Wow, Jokik, I wasn't aware that personal attacks were allowed on this forum. I'm sure you thought you were being so subtle with your Common Sense for Dummies comment. Aren't you clever! So what are the "more than adequate" precautions are you taking with this dumpter-diving wood furniture retrieval? If you are so well-informed, I guess you know that bedbug eggs take 2 weeks to hatch? I'm shocked that you are being so rude about something that's turning into a public health crisis in every major city, every college campus and many single family homes in the middle of nowhere. I feel sorry for your neighbors. If you were so nice and so smart, then you would give a little tutorial about the details about how "more than adequate"ly you clean your dumpster finds so that other people on this forum will learn how not to get bedbugs if they should choose to continue to dumpster dive. But I suspect you are not so nice and so smart. "Common Sense for Dummies" back at you!

Thank you all for your additional points. OK: No wine unit. Must get built-in fridge. Must get rid of OTR microwave. That's all settled! I have been out asking the appliance installer guys and the kitchen cabinet suppliers in our neighborhood about the brands for our neighborhood, etc. They are pretty much confirmall all you are telling me. I suppose I should call a real estate person now too, just to cover all the bases. Three more questions: 1. Are convection ovens the norm now or can I get by with a standard double oven set or just one convection (of a double oven set) and one traditional oven? 2. I don't really have a counter space issue. I don't know why in the world they put in an OTR, our cabinets are custom made by a cabinet maker and they could have put it anywhere. But I like the drawer Sharp microwave idea. I hadn't thought of that. So I was considering getting 'panel ready' appliances rather than all stainless steel. Wrong idea? 3. What about a flat screen TV mounted on the wall in the kitchen. My sister has one and her husband thinks it is really cool. Not necessary, but it seems like the men love that sort of thing. A kind of 'hook', you know. mfrog, I am sorry your saleslady said that. It seems like people these days are automatically focussed on stainless steel, even though some of it is quite ugly, and some of it is very nice, too, of course. And gita, I applaud your resourcefulness, but I'm not up to being so creative or energetic anymore! Yes, I know, the real cooks would love to install their own kitchens, but of course, it's difficult to do a remodel these days so most have to accept what is in place. The word 'gourmet' can mean many different things, I'm finding out, and it really is a silly word, isn't it?! At least we found some nice granite (while out looking at display kitchens Friday, so that's settled). I'm assuming you guys will say granite is a MUST too! Right? (Although in our house in Pasadena we had mahogany and stainless steel and a little granite too. Don't see that around here, though). You have all been very helpful! Thanks so much for the tips.

kitch...that is amazing...looks like a very close cousin to my chair..how far do you live from me ??? :) I will be right over. mamagoose..hope you can post a pic of the crib...that sounds so sweet and how creative of you . ded that tile is wonderful and I love the story behind it. The stories always make these more fun. lk...I got the idea of the Pam and 0000 steel wool from a friend that was in the Merchant Marine in the Vietnam era. He said they clean the ships with WD 40 and steel wool. Well I hate the WD 40 and it is bad for you to breath. So I looked around and Pam was the next best thing. You could just use cooking oil from the bottle as well. Just keep changing out the steel wool and wiping with paper towels till all the rust is gone. Then clean with a degreaser...I like Awesome from Walmart. Then rinse and dry well and voila..you have a treasure. I got the Mogul bulbs at Lowes. You can order them online but they carried them a couple years ago. They last so far I haven't had to change them and we use the lamps all the time. If there is old wiring make sure and leave it intact and use it to pull the new wiring through...a trick I read and it works great. Let me know if you need more details. arlosmom..that cabinet is wonderful !! And you are right is is so easy to do the lamps. annie...when would be a convenient time for us ALL to come shopping in your attic :) ( I am sorta serous ...) haha. WMA...that is a great story. As soon as you get that sofa back you post a pic. It is fantastic and I can hardly wait to see. c

Thanks for all the responses, everyone. :) Unfortunately, I went there the next day with the intention of knocking on the door to ask if I could have the window(s), and the dumpster was gone! Ugh. I was so mad at myself for not going that day. What I don't get is why wouldn't you sit that kind of stuff out to give away instead of letting it go sit in the landfill! And we even have a used furniture store that will buy things off of you and then resell them in their store. I shop there all the time and get great deals! On the brighter side, I did get a table the other day that someone sat out on the curb. I came home to switch vehicles, jumped in the Excursion, made my son go with me and we got it!! I wasn't missing out a second time. :) Alicia