Hi Lav. Thank you for your thoughts. Even if I disagree I find all the thoughts helpful. So... My thinking any changes made to the floor plan will impact the front lines of the home. I'm already very concerned what stretching the upstairs does. I'm assuming we will continue the siding and that will keep some of the warmth but not sure how the windows will look etc. that brings us to your suggestion of expanding mil apt onto her porch. I think it's not for us. One of the things we all loved about the home is how it looks contemporary but inviting. I think the key to the inviting is the covered outdoor spaces on each corner. It balances the home and prevents it from looking cold. Landscaping will help as well. Her apartment is slight sized. No need to expand. I actually think the bath you drew on 1/18 was a nice start. We will put an extra large curb less shower where you drew the toilet along the back wall. We then would do a stacked w/d or move that to mudroom and rework toilet and sink. Onto the library: The husband and I have been discussing pocket door(s). We think a modern dark wood or black wood trim with glass perhaps with a slight Asian twist would look fantastic. We could keep it open a majority of the time. The pocket door wouldn't disturb flexibility of furniture placement. There is just something about a room full of books and some guitars that makes my heart sing. We're also toying with the idea if opaque glass bedroom and bath doors, so we get more light into the hall. We haven't made final decision on that though. The master feels pretty roomy to me. We aren't the type that spend a lot of time in our room. I think we'd actually have better utilization if space with some built in drawers and reach ins rather than a step in closet... The bathroom seems fine except we'd swap the tub out for a large shower. Were torn on the bathroom downstairs by den. 1/2 or 3/4? Broken bones are a distinct possibility in this family of risky sport enthusiasts. But there would be the 1/2 bath and a small kitchenette downstairs and mil's bathroom is just across the hall. So do we really need the shower? Any thought on this?

lauriec-I'm always surprised to learn how inexpensive some people get their marble for. I haven't had such luck. Just a word of caution, I purchased calacatta from buildersdepot and they looked terrible. Mabey their cararra is better. I have a sample board of calacatta from GBI tile. The only place in my area that carries their marble is United Tile (not sure if you have one near you). It is beautiful (more so in person) but it is around $29.00 sf. I know this is high but just thought I'd through it out there. I wouldn't concider it mega bucks...I think 40 dollars a sf and up is mega but to each their own. The cheepest yet still good looking marble I found was from Deko. GBI calacatta The lighting isn't so good here. You can see a beveled subway next to it. It's not bad at all. I think even though white subway is stark it has texture because of the grout lines. My husband likes it more than he thought he would. It is what we are going with, but not beveled. Have you checked out Thassos or Statuary marble? Different varieties, even tumbled, might be less expensive. And here is the icky calacatta. I'm not sure how icky it will show on the monitor. No offense to anyone who smokes but it looks like someone smoked sitting right next to it for 20 years. AND actually, the Deko calacatta is on top of the icky calacatta to the very right (the top two tiles on the right top of the icky ones)

Oh my gosh mike!! there you are!! so happy to hear you and your mom dojng well! we are still waiting for pictures! Here are w few of mine i had to start over with most of them since the fire two years ago almost! This ones my pineapple orange Meyers lemon Red lime new zealand lemonad flame grapefruit and my most favoruite variegated minneola! ive been dreaming of this since brian got it and i finally have it now! i have a bunch of others but im not sure how many pictures this will let me post so ill try this first lol! hugs!

Right off of the still-young tree (in a 5gal pot), the flesh was firm, juicy and it tasted like a mix of orange and mandarin. Not too sweet or acidic, pleasingly nice. But NOT mellow-sweet like the store bought ones that i have had in years past. I understand that the ones available in the store are "cured" by letting them sit in room / warm temps for a couple of weeks. The balance of fruit from my tree were harvested and now set aside - - - i will re-test in a week, then another week - to see how the flavor develops / changes. My gut says that this variety will be tricky to manage as the fruit is heavy and it could potentially - easily - overproduce and snap many branches (like my Moro does every year). Overall this one is a keeper and the shovels are out for duty. My annual force-rank and fruit tree musical chairs has begun.