We just went from a 27" crt tv to a 42" LCD Emerson (bought at WalMart on Black Friday) for Christmas. We LOVE it. It's not even hooked up to HD, just DirecTV. We've only seen HD on it when I get a blu-ray from NetFlix. We really love the picture. We also got a Sony blu-ray player that can stream NetFlix. We got the 4 Monster HDMI cables (5 feet) on Black Friday for $10.00 each. We also got a Wii, which we also love. The bowling is so much fun. We will probably get a Wii Fit for it, too. When we get back to MN, we will get a 46" Sony Bravia or a 50" Sanyo plasma. Our tv has a refresh rate of 60, it works for us. And it cost $398 on Black Friday. The LED and the plasma have beautiful pictures, but the LED is a jump in price. I think they will drop though, as the stores push 3D more. The LED is noticeably brighter than the LCDs, to me. But they all look wonderful in the big sizes compared to a 20 or 26" CRT tv. Like being at the movies!

Sorry for the yellowed image, it's gloomy outside today, but this is the view from the eating area in our kitchen. Here is where we eat 95% of our meals during cool or super hot weather, if it's mild or warm, we eat out side at the table. Our dining room is for larger gatherings. I love it there too, but rarely would the two of us choose to eat there alone. I've cleaned up the table so that the bottles of vitamins, supplements and Kleenex box are on the island, normally they live at DH's place! The tv is on the counter, to the right of the table. DH hates it being on in the mornings because it disturbs his reading of the paper, however we are usually watching the news or Jeopardy during dinner. Rarely do we eat in the den. We just don't find it comfortable to hang over the low coffee table while sitting on the sofa. Although that said, DH takes a tray in there when I'm having a Mahjongg game at the kitchen table. DD moved to Georgia and has the above areas and a darling screened in porch. I think that would be the best of both worlds.

The room ...... just your basic, small suburban spare bedroom. We’re currently renting after selling last house, or I’d remove carpet. The carpet is clean and in new condition; the room was hardly used before we moved in. Shadows in these pics make it look skanky, I know. ~~~~~~ Antique saddle. My dad won the saddle blanket in ‘87 (cutting horse competition). My late husband’s grandfather made this. I cherish it. Some much-loved stuff in there, including antique cowbells (from rodeo/bull riding) and my prized Breyer horse model, Man O’ War, circa ‘70s, Jamaican carved wood vases my husband collected with his late wife, beach rocks from Cape Cod visit when my DD was little, old pottery, etc. Oh! I forgot about the big grapevine balls, forgot to put them up after Christmas. IGNORE THE BALLS — I know it’s very cluttered, but it is what it is! Big downsize from last house. Let’s call it a layered look. :D That old printer the size of a small car will be out of here soon. The Long Island map, that my husband assures me everyone growing up on LI would remember seeing (this was in his house when he was a kid). Seeing them again this year!! Vintage hand tooled purse. Want the throw rug here. An accent piece to break up the dumb carpet. My now husband’s grandmother did this lovely pencil drawing (right of guitar) in 1947 ... Very old family belt buckles (I have more, need to get them out):

Have only grown 'Hot Chocolate' and 'Julia's Rose' (both now gone). I found them to be a bit underwhelming, tbh, but I am sure the failure lies in my neglectful regime and uncertain placing. In the UK, Frank Cowlishaw has bred some beautiful lavenders and purples - most famously, 'Rhapsody in Blue' and 'Purple Skyliner', but my favourite is the ethereal 'Odyssey'. I passed along my Peter James' roses - 'Blue for You' and 'Eyes for You' - BFY was the better rose, (in terms of health, vigour, rebloom) although the addition of hulthemia breeding lines in EFY did lead to some extraordinary blooms.