WELL,I JUST DIDN`T SEE ANY CORDWOOD QUESTIONS IN AWHILE. SO I DECIDED TO START A NEW TREAD.FIRE AWAY!

CORDWOODGUY PS:IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON BUILDING WITH LOGS IN THE FUTURE.YOU SHOULD CUT YOURS LOGS THIS WINTER FOR BUILDING IN 2-3 YEARS.

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 05, 2001

Answers

I had an idea. A readily available and potentially free source of lumber for cordwood construction in the form of, generally white cedar and sometimes red cedar, is log cabin prefab places- where the dealer sells log cabins, they will often have on. They cut the logs to length at the shop before delivering the logs to the worksite. These places sometimes have piles upon piles of these leftover ends. They are not especially heavy, either. (I built a log cabin using these pieces a while back, but they would be equally salvagable for cordwood construction.) How does poplar do?.. there is alot of that around here. Or pine, as I have ready sources of both.

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), December 05, 2001.

Question for CORDWOODGUY: I'm sure the pioneers didn't wait 2 to 3 years for their logs to season before they built there cabins (otherwise they woulda froze to death!) So, what is the reasoning behnd your advice of allowing logs to dry this long? Will they not settle and shrink as much as fresh logs when you do finally build? I would think that you'd want your logs somewhat fresh so they'd be limber and would settle and mold to the log below it...that would give you less air gaps between the logs. --Happy trails, CF

-- Cabin Fever (cabinfever_mn@yahoo.com), December 06, 2001.

KEVIN...THAT SOURCE OF WOOD FOR CORDWOOD HAS BEEN USED BEFORE.BUT GENERALLY THE LEFT OVER ENDS WERE SHORT 12"-16".I GENERALLY BUILD WITH 24" LOGS. YOU CAN ALSO BUY REJECTS FROM LUMBER MILLS AND PULP MILLS.OLD UNTREATED FENCE POSTS AND POLES.GATHER UP THE SMALLER LOGS LEFT BEHIND ON LOGGING SITES.PULP LEFT AT ROAD SIDE TOO LONG.RECYCLE OLD LOG HOMES. POPLAR AND PINES HAVE BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY IN CORDWOOD CONSTRUCTION.TO ENSURE THEY LAST I TREAT ALL LOGS WITH A BORATE SOLUTION.THERE IS KIND OF A MYTH ABOUT SOME WOODS BEING RESISTANT TO ROT AND INSECTS ETC.THE HEARTWOOD IS RESISTANT IN SOME TREES,ESPECIALLY OLD GROWTH.HOWEVER,MOST OF THE WOOD USED TO BUILD CORDWOOD CONTAINS VERY LITTLE HEARTWOOD.LEAVING YOU WITH MOSTLY SAPWOOD...THERE IS NO SAPWOOD IN NORTH AMERICA THATS RESISTANT TO ROT. [EVEN CEDAR HAS BEEN KNOWN TO SUCUMB TO ROT AND INSECTS IN A FEW YEARS IN THE SOUTH.PLUS A LOT OF THE STORIES ABOUT FENCING LASTING 40- 100 YEARS IS USUALLY REFERING TO SPLIT RAILS THAT ARE OFF THE GROUND.] THE BORATES ARE SAFE;BESIDES PRESERVING THE LOGS THEY ALSO KILL OFF TERMITES AND IT GIVES THE LOGS A HIGHER FIRE RESISTANCE RATING AS WELL.BUT IN A PROPERLY BUILT LOG CABIN OR CORDWOOD HOME BUILT ABOUT 24" OFF THE GROUND.YOUR LOGS WILL NEVER ROT IF YOU KEEP THEM DRY. CORDWOODGUY PS:SOMEONE ON A PREVIOUS POST ABOUT CORDWOOD RECOMMENDED HARDWOOD OVER SOFTWOOD.THIS IS NOT TRUE.HARDWOODS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF POPLAR ARE DANGEROUS.HARDWOODS IN CORDWOOD WALLS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO SWELL VERY BADLY AND BLOW THE WALL OUT.THEY HAVE ALSO SWELLED AND KNOCKED ANCHORED POSTS OUT OF ALIGNMENT.THEY HAVE LESS R-VALUE AS WELL. [BUT IF YOU ONLY HAVE HARDWOOD THERE IS A SAFER WAY TO USE THEM.NORMALLY YOU SEASON LOGS FOR 2-3 YEARS BEFORE YOU BUILD.BUT,IF YOU USE HARDWOODS.TRY GET THEM AS GREEN AS YOU CAN.THIS WAY THEY SHRINK IN THE WALL SO SWELLING DAMAGE WILL NEVER BE A PROBLEM.BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO CAULK EVERY JOINT.]

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 06, 2001.

CABIN FEVER.....THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE BUILDING A SHELTER FOR SURVIVAL AND SOMEONE BUILDING A HOUSE FOR QUALITY. PIONEERS IN DESPERATE NEED FOR SHELTER WOULD CUT LOGS IN THE WRONG SEASON,LEAVE THE BARK ON,WOULDN`T LET THEM SEASON EITHER.THIS DOESN`T MAKE WHAT THEY CHOSE TO DO OUT OF DESPERATION....RIGHT.IT SERVED A FUNCTION...IT GAVE THEM IMMEDIATE SHELTER UNTIL THEY COULD BUILD A PROPER HOME.THERE AREN`T ANY SODDIES LEFT EITHER BECAUSE AS SOON AS THEY COULD GET WOOD THEY BUILT REAL HOMES.ACTUALLY IF YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF OLDER PIONEER LOG HOMES .THEY ADDED ANOTHER LARGER STRUCTURE TO THEIR ORIGINAL BUILDING CONNECTED WITH WHAT IS KNOWN AS A DOG RUN.BASICLY,A ROOF TO JOIN THE TWO TOGETHER TO FORM A HALL WAY.REMEMBER MOST OF THE PIONEERS WERE FARMERS AND NOT LOG BUILDERS.THEY WERE WINGING IT AS THEY WENT.THEY BUILT WITHOUT KNOWING THAT A TREE WITH THE WRONG TWIST[SPIRAL GRAIN]COULD DO.IT WILL POP OUT THE WALL AS IT TWISTS IN THE WALL. MY REASONING BEHIND THE LONG SEASONING TIME IS THATS WHAT LOG BUILDERS HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.IT TAKES 2-3 YEARS TO GET YOUR LOGS TO REACH THE EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE SURROUNDING AIR.[IN SIMPLER TERMS ...TO GET THEM AIR DRIED.]IF YOU DON`T DO THIS THEN YOU HAVE TO ALLOW FOR YOUR WALLS TO SETTLE ABOUT 3/4" PER FOOT OF WALL HEIGHT.IF YOU DON`T ..THEN YOU GET A 6" LOWER CEILING AND CRUSHED DOORS AND WINDOW FRAMES.PLUS ANY VERTICAL POSTS WILL PUSH THE ROOF OFF.HOWEVER,THIS MORE RAPID METHOD OF BUILDING ALSO SUBMITS THE LOGS TO A MORE RAPID DRYING PROCESS WHICH CAUSES THE LOGS TO CHECK MORE SEVERELY.PLUS THE LOGS DRY OUT A LITTLE MORE WHEN THE HOUSE IS HEATED AFTER IT IS BUILT. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LONG LOG CONSTRUCTION AND CORDWOOD AS FAR AS SHRINKAGE OCCURING IS.IN LONG LOGS WHEN THE WALLS SHRINK AND SETTLE THEY GET TIGHTER.[ITS ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL.LESS AIR PENETRATION BECAUSE OF LESS OPEN AREAS.].NOW IN CORDWOOD IF YOU USE GREEN LOGS YOU GET MAJOR SHRINKAGE BETWEEN THE LOG AND THE MORTAR.THUS MAJOR AIR PENETRATION OF THE WALL.BUT IF YOU LET THEM SEASON PROPERLY YOU GET THEM AT THEIR EMC LEVEL.SO THERE WILL BE LESS CHECKING AND AIR PENETRATION.SO IF YOU WANT A TIGHT CORDWOOD WALL YOU DON`T WANT YOUR LOGS SHRINKING IN THE MORTAR EXCESSIVELY. NOW REMEMBER MOST MILLS STACK THEIR LUMBER TO AIR DRY OR PUT IT IN A KILN AS WELL.[IE:IF YOU USED GREEN GROVE AND TONGUE LUMBER TO ENCLOSE YOUR WALLS ON A HOUSE.THEN WENT BACK AT THE END OF THE SUMMER YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE DAYLIGHT THROUGH THE WALLS.IF YOU USED PROPERLY SEASONED WOOD..THEN YOU WOULDN`T.GREEN SPLITS EASIER.] SO WHEN YOU ARE BUILDING WITH LOGS AND MORTAR.THE MORTAR IS LESS FORGIVING THAN ALL LOG CONSTRUCTION. I`VE SEEN SOME PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD QUESTION WILLIAM LASKO A PROFESSIONAL LOG BUILDER.TALKING ABOUT READING A BOOK AND BUILDING A LOG CABIN.THAT THERE WAS NO NEED FOR TRAINING.WELL LETS JUST SAY THAT WILLIAM COULD TOUCH A LOG AND KNOW IF IT WILL TWIST IN THE WALL.THE BOOK DOESN`T TELL YOU THAT.SOME DON`T GET INTO THE SETTLEMENT EITHER. THEN AFTER YOU BUILD YOUR CEILING DROPS AND YOUR WINDOWS AND DOOR FRAMES BLOW OUT.I HAD A LOG BUILDING SCHOOL IN 1979 AND RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE INTERESTED IN BUILDING WITH LOGS SHOULD TAKE TRAINING. I WOULDN`T LET SOMEONE WHO READ THE BOOK PERFORM SURGERY ON ME.THATS WHY INTERNS WATCH AND LEARN FROM REAL OPERATIONS.WHEN THEY HAVE SEEN ENOUGH THEN THEY ARE ALLOWED TO PERFORM THE OPERATION UNDER SUPERVISION.

CORDWOODGUY PS:THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN FELLING TREES IN THE WINTER FOR BEST RESULTS.[SINCE 10BC IN THE EARLIEST WRITEN RECORDS].THE TREES ARE DORMENT THEN AND THE MOISTURE GOES TO THE ROOTS.THE REASON WHY TREES LOOSE THEIR LEAVES.PLUS YOU CAN GET TO TREES IN MARSHY TERRAIN AND HAUL THEM OUT WHEN THE GROUND IS FROZEN.THE SNOW ALSO CUSHIONS THEIR FALLS AND PREVENTS DAMAGE TO THE TREES.

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 06, 2001.

Wow. I still wish you would take off the caps. It is amazing to me that I can't really read your reply. I think I could read it better with NO caps at all. Puzzling how the mind sees it, huh?!

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), December 06, 2001.

CORDWOODGUY,

Tell me about the borate solution?

Exactly how do you make it?

Why use the borate instead of something else?

Thanks

-- Rick#7 (rick7@postmark.net), December 06, 2001.

THANKS, CORDWOOD GUY; GREAT INFO AS USUAL.

HERE'S A QUESTION: WOULD YOU ADVISE CUTTING A GROOVE OR TWO ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LOGS IN ORDER TO HASTEN DRYING, AND HELP WITH CHECKING? I MEAN, THE LOGS ARE GOING TO CHECK NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, AREN'T THEY? IF THE GROOVES WERE CUT MORE OR LESS TO THE CENTER OF THE LOG, THAT WOULD LET THE LOGS SHRINK WITHOUT SO MUCH CHECKING, AND WOULD ALLOW AIR TO HELP DRY THE LOGS OUT, I BELIEVE.

JOJ

-- joj (jump@off.c), December 06, 2001.

RICK#7.....WHY BORATES? [1]ITS SAFE [A]LESS TOXIC THAN TABLE SALT [B]USED IN EYE WASHES [2]IT KILLS TERMITES [3]KILLS MOLD AND FUNGI SPORES [4]INCREASES FIRE RESISTANCE OF WOOD. [5]IT DOESN`T AFFECT THE COLOR[MY GLYCOL SOLUTION MIGHT] [6]BORATES GET DRAWN RIGHT INTO THE WOOD WHEN ITS GREEN OR WET. WHAT OTHER PRESERVATIVE DOES THIS FROM JUST A SPRAY OR PAINTING APPLICATION[THE WOOD HAS TO BE WET]

RICK...I HAVE A FEW BORATE SOLUTION FORMULAS.BUT THE SIMPLEST IS JUST 1-2 CUPS 20 MULE TEAM BORAX 1 GALLON OF WARM/HOT WATER

THATS A LOT CHEAPER THAN TIMBOR OR THE OTHER COMMERCIAL BORATE TREATMENTS.

GLYCOL BORATE SOLUTION[26% SOLUTION] 50% FOOD GRADE ETHYLENE GLYCOL[CAR ANTIFREEZE HAS BEEN USED] 28% BORAX 22% BORIC ACID

HEAT GENTLY ,BOILINGOFF WATER UNTIL YOU REACH 260 DEGREES F ON CANDY THERMOMETER.THIS REMOVES MOST OF THE WATER OF CRYSTALIZATION IN THE BORAX.NOTE THE USE OF GLYCOL HELPS IT ADSORB INTO THE WOOD.APPARENTLY ETHYLENE GLYCOL WORKS BETTER THAN POLETHLENE GLYCOL.[P.E.G.]

BORAX SOLUTION[15.8% SOLUTION] 65% WATER 20% BORAX 15% BORIC ACID

TIM-BORR CLONE #1 1 1/2 LBS SOLUBOR* 1 GALLON WATER NOTE:SOLUBOR IS A SOLUABLE FORM OF BORIC ACID.USED BY TOMATO AND PEPPER GROWERS.

TIM-BORR CLONE #2 1.2 PARTS BORAX 1 PART BORIC ACID MIX THE ABOVE.

THEN MIX 1 1/2 LBS OF MIX WITH 1 GALLON OF WATER.

RICK#7...I HAVE SEVERAL MORE.

CORDWOODGUY

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 06, 2001.

JOJ....FIRSTLY WOOD DOESN`T REALLY HAVE TO CHECK.IF YOU TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS. [1]FELL THE TREES IN THE WINTER.[THE LOGS MOISTURE GOES TO THE ROOTS] PLUS FUNGI AND MOLDS ARE DORMANT ALSO. SEAL THE ENDS WITH A COMMERCIAL END SEAL/A MIX OF LINSEED OIL AND TURPENTINE ,OR COAT WITH OLD LATEX PAINT. [2]PEELED IN THE SPRING..THEN STACKED OFF THE GROUND AND ORIENTATED EAST WEST. [3]COVER THE VERY ENDS OF THE PILES AND THE TOP TO KEEP THE SUN FROM DRYING THEM OUT TOO QUICKLY.USE A DARK TARP BUT A UV PROTECTED POLYETHYLENE TARP WILL LAST LONGER.SPRAY SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE BORATE SOLUTIONS I GAVE EARLIER.THE GLYCOL MIGHT HELP THE LOGS FROM CHECKING. NOW IF YOU CUT YOUR LOGS LONGER THAN YOU NEED THEN IF ANY CRACKS FORM ON THE END YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO CUT THEM OFF.PLUS DON`T PICK THE WOOD MOST LIKELY TO CHECK EITHER.WOOD WITH THE GREATEST SHRINKAGE VALUE BETWEEN THE LOGS RADIAL[DIAMETER] AND TANGENTAL[CIRCUMFERENCE] SHRINKAGE.[THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF A LOG SHRINKS TWICE AS FAST AS IT DOES THROUGH THE DIAMETER.THIS CAUSES STRESS AND LITERALLY PULLS THE LOGS CIRCUMFERENCE APART.THUS CHECKS ARE FORMED.

NOW ABOUT CUTTING THE LOGS.

I HAVE SUGGESTED THAT ON MY BOARD. SOME PROFESSIONAL LOG BUILDERS DRIVE WEDGES IN THE UNDERSIDE OF THEIR SCRIBED JOINTS.THIS INDUCES THE LOGS TO CHECK WHERE YOU WANT THEM HIDDEN FROM VIEW.ANOTHER THING YOU PROBABLY WON`T FIND IN A LOT OF LOG BUILDING BOOKS. NOW I WAS THINKING ABOUT TRANSLATING THAT TO A CORDWOOD APPLICATION.I`D CONSIDER RUNNING A KERF ABOUT 1/2" DEEP TO BASICLY LOCALIZE ANY CHECKING.THEN WHEN YOU BUILD YOU POINT THE JOINTS ALL DOWN. YOU CAN GET THE SAME EFFECT FROM JUST PEELING ONE STRIP OF BARK OFF AS YOU LET THEM SET AND SEASON.THEY DRY OUT FASTER WHERE THE BARK HAS BEEN REMOVED.THUS INDUCING THE CHECKING TO LOCALIZE THERE.

LOGS FELLED IN THE WINTER WILL ONLY SPLIT FOR A FEW INCHES. BUT LOGS FELLED IN THE SPRING WILL CHECK THE LENGTH OF THE LOG.THATS BECAUSE THE WATER HAS MIGRATED UP FROM THE ROOTS AND HAS SATURATED THE TREE WITH MOISTURE.SO WHEN YOU CUT THE TREES THEY HAVE LOTS MORE WATER AND THUS DRY OUT MORE RAPIDLY.THE FASTER THE LOGS SEASON THE MORE CHECKING YOU WILL GET.ANYTHING YOU DO TO RETARD THE DRYING PROCESS HELPS THE LOGS SEASON WITH LESS CHECKS. SO ONCE PEELED I`D CONSIDER SEALING THE SIDE GRAIN OF THE LOGS TO RETAIN WATER.LEAVING THE END GRAIN TO BREATH BUT SLOWER.I`D CONSIDER SEALING THEM AGAIN BEFORE I BUILD.IT MIGHT HELP WITH THE MORTAR /LOG BOND.PLUS IT MIGHT SLOW DOWN THE SHRINKING AND SWELLING CYCLES OF THE LOGS.

JOJ....IF YOU CUT THE KERF TO THE CENTER.I THINK THAT WOULD BE TOO RADICAL.THE LOGS WOULD PROBABLY OPEN UP.

CORDWOODGUY

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 06, 2001.

CORDWOODGUY, I ASSUME THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ROUNDS? HOW LONG WOULD THE WOOD HAVE TO DRY IF IT WAS CUT IN WINTER, SPLIT INTO QUARTERS, AND PLACED IN A COVERED,VENTILATED AREA? I'M ALSO TALKING ABOUT 24" LONG. HOW WIDE WOULD A BASEMENT (ROOTCELLAR TYPE) FOUNDATION AND WALLS NEED TO BE? THANKS FOR ANY ANSWERS YOU MAY HAVE. ANNETTE

-- annette (j_a_henry@yahoo.com), December 07, 2001.

THANKS FOR THE INFO, CORDWOODGUY. THE ONLY WOOD I'D USE, IN MY AREA, IS CEDAR, AND I WOULD HAVE TO INVESTIGATE MORE BETWEEN INCENSE, WESTERN RED AND PORT ORFORD.

ALL OF THEM WOULD SEEM TO HAVE BETTER R VALUE THAN ANY OTHER WOOD AROUND HERE, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF SUGAR PINE.

I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF JUST A SHALLOW KERF, AND PUTTING THAT SIDE DOWN.

WHAT ABOUT BUILDING WITH SPLIT LOGS, INSTEAD OF ROUNDS? THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY GIVE A VERY DIFFERENT LOOK TO THE BUILDING, BUT WOULD LIKELY ELIMINATE ANY CHECKING PROBLEMS.

JOJ

-- joj (jump@off.c), December 07, 2001.

ANNETTE, I'M NO CORDWOOD HOUSING EXPERT, BUT I HAVE HAD 26 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN CORDWOOD DRYING AND BURNING.

IN MY CLIMATE (MILD, VEEEEERY RAINY WINTERS, VERY DRY SUMMERS) WOOD WHICH HAS BEEN SPLIT GETS EXTREMELY DRY IN TWO YEARS. SOMETIMES ONE YEAR. IF YOU HAVE A WAY TO GET GOOD CIRCULATION, AND DIRECT SUNLIGHT, IT DRIES WELL IN A YEAR, IF IT'S SPLIT TO PIECES NO LARGER THAN SIX INCHES OR SO.

IN MANY PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY, SUCH AS WHERE I GREW UP, IN EAST TEXAS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT EVER REALLY DRIES!

JOJ

-- joj (jump@off.c), December 07, 2001.

ANNETTE....I`M NOT A SUPPORTER OF SPLITTING THE LOGS.I EXPLAIN IT FULLY ON MY CORDWOOD NEWBEE PAGE. http://maxpages.com/cordwood

BASICLY IT LEAVES TOO MANY FLAT SPOTS FOR WATER TO LIE AND ROT OUT THE STRUCTURE.WATER ROLLS OF THE ROUND SECTIONS BUT CAN RUN INTO THE COARSE GRAINED WOOD AROUND THE SPLITS.ALSO I`M CONCERNED THE SHARP CORNERS MIGHT WORK AS LITTLE WEDGES AND SPLIT THE MORTAR. ALSO SPLIT SECTIONS WILL STILL CHECK AS THE LOGS DRY OUT.LEFT IN THE ROUND THE LOGS WOULD BE EASIER TO CAULK.SPIRAL GRAINED LOGS COULD ALSO SPLIT THE MORTAR. ANYTHING THAT SPEEDS UP THE DRYING OUT OF THE LOGS CAUSES CHECKING.I`M NOT A CONVERT ON KILN DRYING EITHER.

AS FOR THE FOUNDATION STEM WALL I PLAN ON USING ONLY AN 8"- 10" STEM WALL TO SUPPORT MY 24" CORDWOOD WALL.IN ROB ROYS BOOK HE SHOWS THE DETAIL OF A BLOCK WALL FOUNDATION UNDER A CORDWOOD WALL.

CORDWOODGUY

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 07, 2001.

JOJ....WESTERN RED CEDAR WOULD BE THE BEST.AS ITS ONE OF THE BEST WOODS FOR OUTSIDE APPLICATIONS.IT HAS THE HIGH AMOUNT OF HEARTWOOD WHICH IS MORE RESISTANT THN SAPWOOD.HAS A HIGH % OF DEAD AIR SPACE WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR A HIGH R-VALUE.ACTUALLY IT HAS THE BEST THERMAL INSULATION OF ALL COMMONLY AVAILABLE SOFTWOOD.

NOTE:DON`T USE THE SAWDUST FROM RED CEDAR OR DOUGLAS FIR IN CORDWOOD MORTAR.THEY HAVE A HIGH GLUCOSE CONTENT AND IT REACTS WITH THE PORTLAND CEMENT AND IT PREVENTS THE MORTAR FROM SETTING PROPERLY.

CORDWOODGUY

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 07, 2001.

SINCE OTHERS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY UPPERCASE LETTERS.YOU CAN ALL REPLY TO ME IN LOWER CASE LETTERS.I JUST LEAN INTO THE SCREEN TO READ THEM.I ONLY HAVE TO WRITE IN UPPERCASE BECAUSE I`M FURTHER AWAY AND CAN`T MAKE OUT THE LOWER CASE.BUT THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

CORDWOODGUY

-- CORDWOODGUY (cordwoodguy@n2teaching.com), December 07, 2001.

CORDWOODGUY, KNOWING ABOUT YOUR DIFFICULTING IN READING LOWERCASE LETTERS, AND ALSO KNOWING THAT IT IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU THAN IT IS FOR ME TO READ YOUR UPPERCASE LETTERS, I CONSIDER IT A SIMPLE COURTISY (SP SORRY) TO WRITE TO YOU IN UPPERCASE. THANKYOU FOR YOUR ANSWER AND I'LL CHECK OUT YOUR SITE. ANNETTE

-- annette (j_a_henry@yahoo.com), December 08, 2001.