I know this thread is really old, but can anyone comment on Franklin Furniture? Made in Houston, MS. We just purchased a sectional sofa from them with power recliners, lights, and massage/vibrating chairs. It will be delivered in 9 days and we have 30 days to return it for a refund. I'm usually a big researcher and am kind of freaking out now because I didn't do my homework and know nothing about Franklin. The salesman assured us it was a good quality, in line with Lazy Boy - but really, what is he going to say? This stuff is junk?? Can anyone put my mind at ease?

yes i read series. i've chugged thru the 'Dune' books i read all the aubrey/mauratin novels by o'brien i read all the horatio hornblowers (just to compare--there is none) thinking of tackling the julius caesar/first man of rome for this winter--re-reading all from the start. i do usually find that they eventually become formula-ic if the series is a continuation of action over time. also a problem arises if each book stands on its own, in that the author needs to rebukd the character/environment each time (you want to say, ok,ok i already know this, tell the new reader to start at the beginning, don't bore me. but then you realize that the auther is just doing character development that is necessary, but you've read it over and over. diggerb

I decided to start a strip twist quilt, so began cutting strips. Also worked on grandma's garden that has been sitting idle for quite some time. Finished piecing a D9P for the orphanage. Honestly, I can get so aggravated at myself. I laid it out on the dining room table. Labeled the rows and stuck a pin in each seam along the row. Took it upstairs and sewed together. The little voice said, check to make sure it's right before you sew. But I thought, no I labeled everything and pinned while still on the table. Of course when I got it sewed together and laid it out it wasn't right. Oh well, I hate ripping. It is for a child in Africa that has nothing, and won't know it was suppose to be any different. I'm not a perfectionist with some things....although I really try and get seams to match perfectly. LOL It's too hot to sandwich and machine quilt. So during the summer I am just going to piece tops. Once the garden is frosted, it will be time to start sandwiching.

In the desert southwest, there's long been a problem of dust in the air (although the massive dust storms in places like Phoenix AZ that are so huge that day looks like night until it has passed...those are relatively new in size/frequency and science data indicates the region's dust inundation is worse than what was seen in the central/southern plains Dust Bowl period of the 1930's). It's a matter of prolonged severe drought killing plant life with even the deepest of roots in the ground, leaving nothing to keep the soil from being blown away by the winds. It's next to impossible for a house to be 100% air-tight, and dust can get in through the tiniest of cracks and crevices, not to mention any time you open a door to the outside. How often do you vacuum and dust the entire home? I know it's not terribly fun to clean, but those of us who lack the funds to pay someone to clean our house (or simply have decided to use them for other budget priorities instead of paying someone to clean our house) are responsible for doing the various tasks involved in cleaning our home(s). It may only seem like the accumulation of dust is limited to the kitchen, while soft surfaces such as carpet and upholstered furniture gather just as much if not more - accumulating dust that something as normal as walking around the room can grind down into the carpet fibers, so there's that possibility. A vacuum (even a Dyson if you don't regularly rinse the machine's 'on board' filters and allow them to fully dry before putting them back into the vacuum) will lose it's suction capabilities over time, and manufacturers don't make them to last forever anymore - they need people to buy a new one more often if they're going to stay in business! If you recently replaced your carpet, that can also be adding to the dust circulating through the house. We had water damage in our basement and had to replace the bottom 24" (give or take) of drywall plus the insulation behind it that the water remediation company cut out to prevent the water absorption by these materials from reaching any higher up the wall. In the process of putting in new drywall, mudding and sanding it, etc...there was SO MUCH fine white drywall dust that the central a/c-furnace filter was caked with it and it was all over the house. Because drywall dust is so fine it would have damaged my vacuum in the process of using it to clean that dust myself, the workers had to bring in their own heavy duty vac unit to clean everything up and of course replace the filter plus clean all the ductwork. The dust and pollens that are blown indoors after the area farmers have finished the harvest...those are an altogether different (and seasonal-ish) problem but at least I can vacuum that stuff off the floors and upholstery!