I've researched the downsides to reverse mortgages (and talked to friends who have them and friends who are very opposed), but I'm at the point where I should make an appointment with a HUD counselor (along with a friend who is my informal financial advisor) tfor further information and advice. People seem to get into trouble if they don't put their spouse on the loan and then they die and the spouse gets evicted because he/she can't pay off the loan. Neither Tom nor I had children, so it's not as if I'm squandering their inheritance.

In general, reverse mortgages are an expensive loan on home equity. Bad idea to use to take a trip of a lifetime, or something. Paying off my mortgage and taking the rest as a line of credit without interest until it's used would be my best option.

As far as selling Tom's work -- there really isn't anything to sell. Except perhaps the CD we made of his 1986 cassette tape "A Bottle Full For the Shantyman". Tom's work was encouraging people to become performers, getting musicians together via the sessions, and rescuing the PMFF when it looked like it would die in 2005.

I'm hoping my life declutters enough so that I can get down to some serious selling on eBay and Craig'sList (and Etsy and Amazon). I haven't had time in the past two years (actually longer) to just stand in a daze for a little bit.

Linn