Cory, I'm sorry to hear about your financial problems. Having owned a business myself, I know how hard it can be. FWIW, I would do everything I could to keep the house, at least in the near term. Selling the house now (even if you can sell it) is selling at near the bottom of the market so you're not going to get much, if any, return on your money. With the plans the Feds and banks are working on to freeze adjustable mortgage rates, the housing market should start to rebound by spring. My guess is that waiting even six months if you still have to sell will be worth it. In the mean time, just enjoy your trains and try not to get to tied up in what might happen later.
Paul, glad to hear you and the wife were able to get out. I'd get stir crazy sitting around in bed every day too. Maybe you can teach her how it install Kadee's or something useful like that.
Steve, is that billboard in the UK? I can imagine that going like a lead balloon in California.
Tom, sometimes it's better when the forecasters are wrong even if you do have to survive a bread and milk panic. That's cool that your son wants to play with your trains again.
Josh, what was wrong with your Ford? I had a '92 Ford Explorer and it only left me stranded once in 13 years. It was still going strong at 167,000 miles when I sold it in 2005.
Jeffrey, it seems like your weather over in Louisiana mirrors ours. We have about an hour of rain last night for a whopping total of .24 inches. Our high was at midnight (69 degrees) and we are down to 55 degrees now with predictions of 31 tonight, which I don't believe. We're having 35 mph winds and the wind should keep up through most of the night, which should keep us above freezing. My banana tree is still alive and growing, which is pretty amazing for December 3.