Thanks, Amy. Actually, I thought we'd be in by last Oct or Nov. Feb 1st was the due date for our construction loan's last extension we were allowed (18 months from pouring footings), so no matter how you look at it, we're definitely running behind. We actually started *unofficially* sleeping here awhile ago, but for awhile had to run back to the mobile home to use the bathroom, and until last night, to use the kitchen. (Actually, there was a LOT of running back and forth last night, too, since we haven't moved anything over yet). We have some clothes over here since the mobile home laundry equipment quit and things migrated over and stayed. How complete: Door casing is about 80-90% finished, baseboard 95%, window casing 0%. 'Phase 1' of the cabinets are in, but without their doors and drawer-fronts yet. (We reduced the number of cabinets by about 1/3, so we could get the necessary ones completely done, then work away at the rest after moving in.) There is a definite need for some landscaping work. So, it's all cosmetic, but my dining room and living room floors are covered in plastic for several sawhorses sitting there with drying wood trim and cabinet doors that I'm finishing or painting. There's still a big chop saw for cutting trim in my kitchen, along with the contraption that bores holes for cabinet hinges, which is sitting on the island. My sewing room still has no laminate on the counters and is covered in trim lumber. Closet rods and shelves are here but not in, and we haven't even thought about window treatments. I had dreams of moving in and putting everything away, teaching the kids to keep the new house clean, neat, and organized from the start. They've developed bad habits living in the mobile home, where stuff was up around our ears and impossible to keep clean. I wanted them to see this place differently. Oh, well. We'll get there...Maybe by next October!

Okay, change of plans - had my breakfast, did my dishes earlier and since I'm trying to figure out the best place for Andy's permanent litter box location I decided the utility room. Since it's a new build home, that room still has builder's debris (they still have a few things to finish) - so I'm cleaning the floor and trimming back the plastic wrap over the insulation so it's not a foot across the floor. Collecting copper wire (crafts - the electrician gave me two boxes of cut offs when he wired this place). Putting all of that room's garbage in the separate pile by the shop which is building debris which the builder will haul. I'm not filling my $2/tag garbage bags with this stuff. So I'm not bored anymore. And I'll continue vacuuming all this place once I start that. I scared DH away to his workshop. Now I know he's not bored anymore. And Andy has found a lovely sunny spot to snooze in. Ah to be a cat. LOL

When I am alone in the afternoon I make a cup of instant coffee. I mixed the coffee in a mug and apparently put the container of instant coffee in the micro. When I came inside about 4-5 mins later I had the most awful smell of something burning. When I figured it was the micro I couldn't even recognize what was melted in there. I cleaned up the mess and scrubbed forever with windex, vinegar and baking soda. It was improved but still smelled when I used it for about a week. It is completely gone now. I also left the door open for a few hours.

From notes I took last spring when I had to replace my Kenmore (Electrolux) cooktop, the cutout dimensions I know about are listed below. Note that examples I looked up of Kenmore/Frigidaire/Electrolux, Thermador/Bosch, Dacor, and Miele were nominally too large in one dimension or the other. The biggest issue is that it is unlikely that any manufacturer will support installation into a too-large cutout, even if the cooktop is large enough to not fall through. Some reinforcement may be needed in such cases. ref: current cutout 35.5 x 19.625 from message above Wolf CI365 35. x 19.5 Jenn-Air JIC 4536XS 33.125 x 19.25 (top overlaps cutout but support area may be too small requiring some added steel or wood support) Fagor IFA-90BF 35.44 x 19.5 GE PHP960DMBB 33.875 x 19.125 (see Jenn-Air comment) There may be newer models that have better fitting dimensions. Electrolux and clones have common installation cutout dimensions of 36 x 20.5. These allow for air ventilation at the edges, a ventilation scheme they once used but which is not used on the present Frigidaires. Some contraction of the cutout size might be acceptable, but gaining a whole inch front-to-back seems unlikely. Thermador/Bosch have common cutout dimensions of 34.875 x 20. I don't know if the width would allow squeezing into 19.5 inches. The top is 37 inches long so it will overlap adequately. Added support at the ends may be required depending on how the device is designed. If you can tolerate the Mother of all Messiness, you could have the granite cut in the kitchen. In such a case masking all the cabinet hinges, drawer glides, and other moving mechanical items in the area is one of many steps necessary. kas