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

  var hoteloff = new Image();
  hoteloff.src = "images/hotel_off.gif";
  var hotelon = new Image();
  hotelon.src = "images/hotel_on.gif";

  var roomsoff = new Image();
  roomsoff.src = "images/rooms_off.gif";
  var roomson = new Image();
  roomson.src = "images/rooms_on.gif";

  var restaurantoff = new Image();
  restaurantoff.src = "images/restaurant_off.gif";
  var restauranton = new Image();
  restauranton.src = "images/restaurant_on.gif";

  var ferndaleoff = new Image();
  ferndaleoff.src = "images/ferndale_off.gif";
  var ferndaleon = new Image();
  ferndaleon.src = "images/ferndale_on.gif";

  var brochureoff = new Image();
  brochureoff.src = "images/brochure_off.gif";
  var brochureon = new Image();
  brochureon.src = "images/brochure_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  isMenuAct = false; // the menu is no longer active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");
}