Suggstions?

Anybody have suggestions for good animated-GIF icon makers? I've got a set of seven icons that I'd like to string together, but all the freeware I've tried so far has sucked in one way or another. One makes the icons transparent, another makes them grainy, another tacks on "[FREEWARE NAME] GIF" to the top of the icon, and all end up with the icon being more than lj's limit of 40K.

::sigh:: What's stupid is, I used to have a good GIF maker. Can't find it now. Damn.

In no particular order...

• It's 34.5°C (that's 94.1°F) and ohmychrist that's better. I have no idea how hot it got earlier in the day, but finally it's cool enough to be able to go to the upstairs of our home without melting.
  
  
• Daniel's statement upon nearing the end of Deathly Hallows: "The only ones I'm worried about dying are any of the Weasleys other than Percy, Harry Ron and Hermione, and Lupin." ( Spoilers here, obviously )
  
  
  
• Testing for yellow tags today! Wish us luck!
  
  
• Spanish camp is over. I expect to spend a lot of time out of the house from now on.
  
  
• Watching The Story of English episode 4 (The Guid Scots Tongue) is an excellent opportunity to listen to The Arrogant Worms' Gaelic Song. Because you just can't ever listen to the pennywhistle solo or Bagh Meaough too many times.
  
  
• Justin's stitches came out. He was brave. ::sniff::
  
  
• Narrowly escaped death this morning, as I had the most execrable song in the entire universe stuck in my head. Yes, "Me So Horny," by 2 Live Crew. I seriously considered sticking an icepick through my forehead.