tinmantu, you mean you don't have a bag of beef jerky or a sandwich next to that beer, computer and football game? Now and then make a phone call at the same time. Now THERE'S multi-tasking! ;) Somehow I was thinking about this very topic just the other day. There's certainly advantages to being single, as are there disadvantages. And when people would ask why I never married, I got sick of hearing it so I came up with the answer because 100% of all divorces started out with marriage! It shuts them up. And if I know they've been divorced, especially more than once I'll occasionally throw in that I can't afford a divorce and my religious beliefs require "till death do us part..." That really puts a cork in the religious ones! A few other lines when appropriate too! I definitely enjoy solitude. Time to think great thoughts, solve the world's problems and come up with some great jokes. Then again, there's nobody handy to tell the jokes to and the cats don't appreciate my sense of humor! There's times I'd enjoy a board game or game of cards with some intelligent conversation with someone other than myself or now the cats. But there's the reverse too. Yes, there's nobody to split the chores, but then there's the other advantages you've pointed out before. If I can't sleep and want to get up and wander around, have the TV on, etc, it's no problem. But I will say, it would be nice to have someone make a bowl of soup when I'm not feeling well... I know I have my quirks as does everyone, and laundry is one of them. When I lived with a gal, she washed her own clothes and I washed mine. I didn't want anyone doing mine and I didn't want to do anyone elses! BTW, one of the other advantages, toilet seat notwithstanding, is that the toilet paper is ALWAYS put on the right direction! I know people who feel they HAVE to be married. Some, or most of them I feel sorry for. Either must have someone take care of them or have someone to take care of. Can't be a mutual thing. Hope I never feel that way and feel fortunate I never have felt that way. Course it makes me the oddball in most social circles. Everyone's life could be better in other ways. But then again, they could all be worse too.

Thanks so much everyone for the great responses. bobo - I wish I had pictures! The great room is chock full of items we're storing due to the remodel, so that won't help, but the existing chandy is over a very nice mahogany pool table. The layout of the front entry is loosely based on my inspiration photo below (which is more country, I know, but it's what I love). Our entry will be wider, and will have double front doors almost exactly like the pic posted below except they will also have a 10' wide custom transom above the doors and sidelights, and will be stained a deep, warm brown. These doors are very rustic, but fit the exterior of the house perfectly. I plan on using a hutch, grandfather clock, etc., in the space (and maybe even the stacked oval boxes, if I can get away with it). The floors will either be wood as in the pic or similar to the stone in our kitchen, also shown below. The arch between the entry and great room may have pillars and a beam in the same stain as the front door. Uxorial - I really like your chandelier and love your log home! Auntjen - your antler chandelier is obviously very special, since your father made it for you. I'd love to see it. kitchendetective - Arte de Mexico has a store very close by and they do have wonderful items. Their furniture is beautiful although perhaps a bit more rustic than the style I'm looking for (I'm more of a country farm table and hutch person), I did notice they had great lighting choices. It's been awhile so I'll have to visit the store again. littledog and okmoreh - you said exactly what I meant to say! I want my home to be decorated in the style my dh and I find appealing - elegant rustic meets early American country (he's the rustic and I'm the country!) but don't necessarily want to decorate in objects that labeled a definitive style. It's easy to cross the line and get "campy" with rustic decorating - which can be fun but not the look I'm aiming for :) I do find antler chandeliers done right to be beautiful pieces of sculpture, so hopefully I'm on the right track! To those of you who commented on Premier's statement - I wasn't offended in the slightest as reading his/her comments on other posts over the last few months caused me to immediately disregard his/her post on this thread! Inspiration photo for furniture layout Entry doors Possible flooring

The next time you have blood work done please ask them to check your Vitamin D levels - this is for both men and women. Both of my sons were found to have low vitamin D levels. It was so low that you couldn't increase it enough by just taking a supplement, they required a prescription to get the higher dose that was needed. And we're taking about healthy young men who spend a good portion of their time outdoors - and neither of them listen to me when I remind them to wear sunblock. Here is a link that might be useful: vitamin D and cancer prevention

A lot of us have friends that live elsewhere ... but a lot of jasdip's fiends ("friends", that was supposed to be: honest!)... are worms ... that make themselves at home in her apt. She does get some useful work out of them. ole joyful