It was back to Long Island, back to Georgia Pacific, and back to Coulter Electronics for Linda. Jack got a deal on a wooded, 3-acre lot in Ft Salonga, just south of The Village of Northport. He found an architect and helped design and build a redwood, energy house at the crest of the hill. GP had a program whereby if an employee were to build a house, which would be, upon completion, published in a magazine…GP would donate some of their building materials. So began an almost two-year odyssey…a trip to GP’s mill in Ft Brag, California to select the pattern and grade of the T&G, redwood boards to face the house. Countless visits into NYC to the D&D Building on 3rd Ave to meet with The Tile Council of America as well as the Kohler showroom to select sinks and toilets. More often than not they would stay in the City have dinner and check out the newest, over-the-top disco that remained open from the preceding week.

By late summer of ’79, the house was done…a party was thrown. TWA meets G.P. accompanied by a super-duper Grucci Sound System and a few fireworks. House Beautiful sent their team of photographers etc and the photoshoot took place. The Call from Fred came on Labor Day Weekend…He bought a bayfront parcel on Lower Matecmbe Key and was in the throes of putting 20 hexagon Topsider homes to sell as condos. He wanted Jack back to sell ‘em.

As much work that went into the energy house project and as neat as it was…there was still winter ahead! So, the sign went up, the house sold and before Thanksgiving, the two were on I-95 heading back to Florida.