Vicki.. are you staying in the area or moving somewhere that gets rain? I did similar things when I sold my house. Even after the people signed the contract I was out there mulching and pulling weeds. It's about 6pm. I guess mothernature read this post. She hasn't teased me today. She didn't give me any rain but she didn't tease me. Pam3... LOL that was funny about the mailbox. Buford... That's a ways from here I think. I'm not really sure. I felt a couple of drops yesterday but no rain. I just watched as the drops evaporated on the deck before the next one was felt. That made it especially painful when nothing happened after that. bumblebeez... I have tried that and still nada. foxesearth... If it were to pour right now, I believe a good amount of rain will get into the soil. I have been keeping it moist as best I can so the water seeps in and doesn't run off. What you use is a very good strategy though. Well it's about that time... Time to go water.

A lot of windows shown on the elevation drawings are not shown on the floorplans. Be sure your architect makes all the drawings show the same things...otherwise there could be confusion down the road. So sorry to hear about your RA. Planning for an elevator is a smart move! But may I ask why you've decided you want/need two staircases going up to the second floor? Building staircases isn't cheap and your house really isn't all that big. If it were me, I'd skip making the staircase behind the garage go up to the second floor and put the savings from that into going ahead and having the elevator installed now. (I assume the elevator would go where the 2nd floor linen closet is.) If your father is in good health at 82, he could easily live with you another 10 years...maybe even 15. And, the last thing you need to be dealing while suffering from RA and assisting an aging parent is the mess of a home renovation. I'd do the elevator now if at all possible and cut back on things like maybe granite countertops instead. Getting rid of the second staircase up would also allow you to make your 2nd floor laundry larger and more user friendly. Right now it is basically three skinny hallways. UGH! I'm sorry but that is a horrible design. (Speaking of which, I don't really see any need for a second doorway into the guestroom/bonus room. and having that second door just forces you to have a second hallway.) I'd get rid of the staircase, move the laundry room door up near the master closet and then incorporate that back hallway that currently lead down to the second door to the guest room into a nice large closet for the guest room...or maybe some linen storage to take the place of the linen room that is going to become the elevator shaft. Also, by cutting out the second staircase up, you can enlarge your first floor mudroom and make it more user friendly as well. So, unless you have strong feelings about keeping both staircases, you might want to consider cutting one out. As for having the piano upstairs, my only question is how are you going to get it up there? I've never owned a baby grand so have no idea how hard it would be to get one up a flight of stairs. You might want take the house plans by a piano moving company and get their input before you sign off on the plans. Also, while I see no need for two doors opening into the guest/bonus room from different sides, if you are going to have the piano up on the second floor in that "piano room" alcove, have you thought about possible putting a set of double pocket doors between the piano room and the guestroom/bonus room? With double 36" or 42" wide pocket doors, you would have the option of leaving them open and turning the guest/bonus room into a listening space where people could sit and enjoy a piano recital played on the piano in the alcove. Plus, imagine how pretty that nice large bonusroom/piano space could look with the doors pushed all the way open. And, when you do have guests, closing the pocket doors would still give them plenty of privacy since there is likely to be little reason for someone to wander down to play the piano when guests are staying in the bonus room. As for the kitchen, so run your plan by the gurus on the kitchen forum. Right off the bat it strikes me that while the fridge is in a reasonably good location for access by folks in the breakfast nook, it is not in a very good spot for use by the cook who will have to walk around the island to reach stuff like butter/milk while in the midst of prepping dinner. Also, a prep sink on the back counter is not likely to get much use because it is "around the island" from the stove. I suspect you will find that you wind up using the main sink all the time because all you have to do to reach it from the stove is pivot around. Just my thoughts. Hope some of it proves helpful.

I really believe you should go now. Like others have said we never know what tomorrow may bring. I would rather visit an ill or recovering mom than have to fly to a funeral. Personally I'd rather miss the funeral. Once gone from this earth if you are at all religious or spiritual where you are doesn't matter any more. Where you are does matter for the living. If your mother is ill you need to visit her if you can. If she gets well you will have a nice visit with her. By April the option may or may not be there. Things can change very quickly with the elderly.My DMIL died while my DH was on a 3 day business trip. He visited her just before he left and she was fine. She passed in the early morning hours of the day he was to return. As a hospice worker you probably already know that short of a massive coronary or stroke it is pneumonia that often takes the elderly even before the disease or other illness they are dealing with does. With bad lungs your mother is even at higher risk. Be good to yourself Bigbaby. Now is the time to be "selfish" and do what you think needs to be done. For both you and your mother.

I wonder if there are some stats about this. Imaging has become so fine-tuned that more 'maybes' are showing up; more procedures done. Unless people are holding back, this thread alone would indicate that -- like prostate -- we might be as well served doing more 'watching and waiting' and fewer biopsies. Anyone have resources for studies on this? Satine -- My first stereotactic procedure was very uncomfortable. I was facedown on a table with my breast through a cut-out. My back ached. The procedure was so slow I wondered if it was the doctor's first time -- and it HURT. Next time I was faceup in a bed with the head raised. It was painless. It beats surgical biopsies -- I've had three of those. (I'm 72.)