I was kinda thinking that too, it has been really wet here and I think water collects on the top of some of my containers and drains in...the potting mix I used this year was soaked too, a bag probably weighed 80 pounds. thanks for the reply ChefMark

Thanks, D-ro, enduring, Francoise, and Herb. I am happy with this. I appreciate your comments. I forgot to mention that, as part of the decision process, I constructed fake "uppers" from cardboard boxes, and hung them on the walls. I also used tables and sawhorses to simulate countertops. I could then swap upper locations around easily, going back and forth between the layouts posted, say, on Wed, Sep 28, 11 at 19:40 and Thu, Sep 29, 11 at 13:38. This made it easy to sort out issues like possible crowding of the big window, the overall airiness of the kitchen, lights in the sink area, and the difficulty of reaching above the shoulders into the upper cabs with a laden soup bowl. Therefore, I am more confident in this arrangement than I was when only relying on Sketchup. Francoise, you are so right about how hard MW placement is. After this struggle, I have concluded that chest-high is the only really good placement; this either means in the middle of a tall cab (like CluelessinCo) or hanging below un upper (like someone posted recently... Dianalo? remodelFLA?). I didn't want to give up the pantry to do the former or effectively give up the counterspace to do the latter, so the drawer was the next-best alternative. Funny that I never really understood that about MWs before.

A similar question was posted a few weeks ago, and I think most agreed that it was time to go new. Even after they spend $2,000, most of the rest of the oven will still be 15 years old, and you may be in for more expensive repairs in the future, or a useless oven if the manufacturer discontinues the part you need. In contrast, while it will cost more to buy a new stove, 5 years from now you will have a 5 year old stove, not a 20 year old stove. I was faced with a similar question and spent about $2,500 repairing an older Viking, and other parts continued to fail, until I bought a new range.

If you move now, you would lose $60k immediately and the future growth potential of your current house. It will take 50 months for you to recoup the loss if you indeed could save $1200/month (assume you will save the amount instead of just spend it on vacation...etc.). In other words, at the 33rd month, you will be in a smaller house, using the alimony you do not have to pay to recoup the loss sooner. If you stay, you have the choice of using the equity on the house for any short term needs. At the 33rd month, all the amount for alimony will be available for you. Being an education-fanatic, I am struggling over your tuition savings. In MHO, it should not be the problem all for you to face, the mother should have to share it too.