var homeoff = new Image();
  homeoff.src = "/images/home_off.gif";
  var homeon = new Image();
  homeon.src = "/images/home_on.gif";

  var treesoff = new Image();
  treesoff.src = "/images/christmas_trees_off.gif";
  var treeson = new Image();
  treeson.src = "/images/christmas_trees_on.gif";

  var blogoff = new Image();
  blogoff.src = "/images/blog_off.gif";
  var blogon = new Image();
  blogon.src = "/images/blog_on.gif";

  var boutiqueoff = new Image();
  boutiqueoff.src = "/images/boutique_off.gif";
  var boutiqueon = new Image();
  boutiqueon.src = "/images/boutique_on.gif";

  var historyoff = new Image();
  historyoff.src = "/images/patchen_history_off.gif";
  var historyon = new Image();
  historyon.src = "/images/patchen_history_on.gif";

  var hostsoff = new Image();
  hostsoff.src = "/images/hosts_off.gif";
  var hostson = new Image();
  hostson.src = "/images/hosts_on.gif";

  var visitorsoff = new Image();
  visitorsoff.src = "/images/visitors_off.gif";
  var visitorson = new Image();
  visitorson.src = "/images/visitors_on.gif";

  var directionsoff = new Image();
  directionsoff.src = "/images/directions_off.gif";
  var directionson = new Image();
  directionson.src = "/images/directions_on.gif";

  var faqoff = new Image();
  faqoff.src = "/images/faq_off.gif";
  var faqon = new Image();
  faqon.src = "/images/faq_on.gif";

  var lostoff = new Image();
  lostoff.src = "/images/lost_off.gif";
  var loston = new Image();
  loston.src = "/images/lost_on.gif";

  var favlinksoff = new Image();
  favlinksoff.src = "/images/links_off.gif";
  var favlinkson = new Image();
  favlinkson.src = "/images/links_on.gif";


var isMenuAct = false; // the menu is not active yet

function actMenuItem(imgName) {
  isMenuAct = true; // the menu is now active
  act(imgName);
  inact(defImg);
}

function inactMenuItem(imgName) {
  isMenuAct = false; // the menu is no longer active
  if (document.images) {
    inact(imgName);
    timerID = setTimeout('if (!isMenuAct) act("' +  defImg + '")', 100);
  }
}

function act(imgName) {
  if (document.images) 
    document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + "on.src");
}

function inact(imgName) {
  if (document.images)
    document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + "off.src");
}