Yes, Piers1326, it is a lot different since it changed hands. It is definitely slower, but some things are worth the wait. I think GW is one of them. I've met so many wonderful people, virtually and in real life. I've made so many wonderful trades and a few duds. I don't let the dud trades stop me from further trading and I don't let the "new" slowness discourage me from using GW. The rewards are still worth the wait.

Sorry for the late post to this fascinating thread. Perhaps I'm too cynical, but I used to work for a mining company that had extensive interests in LA. My first reaction was that there might be informal ways to solve the problem there that are less common in other parts of the country. I know when I was a kid in NYC, informal dealings with government bureaucracy was a business necessity, and I'm sure they still are in certain parts of LA. Xavier, let me add my voice to those who've gone past youth and seen how life changes one. Not changing is very bad, evil actually. The second your child is born you will be a changed human being. Have you ever noticed the subtle difference between adults who've had kids and those who haven't? That change is called love. And if people originally gave you a hard time on this thread, trust me, it was done through love. Construction and real estate are humbling professions. Amazing things can and do go wrong (as an example, the most reliable person I know destroyed a $5,000 toilet last week by dropping it. Things happen.) Professionals are worth what they charge if they do a good job. I'm saving perhaps 200k by being my own gc on my MBR renovation, the same kind of money you're talking about. But I'm under no delusion that it's really saving me money. If I put the same effort in my business, I would probably come out far ahead. It just suits my style to do it this way and allow me to get exactly what I want. No contractor would put up with my style without enormous change order fees. But I still rely on experts for many things, architects, engineers, contractors I know, suppliers, variance lawyers (try getting one in NYC someday). Whoever I work with, it's as a team, in which everyone is entitled to be wrong (and will be) and everyone is free to correct each others mistakes. I'm bothering to write this because I was frankly impressed with the quality of the advice you were given. Good advice like this is both hard to find and quite expensive. People can spend thousands of dollars on professionals and not get such good advice. That advice was offered to you as a gift, out of love. Well, you've been lucky. Once. Congratulations. It's always a lot better to be lucky than smart (and usually easier.) Sometimes it happens. The church I go to made mistake after mistake in trying to find a new worship space and ignored the advice of anyone with experience and intelligence. Through dumb luck they landed on their feet after a series of incredible errors, and I must say my respect for the Holy Spirit has been solidified. But don't count on luck. It turns. The best reason to undertake a project like you are doing is that you learn and change by doing something so difficult and seeing it through to the end. My hope for you has nothing to do with whether you succeed or fail in getting your house built, for I have no idea which outcome is actually better for you. My hope is that as a result of doing something so difficult you change and change your outlook on life and come to realize that "government job" for the rest of your life is not what you were created to do and not what would give you the most satisfying life. All the best, Frank

I have psoriasis on the scalp and it is driving me crazy! I use T-gel every night like my dermatologist tells me to do. If I don't, the scales just keep getting harder, thicker and I'm so embarrassed by it. My hair has got a little thinner in places. I can't go one day without washing my hair. I have the psoriasis also on my elbows, one knee and some on my back. I also have it in my ears and behind them. I don't have it bad over my body but my scalp!!! Oh my, I think there isn't a clean spot on my head. I drench my head in olive oil...really any oil I can get. Put a shower cap on and leave it on during the day. If I use the cap at night the krinkle of it keeps me awake...LOL There is another psoriasis called Inverse psoriasis. You can get that under your breast, groin areas, arm pits, just anywhere there is a crease in the skin. It looks like a burn, feels like a burn and hurts! Psoriasis is inherited and my Daddy had it really bad. I didn't come down with it until I was 40 years old...after I quit smoking. I guess the stress of that brought it on. I pray my daughter doesn't inherit psoriasis. So far I don't have any arthritis. My doctor told me that some people get psoriasis arthritis and some don't. I don't believe everyone with psoriasis get rhuematoid arthritis. I know several people with psoriasis and they don't have it either. I just wish someone would find a cure for it. It is the T cell 1 that is the cause of it all. T cell 1 causes your body to attack its own skin, thinking there is an infection or other ailment going on. If they could just turn off the T cell 1 without turning off the other T cells perhaps the internal medicines would help more without doing damage. We would have all the other T cells to keep infection at bay. I hope your child can get some relief from her psoriasis. I hate to see a child suffering from this. As an adult with it I can handle peoples comments or stares. If they are brave enough to make smart aleck comments to me I hope they are big enough to handle what I will say to them! But a child is just so vunerable and self conscious. God love her...I hope something helps her soon. Deb

Hello and thanks to all that have replied back!! Wanted to post back yesterday but teething twins and VERY active 4 year old boy(all boys by the way) can sometimes be crazy..Cannot imagine when I start teaching again in a month.. jsweenc: Thanks so much for your info and most of all the pics. your kitchen is actually one of my inspiration pics. Yes we did get crossed. I started to reply back before you had written your post and then got sidetracked by two screaming babies:-) and only got back to my post like 30 minutes later and then noticed you had replied. I am happy to hear some info from someone who does use this granite and does cook like a normal everyday person and is not obsessive about cleaning. I have a friend who has a honed finish on her granite but she is almost ocd about cleaning that I know that is not for me. The pics actually look like soapstone from far away and I like the close ups as they convey the texture. They dont look like anything would get stuck in them. How do they hold up to heat? I know that the crockpot did something to yours( i believe it was your post) and I do use the crockpot in the winters. Does it hold up to heat well. Can I put a hot pan on the counter or will it affect the top? Again any help appreciated as it is great to hear from people who have this granite and not just someone trying to sell it to me at the granite yard. melissastar; I do love soapstone but am afaid of it also. I know that sounds stupid but I am just afraid that I will end up with the soapstone that always has rings and will need to be oiled all the time. Is one soapstone less of a headache than another? rookie_2010; I also love your kitchen progress. Thanks for the info. It seems like you do not regret your choice of this over soapstone. Hubby also wants shiny granite but is leaving up to me as I do all the cooking. jrueter: Your post was helpful in that your granite seems to have taken some use with cooking. Especially good to knwo that pie crust was easy to clean up. It seems like this granite would be a good choice for me but especially for my boys. My husband is actually not that bad at cleaning up. When you scrub off dried on messes does it affect the surface at all? YOU LADIES ROCK with informatin. Thanks so much. As mentioned most of my decisions and purchases have been made through the internet. I am going to attempt to bring the twins and 4 year old to Home Depot now to look at tiles and lights...Should be interesting.. Thanks