Oooh yeah, that sounds like a virus to me -- one that, upon opening the e-mail message or clicking a link within it, resulted in a sudden explosion of Internet browser windows opening, and so fast that you couldn't close them as quickly as they were popping up. I experienced that years ago. Make sure you get your machine scanned with an anti-virus software. I personally would recommend PC Tools' Spyware Doctor if you're looking into purchasing an anti-virus software right away if you don't have one already. I really do not want to freak you out. But I would be careful about using your computer right now, and if you see it start to respond more slowly than usual, or if anything else seems off, shut it down and have a professional take a look at it for viruses. Some viruses will gradually slow down your machine as they take over. I'd like to also mention, if you're ever on the Internet and you suddenly get a random pop-up on your screen warning you that a bad file or virus or Spyware or malware has supposenly just been detected on your computer and "click here to scan your computer now" -- and it's not an alert from your anti-virus program -- don't click it because that kind of alert window indicates that a virus has already infiltrated your computer, and clicking to do the fake scan will only further release the virus into your computer system. Instead, in that type of a case, shut your computer down manually as fast as you can and get it in to a shop for a professional to look at (while the computer is on, if it's infected with a virus, the virus can go about spreading). Don't even click "no" or try to close the window; manually shut off your computer. I mention it because my mother made this mistake once (clicking on a fake Windows alert to run a fake virus scan) when she wasn't very familiar with anti-virus software, and it was one nasty virus that almost destroyed her machine. I hope you can find a great anti-virus program, and once you have it, never click on something not from that specific program to do a scan. Even if it looks to be an alert from Windows. Unfortunately, there are creeps in the world who create viruses meant to trick people. This post was edited by teatree on Fri, Mar 15, 13 at 3:15

I don't believe you can leave random feedback on a seller (or buyer), you have to have purchased (or sold) something. Now I suppose I could sell stuff to my friends or create fictitious accounts and write the feedback myself. Of course, you'd be paying eBay a fee for everyone one of those transactions and I have to believe that their security folks might watch for that kind of stuff. I haven't bought or sold much on eBay but what I have has been a positive experience. A few years back I was doing some Internet work for a used car dealer. A customer had mentioned that they had seen the vehicle on eBay. News to us since we didn't use eBay at the time but sure enough someone had "borrowed" the pictures and description of the vehicle from the dealership's website and actually SOLD the vehicle on eBay. I frantically tried to find a customer service phone number for eBay so that they could contact the buyer before he sent any money. Unfortunately, eBay doesn't seem to have a phone number. I sent off an email and then tried to inquire what had happened but eBay would only tell me that the matter was under investigation. The interesting part is that the vehicle was reasonably worth about $16,000 but it had sold on eBay for $9,000. When something seems to good to be true...

Seeing y'all's messages makes me wonder if when I get emails from y'all and answer, do you get them back? I've spent many minutes answering questions to several people who've sent me messages thru the GW, and never got responses back, so wondering about this messaging. I sent you one months ago, HAZIE, and asked about your Dremel and got no response, so perhaps you didn't get it. Oh, I hope I got that right - maybe it was Tasy who uses the Dremel on footers. Anyway, your message problems might explain why I never get responses from my responses to members here.

@tbb123: Hey there! I only have a painting career if someone will buy stick figures, LOL! Nice to see you here. I’ve missed seeing your creative layouts at the old, much missed IF site. It never dawned on me to put the peninsula in the plan with the fridge in the broom closet. That would give me more counter space than I’ve ever had in my life. I’m not sure I’d know what to do with it all but it would be fun trying. I’ll play with that idea. @Jillius: Yes to your suggestion for how to use the horizontals if I go that route. Will need to play more with hood options but that can wait until final layout, right? I gotta say that I do like your new plan merging kitchen/laundry. However, we’ve become married to the idea of preserving the pantry wall and using the revealed linoleum. I love that floor almost as much as I like the glass blocks. Sorry you put so much effort into an idea I will have to nix. I really appreciate your efforts and kind donation of time. DH and I spent quite a bit of time this morning poking around in the garage tracing existing plumbing lines to see how we can tie things in. We have a false ceiling in the garage that needs to come out so we can better see the clearances. We have steel beams running the direction the plumbing needs to go; the wooden joists run the other direction. If these were reversed, the plumbing issue would be easier. The garage ceiling is relatively high so plumbing could be run under the steal beams but above the garage door system. We need to do better measures of what height clearance we have and the distance lines would need to run to ensure there’s enough height for the lines to drop for proper drainage. The plumbing lines then go into the cement floor of the garage and run under the concrete driveway down to the city lines. This all makes the plumbing issue a tad more complicated to deal with. And thanks for the cardboard idea for playing with window sizes. @practigal: Interesting idea on the windows. I never thought of expanding them. The would be cool. I am uncomfortable with the cost of doing that as, in our area, our view is NOT worth a fortune as it’s known as “the Appalachia of Washington”. Our logging and commercial/sport-fishing industries tanked in the 80’s and we have never recovered. Even though the location and homes on our hill are considered some of the nicer ones in the area, most sell for only about $125-200k. And that’s if you can find a buyer because of the severe wage stagnation here. Buyers for homes over $100k become scarce. And housing prices have barely increased since the mid-80’s. We didn’t even really feel the effects of the 2008 crash because we were already in a long-term crash. However, we’re also not seeing the recovery other areas are seeing so it’s hard to justify that extra expense. Even though we plan on being here for a long time, probably our forever, we need to keep our own spending down as we are nearing our own retirement years and need to stretch our bucks. I’m not sharing all that for a pity-party but, rather, so you understand why I’m trying to be very careful and frugal with the remodeling budget. Anyway, it’s a wonderful idea so I am not ruling it out and will play with the idea. @rina: Good point on the bottoms of the windows being at different heights. Another one of those things I’m so used to that I haven’t thought much about it. Hmmmmm….I’ve always wanted the window over the sink to be counter height. Love that look. Convincing DH might take some schmoozing. I think if we did we move the current sink or make it a small prep sink, it would be easy to center the range. Another visual issue that I didn’t notice until you pointed it out. Thanks for pointing that out, too. A smaller sink there would mean there is still enough prep space between prep sink and range. So...clean-up sink to peninsula then? @Everyone: While DH is cutting out sections of the garage ceiling, I guess I’ll be playing with these new ideas. Thanks to all of you. You’re all awesome!