Al, thanks!! For me, it is a pleasure to be able to work on a tree as nice as this and to get help in it's progress. To see what it will be like under my hands, and to be guided by other ideas as to how it should be. Just think, all this and it isn't even my tree..... but my address is available if you would like to send a present
I have attempted to do a second vert with the "top on" to see the difference... is this more in line with how you see the (possible) future.
It is a good point you make, and one often overlooked by me, that it is best to leave elements that are not harming anything alone until you are sure of the future look!