Just finished my bulbs today. Did not plant as much as usual this year because of some planned spring construction work - and still had trouble finding space for what I so glibly ordered in September! I planted mostly large tulips, but also a hundred each of ipheions and species tulips, a dozen Gladiolus communis ssp. byzantinus, and one lone Fritillaria imperialis, since it is of doubtful hardiness in my wet clay. My bulb planting was probably done a week or so late this year because of waiting around for contractor estimates - was not quite sure what I could get planted and where and got my order in late (lots of things were already sold out). Also it has rained incessantly here this fall!

zep- I leave my computer on most of the time. We lost power in a wind storm for about 16 hours last night, and when I booted up, the date had reverted again...and I doubt there were Windows updates. However, when I subsequently restarted it, the date was fine. I'm thinking you are right about the battery starting to fail, but I hate to pay a tech to replace it. If the battery completely dies, could I have any serious problems, other than the need to re-set the date if the computer's off for too long? I did a little online reading and it sounds like newer computers only rely on the battery for the date and time. What's your opinion?

Great question! I like to know what current trends are, but not to chase them. If something is 'in' and I like it, and it suits my style, I may incorporate it into my house in a small way. It might be something as small as a lamp shade, accessories, throw pillow, or paint color choice. My style is still evolving (I'm in my mid-30s), but I have a strong enough sense of what I like (traditional but not fussy), to feel comfortable ignoring trends that don't appeal to me. Like ideefixe, I don't like the idea of my home becoming stagnant, so this approach lets me keep things a little bit 'fresh' while remaining true to myself. I used to think that my preference for a relatively traditional style, with a mix of current and antique pieces, meant that I was somewhat immune to trend-chasing or the potential to be dated. But it occurred to me, while reading the recent threads on trends/what's 'in', that different time periods/decades have their own approach to 'traditional' style. The 80s' interpretation of traditional was different from that of the 90s, and that of the 2000s, and so on. I'm sure it's the same with more contemporary styles. There are regional differences too. The era/region may manifest itself in the choice of upholstery (solid vs. patterned, geometric vs. floral), colors, or hardware. Few rooms are truly timeless, even if many of their elements, viewed in isolation, would be considered timeless. Magnaverde's room is timeless but that is the exception rather than the rule. Since my antiques are mostly in the bedrooms, and the living areas are furnished with things I bought in the last 10 years, my house probably screams "late 90s/early 2000s 'traditional.'" To some, it's already dated, and to many, it soon will be. But the rooms that are finished or close to being finished reflect my taste, and that's what matters most to me.

Since you're changing the floor, I'd change the vanity and leave the tiled tub for now. Tiling a tub is a big expense, and it can be hidden behind a shower curtain. For the floor, you could use LVT, something like Armstrong Alterna or Congoleum Duraceramic. It's warmer and softer than ceramic tile and can be laid right over sheet vinyl and grouted for a ceramic tile look. You'd want tile to go under your vanity. Vanities have gotten taller. If yours is short, I'd replace it with a 34" H vanity. You could buy a sink base and three drawer cabinet from one of the RTA places. I'm most familiar with Barker Cabinets. If you want to keep the vanity, you could order new full overlay doors and drawer fronts from Barkers. You could paint the frame and purchase painted doors and drawer fronts. They offer a medium stain too. That way you can coordinate your counter, floor, and vanity color without being tied to the golden brown color scheme of the tile. I'd also cover that odd niche with a large mirror.