Hi Robert, This has been a very stressful time for me, and yes, even though I know I need more plumeria like I need whole in my head, I chose to order more to(as you said) lift my spirits, and ease this 3 month recovery time. Adding to this that 2 of the 3 should be blooming for me when I come home or shortly after coming home from the hospital is a HUGE PLUS! You know I have had some funny looks at home when I say that I honestly belive that having blooming plumeria will help during my recovery, but I truly believe that there is something to it. Watching the new buds grow and develop and open up, I mean what else am I going to do while lying in bed for the first 4 or 5 days? Even after that, I know I will still be in bed way more than I am used to, and lucky for me, I keep about 1/3 of my tropicals growing in my bedroom so I have my little piece of paradise to keep me happy....well unless I find spider mites, or other I spot other potential problems that is!! Thanks again for the well wishes! As for Wendy, I support her 100% not just because she is a good friend but because she has only sent me nice plumeria. She only will ship out plumeria that she would want to buy her self. I found this for contact info: DoublePeakPlumeria@gmail.com Andrew

Hi everyone... Haven't been on in a while but FINALLY the kitchen demo (or partial demo anyway) happens this Monday and I think the contractor's finally put the order in for this faucet - only now! The total cost was about $1,000 but I ended up deciding on the polished finish which yes, brought it closer to $1200. If I wouldn't have minded brushed - which still looks very nice - $1000 would have at least been better than $1400. ;) I know this is crazy of me. But why oh why does it make me so happy?? Who knows. Gotta say though: the polished stainless is so very much like polished nickel. It's much warmer than polished chrome which just looks downright blue in comparison - though isn't as yellow as polished nickel.

srahndennis - I chuckled a little when I read this, but certainly not at you ... it's because I was doing the same questioning of my choice (like I've done with so many other things in this kitchen reno =) I'm the opposite of you though - I originally wanted a deep brown sink because I have cream cabinets with a cafe dry brushing/light glaze and antique bronze handles. My granite is darker - has mostly deep browns, some black/creams/silver and slight splashes of dark coppery orange. But when I saw the Silgranit cafe in person, the brown didn't look rich enough for the browns in my granite (it actually looked like a dusty brown (it could have been that the sink was actually dusty instead though - lol) So I went with the anthracite since I have black in my granite too (and in parts of the ss appliances). With a colored sink, I'm of the thought that the sink looks best when it blends, rather than contrasts, with the counter (ss is an exception as it is so standard it always works). I think in our cases either one would work, but the cafe may work better for you since you have a lighter granite. It's hard to say without seeing it, but I think it may give you a softer flow than the black. And the appliances will then pull the slight blacks from your counter.

RE: Looking too bunched up in the middle . . .that is what I am afraid of. However, the two windows combined are 70 inches, and the biggest set I could get would be only 90" total. Would that look too bad? In that case, I'd just get one decorative curtain rod, I think (I'd have to). Most of the windows in my home are not the typical windows I see in books/catalogs/etc. So hard to know how to deal with them. As I said in the OP, I may be adding laces or valances-- not sure which. If I get laces, it will be these: I don't mind if they look like bedroom curtains. Mexican hacienda . . .I don't get that feeling because I've never seen anything like them in homes I've been in Mexico. I have only bought O magazine once (when Magnaverde's place was featured) but this was one of the photos in there . . .I love it! Oh, and if anyone has ideas for curtains INSTEAD of these, please show me! I could always do cafe curtains with a swag (which would take care of the bunching in the middle issue) with these curtains . . .but (a) I'm afraid it would look too kitchen and (b) I don't know about the lack of privacy with that setup. Thanks for the continuing input!! Here is a link that might be useful: Eudora Welty