Thank you all for your comments. I enjoyed them. I know this is totally OT, but in answer to Lucy's question I have to say this: This probably was my last trip to Germany. My sister came here and stayed 6 months each year for 10-12 years, and when she turned 80 she said:"now its YOUR turn." So I went each year for the last 6 years, until she got Alzheimers. That was last year, I took care of her for 8 months and finally put her in a home. I couldn't do it anymore. Then she passed away. This last trip was a working trip to settle my sister's affairs. I have no relatives left there, just a few friends. And I said my good-byes. My love for Brugs originated with my sister, who had a couple. It was in her memory that I purchased one here, my one and only Angel - (for lack of space to put more!) I've lived in the USA for 45 years, and this is my home by choice. I love this country, I became a citizen, and raised my kids here. GOD BLESS AMERICA! Ingrid.

sdello -- No, on the 1995 XJR the KBB of $9K - 10K is private sale value. Trade-in value is $7 - 8K. Retail, $13K. So, I see the dealer making $5K on my trade-in, and think the price on the X-Type should be lower. Even if he had to put something into the XJR to ready it for market, it should profit him well. The salesman said he thought they would market the car rather than auction it. Steve_o -- Well, that's my problem. I don't know what depreciation to figure on the 2005 X-Type VDP with 2700 miles. In three months, when the 2006's come out, the car becomes "last year's model". Seems to me a car drops 20% to 25% when you drive it out off the dealer's lot. In that case, even a new 2005 (MSRP of $37,280) would be $29,825, or even $27,960. FWIW, State Farm loan department tells me June retail value is $31K. I'm thinking of proposing $30K less $8K for our trade-in = $22K cash (plus tax, license fees, etc.) Maybe that is too much? The dealer bought two of these cars in May at a Jaguar auction in St. Louis. Now, if we could just peek at what he paid... Thanks for helping me with my "car wars".

boxerpups - I am so sorry for your loss. Pets are family and provide so much love and affection that is unspoken and unconditional. We lost our beloved lab of nearly 10 years this April just shy of his 10th birthday. He developed a splenic tumor and was very sick. We opted to operate b/c the other choice was to put him down or let the tumor eventually explode (which it was close to at the time). We knew the chances of it being a cancerous tumor were very high but we wanted to give him every chance he could at life and there was a small chance it was non cancerous which gave us hope. We operated and he had a rough time recovering b/c of the size of the tumor and b/c his heart had been so stressed due to the tumor. We checked him out of the hospital against medical advice after nearly a week in the vet hospital b/c he wasn't eating on his own or really perking up if we weren't there. We brought him home and he was never happier to be home, went out in the yard, went upstairs (even though he wasn't supposed to - he always slept upstairs next to my side of the bed), snuggled with all of us and ATE! We thought he was going to be okay, drs were amazed he responded so well to being home. Well he passed away the next morning. :( Sometimes pets need the extra time with their owners as much has we need the extra time with them. Our dog NEEDED to come home and one extra night with us, check out the yard, go all over the house and make sure all of us were okay too. Turns out his tumor was not cancerous after all. We are glad we operated and glad we got one more night. So just because YOU needed the time, don't think your beloved pet didn't need the extra time too to say goodbye and spend with you and your family.

Hmm, I was just pondering today - how do you post a new build kitchen reveal after you have lived there for a year and a half. What might that subject title be??? I guess I should have just done it without the backsplash but now that I am so close to doing that I might as well wait....or that was my thought process. Things do take much longer than you hope/plan. I thought I'd have the splash done this spring. Ha! edit: now you are bringing back memories - when we moved in no glass in the cabs and half the crown was missing and that took way too long than I care to think about. So yes, waiting for the splash. I have to admit I got all excited again when I saw your thread pop on the first page. So you aren't saying we have to wait until Thanksgiving are you! Are you? :O