I am wondering if anyone other than TKO GW members would even think to ask, or even ponder, that this is not "real marble". Yes, this is coming from the woman who thought it was real when she saw it in the showroom, but still -- would your typical kitchen visitor know if it was "live or memorex"? (OK, you may be too young to remember that commercial). There is another thread (or maybe more) in the past few days where people discussed that the carrara and calacatta marble subway tile samples they recieved had varying yellow tones amongst white tiles. I think that unless you can get subways made from the sibling slab of your island, you are going to have a variation in the color of the subs, or in the veining. The ceramic may provide a more consistant color amongst the tiles. Even though it may be whiter than your island slab, it will be white like the slab, and not yellow; like some "real" tiles may be. But then again, unless you've asked a TKO individual over, they might not notice the yellow tones possible in the real marble tiles. I also think that there are enough ohhs and ahhs in your kitchen that the typical visitor won't even begin to notice any possible differences. At least any visitors I have wouldn't.

I am happy, but I want more close friends. Too many people come and go in my life and I find myself wanting them to stay put! I also miss the true intimacy of a male-female relationship which, IMHO, only a part involves human sexuality. True intimacy to me is the sharing of your innermost thoughts and feelings with your partner in open honesty without fear of judgement. Here is an ecerpt from my journal yesterday: The early morning and early evening hours are cool now. I lie in my bed at dusk with the windows open, the curtains pulled back, and my gaze is drawn toward the evening sky. The sun is unusually beautiful as it sets this time of the day, this time of the year. The geese flying south across the golden-purple horizon bring me much peace and joy as I watch another summer begin its first curtain call. Above the sounds of the neighborhood that drift across the cherry orchard and into my bedroom, comes the sweetest chorus of summer crickets, offering up their voices in a remarkable lullaby, singing me to sleep each night. Life is good for me. I recognize it as such and go to my knees in thankfulness.

Erika, There are several different schools of thought regarding fridge placement and proximity to the range/prep area. I even once started a thread on this subject, lol If I remember correctly, it was about 50/50 - some liked the fridge to be a few short steps from prep, others liked the fridge outside their work area and didn't mind traveling a bit (I'm raising my hand here), a few were able to accomplish both? In any event, 10' is just about within NKBA guidelines. It screams out to me in looking at your inspiration pics that the CT & hood flanked by two big, beautiful windows is the way to go - give that some thought and go from there. The other things to consider is the idea of an island main sink & DW - it's not for everyone, would it work for you & your family? Are you a stacker or a rinse & load type of person? The island would be a great staging area when hosting and with the sink & DW there it impedes that usage (both functionally & aesthetically). It would give you less island prep space, but really easy clean-up. Also, your storage needs. I know you really would like a hutch on the long wall - is that at all negotiable? A 6'w hutch is going to compete visually with your window view - it's a very 'heavy' reading item, especially if you are thinking of painting it a dark color. What if you located the sink, DW & hutch on the short wall? (fridge would be to the DR end of the window wall - easy access to DR and for folks sitting at the island and I'd do 2 ovens s/s as opposed to a stack on the windowed wall, code permitting) I've rambled enough... let me know what you think.

I guess when you post this far down, the audience is smaller but there are a lot of comments you want to chime in on. Here goes Just finished "What is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achek Deng, A Novel" by David Eggers. Blew me away. Spent the entire weekend reading (and have the piles of still-unwashed laundry to prove it) and wrote a letter to my senator upon reaching the end. It's the story of one of the Sudan Lost Boys. Heartbreaking. Go. Find. Read. I finished "1776" on tape in the car. David McCullogh is so fine in print and that voice. So comforting. Very American. It was also thrilling knowing some of the roads on which I commute to work were once the paths these armies marched on that year. Very American? Well, ya gotta love Elmore Leonard, I zoomed through "The Hot Kid." Bank robbers in Depression era Oklahoma. His usual: fun read, great dialogue. Also devoured T.S. Boyle's "Talk, Talk," right up there with "Tortilla Curtain" for the-way-we-live-now look at materalistic America. Great descriptions of scenes we take for granted. Recommend both. I just started "Saturday" by Ian McEwan. He is sly perfection. lulls you in with smooth, delightfully structured prose and leads you right to a thrumming insight. that's about the best way I can describe it, but then that's why I'm a reader not a writer. Anyway, completely thrilling. makes it look so easy,--"why isn't everyone writing like this?" you think--guy's a genius. I can back recommendations for David Lodge and Margaret Atwood. I'd read anything either of them would care to write, including grocery lists. I'm going to recommend "Oryx and Crake" next month for the book club. Very funny and horrifying take on the annihilation of mankind. My nightmares are still haunted by 'pigoons'. Speaking of postapocalyptic novels, I have a hold in at the library for "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, anyone read it? That's my next TBR. How did you like it? My two cents (or more like a shilling) on the best postsurgery book: "The Quincunx." It's like Dickens. A fat novel filled with colorful (and menacing) early Victorian characters but without the philosophical asides. I give copies to anyone scheduled for some rest time. Best for those who've had bunion surgery or the like who need to stay in bed. Once the main character arrives in London, the book is the ultimate can't-put-it-down tome. (I guess that's not so good if you've had shoulder surgery, though!) Will add "Perfume," "The Other Boleyn Sister," "Gathering Blue" and 'Water for Elephants" to the pile thanks to you. Last bit here, a request. How do you italicize book titles for these postings? I'd prefer that to my quotation marks but don't know the right command. CTRL-I on highlighted words doesn't seem to work for me. Thanks, Amy