plan, so there isn't an option of a "one room at a time" type of thing, and our budget is too stretched to replace every door, door frame and window frame in the house. I don't think painting the baseboards white is an option because we have replacement vinyl windows that are already wood tones (therefore, the color can't be changed). So, what do you folks think-should we buy the baseboard/quarter round that matches the floor (which gives kind of a weird floor running up the wall look and doesn't match the window and door frames) or do I attempt to buy new moldings and quarter round and match it to the existing door and window frames? Please, no expensive solutions here! This kitchen remodel is turning into a money pit! ;)

We've just (nearly) completed a total re-do of our bathroom. My husband was preparing to install the new shower fixtures and unfortunately, the installation hardware is recessed slightly too far into the wall for the faucet handle to connect. It's an American Standard pressure balancing bath & shower set. I checked online, but AS apparently doesn't have an extension part. Does anyone know of a good way to lengthen the assembly that doesn't involve knocking out the drywall from the room behind? Obviously, we don't want to knock out the newly installed tile, but even if we access the fittings from behind, it's still going to be difficult to get to the shower hardware (those darn 2x4s!). HELP!!!

We're going back to Wally World this summer and I'd like my kids (ages 7 & 5) to see that Florida is more than a theme park. I thought that a boat tour might be nice, but I was wondering if there are any within an hour or so of Orlando that aren't too cheesy and tourist-y, but would still hold the interest of young children.

Any thoughts from our Orlando, FL experts?

I'm going to be remodeling my bathroom in a couple of months. I'm going with beige wall and floor tiles, so I need something that won't clash. I realize that the brushed nickel finish is "in" right now, but when a decorating trend has been "in" for this long, generally it's due to be "out" any time now (remember, avocado green was once popular!). Anybody know what the next up and coming finish is in hardware?

My car got hit in a parking lot, and the person who hit me has American Service Insurance. So far, they've been obnoxious to deal with, and I haven't even gotten the car into one of their body shops for an estimate yet. I can't imagine how badly this is going to go. Has anyone learned anything about them that can help me get through this claims process before I grow old(er)?

I'm having a problem with electric dryer. I decided to check the wiring for the 3-prong 240V outlet. The 2 black wires are 10 gauge but the 1 white wire is 12 gauge. We're experiencing problems with the dryer intermittently shutting off & blowing the circuit breaker. Could 12 gauge wire possibly be the cause of this problem? It doesn't seem worth rewiring the outlet unless there's a good chance that the 12 gauge is the problem. The dryer's power cord seems to be wired correctly. I guess there might be a problem with the dryer, but I'm trying to avoid replacing the dryer just to find out that I have a wiring problem.

I was backed into in a parking lot a couple of weeks ago. The other driver admitted total fault-so far, so good. Anyway, her insurance company is going to send me a list of body shops to get an estimate. I already got one on my own from a highly reputable, certified body shop ($1,000). The claims adjuster today told me that they're only going to allow me $25/day for a rental car (I'm driving a full size car), which seems nuts to me. However, upon looking at the IL Division of Insurance website, it looks like I'm going to be victimized by the other driver's lousy insurance. If I'm reading this right, I have to accept the estimate that I'm given because that's all the other insurance company is going to pay. Also, I'm stuck with the $25/day rental rate, so long as the insurance company (American Service) can come up with a company who can rent me a car for that amount.

Do I have any options here, or am I going to pay the price for the other driver's low-end insurance?

I'm looking to buy the 2006 version of Intuit ProSeries Basic version. On Intuit's website, it's sold for $299. I guess I can live with that, but I was wondering if anyone knows of any place that sells it cheaper. I've searched on the Web, but some resellers won't come up during a Google search.

Thanks!

I'm looking for a highly durable, kid-proof, scratch resistant flooring for my home. I have some really heavy traffic areas that I know traditional American hardwoods can't withstand. Does anyone have any experience with Southern Chestnut installed in their home?

BTW, I'm not interested in laminate products, however "kid proof" they might be.

Just wondering. . . what exactly is meant when the MLS shows "hardwood floors"? Does that truly mean only hardwood floors, or does that include laminate flooring as well? On that same note, does laminate flooring do much to increase the value of the home, or does that distinction lie only with true hardwoods? My neighbors who have sold recently have been showing "hardwood floors" on the MLS description. I'm going to be replacing my flooring soon, so I want to be sure I'm not over-improving my home, or for that matter, under-improving.

Thanks for your insight!

My daughter is turning 7 in several weeks (nothing like planning ahead). I'm planning on asking about 14 girls, the party needs to be indoors (the weather is too unpredictable in the fall) and I live in a suburb where the expectations are pretty high (so, no Chuck E Cheese, MCD Playland or that sort of thing). I don't want to get a magician, a juggler, rent ponies-let's keep this reasonable! I was hoping to spend around $150-$200 (less would be even better!). My daughter will be happy with pretty much anything, it's just her somewhat overprivileged "guests" that I'm concerned about. Any suggestions?

My contractor wrote a contract that called for a 500 sq ft patio. As it turns out, when he modified his original drawing (per my request), the patio is now 550 sq ft. Since he only bought 500 sq ft of materials, am I obligated to pay him for the extra 50 sq ft? I don't want to be obnoxious, but I don't want to be a doormat, either. Does anyone know where I stand legally in Illinois with this?