So sorry to hear about this - how frustrating! This sounds like my kind of luck. May of this past year, we hit a deer, which totaled our van. We searched forever for a good used van (since the insurance company didn't give us much for ours - it was older, but in mint condition). Our financial situation is not in a position to add another monthly payment. Finally in August we found one that "worked" - although we weren't sure about buying a Chevy. But I needed one by fall, when my craft shows started, so we decided to get it. We got it on Sunday afternoon and Monday I drove it to town and got whammed in the rear end. We hadn't even had the title work done yet. I was sick. But it was fixable and I wasn't hurt - so it all worked out. So glad Carol wasn't hurt anymore than she was - been there done that - triple Advil every 4-6 hrs. was the dr. advice for me - that is prescription strenth. We got hit with 8 or more inches of snow this weekend and as we were shoveling/clearing the drive/sidewalks, I asked my husband if he could imagine climbing on the roof and shoveling it! We just replaced that roof 2 summers ago and I will attest that it was SCAREY being up there when it was dry, let alone snow covered and slippery! I can't even imagine. Hang in there - spring is just around the corner! Arlene

It sounds like fun although we'll be out of town. I look forward to seeing everyone's recipes and pictures though. We make pizza quite frequently. I make the dough and the pizza maker's sauce from "Pizza Napoletana!" by Pamela Sheldon Johns. The dough is for a flat pizza with large air pockets that build up, just like in Italia! We put our baking stones in the oven and crank them for the best results. My favorite is to duplicate the California Pizza Kitchen roasted red peppers, bacon, caramelized onions and goat cheese. Turns out wonderful and very close to the original. We set out as many toppings as the counter will hold and everyone makes their own. It's always a fun production in our house.

That steak really looks good Alexa and the Bernaise held up great. I made the citrus cheesecake Sunday but we only finally got around to eating some tonight. It really was an excellent cheesecake. I'll make it again. I didn't put the sour cream on top of the cheesecake, in case I wanted to make the lemon curd for it. Also, instead of just zest I used the juice from the Meyer Lemon and the lime. I also added a tablespoon of cornstarch to make up for the added juice. Classic Cheesecake [modified] Serves: 8 to 10 servings This is a classic cheesecake -- velvety, rich, sweet and so satisfying. We are major fans of a thin sour cream cap on top of cheesecakes; it's the perfect balance to this rich cake. Ingredients Crust: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons granulated sugar Pinch fine salt Filling: 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups sour cream 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon vanilla paste (see cook's note) or extract 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest [used zest from 1 Meyer lemon] 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest [zest from half an orange] [added zest from 1 lime] As said above I added the juice from the lemon and lime plus a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in the juices. Topping: 3/4 cup sour cream 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract Berries, optional Directions Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan. For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust. Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes---the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.[Mine took almost 1hour and a half] For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake. Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with berries, if desired. Notes We love vanilla bean paste. It has intense vanilla bean flavor in a convenient paste form. It's a great way to add great flavor and distinctive vanilla flecks without having to use a whole bean. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My note: Do let it set in refrigerator for time suggested. It's a very creamy cheesecake.

Thanks for the responses--bjackels, I'm originally from the STL area (used to live in Wildwood, as well as Columbia, IL right across the river from South County). Anyway, thanks for the replies, I think we're going to try and meet with some PB's while we're in town to check on the house next time and meet with the bank to see about figuring in the pool cost with our construction loan. We don't have any neighbors except for my in-laws a couple acres away and they're thrilled and intrigued by all the building happenings! They love to get out there and bother our GC with questions, then they call us to say what a good job he's doing. I hope this all works out--I'd love to have it installed by the time we move in. How nice would that be??? By the way, I have happily wasted way too many hours drooling over all the pool pictures on the other side of the forum.