The surface of the pot. I put it into a 14" plastic shallow pot from HD, 50 plus 1/2" holes were drilled into the sides and bottom for drainage. There is at least 5 years worth of 'growing space' available for this plant, I have no intention of doing anything to it for quite some time. Same 2 rules were broken. One: pot is too large. Two: wrong growing medium for Pleuro. This was done on purpose, time will tell if it's successful as it was with the excelsa. Nick

What an excellent question! I ALWAYS: - prewash my fabrics in cold water with a good amount of vinegar and a fistful of Kosher salt. This removes any excess dyes or sizing, or perhaps little buggies or their eggs/kin that could be lurking within the fibers to create havoc in my stash. - clip the corners off my fabric before putting into the prewash. This helps with less raveling (notice I did not say "eliminates"?!) along that cut edge, and it is easy to tell if a fabric has been pre-washed. - dry my pre-washed fabrics until nearly dry, then press flat with a hot iron and fold neatly to fit somewhere within my stash. Depending on the length, it may get folded into neat little packages that look like FQ's so I can line them up in an underbed bin, or folded flat for long borders. - try to buy at least 3 yards of any fabric that I really love and consider I may want it for a border. Since I love single-fabric borders (easier to apply than a pieced one that may not fit after all those seams!), I prefer they not be pieced together. Plus, if the fabric is truly lovely, after cutting off border lengths, I can use the rest at will for piecing. - strive for accuracy in cutting and sewing. That 1/4" thing? Well, that's kind of another story because what is 1/4" to a pattern designer (or printer!) may be different than the ruler/tape measure I am using at home. I feel if all my seams are accurately sewn with what I determine to be the 1/4" seam, they should fit together without a ton of fuss. - try to press all seams with a hot iron as soon as I can, toward the dark side if possible. - keep an open mind about color, composition, fabric ... anything that can stress me out. I find that what someone else might call a "mistake" is just an opportunity for a creative solution. So if my yellow is a little too sunny, perhaps there is a "fix" that will make the finished quilt even better than planned. - strive for straight of grain in my cutting, especially where it counts most: sashings/borders/base blocks. Sometimes you can't worry about that (fussy-cut patches, 8-pointed [diamond] stars, curvy piecing/applique), but if I want a piece to lie flat and be "square", those straight grainlines are magical! I USUALLY: - use a neutral thread to sew seams. I keep a supply of several shades of "white" from snow-white to cream to ecru to tan to beige, into several shades of grey, charcoal, and finally, black. If my quilt has a planned color theme (blue/white, red/white, for instance), I will try to stay with a neutral that is in the quilt for piecing. If it's a scrappy quilt, there's no telling what color my piecing thread is! - try to clip my threads as I go along, although I do sometimes miss one or two. - use hand-applique instead of fusible, mostly because it's my preference and it gives me more control, both artistically and literally. - chain-sew whenever possible. Helps to negate any "need" to clip threads, and there is less thread waste. I RARELY: - use a commercial pattern. I love to design all my own quilts and even if I begin with a pattern/design I like, you will frequently find me changing sashing widths, border sizes, etc., to make it my own. - cut patches/pieces with a pair of scissors, but will do it on occasion. Same for hand-sewing block seams. - clip off the "bunny ears" of triangle piecing. Life is too short .... I NEVER: - use starch. This is a new development in quilting and I had never heard of it until recently, but I can always tell when someone has heavily starched their fabrics when I get a block made by someone else. I love the softness and the "hand" of a really well-made fabric, and to hold fabrics that feel like paper because of heavy starching just makes me ask, "why???" - get too far away from my seam ripper. Harold and I are good friends (yes, he has a name), and he is always there if I have a problem I need to pick out. I have found that if I treat him well, he will treat me and my piecing well, which makes for a better result all around. - met a deadline I couldn't "fudge" more time out of (right, Kate???). - worry about what other people think of the way I do things. This is my art, and if someone doesn't like it, they don't have to look at it. Not that it's hanging in some fancy gallery anywhere ..... Thanks for a great question! Odessa

If you don't add a prep sink to that island, you'll still be using that same small area between the sink and the range as your primary prep space. Your habits won't change. There won't be any reason for them to. Adding an island won't help your kitchen function better at all. I think you have some decisions to be made here. Is creating more function more important than creating a more social space? If social space is more important, then just put a counter height dining table there and call the remodel done. If getting yourself out of facing the corner while you're prepping is more important, then doing the island with a prep sink is what you need to focus on primarily. If your table is just "steps away", then I personally don't see the need to have more than maybe 2 stools for perching at that island. Adding in seating at the island just gives you another space for the kids to mess up rather than a place to confine the mess to. Perhaps setting better ground rules as to where food or toys are allowed in the open space would give you the clutter control and the prep space you need. You created a playroom. That's where toys are allowed. You have a dining table. That's where food is allowed. Period. See if you can start that program right away and then judge the results of those efforts before trying to decide about your island.

It's not just in HOA communities. My neighborhood (it was a subdivision when it was started just before WWII and finished in the late 40's), is a Sixth Class City. We have a Mayor, Councilmen, and a rep on the county Metro Council. All are elected posts but few are contested elections - hard to find anyone to run. In my state, a Sixth Class city may pass ordinances, but has no power to enforce them, i.e. Ordinances become mere "suggestions". I've lived hear for nearly 33 years and have seen the neighborhood change in many ways. Property values have soared - I could never afford to buy here today. A good thing! So have property taxes. Not such a good thing! The biggest difference is the people buying in this neighborhood - all are young and very affluent and most blatantly disregard the city ordinances. Parking on the street is a big problem - usually where there are multiple teen drivers. While most houses were built with 2-car garages but single lane driveways, these houses now have 5 drivers, and yes, inevitably their garages are packed with "stuff". There is truly no place to park unless they want to have to play musical cars when folks come and go. Very few use their garages as they are stuffed. Many garages have been converted to family rooms over the years and unattached garages built at the back of the property. They were supposed to get permits for these and have abutting and across the street neighbors give there consent but few bother - they just build them since the city can't make them tear them down. Trash pickup is a major problem with the young families. We have twice weekly pickup with 3 containers allowed at the house line, but these families each have one big container that they put out on the street the night before, invariably over flowing. This attracts skunks and raccoons. If anyone complains to the mayor, he sends out a citywide email reminding all residents of the rules, and one to the offending family. Nothing happens and they know it won't. In the past, people in the neighborhood were far more considerate of their neighbors. A sign of the times. These days, one must just accept such thoughtlessness or move to the country.