Magpie...I'm laughing at what you said about your DH... mine didn't go along with it that eaisly at first. I had to convince him 'He Could Do It'... I told him how clever he was and knew he could...he did warn me quite a bit, that the glass could shatter. I WAS amazed in the end, that he succeded. I hope you and DH had a great fishing day. Sounds like a nice 'together' time. yachter...Yep...Kathleen will be making her way to her local CTS shop. Nothing gets past her...lol As far as those chocolate cupcake candles...when I go next time, I will look to see if they still have any left and will keep you in mind. They would look cute with your Chefs. OA...I've seen those chocolate bunnies in many stores.. They seem to be pretty popular this year. I first saw them last year in Home Goods, but now many other places. party music...keep the faith.. as I said to Luvs. Also, keep checking out the CTS site..they have a listing of where they are and future sites as well. MM...you should Register on Michael's site and have them email you their weekly sales AND coupons. This way, when you go, you can print out a current coupon. I do that, because they don't send a flyer to my area. Hi Marlene..Welcome. You don't want to 'Short Out' you PC with all the drool!! lol Glad you enjoyed my 'haul'! I didn't realize until I unpacked everything...how much SPRING I bought.. Guess, just like everyone else, I've had enough Winter already. Hope to hear more from you, and please join in and share any pictures that you have...We LOVE pictures, as you can tell by the responces to mine!! lol PUNK!! You've been missed! I know you've been busy and glad you had a chance to 'pop' in. Glad you enjoyed looking at everything. I don't think your tree will make me laugh...you are always too modest. I'm looking forward to seeing the hand painted eggs your friend gave you. Looking forward to seeing you back when you get the time. jane

Iris.... No snakes, no poisonous creatures or bugs here. A few barking dogs and some goats but they don't bother anyone. Well I was stung on my toe by a wasp yesterday LOL but that's about as dangerous as it gets when considering the fauna. Lots of poisonous plants but as long as you don't go around eating them you're fine. What we both love here so much is the casual lifestyle and the way we live so close to everything we need, which is within a short walking distance: cafes, many restaurants, kiosks, bakery, medical centres (which we never need but nice to know they are there), tennis club & gym, and yet we are surrounded by a quiet and private garden where nobody can look over and see us. The weather is always mild and I haven't needed a winter coat for over 25 years. Even my jackets hang unused in the closet most of the year. I know we're very lucky to live here stressfree and healthy. I never take it for granted and am very thankful. SharonCb

That IS a cute chair, great score! Grandmotherly in a good way, if that makes any sense... that same feeling of enfolding cuddliness, I can almost smell the sugar cookies and Earl Grey tea. I actually like the matching pillow better, although it needs to be re-stuffed and really plumped up nice and fat - I think the chunky dark pillow breaks up that lovely feminine curve of the back, keeps the eye from moving smoothly over it. Wish the thrift stores around me had such goodies! Although if you don't mind my totally unsolicited random opinion which you are completely free to ignore or even tell me to shut my yap ;-) I wouldn't use a leather club chair for the other chair. I think with the partly-leather couch it could be a bit too heavy and make the yellow chair seem a little bit "all by its lonesome" as both the only all-fabric seating piece and the only pale-colored one (unless you did something like a buff-colored leather, which I just can't see working). I can imagine a small-scale wing chair - a low, almost squatty one to properly balance yellow chair, not a really vertical one (heck, if you lived closer I'd give you one we got as a handmedown that needs reupholstering. Comfy and sturdy and actually the fabric is brand new but but whoever picked that gaudy floral was stoned or something, and I do want a more vertical version) - in a lighter-colored, texturey, flecky fabric picking up colors from your tapestry couch fabric and a little of the red and yellow would be charming, IMO. Then pop a pillow on it that doesn't match anything at all, like an antique-type needlepoint one. If you were going to have two additional chairs besides this new-to-you one, I'd say go for it with one in leather and one in fabric. Oh, and I love the dog in the admiral's hat... is that a print? And if so, who is the artist? If you didn't mind I'd love to get one to go with my other "dogs in uniform" prints. :-)

Bloody hell! Your orchid looks great I say given the circumstances! You have 2 out of three. Leaves, check. Spike, check. Only roots to go. Mind can't see them from your photos. My rescued ones (discounted from shops just before eminent doom) looked a lot worse when bought. Good luck! I am an amateur with loads of reading and somewhat attempts at growing orchids. I have just over ten up North (I recently moved across country and left them with mum) - these I posted about before on the forum (people were great with advise - I had them infected with larvae - but all good now touch wood). I have 5 at my new place (1 vanda) + 4 that I got for my sister. A few tips (mind you, you don't have to follow them - as each to their own ... my first advise on watering when I bought my first orchid six and a half years ago I no longer follow ... soaking method never worked out): - orchid leaves are not meant to be a gorgeous deep green (so the books tell us). So maybe a little closer to light. Mind they look good so might not be a must/must. Some of mine are deep colour, but hey ho there is a limited amount of sunshine one can get. - I read somewhere either a little cold or dark (not sure which) can get the blooms to open faster. - tight roots in clear plastic pot is good. If you repot it with space they will concentrate on root growth instead of flowering. - I water mine in bathroom. Once a week as its winter (but only if they dry - patting the bottom of pot if it has holes or checking the colour of roots ... green still moist light green need water). I pour loads of tepid water in the morning all over roots and bark avoiding leaves and crown and let them drain + spray the leaves and roots with special spray. - I mostly try to avoid ceramic pots (my preference). I like the way roots look in clear pots and I can tell quicker how good they are. I use shallow hand made ceramic bowls or plates instead (+roots have photosynthesis I hear): https://www.facebook.com/craigeylesceramics?fref=ts mind you I do also have a few oversized pots (so I can easily lift the plastic ones out). - repotting I hear needs to be done once in 1 -2 years. In spring or summer ... you don't want your orchid freezing. Don't know about where you live but hey ho nothing works in the garden/ home depot places in the UK. The generic stuff is too dirt based, gets soggy easily and does not drain. I bought some: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orchid-Repotting-Kit-Orchid-Pot-Repotting-Mix-100ml-Orchid-Myst-Instructions-/291328763815?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item43d48c27a7 Well not the kit ... massive bag of the stuff and spray separately. Mind you it ain't the best + quality hit and miss sometimes... but loads better that the garden centres stuff. I am planning to buy the next mix from a proper orchid nursery in Spring. With maybe some charcoal. If you repotting maybe search youtube ... I found a few helpful videos. If you'd like some tips let me know. It is advised when bought a bad conditioned orchid to repot it straight away (but I'd guess not in winter nor when its blooming unless you cutting off the spike... tends to correspond for phals). I am not perfect and will never be ... (right temperatures?! in this economy ...). I used to underwater mine ... getting better now. But orchids are the only plants that I had that survived this so I would say they are quite strong. I do refere to phalaenopsis species. Vandas I have no clue ... panicking like hell for it to not die.