That's the great thing about the internet--someone is always out there to help. Hope the rest of your garden season is going great.

Welcome juicyfruitkid! Thanks for the compliment. I know how much I enjoyed "lurking" on this forum for a long time but now am enjoying it MUCH more as a participant. Took me a bit to learn how to post and put up pictures, etc but it was worthwhile. I am glad to hear on the other thread that you are joining in the Virtual Tea Party. It should be fun! When is your fundraiser....if it is after the tea party date, you may get even more ideas! D.D.

Inheriting a house has all kinds of potential (and maybe even needful) long term projects. While away for my working career, I'd visit the family home once a year and muse about what I'd do if it ever became mine. I was able to take first opportunity retirement at 55, moved back to look after aging parents almost 6 years ago now and, well, the time has come when this old house is mine. And to be really mine, like minkos, it just needs to have my personality stamped on it. Fortunately, my parents were very conscientious of maintenance and upkeep, so structure and integrity isn't an issue. And their financial and personal papers were in good order so saving everything to eventually cull out what was important wasn't necessary. As they aged, however, they acquired the "I might need this someday" syndrome and things never seemed to get discarded. But the clutter and years of papers, bric-a-brac of no consequence, the tons of Book of the Month Club selections everybody who was first nestbuilding in the early 50's had on their bookshelves,etc. is gradually disappearing. Once I get going on a drawer or cabinet, I'm amazed at how ruthless I can be. On-going project: start wearing out all the work clothes I brought with me - save winter and summer suits aside for funerals, a couple of nice things for occasions when they're needed, everything else for everyday wear or out in the garden - that'll take it's toll. Immediate project: turn the den into a room I'd actually like spending time in. Paint, new drapes, new furniture and lamps to replace the really bad Early American hodgepodge. The carpeting is good, but I like the look of rugs over rugs, so will probably look for an Oriental as the final touch. It has built in bookshelves - I like books in them, but I also like some of the space for display... a small painting (my Mother was an accomplished oil painter) on an easel, a piece of my American Majolica collection, a nice vase, or piece of ceramics. First 2008 project: start redoing the gardens. Large yard with large perennial gardens. Been working on them for a few years now; organizing, dividing, eliminating, replacing. Would like to start paring down the blooming perennials and put in some dwarf conifers - just so the spaces have fewer things to deal with. Not too distant future project: livingroom is a nice room, but just not my style. My cherry Queen Anne furniture is stored in the basement and might find it's way upstairs, but once in my life I'd like to call in a professional decorator to work with me in pulling it all together. Far future: don't really know what can be done with a mid 30's kitchen. It's pleasant and very workable, lots of cabinets, adequate counter space, built-ins, some nice features so maybe leaving well enough alone is the answer. How far will I actually get? I don't know, but am really motivated to do the den. Have all my paint cards and am narrowing the choices down. And a simple phone call to the Salvation Army or Goodwill would clear the room out in one fell swoop.

Good luck to you! Getting started is tough, but it's motivating when you begin to see real change in your house. DD and my new SIL began painting all the "orange" trim in the little raised ranch they moved into last spring. The transformation is remarkable. It really freshens up and seems to expand the space.