If you collect thimbells, they would look nice highlighted under the glass. At christmas you could display some of the tiny wooden ornaments from germany that comes in to TJMAX and Marshalls around Oct, Nov. For a girly look, you could display a nice bracelet opened up under it on top of your bedroom dresser, even a few lovely rings lined up would be pretty. Collection of broaches, (cut a strip of velvet for the jewerly to lay on)...Basically anything tiny can be highlighted under glass...

Thanks, Alice; much appreciated. You probably saw in my post on possibly drilling a new well that we've decided to stick with the existing well for a year or two, assuming it recovers somewhat after the nearby reservoir is filled again. So, we will definitely address the hardness issue in the next month or so. I do check the pH of both the pool and spa regularly using litmus paper, as well as the raw water when I periodically re-fill the spa. The lowest I ever saw of the raw water was 8.4, and is usually in the nines. I suspect that either the lowered water table at the moment has an effect on pH, or that the sample was stale by the time they analyzed it, even though I packed it in a cooler. The lab is about 60 miles away (like everything else.....). And, sure enough, the well water is about 10 degrees warmer than normal at the moment! That really suprised me. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks as the table comes up. We do have a cheap dual sediment filter in place, which at least keeps the big chunks out of the house. I generally replace them about every 2 months, and they are usually rusty in color, I'm sure from the rusting well casing. But recently they are always brown and full of fine silt, consistent with our clay-based soil. We'll likely add another set or two before putting in the softener. As far as hydrology reports, I haven't found any real local. According to a professor who has studied the area, we have some of the most intricate and complex aquifer systems in the world, but where I am, near the major creek that drains the whole region, there is almost universal flow through our property, meaning we'll hit water no matter where we drill. So, now it's time to design a softener system that will work. Not too many local resources around here (that 60 miles to anywhere thing), so I'm not sure where to start. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks again.

DS moved out. DD got her apartment & is nearly moved out. I'm buying paint today so I can paint the room this weekend. SD has mumbled goodnight to me twice this week & that is the extent of it. It's actually been a bit emotional for me... all of MY kids have left & even though I have DGS still, I'm sad... I guess this might be what they are talking about with "empty nest" syndrome? At least there hasn't been any talk over who gets the room. I told DH on Sunday, that when all the kids move out, I will finally have a room for my exercise equipment. Then, after he found out my daughter got her apartment, I told him that when my daughter moves out, I'm gonna move DGS's stuff to that room because I'm tired of tripping over his toys.. because his room is so small. & mentioned my bike & treadmill will go in the smaller room. He didn't say a word, but he sorta looked like he wanted to... then said, ok. He is well aware of how SD is with me so he probably figures it's pointless to argue over it? I don't know... and I don't care. It's not an issue & I'm happy to have peace. In reading Yabbers recent post to JNM... and hearing about how bad things are there... and with me... and with pseudo... and with others... maybe it's just unrealistic to think we can ever build an unbreakable bond with someone else's child like we can our own. I don't think it is really possible anymore. It's not that I don't think step parents and step children will always wind up like this, because I know some have GREAT relationships at all different levels of family/caring. I guess the "secret" ingredient is DESIRE. If the child (or step parent) do not DESIRE to have an unbreakable bond, then it can be as close of a relationship as they want as long as they want, but when that desire fades, the bottom line is "you're not my parent" or "you're not my kid" and either or both can walk away from it... no legal ties... no emotional ties??? I guess I'm bringing it up because it's part of why I'm sad this week. Years ago, JNM's situation gave me hope that one day, my SD would realize I care & would accept me as part of her life. I had hope for the kind of relationship she had with her SD. After a couple of years, I realized it was never going to happen. BM wasn't going to allow it... and SD didn't want it. I can, and have, blamed BM for being a wedge to me having a relationship with her daughter... but the truth is that SD has never warmed up to me (or anyone else in her dad's life) and probably never will. She is entitled to feel that way I suppose. In my opinion, it is very sad because her dad is aloof and her mom is self centered so neither of them is giving her what she wants. Nobody sees any problem, except me. Maybe I'm the problem??? Anyway, it's just discouraging to hear so many of these stories... I mean, I watched my dad treat my stepsister like (sometimes even better than) one of his own kids... took her & her family (husband & kids) to Disney for a week (he's never done that with his own kids) and paid for her to go visit her husband's family back east, was "grandpa" to her kids, etc. She would give him Birthday, Christmas & other cards "To Dad" with heartfelt messages... I will admit I was a bit jealous but we were all grown ups & he's entitled to have whatever relationship he wants. But, just before my stepmom passed away, my stepbrothers filed in court to make my dad account for their mom's assets. They were worried when she died, they would get nothing. She really had nothing. All her income (disability) was paid out to caregivers (and my dad paid a good chunk out of his pocket in addition to that) but dad had given my stepsister all my stepmom's clothes, jewlery, her Mustang (after HE paid it off) and family heirlooms (piano, china, etc) and the day before court... my stepsister was visiting my dad to ask for the only thing left belonging to her mother... the silver. My dad didn't think twice, he gave it to her. She mentioned that what her brothers were doing is BS and she wanted nothing to do with them. (one of them had molested her as a teenager) Anyway, the next morning my dad goes to the court hearing & who do you think is sitting there with the brothers... yep, stepsister. After 20 years of calling my dad "dad", going on vacations, holidays, grandkids, weddings, and caring for her mom together for 6 years, she was sitting with the brothers. My dad was served with a declaration she signed, stating she had taken care of her mother for all those years and was "woefully underpaid". She had lived in the marital home, expense free [he paid the mortgage, utilities & bought groceries], she had a vehicle (w/ins. & fuel) provided, and when she moved out... he refinanced & gave her 60K, which she used to buy a new truck & a down payment on her house. All of that was on top of giving her all of her mother's things... seriously, my dad went into a deep depression over it. So, maybe no matter how long things are good... maybe it's just never enough. (I just needed to vent... thanks!!)

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.