Wow Paul, what a generous offer! We are planning to remain Florida residents, because so far we like the way the state is being run, and we are "homestaeded", so it controls our property taxes. We also enjoy the climate and ecology here (well, maybe I don't like the month of August so much). The area we plan to purchase land will be in zone 8 rather than zone 9 where I currently reside. We actually live on an imaginary line between the two zones right now. Yes, Terry, we plan on building again. Not a fun process at all, but we are going to build a Florida "cracker" style house. The initial settlers here figured out how to keep their houses cool in the summer without the central air conditioning that didn't exist at that time. I will still have central air, but it won't have to work so hard. I also love the full wrap around porches they had. The difference will be that we will build out of block rather than wood for termite protection. It's nice that you have some acreage to give you some space. I think you're correct in saying "there goes the entertainment"! My neighbor across the street likes to pull her chair up and watch me when I go outdoors. She says her dog likes to watch me. She is a nice lady, but I am rather a private person, and like to work in the yard for the peace it brings. One time she told me her dog couldn't stand watching me work so hard any more, so she had to go inside and close her blinds. I was planting roses and having a good time at it. The man that lives dirctly behind me goes out with his weedeater whenever I go outside to work in the back. He's actually taken the thing up on his roof twice and was running it along one wall to his house. I'm presuming he was using it to get dirt or leaves off his house and roof, but maybe he is just nuts. One day while potting plants he was out all day re-edging the same beds over and over. I can't imagine why, as I certainly am not the least bit attractive when potting plants. I started to get very annoyed with the racket and called in to my husband that maybe we should put the poor man out of his misery. He must have heard me, because he's not out with his weedeater as much. Of coarse his wife knows exactly how many times I go swimming, and that is with bushes and thick "privacy" screen. It put a damper on how often I use the pool. With today's building costs, we probably won't have another pool. Too bad I can't load the house and garden, and pool on a truck! Isn't all of this a hoot?! It's actually hilarious if you aren't the one involved on the receiving end of this. Oh, and one neighbor across the street paints his brown grass green in the winter. Anyway, we're hoping to find a piece of land that we can afford to grab up, and then we'll start building once we sell. So far we've had several "tire kickers" look, which is encouraging, but I expect the selling process will take a while. That's O.K. It'll give me time to propagate some roses and camellias in the meantime. Sorry Kate. I kind of took over your thread. At least you know you have others out there with less than desirable neighbors. Sandy

I know exactly what you mean. I have maple butcher block countertops with black cherry edging. I held an open house around Christmas and really worried about the same sort of thing, especially as I had just finished the kitchen and the party was really to show it off! However, guests would not be cooking. I had soups keeping hot on the induction stove. I put huge wooden boards with cheese and crackers on the countertops. I put the wine and other drinks in the dining room, which didn't stop them drinking in the kitchen. I "policed" the area frequently, mostly to dry any spilled liquids if necessary. After they all left, I loaded the dishwasher, piled what was left into the sink, and put everything else away. Then, I oiled the countertops with mineral oil. Next day, the countertops were as good as new, except for a few tiny splatters where some black olives had dropped, but these have since faded into the wood. As you say, it's a working kitchen, not a museum. It's still "my baby", and I'm proudly looking after it, but it passed the test :)

and I thought it was really funny. Since I had opened the disgusted and gone post, I had to open SamKaren's. But, I am not reading all the responses. Sam, I just want you to know, I love your post. I wish, someone had gotten me. :) Moni

FDH had a chuckle too. SD11 wanted to know what he was laughing about, so she read it too, but it went straight over her head I think..hahaha