Zigzag, the place we're dealing with does go the extra mile for us, I had my heart set on a certain linoleum for our tiny bathroom, yep discontinued, it took them 3 weeks but they found a small piece. The tile we were looking at comes from Germany it's no longer made. My daughter and one of my sons have tile without heat so I know it can be cold on the feet, there will be an area rug which should help. When we're gone the house will probably be bulldozed, it's the property that's worth the bucks not the house. The fireplace with new insert heated the whole house comfortably last winter the worst we've ever had, our oil bill for the whole year was under $400 whereas most years we put out over $1000. We get wood free of charge :o) I've got X number of dollars to work with and a short window to get this done, it's now or never, time marches on. If I wait until I have enough to put in heated floors something else will have come up, this project would be kaput! I grew up in a house with no central heating, this will be a piece of cake in comparison :o). We made a pact when DH retired, everything we buy we pay for or we don't get it, we make a point to live within our means, pay interest to no-one. We've ended up debt free and the funny thing is we've got more disposable income then we ever had when DH was working. It's the interest that kills you. Annette

I'll take anything except HOSP. :) I live in a neighborhood setting..postage stamp sized lots that was built in the 40s-50s, so no bluebirds here...if I was close by to an open field I'd prolly get some though, but no dice. The HOSP are nasty friggin' non-native creatures. I do have a HOSP trap that I used last summer..the neighbor would breed them and I would trap them..it was a lovely cycle. I suppose you are right about letting the Downey have it..which is fine by me..I love those little woodpeckers..the problem I have is that I don't know if once the Downey makes the nest and lays the eggs, will the mylar scare them away as it will be in place to scare the HOSP. Bluebirds, wrens and Chickadees aren't bothered by the mylar strips so that was never an issue. IDK about the Downey and if they are afraid of the mylar strips then we run the risk of them abandoning their nest and or nestlings. BUT if I don't use the mylar the HOSP will enter the nestbox and peck the eggs out and kill nestlings if they are in there..they will also attack the roosting woodpecker too. Catch 22, no?

Beautiful! I'm so impressed you were able to make it look like that given how it started. I would absoultely keep that table. The only way I would leave it for the next owners is if I knew them and knew they would care for it. Maybe if they specifically asked about the table being included in the sale, I would consider it, but even then you never know what they will do with it in a year.

We moved in two days ago Kim :) It's taken this long to get the internet working (and it only works on the back side of the house LOL) More work to do I guess. Thank you :) We do love the house and grounds, although the sheer size is intimidating as you think about cleaning it LOL More so as we've moved in somewhat. Probably more so after we have 20 overnight guests next weekend. It was the oldest B&B in the pacific northwest, (35 years) prior it was an apartment building and prior to that a hospital, and then the original owners had it until their deaths. (early 20's) We are lucky that the folks who did the big restoration in the 60's and 70's didn't follow current fashion (painting all of the wood for instance) and they were sensative to the home. In addition, when the bathrooms were added in the last 20 years (another owner who was also sensative to the house) it was done incredibly well, taking a few feet of space from each room, but integrating them well (some B&B's cheap out and put the tubs and sinks in the rooms). They will be easy to upgrade to more victorian features (is that an upgrade backgrade?) There are three buildings on site. One is considered the carriage house (but really is the base of a 3 1/2 story water tower we will eventually rebuild). The other is the original gardners cottage. They take up one lot and the gardens take up the other. Talk about intimidating...too much garden LOL And on top of too much garden...I have 400 house plants (maybe not that but five or six per room). The poor things are doomed in my care. I'm thinking of a sidewalk give away very very soon to save their lives! Poor dears...even my husband feels sorry for them. I tried to convince my mother that they are guest gifts and that guests (her) must take one each time they visit but she hasn't gone for it yet (I sometimes think if she were senile my life would be much easier...) Today we turn the old office off the kitchen (our future family dining room after we remodel the kitchen, but that's a few years off) into a play room for DS. I hope this grand old home likes thomas the train LOL Oh here's a funny....we get about a dozen visits a day asking if we have a vacancy! It was funny but is getting annoying LOL They want tours and won't always take "private home" for an answer LMAO. "Oh dear...no rooms? Well can we just see it?" No go knock on the neighbors house and ask for a tour heh heh Oh let's see...nope not a B&B (I'm not nice enough since DS was born and keeps me up all night) :) And how many bathrooms? Sigh...12 Do you think the B&B potential guests might think that the tour includes a once in a lifetime opportunity to clean a victorian bathroom? I might let them in....