saypoint: You make a very valid point for not designing on the fly and I'm making a note of all of those variables to work in our plan upfront. When I worked with an architect for our home remodel, my DH and I did much of the "design" ourselves--just by knowing our existing home and lifestyle and looking at similar homes in the neighborhood and open houses. I literally spent hours driving around the neighborhood taking pictures of houses with architectural features that I liked,poured over magazine and tore out photos and tweaked my designs on graph paper and design software. The outside leaves me stumped how to graph it out as I can't divide it up like I did the house: i.e. kitchen, master bath, etc. I do have a set of plans with property dimensions which is a place to start. I'd even be willing to get some landscape design software (as long as it's not too complex) so I could create elevations--something the designer wouldn't even do. I'm probably most challenged with the backyard--which could be another option to have someone design that and not the front--as the front yard I get lots of ideas from the neighborhood and it's more of a public space. It's pretty much dominated by a huge Sycamore tree and we know we want the pathway to arch from the driveway to the entry and then over to the opposite side yard where we plan to add a gate and bike shed behind the gate. The softscape has always been a challenge between having a northern exposure and the shade from the Sycamore tree--but that is phase 2 in my mind. It's in the backyard, we have the retaining wall and are planning a more complex/$$ patio, possible arbor, rear back area for a patio swing, side yard to have a raised vegetable bed, plus bike/garden shed. Lots going on--without even getting into the softscape. Many of the architects we met with did not impress me with their creativity and though we worked closely with two, they were more in terms of specifying the construction details for our design. Same was true of our kitchen and I did lots of reseach on the kitchen forum and gots lots of valuable feedback in the process. Right now, I'm in the fact gathering stage; though we're also on a time schedule since our patio is so chopped up right now and the kids are tracking in dust and dirt on my new floors. Most pressing is that I have to finalize our exterior paint choice--which is why we've been focusing on hardscape materials to get a feeling for the overall hardscape color scheme.

Finally found the Crystal Light Sunrise orange drink last week. It is good, but a little sweet for my taste, I like it made very weak. Really prefer the Raspberry Lemonade flavor. A friend said she knows someone that can get it by the case, which is cheaper. We may go in together and get a case of it. Don't get me wrong, I don't drink it like water. One little tub made up can last me several days. I used to be totally against all diet beverages and didn't like the aftertaste they left in my mouth. But I've found I can tolerate the CL made very weak and it is a nice change from plain water.

I agree, Rex Cauldwell's book is a good one. It's well-written, thorough from start to finish, good photos and drawings too. While he guides you through issues with the electrical code, if you think you might need more guidance than that the Code Check books are good sources of info too. I'd buy Rex's book first, then the Code Check if needed. For what it's worth, my first wiring experience was with my own house. I did everything, 560 feet of underground from the street to the house, the meter box, the 200A main panel, a 100A subpanel, all rough and finish work. It's not "difficult" difficult, but you have to respect the electrons. The only time I hired an electrician was for the wiring of my swimming pool. While knowledge-wise I knew how to do it, I felt more comfortable having a licensed electrician do that work. Mongo

Hi Rob, Not much to add ... and hope that you're back at least part way out of your blue funk. Brother, retired farmer who lives 1600 miles way, has one son, only child, in a city 100 miles from here, a couple of small grand-daughters from son's second marriage, and comes to visit them a couple of times a year. He'd called to say he was to be in the neighbourhood, and we got together on Friday, I called son and he and his partner were there for lunch, as was brother and wife ... and a couple of favourite cousins were, as well. Brother spent a few years when he was very young with the family of our Mom's brother and their two children when she was ill, so he considers one as almost a sister: the son, a local farmer, died several years ago. The other cousin lives locally and I see her at church fairly often - she, who had voice training, has sung in the choir for 75 years. The brother and I went to deal with some complications over inheritance of cemetery plots that Dad owned ... and it looks as though resolution is to be easier than we figured. Then we sat and had a chat ... and he's rather worried about future viability of his son's marriage. We don't see one another often, but we've been close, over the years. Our brother died over forty years ago, when his kids were in their teens, and our ready-made sister that came with our stepmom lives near brother in Saskatchewan. It's a red letter day when we get together. ole joyful