So, you're going to go into business as a wood floor specialist someday? A system such as that made by Ardex can be applied over most adhesive residues by adding the appropriate admixture to the product. Most floating engineered products are in the prefinished category. Your final solution gives you the opportunity to have a site finished solid wood floor. Then, of course, there are those hardwoods that are attached to two layers of plywood that remain unattached to the substrate. Have you considered that option? There are some glue down unfinished engineered wood floors in the market, so there is one more thing for you to consider. Does your apartment building require you to install sound attenuating products?

Thanks everyone for your input. A bit of clarification: we have some freedom to plan the new build, so the counter width will match the width of the oven. I do not care that much about the counter (yet), I might put butcher block (wood) there. I am dreaming also about pyrolave, but am not sure about affordability :-] @moebus: Thanks a lot for your comment. You are right, I did not have any experience with 2 high end appliances next to each other, in my current place I have Elecrolux oven and fridge (fully integrated). Fridge works overtime when the oven is on. It is amazing if your Gag oven and fridge do not influence each other, but it is very good to know. @pricklypearcactus: My idea was to put the dishes on and off the rack with me standing next to the counter, with the oven on my right and to use the fully extendable rack. So essentially I pull the rack out completely,put whatever I am going to cook in the oven on it ( either straight, taking it from the kitchen island, or elsewhere, or lifting it a few inches from the window counter and moving to the right onto the rack).In both cases no much twisting's involved. Then I push the rack into the oven. Reverse order when the thing is done. I have never intended to "face" the hot oven over the counter, twisting over it. @fori: Webcam in the oven (actually now next to it) is a bit weird, but it has been quite useful to me. It is almost like baby monitor -- I can do things on a different floor or in the garden, and need only my phone or a computer (one of them usually next to me) to see what's happening in the oven. I am actually searching for heat resistant webcam that I can put inside, it will be even more useful IMHO :-)) Thanks a lot! MTC

Well, here it goes. My 78 year old girlfriend called me (at work) just before she went in to the hospital. Then when I got home, I got call number two. Mind you, she has a daughter living here in town, but the daughter was at the football game in Dallas. There are also two grandsons. I ended up taking a quick shower, and going to the hospital. Found out, her hernia pooched way out, and she had mega problems. She ended up having surgery at midnight. I stayed till after the surgery, and made sure, the doc called family after he got out. Went to bed at 2:30 AM. Was back at the hospital by 8 AM. Had to be at work by 11. Also expected company... and had to get the place ready, and get myself ready for work. Jean was still asleep. I ate my breakfast (which I was smart enough to bring along) and then knitted. At some point I called the Dallas family members and gave an update... mainly to find out, when the grandsons would arrive. Was told they are on their way. By 10:45 I had given the nurse my phone number and left. No grand sons there yet. Jean was very agitated and should have had someone there. Another girlfriend of hers was on the way, but I had to go. When I got there on my "lunch break", no one was there. Floreece had been there for hours, but the grandsons for just a little while. I felt so bad, for her not having anyone there... she was still disoriented. I didn't do it as a good deed, but I did this for a friend in need. However, I feel like the daughter could have instilled in her sons for one of them to say with grandma for most of the day. They could have taken turns. As is, I was back at the hospital after work, and finally went home to my company. Not sure yet, what I will say to the daughter when I see her. Floreece called me, and asked me what to do yesterday afternoon. She felt like she needed to go home. She also 78. Sounded like she wanted permission... and I gave it to her. :) Wow, that got long and I have so much more to say... Moni

I want to tell my union story. I was a member of the teacher's union for years, just paying my dues. My school district got into its head that nurses should also teach in order to maximize their value to the district, so I was assigned a bunch of health classes which amounted to several hours a day. One was an over-enrolled K class of students who mostly knew no English. That one was a nightmare, the kids ran around, the administrators said it was my problem, I knew not enough Spanish to keep order and safety let alone teach health. Not a lot of thought was put into nursing, and teachers would send sick kids into my classroom while I was teaching. So then the poor secretary was forced into being the nurse while I taught, and there were some pretty unfortunate issues, like a child with a fracture being sent back to class with an ice pack, that arose out of this although I know she tried her best. After a serious asthma emergency that was mishandled by the office, I called the union. Please note that I am extremely hard working, got to work at 7AM daily so that any parents who needed a conference before they went to work could have one, rarely took a lunch out of the clinic because my opinion is that students don't become ill on a schedule and I wanted to be there when they did, and I rarely refused a request, but this shoddily arranged teaching assignment seemed headed for disaster and I did not know what to do, the school administrators just wanted to show their bosses that they were following the latest edict. The union took care of the issue and my teaching assignment was rescinded. I dare any one of you to fault either me or the union for what was done. To me, the union was a life saver, not only mine but I was sure that there would be a fatal disaster involving one of the students sooner or later if the situation continued. I don't see how anyone could fault them.