No worries! We're always happy to help! Just for clarification, are you getting a modular or a manufactured home? The reason I ask is that you stated it's a "Fairmont modular." I know there is a Fairmont brand manufactured home, but am not aware of a Fairmont modular. That being said, I know very little about names or manufacturers of modular homes, so I'm probably ignorant about Fairmont. The advice given will really fit either situation. In fact, it fits any home being built, including site built. You get what you pay for, you need the best general contractor you can find and whom you trust, and you should educate yourself as much as possible so you can see when something's not right. Have a good homeowner's warranty, and USE it! Christopher-H, I don't think I've seen a picture of your home before. It's lovely! What a serene environment! One thing Joy and I like about our little manufactured home is the quiet and lack of city lights. It's in a very small park, 38 houses all in a row on one side of the street, the other side being woodlands. Most folks here have been here for decades and are aging in place. No troublemakers. We are literally surrounded by farms! (I've never seen a "tractor crossing" or "watch for cattle" sign before!) At night, it's perfectly quiet--no cars, or any human sounds. Just the coyotes howling. And the stars!!! They are SO beautiful here without city lights interfering. I hope you and your DW are still loving it there in your Vermont retreat! Truly lovely! :-)

We spend winters in the sailing capital of the Caribbean, the BVI. Perhaps I should say spent, as Irma was a beast, likely with imbedded tornados. Our garage roof blew completely off. Naturally, my first thought was, "Did my Bernina survive?" I still don't know. It was in a plastic tub in our storage closet, under very sturdy marine ply shelves, so I remain hopeful. Salt air, humidity and hot air are not your machine's friends. Last year my machine did not fire up. After a long conversation with my dealer in the US, who said I needed to lug the machine back for a new power supply, I turned to YouTube. Sure enough, there was a video that noted this problem with certain Bernina models. The solution was to plug it in, turn it on and leave it for up to an hour. About twenty minutes later it started! You might be better off with a Featherweight on a boat. Unless you are planning on hand quilting, your big issue will be power. You will need to: a) run the genny b) have good battery back-up c) have shore power. Where is your husband talking about going on this sailboat? Around us, 40' is small for a mono these days. A few more feet would give you more storage options. Depending on where you are, you can easily have fabric and supplies sent to you. There is not much available for sale where we are. Assuming you have a stash at home, you will need to adjust your habits, but it should be very do-able.

Sucker. Mostly the suckers form on the stem - out of the bud in a leaf axil - and rarely - they send the bloomstalk - - and the sleeping bud wakes up on it - and creates a sucker. We call them baskets. You can separate it with sharp blade - and root it in a small pot with soil covered with a baggie.

The top picture is a 1930's china cupboard...loosely called Jacobean revival...As is the dining room set. The side table is a drum table loosely based on a Hepplewhite design....also about 1930 to 40. Worth what someone will pay....the table and chairs should bring about $650.....the cupboard about $150 to $250...The table....maybe $150...if you are lucky?