Advise Tops

Hi,I found my first Jeep. It is a 1990 JK Islander, low miles, but some rust from living along the pacific coast, and using it near the ocean. It is my first and I love it. So far it is stock and may remain so unless i find a real need to lift it.

I am sooooo happy with it even though I bought it from someone that allowed cats to live in it and use it as thier play thing and bedroom and maybe breeding ground for a couple of years. Luckily it was inside, bathroom (Yes I did say bathroom ) It stunk when I bought it even though it was in a garage and protected from the elements.

Now I have replaced the seats with after market upgraded seats and new carpet ( I did botch that one ) After a couple of cleanings of the dash and the rest It smells great.

Now the winter is coming and it came with a Soft find a very nicetop. I do not think it smells bad but after a rain or two it may smell like breeding cats. So I was able to find a great minimally used Hard top complete with wiper and defrost. BUT I have been reading that a number of Jeepers either do not want to take the Hard top off or after it is off they do not want to put it back on. The guy I got my hard top from wasplanning to use a soft top and is able to garage it. I am not able to do that and I want to use it during the winter as well as summer.

My Question is:

1 - Is the hard top really that much of a problem taking off and placing back on. It came with the lift I could attach to the rafters in my garage. Since I can not use my gagrage I will need to do something to have a place to use the lift.

2 - Is the soft top ok to use in the winter mostly rain some snow?? ( in Northern California )

3 - Should I jsut man up and use the Hard top as that will be the best winter proofing, since I went and bought it?

I will not have much help with it and I am retired and disabled a little but bny way of knee injury. So it is heavier than I can really handle so i will want to build a scaffold for the lift.

Is it the pain to place on and take off ( the hard top ) Is the soft a problem also?

Thanks,
the JK Islander Mon.