We DID IT! We went to the county tax sale, bid in the auction and procured the adjoining two acre lot that had become an eyesore and a thorn in our side. Mike ended up outbidding a developer who drove up the price, but I think the guy sensed Mike's resolve and gave up before we got near our price limit. Unfortunately it's too late in the year for us to do too much this fall so it will just lie fallow until next spring. Though I plan to clean out the house piecemeal this winter.