I'm baaaaccccckkkkk! The surgery went very smoothly and I actually feel pretty darn good. I am happy to report that the doc found no problems with the ovaries so they got to stay. The only time I've felt "pain" was Tuesday, just after surgery. They hooked me up to the pain pump and that was the end of it. I am now doing the oral narcotics and they have it all under control nicely. I have to say that it's soooo good to be back home! My skin crawls with the narcotics so having my own (cotton) sheets, pj's, towels, etc. makes all the difference in the world. So, all I can say at this point is that things are going very well, and it really was not all that bad after all :) I'm still very tired, though, so I'll have to settle in with a movie--I'm quite sure I'll fall asleep watching it, but that is just fine! Thanks again for your encouragement and advice--you guys have been super! I hope you are all having a terrific Thanksgiving day!

I always research before I buy too. When I was getting ready to buy my embroidery machine I saw the Brothers in WalMart much cheaper than the older model Brother I wanted to buy. At the same time DH was looking for a small riding lawn mower. John Deere is popular here and are sold all over, but like the Brother machines, the prices, and the warranty vary. We found out that many of the internal components in inexpensive machines aren't replaceable, and are made with cheaper materials. Even though they carry the name they are sold as 'throw aways' and don't last as long as the higher end machines. I have read so many complaints about the WalMart Brother machines and my older, but higher end model works great. So I would ask questions and research any prodeuct you buy. $300 may not be a lot of money to some, but it is if it only lasts a few months!!! Rosa

I was going to write much the same type of reply that skydawggy already did, but his reply made that unnecessary. I went to replacement window link and I was amazed at how much misinformation was posted there, which is a shame, because I happen to agree that in the right circumstances restoration is the way to go. But, there is so much about the information on that link that is either way outdated or was simply never true at all. One example from the preservation article is comments on laminated glass ---- " ¼ ", laminated glass has better UV protection than all the low-e coatings. It also approaches similar thermal capabilities as insulated glass, is more soundproof, is safer and cost less than insulated glass". Safer? Yep, it is. More soundproof? Again, that is a yes versus either single pane or standrad dual pane windows. If someone is specifically interested in sound blocking ability, then that is another issue entirely. Less expensive than an IG? Not typically, but there are exceptions. More energy efficient? Nope. A laminated glass lite has pretty much identical thermal or energy characteristics as a monolithic lite of the same thickness. There is no energy advantage to using laminated glass in place of monolithic glass. Better at blocking UV? Yep. But while laminated glass does block over 99% of UV light from coming thru a window - which is more than any LowE coating will block and which I assume is specifically referencing fading protection - fading is also related to visible light as well as UV and while laminated glass will provide extensive UV protection, the correct LowE coating may be even better at fading protection. And, my take on restoration versus replacement, if anyone is interested............... First, when the "restoring versus replacing" argument comes around to the energy performance differences (if any) between the restoration window and the replacement window, they will eventually be lost in the rhetoric of the aesthetic reasons for restoring versus replacement. And these are often very valid reasons by themselves. Second, because no matter what the numbers show about individual unit performance, ultimately the individual window is still part of the overall structure of the home and its performance as part of that overall structure is what is important - not necessarily how well does it perform in the lab environment. As I mentioned previously, I happen to really like old windows when they are a significant part of the architecture of a home. I believe that they are so much a part of the charm of an older home that it is worth every possible effort to try to save them. I certainly understand the appeal of replacing older windows for the potential improvements that replacements will bring in energy consumption, comfort, and the potential ease of maintenance; but I also understand the desire of many people to try to do everything possible to save the original windows in a classic home. There are a lot of misconceptions about old windows versus new windows and many opinions often based on opinions and feelings and not on facts that come up in discussions like this one. I would offer a few for consideration: FACT if a homeowner was to opt for top-quality replacement windows, he or she could get them made in any style that they wanted in wood, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, and yep, even that old villain vinyl. There are available styles that would fit their home and that would be virtually indistinguishable from the original windows in the home and, these windows could last every bit as long as the home. But note that I said "top-quality" spelled $$$$$$$$. FACT a low end replacement window doesnt come close to meeting the same sort of standards as does a top-quality product from the materials used, to the glass used, to the hardware used it could be like comparing a Yugo to a Ferrari (and whatever happened to Yugo BTW?) and from a performance standpoint a good restoration will almost always be a much better investment of time, trouble, and money than changing to a junk replacement. The guy in the Sunday paper who promises to replace every window in a home at "$99.95" with his "sooper-dooper-highest-quality" vinyl or aluminum window likely has neither the highest quality window nor does he have the homeowners long term interest at heart. He needs to get in and to get out and what happens in five or 10 years? Thats no longer his problem. A very common comment from folks who favor restoration over replacement is that restoring a single-pane window and storm window combination will result in energy performance numbers that are comparable to any new window on the market regardless of any glass coatings or gas used with the new window. Fact the newest dual or triple pane windows made with LowE2 or LowE3 coated glass and argon or krypton fill are substantially more energy efficient than old windows single or double pane. A triple pane window with LowE2 coating on surfaces 2 and 5 combined with krypton gas infill and a low conductance spacer system can achieve energy performance numbers as much as 10 times better than an original single pane window and as much as six times better than a single pane with storm (or a low-end dual pane window as well). R-values aside, since they measure only conductive thermal transfer, and any discussion of windows has to include radiant performance (60% plus of total window performance), the primary advantage of multi-pane windows over dual panes is the ability of a multi-pane window to include LowE coatings. The coatings improve both conductive and radiant performance of the window over clear glass. If one wants to discuss R-values in window systems, then the current "highest" measured R-value glass currently on the market has an R-20. A good triple pane window with LowE2 coatings on glass surfaces 2 and 5 can achieve an R-10. A dual pane with a single LowE on surface 2 can theoretically achieve an R-5. But, again, that is ONLY a measure of conductive performance and it is far from the full story. Comment old windows may have lasted 50, 75, 100, or more years and new windows will always fail in short order only lasting 5 or 10 years. Fact quality products will outlast non-quality products no matter when produced. For all of the older windows that are on homes today and that deserve the chance to be around even longer, there are tens-of-millions of windows that were made in the last few centuries that didnt make it into todays world for a wide variety of reasons including simple window failure often as a result of poor or non-existent maintenance. The ones that have made it thru are often the best that were produced and they likely had a good bit of maintenance at some point. These are all very good things that make the idea of keeping them around even longer worth serious consideration. Ultimately, older windows have lasted as long as they have because they are of simple, uncomplicated construction that has had the distinct advantage of using a material (old growth lumber) that is no longer widely available. The pyramids will easily outlast a modern skyscraper that doesn't make a pyramid inherently superior than the skyscraper - it is simply different. Old growth lumber can be worth preserving if only for itself. And as an aside, when I am talking about "older" windows, I am not necessarily talking about much of the junk that popped up during the post WWII building boom. I am considering classic houses with architecturally classic windows. Obviously there is quality and there is junk from any era. Just because something is old, there is no reason to consider it "better". The better, newer, dual and triple pane window systems now on the market and installed all over Europe and North America should easily reach 50 years life expectancy - many will go well beyond that time. There are vinyl windows in Europe that were installed over 50 years ago that are performing flawlessly today. Comment restoring old windows is good for the environment and helps with energy performance. Fact while this is certainly true, it isnt the entire story. Despite comments from folks who love their old windows and there are a variety of very good reasons for that feeling those reasons are primarily aesthetic, not primarily efficiency. Replacing older windows with available higher-end energy-saving products will directly save energy over restoration. But, restoration and the addition of a good storm window can still be a huge improvement over windows that are stuck, painted-over, drafty, and without storms and it will keep those windows out of the landfill. Fact many old houses have their original windows and some of these windows (if they have had adequate maintenance for their lifetime) are in very good shape. And some are also in very poor shape, most are somewhere in between. But, they have all made it this far and if they are worth restoring, then by all means that should be considered as a very definite option. Again, most (but not all) older windows are made with old growth lumber which is inherently better than almost any lumber available today - which while being absolutely true and rather sad in some ways - in the end this is what our ancestors left us with. Makes me wonder sometimes what we will be leaving our descendents?. Fact older double hung windows with sash cords are inherently energy wasters because that open spot where the weights hide is an energy black-hole. There are alternatives to the sash-weight pocket that can improve this energy dump, but while replacing the sash cords and weights will improve energy performance, not everyone would consider that to be a viable option. And there are other options involved with keeping sash cords that will help as well. Fact many people like the look of wavy glass which was the norm in windows made long ago; yet the waves and bubbles in glass are technically a flaw in the manufacturing process. Glass producers did their best to avoid such embellishments, but it was the best that could be mass produced at the time using the sheet glass process. Actually, for higher-end (spelled $$$$) folks they could produce glass with much less waviness, even back at the turn-of-the-century, but it was expensive and few folks wanted to, or could afford to, spend the money for it, which of course doesnt mean that such ornamentation doesn't add the charm and character of the window and subsequently the home. Lots of "flawed" items have a certain charm and character of their own. And btw, I very much like "flawed" wavy glass and it is available today, made in the exact same process that was used 100 years ago, only today it is considered decorative and is therefore expensive. Finally at the end.

ARG - Thank you so much! I really appreciate the information and making me feel better about my architects work too even though I don't feel we are there yet. I am trying to see if he'll do this with us and I will happily pay him for his time if he feels this is outside our contract. It is just trying to convince him without offending him that I need to work on before bringing it up as I'm a very direct person. AS - there is some I like and some I don't like at all. I'd love to see the exterior too as I really dislike the entry as well. He didn't send the elevation, but he is a bit computer challenged so getting this by email was a surprise. I did get a site plan in the mail, but not the elevation. I think there are some bump outs that will make it look odd too. What I like: - Open, kitchen, dining, living area and kitchen close to porch for grilling - Access to lookout from main areas of the house - some storage closets - mudroom walk through - general arrangement of family bedrooms in same area and so it can be on the same ac system for cooler temps at night and warmer during the day - closet separation from the bathroom for the kids rooms and some privacy from the kid's living - regular stairs - pantry not so over-sized as in other plans - storm room size - bedroom privacy - 4' hallways everywhere - size of some of rooms are good and would fit what we need - pool bath have exterior access - m. closet (dressing) has no windows What I don't like: - siting - the clear view is north and the m. bed, m. bath, and bed#2 have the clearest view. The rest is through trees and their canopy and they are mostly live oaks which keep their leaves during the winter so it is a peak of a view vs. a clear one. Seems like the main rooms should take more advantage of the clear view, but maybe that has something to do with west being that way too. Although the western sun is blocked by trees that sit higher about 1/2 mile away (not on our property) so it never hits the house as it is today. It is also moved over about 30 ft from where it was before, not sure why that is which also diminishes the view. Also the new electrical is shown all wrong and would run through the shop as it is placed and the equipment apron is supposed to be on the east side of the shop so we don't have to look at the tractor and trailer. - would prefer sort of a main shape of a house and the others looking like additions to that main shape, but I can let that one go if need be. - the pool is not what we expected as we needed a pool that also has a swim lane - not just a swim lane and where it is placed I'm afraid it would have a lot of drainage running into it and requiring retaining walls to avoid it along with stairs to it. We prefer no stairs for access. - light is blocked from the southeast to kitchen, dining, and living with the hallway wall, stairs, and pantry. - The entry and how it interacts with the porch. Only a few ft in front of the front door and the porch divided into two areas where one is small to not be useful for anything but provide some sun protection. - Kid's bedrooms very far away to go and wake-up in the morning and having to walk back and forth to kitchen and getting to those bedrooms in the morning feels like a maze to me. My mornings are wake-up, laundry, work out, shower, laundry of WO clothes and then meal prep for breakfast and dinner, wake kiddo up, kid eats, then goes and gets dressed while I clean-up/finish up and then I have to keep her on track while doing this or 10 minutes to get dressed can turn into 30 min. Then kid comes back and grabs her lunch and puts stuff into her backpack in the mudroom and always have to go back to her room for something and then we finally leave. The house just doesn't seem like it will make my mornings easier, but rather harder. I'll get a workout for sure and so will the kid. - the kid's living is too far removed from the main part of the house, oversight is just not simple without walking through the maze which could be good for sound, but also not for a quick check-in and a lot of yelling from kitchen or walking to get there for example to tell them dinner is ready. Might also get too noisy for the den nearby with xbox Kinect play which can get very loud at our house. - bed#2 and #3 shape is a bit odd and two different sizes. Haven't measured to double check that 2 is 1 foot x closet smaller, but from looks it appears to be. - some rooms are over-sized such as m. closet, m. bed, pool bath, laundry, mudroom (although we need a lot of closet space here so it would be utilized) - view from 4th bedroom walking out is into the mudroom (door will never be closed to the mudroom) - storm room has an exterior wall (may or may not be important) - longer walk to the laundry than before and more turns and it holds our cleaning supplies as well except the bathrooms has their own. - some other more detailed things, but I don't think we are at the point of details yet.