Beth, I made pickles first and then I finished dehydrating my tomatoes from yesterday and then I finished my yellow tomato sauce and THEN I made one batch of Multi-purpose Seasoned Tomato Sauce. By the time I finished it was around 2 p.m. and we hopped in the car and sped down to the Southlake Central Market to check out their produce selection. I was a little disappointed. They didn't have nearly as many heirloom winter squashes, pumpkins and gourds nor did they have as many heirloom tomatoes. However, they did have pickling cucumbers, so I bought another 5 lbs. Since I made bread-and-butter pickles today, I'll make dills tomorrow. Best of all, my own pickling cukes are about to reach pickling size, so I'll be able to make stacker-type pickles about Friday or Saturday. We also picked up a 10-grain store bakery bread that we like and a few other veggies. Then, it was off to Green Sprouts Farmer's Market a couple of miles up the road. It really is just a smaller, more affordable version of Whole Foods or Central Market, but I mean really, really, really smaller and not much selection. They had some great prices on produce, but a lot of their produce was overripe and I didn't purchase anything there. But, I did get visiting those two stores out of my system. The next time I want to go to Central Market, I'll go to Fort Worth because it has a better selection by far. I don't know this for a fact, but it seems bigger than the one in Southlake. It might be that the Fort Worth store has more autumn pumpkins and winter squash outside because they have a big covered patio type thing in front of the store where they often have musicians and cookouts when the weather is good, and I didn't see anything like that at the Southlake store. The only advantage the Southlake store has over Fort Worth is that Tim can stop by it on his way to work at DFW Airport if there's something I "need". I got home in time to spend an hour in the garden while my sweet DH grilled chicken and sausage and made dinner. I had used up all my tomatoes today making the multi-purpose tomato sauce, but I got to pick another 6 tonight, so I'm OK. Moni, I think Tulsa might have a Whole Foods or Wild Oats which are sort of similar to Central Market but more heavily focused on organics and less focused on gourmet-type fare, although there is a lot of gourmet type stuff, especially if you like artisan cheeses and breads. I'll do some research and see what I can find out about Edmond-OKC-Tulsa. Surely something in that area has a 'health food store' with a good selection. I have found they usually have the best produce in terms of variety and selection. Today I was looking at all the fingerling potatoes (six or eight varieties) at Central Market and making a mental note to buy some in December to sprout for spring planting. Two road trips in two days. I've got to stay home and weed and mow for the rest of the week or the yard and garden will be a jungle. Jan, I'll link Pendery's below. The web site is great, but if you're ever in the Fort Worth-Dallas area, you have to visit the store for the sheer pleasure of inhaling all the lovely aromas of the many spices and herbs. Don't miss their chili mixes. They are great and come in many combinations. I love that Pickling Spice and Italian Seasoning Mixes too---they look like real spices and herbs, not just ground-up powders. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: Pendery's Spices

Sorry to get off topic a bit...Question for you Asko owners: I just had my new "distributor model" Asko installed today. I wasn't there (spouse was) and the plumber connected it to the hot water line. My previous Asko was connected to the cold with no problems. I am concerned about etching. The manual says you can use either a hot or cold hook-up, but if the incoming water is at 120, that temp is already above what the china/delicate cycle is supposed to be at. On a couple of Miele threads, it was about 50/50 whether to use hot or cold. Any thoughts? I'm on a well and have softened water which is fairly high in Silica (which in itself isn't too kind to glassware, or stainless, or.....) Otherwise, my wood paneled integrated door was all nice and balanced and the installer set it in place and THEN put on the handle. Well, the handle was apparently enough to whack it out of balance; when I went and opened it after he had left, BAM, door went right for the floor. My spouse later told me that the installer was going to take it back out and re-balance, but he(spouse) said it would be fine. (I don't think so.) So I am now left with a door that will fall if not held (installer/spousal issue) and hot water(plumber and come to think of it, also a spousal issue). Still haven't used it. Tonight will be the first. Racks do seem more flimsy than my previously owned "Model-T" Asko.

KKNY, I guess I don't see it so much as controlling phone habits, but rather as setting appropriate boundaries for an adult relationship between co-parents. In my case, I feel too often DH's phone calls with BM are much too personal. And that has nothing to do with who she is--she could be a co-worker at his job, or a neighbor. I just find it inappropiate to be discussing extremely personal things with one's ex--especially considering our particular circumstances. I think some people are able to remain on friendly terms but those are generally the people that are mature and civil about most things. For example--what prompted BM's last fight with her DH (the one that caused her to be drunk at our house) was because--two nights earlier he had tried to have....ahem....rear-entry sex with her. WHY do I know this, might you ask? SHE TOLD MY DH ON SUNDAY AT THEIR SON'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!! She was late to the party because they had been out drinking the night before, came home, and he tried to do that...it caused a major blow-up, and I guess they fought for much of the night. IMO--THAT is crossing a major boundary. I am NOT comfortable with my DH talking about THOSE sorts of issues with his ex, his co-worker, my mom, or anyone! That goes for anything personal. If they need to discuss school or other issues pertaining to their son, that is one thing. Calling about every little issue is unnecessary. The other morning, BM called at 8 AM to complain about her son's new backpack that we had bought--that HE loves and picked out himself--she thinks it is too bulky. I mean, really? That really necessitated an AM phone call? As if there were ANYTHING DH could do about the backpack at that time, anyway. But again, this is up to my DH to set and enforce his own boundaries. I do feel, though, like I am well within my "rights" as his wife to ask that he keep contact to only what is necessary. I would expect he would feel the same about me if I had a very personal relationship with an ex.

trance - it's probably Pratt & Lambert. P&L uses the circle shape because it's based on their logo and brand and a color portfolio they used to give out free. It's a folder and you pop out the circles and insert them into your color portfolio -- kind of like coin collecting pages with little pockets for coins. It's not based on any reasoning for visual function. They are just regular paint chips and very small - like smaller than a U.S. quarter. wormgirl, smart move sampling. Will check out your pix. Glad you see a diff with the circles! What I've finally decided to use for circles are called Chippliqué (tm) and they are not board-like at all. Not like any of the typical and ubiquitous sample boards on the market past or present. Chippliqué is literally a decal - appliqué. Thus the name Chippliqué. The whole thing sticks to the wall via a low-tac (yet secure) adhesive. It's repaintable/reusable, removable and repositionable. In other words, it's a paintable sticker. Boards just did not work for me. No matter what, they never lay flush against the wall and there is always a shadow cast around the edges - a critical area for previewing color! Can't use boards to preview color on the ceiling unless you tac up each corner and even then it always falls down, IME. And the sample boards available aren't flexible. Chippliqué is totally flexible, malleable and wraps into/around corners, into trim dado, around a cabinet door, etc, and then returns to its original flat shape, no creasing or flaking. Again, I do not directly sell these. Will share free if curious. However, I do use them as part of my process working with my clients thus making a name, trademark and a patent necessary. Because someone else might want to be in the paint sample decal business and then I would be very upset and screwed. jeannie - yes, you can paint directly on the wall. I think we've all done that. I know I have. But once you do it, you will have to live with it until you paint. If you paint right on the wall, you have to feather out the edges REALLY well or else they will telegraph through - even two full coats of good paint - you'll still be able to see the dot. Just be neat and do it on a wall that is never hit by any sort of direct light -- which might not be the best for testing color so might be a trade off.