I suppose you are correct, it just seems that it would be something that I'd be attached to, especially after putting a bunch of work into it, to get it "JUST" right.....but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I do imagine a VERY nice big, NEW shiny GH in my new home. And this one will certainly be a starter for me...but still $600-$700 isn't pocket change for me....I guess I"ll have to consider the resale value added to the existing home and just let it go. I am also wondering if anyone has a coupon from the Harbor Freight store for the 15% off? I've signed up online for their ads etc. But have not seen anything come yet. The sale here (Macon)on the 10x12 ends Sept 24th!!! so I really hope to get ahold of this coupon before that date. 15% off of $599 would be a nice savings.

My DH is a cadaver kidney recipient. He lost his due to 22 years of diabetes. I can walk you thru what we went through, during the decision process. His siblings were climbing all over each other to donate theirs, but since diabetes is prevalent in his family, he decided to decline (both his brother and sister who offered have kids of their own and he thought if the parents end up with diabetes, their only remaining kidney would be at risk and he didn't want their kids to risk losing parents). At that time we didn't have kids yet. I didn't get tested for some of the same reasons. First, I also have a lot of diabetes risk due to family history, and second, we knew we'd eventually want to have kids, and though you can have kids with one kidney, the risk of carrying a child is greatly increased. Finally, Emory University was initiating kidney-pancreas transplants. The thought was, if you still have diabetes after you receive the transplant, the life expectancy of the donated organ is lower than if you were not diabetic. So why not try to see if the pancreas would work? We figured we didn't have anything to lose by trying (normally cadaver pancreas is not utilized). DH was the third KP transplant Emory did. They now do over 200 a year. He lost the initial pancreas, but 2 years later, he got a secondary pancreas only transplant, and it succeeded. So in his case, he's been normal-blood-sugar since 1998. In theory, his new kidney should last as long as a non-diabetic person's kidneys would. The dialysys and wait for the initial transplant was nearly two years, but only a little over a year of that were we actually on the waiting list (it takes some time to treat initial renal failure, then some time to get approved for a transplant). We are very grateful to both of his cadaver donors. We also knew the person who received the liver from the same donor we got the second pancreas from, and I saw that liver work a true miracle in that family's lives. SIDE NOTE TO OUR DONORS: THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU WHOEVER YOU WERE! And thanks to your loved ones and families who made such a phenomenally difficult decision. Know that we now have a 7 year old daughter we would not have without that kidney, and also that DH takes great care of himself, and is doing wonderfully. So far, his sister has developed thyroid disease, and his brother developed Type 2 diabetes, so we do not regret turning their generous offer away.

I'm not familiar with that book, Jamie, but one that I often recommend is No Goodbyes: My Search Into Life Beyond Death, by Adela Rogers Sr. Johns. It's an old book, but used copies are available on Amazon and elsewhere. St. Johns was a famous journalist who covered the big stories of her day, including the Lindbergh kidnapping. After she lost her son in WWII, he began communicating with his sister through automatic writing. St. Johns applied her journalist's skills to investigate the survival of the spirit after death. I read it before my daughter Jill died, and thought it was excellent. Of course I read it again afterward.

I see what you mean about grounding the stairway. I can show these pics to her. She also has heart pine in the foyer and on the stair treads. It's right as you come in the front door, so the dirty risers are in your face. Adding something such as a rug wouldn't work, as she can't lose any space on those treads. Originally the stairway was to have a landing and then turn. Supposedly the previous owner/builder enlarged the upstairs bathroom and had to change the stairway. Now it comes straight down. When the kids were younger, my sis would threaten them about running, afraid they would break their necks. I'm happy to report, they're still in one piece:) ah, but those narrow treads!