Five across

What's a seven letter word for anguish, extravagance, sweat, tears, joy, divorce, compromise and satisfaction?

REMODEL

We decided not to move from our 40 year-old-house, not with the prices in Southern California, and remodel what we had. First, let me tell anyone doing this to plan, plan, plan some more, and then stuff those plans in the trash and start over because that is exactly what we did. Our remodel when through so many stages I think I'm going to be surprised once it's finished.

Second piece of advice is make a budget and be realistic. Hey, things cost a lot these days, especially the things that go in kitchens and baths. When you start be ready for the worst case of sibling rivalry you've ever experienced. If you get new floor then the walls get jealous, pout and, by the time they get their way, you've got Venetian plaster and crown moulding. If the dishwasher sees you've brought in a new range it packs its little racks and leaves--so of course--now a new dishwasher has to be added. You think car engines are expensive to keep running, try feeding fuel to the remodel engine. We make about eight trips to Home Depot a week averaging at least $100 a trip--well, you do the math--I could be taking a nice vacation where Sven would be massaging my tired feet.