Alan, you're on the right track. Jim and I always used to clean the gutters ourselves. The back of the house is 3 stories high, before you can reach them ... And a 30 ft ladder gets rather lethal when in the hands of an old geezer ... so last year I hired a fireman to take over the job for me! He came yesterday right before the gardeners. That meant 2 checks to pay out .. Tomorrow a college student is coming to spread the 550 lbs of acid fertilizer under the shrubbery -- a 3rd check. I'm thinking of taking in laundry. Penny, NY . ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!