Yes, slab has been poured and the exterior walls blocked. They would have to jackhammer through the slab to lay the electric conduit. I don't think I should challenge them on the cost, even if it could be done cheaper. It's no good completing the build with negative feelings on both sides. I just don't have the talent to see a space and imagine how it could be. We could only afford a few house plans, and this was the best one that had other elements we really wanted. When I found Garden Web I decided to post, since the kitchen layout concerned me but I didn't know how it could be improved. Of course, I found this site too late, for the island anyway. Some minor changes can still be made with the peninsula, keeping in mind sink placement needs to stay nearly the same. Maybe it is not that bad as is? I have a hard time imagining myself utilizing a space that is still a drawing on paper. I do want to say thank you GG and Lena for all your help. I am still open to suggestions as we haven't framed or chosen cabinets yet.

The yuppie couple on 60 minutes were pretty despicable and clearly knew what they were getting themselves into. I would also prefer not bailing out people like that, but I think this is one of those times in our nations history where we will have to look at the greater good. I would love to be able to say that if people and companies were foolish, irresponsible, and unethical, I shouldn't have to pay the price for fixing the problems they created, but standing on principle will result in alot of collateral damage to communities, schools, local governments, our national economy, etc. I've come to the conclusion that perhaps the best we can do to salvage this situation is to force not only individual companies, but all of Wall Street, and the federal and state regulators to implement mandatory changes and tougher oversight and internal controls. This whole situation ticks me off, but I don't think we can afford to stand on principle because it will end up damaging the nation and people who have been financially responsible and are the type of people that quietly do the right thing. I'm going to hold my nose because doing the right thing for the country still stinks.

Mom2emall-- I've been in roughly similar situations with my Dad & SM. Not exactly the same circumstances as yours, but similar in the way you just alluded to, in that if you're not careful, it gets turned around on YOU, like it's YOUR fault or YOUR decision or YOU taking time away from THEM because they didn't want to deal with the issue directly; and you either get blamed and/or wind up losing out on quality times with the kids just the same. With my dad & SM, THEY didn't really want me to visit for Christmas (of course, I wanted to, been visiting for Christmas every year since I was a child, and my dad has terminal lung cancer; but SM wanted her sister and brother-in-law there, like, INSTEAD of me.) But nobody would just freaking come out and TELL me this until less than a month before Christmas. (We all know that with anything involving air travel at Christmas, the rates are over-the-top, if you can even get a ticket, starting six wks before the holidays.) For months I sat around not knowing why he was dragging his feet about setting our usual travel dates This decision on their part was so hurtful and felt like such abandonment, and I definitely wanted and needed to be with family. That period of time is also the only time period that I can get almost two weeks of holiday time at my job, time that I decided, in these circumstances, would be best spent visiting my mom (who also lives way out of state and whom I don't get much chance to visit) if he didn't want me, she most certainly would. To get to the gist of this story: I knew (based on how SM operates) that even though SHE was the one who didn't want me there, and HE was not facing the issue (out of fear of confontation, I guess), I knew that she would find a way to turn it on me and act like it was somehow MY WISH to not be there on what tragically could very well have been his last Christmas on earth. Probably BECAUSE it was such a crappy thing to do, it had to be rationalized. Couldn't possibly be HER pettiness, just like with your kids' BM it couldn't possibly be HER negligence.... no, it's gotta be YOUR fault. So that's how this past Christmas has been re-framed. Because I DID go to see my mom intead, once I found out I wasn't wanted at my Dad's, it became: "Serenity decided to go to her mom's this year instead." Which has a certain ring to it, as vs. "WE decided we didn't want Serenity here." Big difference. Very face-saving. I say make your plans because it sounds like BM is dragging her feet b/c she doesn't want to make plans anyway. But don't let her turn it around on YOU, which she, like you alluded to, could do if you gave her NO indications ("why did you make plans without consulting me? I guess they didn't WANT to come visit here..."). YES, she should be proactively making her plans without reminders, like a grown person. But for the sake of civility and preventing her from turning the situation around, you need to set the date, like, "we have to know by this Friday what the plan is." Then it's on HER to step on on Friday with a plan or not, and if she doesn't, she is obviously the one who bears responsibility for the lack of a visit. I did that with my dad and that's the only way I got him to cough up a clear statement of what had been decided. Otherwise, I would have been still sitting around waiting, with no other plan for that holiday time but sitting in the proverbial "corner" to reflect upon what I "must have done" to "deserve" banishment from Christmas this year.

Since I kicked out DH in February, and because I am woefully underemployed, I haven't been anywhere vacation-y in a very long time. Even with DH we mostly went on river trips, where I would shuttle him on his solo runs. Peaceful and beautiful, but not fun or exciting in any grand way. I plan a quick trip to Las Vegas to visit my cousins should I get a job soon. (Cross fingers, toes -- I have two prospects right now!). One of the prospects would involve some international travel, so I just renewed my passport. Now I'm thinking a week in Paris and French countryside...but only if DH is reasonable about his divorce demands (grrrr) AND I get a job soon.