I don't normally look at this forum, but felt compelled to respond. Absolutely YES I'd want to know- just the same as if it were cancer, diabetes- any major disease. This is, to me, one situation where ignorance is not bliss. My mother had it (AD), as well as a host of other diseases and health issues. She turned into an absolutely unbearable person, and that was hard on my dad - who suffered a massive stroke after several years of being her 24-hour a day caregiver (he refused any outside help, and it nearly cost him his life). I will always love her, but personally, if I'M the one deteriorating, I want to know so I (and my family) can plan ahead. Frankly, I can't see why anyone would NOT want to know they have this life altering disease - knowledge is power - power to plan, power to lessen the effects on your loved ones, and yourself.

Here's something to keep in mind. When you counter offered they didn't come back with anything. If I were the potential buyer and really interested in your house I would have come back with something between your counter offer and what I had offered, unless I was at the maximum offer I was willing to go. Having sold a house in the past six months and understanding the reality of trying to sell I would take the 228k without any hesitation. If this doesn't work out in 6 months you'll really wish you had too. Keep in mind housing prices are due to drop up to another 11 percent in the next couple of years. "U.S. home prices will decline as much as 11 percent by 2012 as weak demand and rising inventory extend the housing slump, Morgan Stanley said in a report yesterday." Here's a link to that story. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-09/homes-in-u-s-poised-to-lose-1-7-trillion-in-value-this-year-zillow-says.html Here is a link that might be useful: Housing losses

I have two somebody's that are usually right by my side. When I went to take the pics, they weren't sure if we were sitting down to work or not. So one stayed by my side while the other jumped into his favorite of the two beds. I could only see the back end of your friend, lol, but I saw that you had one. If your current desk and table work for you, I suggest you hire a handyman (I get mind from CL but I check references before I let them in my house), get some counter tops, and have him cut them to fit across the pieces you already have. You could double your desktop space and have a custom look for under $200. I assume you can pick the hutch up to put the top across the whole desk? If I had your room I'd put one straight counter across the desk, wall to wall, and another straight piece across the whole window wall. Your file cabinet would go right under the counter, providing support for one end, while the table would support the middle or the other end. If you need more support, any handyman can easily add legs. Later, if you wanted to add more file cabinets, there would be room for at least 3 more of them, without putting any of them in front of the window. I'd leave the window area open underneath so there is room for you to face that portion of the desktop. Your friend could fit under that portion of the desk too and he/she would probably love being in the sunlight.

OT. DH's office is on the 2nd floor. Our schnauzer goes up there every single day and keeps him company. He is DH's shadow. When DH travels, which he does often, the schnauzer is absolutely heartbroken. He goes upstairs 4-5 times a day, looking for DH, just in case he "overlooked him". I feel so bad for him and constantly tell him "daddy is coming back, don't you worry". Even though we have a very good sitter, I can't even bear to think how much harder it is on him when both of us are away, sigh. i posted this several times but once more won't hurt. The dog whisperer guy on TV says that to treat separation anxiety, you tell your dog you are leaving and the time you will be back. Then, upon returning, you tell him "see? I'm back!" I always say that and I truly feel like my doggies are a little calmer for it. I could be deluding myself, IDK, but I will continue to give them whatever reassurance I can. I love them so.