Michael, it isn't on the Scenic Highway. It's overlooks the city on the east side and you can see Lookout Mt. when it's clear on the west side. We used to sit on our deck and watch the fireworks in Chattanooga. It's the highest point in our county. It's a beautiful view, no doubt, however it is very different living on a mountain top as opposed to living down in the valley.

I'm in Pensacola too. What's your favorite place around here for plants? Try Bailey's Farmer's Market. They moved to Davis Hwy., north of Fairfield Dr. They don't always know the variety /names of the plants they sell, but they carry different stuff. I bought a blueberry plant(?) that has hundreds of berries on it for around eleven dollars. It is bushier and three times taller than the blueberry plants I already have.They also had two pots of an orchid I had been thinking of buying for $15 a pot.When I bought them I wasn't completely sure if this was the plant I had been looking for.I was actually shaking as the cashier rang them up. Have you tried the fleamarket? I haven't been there in years .

I agree with dlm2000! Everybody learns, you just go back and do it better after you've gained more experience. I need to refinish the first oak dresser I stripped and stained, since I didn't completely get all the green paint off, and I never put an actual *finish* on it, just stain. But it's lasted almost 25 years like that and it'll last a couple more. I pulled unused exterior outlets off our old house to use the circuit (box was full) for a whirlpool tub. Before we sold, we had to wire them back in to another circuit (the one for the basement circuit box outlet - may not have met code having another outlet on with the breaker box outlet, but it was the only one that wouldn't have been overloaded, and it was easy to get to). We also removed an old unused water filter in the basement and piece in some new copper (not our "sin" though, PO's) DH has to pull down the circular stone wall he built around our wellhead yesterday, since when he showed it off to me I said "It's beautiful, but umm, you didn't use mortar - I think it's dangerous with the kids around." (it's 3 ft high - I did stacked stone under our porch deck and haven't finished to top course, I didn't use mortar but when the final course is in, it'll be really wedged under, it's only a foot high, and though adults seem to want to step on it instead of walking all the way to the steps in the middle of the porch, the kids haven't been tempted to climb it). He wasn't too happy, so if I want it rebuilt I might have to do it myself. My cousin the carpenter was here for 5 hours today atoning for the past sins of the builder(s). First thing this AM I put another coat of joint compound on the walls that ahd the corners built out so baseboard won't lie flush (so I'm building out the middle). Then he came over and fixed the cabinet that had the left back corner broken out and was only secured to one stud (27" wide cabinet) - he hit both studs on the back and got it tight to side wall so my range has a little more room than it used to, but at least everything on the countertop doesn't rattle when we shut the drawer now! Then he shimmed the window sill so there's no longer a gap in the middle where they nailed it down - closed up the gap at the top too, and pinned the side pieces that hold the screens in a little more securely (Andersen didn't get them tight). Then he cut (and coped the inside corners!) of the shoe mold I stained to hide the gap where the counter meets the wall. Nothing we can do about the overhang not being consistent. Finally, he measured to make a new window sill/stool for the center window in the bay, since it was made out of the same 1x4 stock as the side windows, but the wall must be 1/4" deeper since it projects 1/4" less from the wall than the others. I'm going to have him do a continuous sill running under all 3 windows since the middle window almost completely fills its wall, and the other 2 are not quite symmetrical (right window is 1/8" closer to center than left bay is). He says this isn't really bad construction tolerances, but the lack of symmetry was getting to me - the ends of the sills are so close together that the 1/4" difference in depth and the 1/8" difference in the gap was noticeable. But when he went to double check the precut trim for the right window before he joined it (so mitres would be tight) he found that the top piece was 1/16" short and one of the verticals was twisted, so we have to cut new pieces. He'll do that after he does the sill. We still have to try to get new casing (original cut too short, so at least we have plenty for windows) on the kitchen doorways, but have to get it to lie flat with a twisted stud in the FR. And I don't know what I'm going to do with the pocket doors that are set an inch too high. I might have to move an electrical box in the foyer too - with the front door set an inch off the subfloor, plus the inch threshold, if I hang a semi-flush fixture in palce of the builder's flush fixture, it might hit - I only have 13.5" from top of door to ceiling. Manufacturer site says the fixture is 13" high, but Bellacor say 14" so I have to call, or take my chances and order it. If they had put it a foot back farther, we wouldn't have this problem, and wouldn't have needed 2 lights in the center hall of the foyer "T". The light by the door isn't even lined up with the one at the foot of the stairs, so I don't know what they were thinking.

Isn't it fun finding a great deal?! We have been working on our house for a really long time, so I have been buying as we go. I bought our vent-a-hood (showroom model) at a liquidation auction for $46, and the next day found our range on craigslist. We also found our SS apron front sink, brand new, on CL for about a fourth of retail price! Last week, I stopped at a garage sale, and found french doors for our future office for $40, again brand new, AND they match the stain on our other doors almost spot on! Unfortunately, we went looking at slabs today, hoping to find something cheaper than soapstone, and I found the perfect granite. Of course it is even MORE expensive, but it is SO cool! Your baker's table is so neat-I can't wait to see pics of your kitchen as it comes together.