Just in case anyone checks back I think I found what I love the most. A really nice girl at United Tile helped me out so much. I almost gave up going there because I never got much help. Anyhow, she let me take home sample boards that have been grouted. I can't believe how much this has helped my decision. My mom and dad came over, bless them as they came over ASAP, and right when they walked in they said "that's the one" pointing to the Walker Zanger polished calacatta. They said it just does so much for the kitchen and I totally agree. The 4x12 samples I have are honed which I thought I liked but much prefer the polished as it adds some warmth. I almost threw out the idea of marble. Thank goodness I had a free day to drive to this store! And the girl said if I know a contractor I'll get contractor's price-my brother is a contractor! Yeh! In these picks you will see beveled subway (my 2nd choice), thassos marble (a little too plain), glass subway (way to contemporary now that I see it grouted and too much shine), and the calacatta is the one with the most veining. I sure hope this helps anyone else out there with soapstone unsure of what to do. beveled subway (left) calacatta (next to beveled) glass far right (too glossy and more blue in person-very cold) thassos to the left

I haven't been able to watch much on the Food Network - it's too East Coast for me. At one point I was going to apply to be a contestant on the show you mentioned, but then I noticed that it would have required spending two weeks of February in NYC, and there was no way I could handle February in NY. I went the first week of December one year, and it was the coldest experience of my life. The temps were only around 30 degrees, but the chill from the winds coming down the avenues was far colder than anything else I had ever experienced. My style of cooking is also very different - I almost never use salt, and I see people adding salt to recipes with every step on that show - that turns me off to any of those recipes. I would like to see them do episodes with a ban on salt & pepper. I tend to use chilies more than black pepper, although pepper bothers me less than salt. I do watch Project Runway, however! Since I no longer do fashion design (and am too old), I never considered being a contestant on that show, however. Lars

Hi Karen, I agree completely and I can relate to your story too. I gained 30 or so pounds since meeting my DH, 15 of which are already back off... but I was never so grateful that he never NEVER mentioned it. He's happy I'm losing it and gives encouragement, but he always said it was me he wanted to be with, not my body. It was me who had the issue of being overweight. I think Straycat speaks for all women when she says... "...Whether she is fat, skinny, built like a brick house or a bowling ball-she hopes and she prays her husband shes the woman inside the skin and loves every inch of her inside and out. But, when he doesn't she slowly becomes more and more empty and that is when the numbness sets in. It's hard, very hard for that to ever be replaced with love, the trust just isn't there. When that happens it's hard for her to give herself-to the same man." "...You are still in the physical stage of a relationship after all these years. Too bad, and to think...you've been married to the SAME woman all these years and you have never SEEN HER. " "...If you'd seen her through the eyes of love how would she have looked?" WOW~WOW~WOW How many of us have felt invisible/are feeling invisible right now? That Straycat can speak so completely for me, with all of our differences in opinion, says a lot. I think this is one of the core truths. THIS is how a woman (or man) becomes empty. This is the hole through which the love pours to the ground. This is the echo never answered.

Mtn, that looks wonderful! I have a question about technique though. In these directions from that recipe: Pour the cream into a clean large bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks form. I understand that the cream has been soaking up the tea flavor, but what's the likelihood that it will actually whip up properly if you're adding the sugar and vanilla before beating? Seems like when I have just dumped everything into the bowl at once and attempted to "beat until soft peaks form", it just turns to mush, and my understanding is that the sugar needs to be added after the peaks have formed. So what's the best way to do this? Also, do you find that it makes any difference whether you use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to whip cream?