Wow - that does not look good. Thanks! Jackie

I am so sorry to be so late in acknowledging my joy at finding that you are back among us again, Paula. It has been several weeks...maybe close to months since I've remembered to check in on the forum. Another death in the family - my dear mother-in-law, in her 99th year. She was declining for awhile and passed away the day before your surgery, Paula. I am relieved for you that your surgery went well and that you are on the road to recovery. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going"! You are an inspiration to us all and your indomitable spirit is that of a warrior. Your sense of humour is aces and I'm sure you have many of us laughing our heads off regularly... like earlier tonight when I finally logged into the forum. You seem to wear it like a second skin. God Bless You. I ran away from our brutal winter and arrived back in Dubai on the 2nd, will be languishing here visiting my daughter for three weeks --- the garden centre beckons....on the hunt for hostas, what else? My daughter has lots of garden space, weather is perfect for me, (no snow nor temps of -24C - only sunny skies, balmy breezes, sandy beach and plus24 temps!) Wish you could recuperate here.... this sunrise is for you. My bedroom view ...and a neglected pot outside my door that needs some greenery to greet me mornings. Huge pot, hmmmm a large, sun-glutton hosta.... 2017 was not a good hosta year for me, a neglected garden so I have nothing much to contribute towards the alphabet. Instead I will just enjoy viewing and catching up a bit. Photos are gorgeous, hostas are gorgeous! Jokes are outstanding! More, more, more of everything please! :-) All the best, Paula for a speedy recovery and treat yourself with care. I join all of my fellow forum members in sending you the warmest of wishes. A very Happy New Year, Everyone! May 2018 find us all buying more hostas - we have to reciprocate... Karin from Germany has been carrying us during 2017, well...me, anyway. LOL! ;-) Jo.

Fresh made kettle corn tastes infinitely better than microwave popcorn. So, that wouldn't be a problem for me. Heck, I'd even eat bagged pre-made kettle corn, before I'll eat microwave popcorn. That stuff really doesn't sound appealing to me at all. But I agree that in a household with kids, a microwave is a bit of a necessary evil. My kids still regularly drink warm milk, and all they want is half a pint at a time, or less. Yes, I could heat that up on the stove top. But clean-up is so much hassle for these small and frequent amounts throughout the day. So, microwave it is. On the other hand, before we had kids, I lived for about eight years without a microwave. I had always argued that the day I find something that requires a microwave, I'd go out and buy one. And that day never came. So, yes, it is absolutely doable in a household with adults only. Our remodel is currently underway, and we'll get a Speedoven, as I had a hard time justifying "just" a microwave. But I have previously owned a Speedoven, and it sometimes is a nice additional tool that can complement other cooking methods.

Olychick, you hit the nail on the head. A lot of her quilts were made with scraps, so not as color coordinated as today's quilts. I guess that is part of my struggle. Plus, I'm not great at decorating anyway, so throw in a challenging quilt, and my head spins. LOL! Catliesl, great point about the sun & fading! I'll consider that. The last thing I want to do is ruin one of her quits! That you all for the wonderful photos! As someone pointed out, it looks like most are neutral walls and bedding that let the quilt shine. Unfortunately, my walls are blue! :( If we weren't trying to DIY so many other things right now, I'd repaint it a neutral, but that has to wait for now. I'm hoping I can still figure out a way to make it pretty. Some of you asked for photos. Below are photos of the room and some of the quilts. Except for purchasing the rug, I haven't tried to decorate this room. The items on the dressers were put there because it was the closest flat service when they were unpacked. I had some neutral bedding, but it was lost in the move. The purple blanket is just there for warmth. The nightstands, bedding, and paper window shades will all be replaced. The only things that need to stay are the dresser and chest and hopefully the rug and chair.