Laptop is a Dell Latitude (C-Series). I've always hooked up a mouse... could never work those little pad areas well enough. Has separate "floppy-disk module as external device"... cable to connect. Only has ONE USB port... before it went into extreme SSLLOOWW mode, usde a gizmo that turned one port into 4-5. Has a little cord (about 4" long) marked composite TV-out adapter cable. I have CD reinstall disks for MS Windows XP Professional (including service pack 1a and 2). Has a CD drive, but that doesn't show up when I go to "my computer", but I used it to initially install XP?? And a spare battery pack that has just been sitting in the carrying bag for... since purchased? This computer was loaned/given to me by someone who had purchased a new one... but I was told I could do whatever I wanted with it. When I go to "my computer" and click properties for C, shows 18.6 GB capacity, 7.18 GB used & 11.4 GB free. This is a little odd?? Last time it was hooked up to DSL, showed 80-90% or more used... would get frequent low memory warnings... would have to do a disk cleanup that would briefly and ever so slightly improve speed. Went to control panel and checked to see what programs are on C... 18 different items. Most say "rarely" used, 4 say "frequently" used, but 2 of those I KNOW I don't use?? Rough extimate is almost 800 MB... could list, if that would help. Under system properties: ...system: MS WIndows XP Professional v 2002, service pack 2. ...registered to: my name and 20 letters/numbers. ...computer: Intel Pentium, 1.00GHz, 256 MB Ram. Took it in to Staples with a coupon for a free check-up. Fully expected them to tell me it was gravely ill with some virus... they didn't. I KNEW it didn't have a virus. Said it was pretty much out of memory. Guy tried to find something but nothing matched where it would have to go. Said because computer was "older technology", additinal memory would be difficult to find and expensive... advised not to waste my money and plan for a new computer when possible. Had Spyware Doctor with Anti-virus v 8.0... recommended by former co-worker a few years ago. Over time, it would catch occasional minor infections and fix right away. WOuld be encouraged to BUY something... Registry Mechanic "Optimizer" to get rid of registry errors. Have NO idea what that means, but wasn't something that seemed to make much difference, and I wasn't willing to spend any more money. OK... getting long-winded, so I'll stop. If any of my gibberish makes sense, and anyone has any advise for thie "dummy"... I will be very grateful!

Most personal financial advisors suggest having 3 - 6 mos. level of income available immediately in case of emergencies, lay-off, etc. I routinely recommended that, as well - but I haven't followed that course, myself, a good bit of the time, even in my earning years, when income was dependent on turning up for work. And usually told my clients the following story, in case they chose to use it. Now that I'm retired, all that I have to do to qualify to have my monthly pension amount deposited into my bank account is ... ... stay alive. I may have a back so decrepit that I can hardly walk, be sick abed, travelling in Mongolia, or whatever - it still gets deposited. Which means that I am less at risk of needing emergency money than when employed, with less assurance of continuing income. Sometimes I've had a substantial balance on hand, usually mostly in stockbroker account, often mainly in money market funds, especially when the stock market seemed too high. But I have drawn a number of certificates for my equity-based mutual funds (no fee), and paid to have certificates issued for a number of my stocks, then have used them as collateral underlying a fully secured Letter of Credit at the bank (lower interest rate than borrowing from broker), currently 6%. I think that setting up a Home Equity LOC often requires some fees, and there were none asociated with mine, based on easily saleable securities. Some charge a fee to let it lie unused, but mine does not, and it lies unused a good portion of the time. Sometimes I use it when in need of unexpected purchase, e.g. buying a car (but bought two older models within the past year and a half, for - under $3,000. - cheque). I have a "credit" (really "debt") card, which I don't use much, but I could use it for immediate emergency, drawing on the LOC to pay the balance before the due date, so no interest. One problem with this system is that one usually needs about $20,000. of asset value in order to qualify for a $10,000. loan. And I would recommend that one not draw full value of that credit available - for if the value of the underlying stocks decreases by 20% ... the amount of loan allowed will decrease by 10%. If a larger amount has been borrowed, the lender will require cash or more securities - today ... or tomorrow, at the latest. I've never borrowed so close to my credit limit that I suffered a margin call - don't ever want to, either. If I borrow for emergency use, the interest that I pay on the loan is not deductible (but the underlying mutual funds and stocks continue to earn - and grow, most of the time). If I use the LOC to borrow to invest, the interest is deductible. I wrote a post starting a thread here a few week s ago telling how I thought that I can make such a loan at almost no net cost. Which makes it wise for me to have two letters of credit, one for emergency use, one to use for investment loans, when I choose to make them. (I should have made some of the latter about three or four years ago - but didn't). Over a substantial period, the mutual funds pay me a variable current rate of return. The dividend rates on the stocks tends to grow, over time. Usually lower than the interest that I could earn, I agree, but that's fine - I don't need the money now. Most of those earnings come to me at a much lower rate of tax than I'd have to pay on interest income, which is taxed at top rate. When I put my money into a CD, GIC, bond or other instrument where the number of base dollars is guaranteed not to shrink, there's another guarantee that the bank never mentions - it can't grow, either. The only earning that I can obtain from that money is the interest. And interest income is all earned now. And it's taxed at top rate - I like to avoid that, when possible. Most of my equity-based mutual funds, and stocks, increase in value over time. I don't receive any of that value now. So I'm not taxed on it now. I only have to realize that increased value when I sell them - or die - which gives me a good deal of the value obtained in tax-deferred retirement accounts, which defer tax liability until withdrawals are made. But those with retirement accounts have every dollar withdrawn added to income and taxed at regular rate. When I cash my investments, I usually pay tax at a much reduced rate. I like that system better than having my invested dollars earn all that they'll ever earn relative to this year, right now, and taxed now, plus taxed at top rate. I'd prefer to defer part of the income - and pay tax then ... at a reduced rate. Such a system might work for some of you, should you so choose. ole joyful

((Hugs)) I've been where you are at with so many pregnancies (only have one child to show for them), but no IVF experience. It is so hard, but I have to say with the only pregnancy that made it almost to term for me it was also the only one that just showed a sac that early in the pregnancy and nothing in it, but my OB at that point said it was early and could go either way. Well a week later we had a heartbeat. Although at that point I couldn't get excited at all still as my previous one had a nice strong heartbeat at that time too and then nothing at 9 weeks. Pregnancy to me was just a huge roller coaster of emotions and constant worries. When is the next US, when are we past the most common point of having losses, 12 weeks to measure the neck fold to check for downs syndrome, when are we at 16 weeks to start progesterone shots and incompetent cervix monitoring, 24 weeks when the baby will be saved if born early, and then weekly onward. Then when the baby was born a whole new set of worries. I was a very high risk pregnancy though. My DH didn't get attached at all to the baby until she was born (he made up for it then) and was very distant during the pregnancy. I think his way of dealing with anything going wrong. You are right though, you will always remember this. I wish the u/s this week will show a little seed or even a heart beat and you can at least get a chance to try to relax and enjoy pregnancy instead of the constant worry I experienced. This post was edited by lyfia on Fri, Apr 25, 14 at 8:39

Looks pretty good. Kitchen Designer's Plan: Very good locations of DW and trash pullout. The trash pullout is in the Prep Zone, next to the Cooking Zone, and next to the Cleanup Zone. Far more trash & recyclables are generated in the Prep & Cooking Zones than Cleanup Zone, so having it in the Prep Zone is ideal. The DW is not in the midst of or in the way of the Prep Zone or Cooking Zone...excellent! Do you plan dish storage above the DW and to the right? It's a good location since it's, again, out of the Prep & Cooking Zones, next to the Cleanup Zone & DW, and easily accessed from what appears to be a table space on the right...w/o getting in the way of those prepping or cooking. I could wish for a bit more cooktop landing space on the left and prep room space on the right b/w the cooktop & sink (the natural Prep Zone location), but that wall is rather short. The only way to increase the prep space would be to put the cleanup sink in the peninsula and use the back counter as your Prep Zone. You do appear to have 30" b/w the sink and corner and then another 12" b/w the cooktop & corner. While not ideal, it's probably workable. I only have a couple of concerns...the first concern I have is the lack of landing space near the wall ovens (the MW is in the peninsula, correct?) Since there is very little counterspace to the left of the cooktop (you're limited, I know), I'd like to see the landing space either right next to the ovens or on the peninsula. With that in mind, I would switch the refrigerator & ovens. The "new" location will also put the refrigerator a bit closer to the Prep & Cooking Zones. It would now it easier to use the peninsula for landing space from the ovens. It also moves the ovens out of the doorway b/w the cooktop wall and the pantry wall. Another option would be to, again, switch the refrigerator & ovens and to then make the pantry on the left into an upper + base configuration. The landing zone would now be right next to the ovens. It also gives you "staging" space right next to the ovens for getting ready to put something in an oven. You might then also consider moving the MW from the peninsula to this location. You could create a "Snack Zone"...near the refrigerator, MW, & Ovens, but out of the three primary work zones (Prep, Cooking, Cleanup). [The peninsula location of the MW puts it in the Cleanup Zone b/c it's in the way of the DW when either is open.] I would also like to see a French Door refrigerator so there isn't a big door (1) blocking the path from the door to the right of the refrigerator (garage/mudroom?) and (2) blocking access to either the Prep & Cooking Zones (from the right) or snackers (from the left). Keep in mind that if this is a counter-depth (CD) refrigerator, the doors + handles will/must stick out past the surrounding cabinets/counters/walls. This "extra" depth is usually around 6". This means your refrigerator is really approx 30" deep. If, OTOH, the refrigerator is a built-in or "true" CD, then it will be no more than 25" or so deep. My other concern is the peninsula seating and the space behind it. First, keep in mind that you need 24" of linear space per seat. So a 6' long/wide island will seat 3. With a curve, a little less is required b/c the curve adds inches, but not that many inches. Second, each seat should have a minimum of a 15" overhang in front of it. With the curve, this will mean more like 18" in the center...but that's OK. As a matter of fact, it provides a place for someone who is tall and/or has long legs to sit more comfortably (people of "average" height and/or "average" leg length will be comfortable enough w/15"...but no less if you plan for some to sit there for more than a few minutes.) How much space is there behind the seats? It looks like a table space. Is it? If it is, then do you have enough space for the table + chairs right next to the peninsula w/stools? You should have around 60" b/w the edge of the peninsula counter & the edge of the table. There should be 32" b/w the table and the wall on the other side of the table (the side opposite the peninsula), assuming there is a wall...OR use banquette seating on that opposite side. (Then, you only need aprox 18" to the wall.) Is that outside door really a French Door? If so, are you worried about the glass door hitting the stools when opened? What if someone is sitting at the peninsula when the door is in use? Is the corner upper cabinet a blind corner? Or, is it a true corner w/a 90-degree angle? The true corner cab would give you the best access and least waste of space. I might consider making the valance over the window as "tall" on the sides as the flanking stacked cabinets are. I think it will flow better. Have you considered a counter-height window? I think it would be wonderful in your kitchen, especially with the width of the window. Other pictures: