If I read your message correctly he may have offered you a better option than a construction loan. You stated that you need $100K to build given your other assets. He offered to loan you half the value of what state is an over $200K property you own free and clear. So if you take his loan you get a $100K check to put in the bank and pay your subs as you go. No bank draws to deal with, no bank inspectors to wait on. You also get to take advantage of cash discounts and incentivize your subs with quick payments. At the end of the build you would only need to refi if you wanted to pull equity back out to do other things. Otherwise you just pay off the $100K loan according to its terms. if you did need to refi I'm guessing the closing costs would be worth it, given the flexibility you would buy for yourself by avoiding a construction loan. I did my build similarly, although I was not positioned quite so favorably as you. I had enough cash along with a HELOC to build my new house on my property. It was very nice not dealing with a construction loan. At the end of the build I refi-ed and paid off the HELOC and the original first mortgage. The subs loved it when I pulled my checkbook out on the spot and handed them their money. Never underestimate the power of quickly paying quality subs for a job well done. You should reconsider what he offered. It may be a very smart way to go.

That was written last night just as the library was closing, so I ended more abruptly than I intended. Our story was more give and take and a real discussion, less abrupt than the way I ended it here. It seems to me that we have as a society become more self-centred, less concerned with the welfare of others and of the community than was true in earlier generations ... and "locations", possibly, as I grew up on a farm near a village and our village and church was mainly long-term residents, so it had become somewhat like larger, or extended family. As a farmer I learned of the importance of being in tune with the earth and using resources carefully and with discretion, not wasting them. The fact troubles me that while small, single-horse-drawn covered wagons delivered milk, bread and ice to homes in cities, about 70 years ago, that they began building refrigerators about 60 years ago, that a substantial percentage of the ones that they built 50 years ago lasted for 40 years ... but that a substantial proportion of the ones that they build today last for about ten years. I feel doubly troubled: that we're wasting precious resources, of petroleum and iron ore, smelters, cutting and shaping machines and trucks to haul the parts ... including plastics, which are also sourced from petroleum. It took millions of years to produce it, and we've been using a major portion of the earth's supply in the last less than 100 years. It seems to me that our grandkids will be angry with us for our wastefulness, our profligacy. Secondly ... when the engineers, who haven't become stupider in the last 50 years, build a fridge and sell it to me with a smile on their face, that'll last about a fifth as long as they could make it to last ... ... I feel cheated ... sort of like being mugged (without a gun). That's without making reference to all of the pollution and global warming that are being generated by these wasteful ways that we've developed in recent years. And are guaranteed to become more acute, as millions in various parts of the world become more prosperous. Dad taught me that when I was doing a job ... that I should do it RIGHT! (And when I didn't ... I had to do it over again). Plus ... when you work with folks scores of thousands of whom have left their former lives and become refugees in another part of their war-torn country with nothing but the clothes on their backs, as you learn how the small things of life become precious to them, you learn of the value of all aspects of this, what I believe to be God's world, that S/He's entrusted into our hands and expects us to make use of as responsible stewards. ole joyful

Yayagal, thank you! I know my decorating style often grows out of what I can find a deal on and is not everyone's taste. You made me feel good! Anele, I'm not sure what the chair fabric is, it looks kind of chenille-ish. I'm not up to scratch on fabrics but am learning. The color is sort of a burnt orange-peach in real life. Olychick, the chair fabric is original and in perfect condition. I was told they sat in a little used bedroom all these years. I'm happy to give them a new life. They must have been lonely lol. Loribee, Annie, My3dogs, birdgardner and springroz, thank you so much for your kind words. As you can see I did no staging for the picture as everything is a bit wingywong. It will be a while before I will post the room as a whole because I can not put the rug down until the work in the back yard is done. I have three dogs that would track all that dirt in and destroy the new rug in a day. I do like the rug a lot but for practical reasons I almost wish I would have spent more and got the rich gem stone colored rug I wanted as it would hide doggie dirt. It is not usual for me to have things in the house to worry over. At the time I thought a move would be in the near future so I didn't want to spend double on a rug and size that might not work in a future new home. However, the latest sold comps look so bad we will not put the house up for sale until things look a little better. I'm not in such a hurry to down size like husband is so I am so glad to be here for longer or forever.

To be 'at sixes and sevens' means to be all over the place, as momj says. Not said so much these days but if for eg. you are late for an appointment, the car wont start, a child says they feel too ill to go to school, your husband suddenly remembers he is bringing home a couple of work colleagues for dinner . . . then you may be/or soon will be at sixes and sevens. Spotted Dick is a very traditional English pudding (the word 'dessert' is usually reserved for rather fancy cold dishes). These hot, filling puddings used to be the mainstay of school meals, though these days, with all this calorie control, sedentary life-style etc, plus the fact that they take some time to prepare plus a couple of hours to 'steam' they are much less popular. Made with a suet-crust pastry with a scattering of raisins, currants (hence the 'spotted' appearance) rolled into a wide sausages shape and cooked in a steamer in a 'pudding cloth'. Served with lots of custard they are very yummy. Didn't know they sold them in cans (which we call 'tins'). Don't you have any pudding-type 'desserts' in the US? Perhaps those of you with German/Dutch/Polish ancestry have similar recipes. Here is a link that might be useful: Make your own Spotted Dick