Thanks all, progress is slowly happening... finally have most of the drawers now and it has been alleged that the counter is going to be installed tomorrow afternoon!~ Still the uppers, one lower and a pantry cabinet to go. Rummy was alleged to be half husky and half chocolate lab. We're still not sure on that, though.

Thanks so much, all of you. You know, my carpenter said several times, "I'm sure there's a solution to this. I just don't know what it is. Why don't you call a cabinet shop - they must have seen this before." I think I couldn't hear it because I was too upset. The cabinet company won't work - it's Ikea. (That's another reason why I've been upset about this. I see money flying out the window, and my budget is very tight already.) But there is a custom cabinet shop nearby that does gorgeous work. (I would have gone with them had I been able to afford it.) Maybe someone there will be willing to take the job. Bmorepanic, I agree with you - they shouldn't have installed the counter. Unfortunately, the installers relied on their templater's measurements, and had the counter installed before they discovered the problem. It was my own fault that I ordered a cooktop that's too large for the cabinet, but if the cooktop cutout had been made correctly, I would have discovered the issue during dry-fitting, when there was time for my carpenter to fix it. Boxerpups, I discovered that Microtrim site, but it specifically says that the trim is just aesthetic - it supplies no support. Footballmom, I had the same idea. If I can't find a finish carpenter who will try to remove the excess cabinet, I will ask the granite people if they'll glue some strips on to make the opening smaller. I'm feeling so much better after reading the posts by people who think it can be done. (And after sleeping, of course!) I just wish I didn't have to go to work, so I could start calling around right now!

Tomuch2chus and Flwrs_n_co, thanks for the info about real bikers. That's great! I wonder if it's specific to the culture or if it's from being present in the moment and aware of what's going on around them? (Probably both.) Nice to know this is real and that the writers weren't just wishing. I've gotten pretty good at issuing orders that sound like suggestions, but that whole noticing and acting upon it thing is just so sexy! (Some of you may disagree, and others of you have gems who do exactly this, but when men ask me for advice about how to get on the good side of their women, I tell them they should do some of her chores (e.g., clean the bathroom) to her standards.)

You and Terry Fator! :0) Love it!