I stumbled across this very old thread just today, and I thought I'd tell you how my own story turned out. I got some of what I wanted, not everything (no one ever gets everything, which is fine). I turns out that I got the most important parts, and we are very happy here. We got a smaller house, around 2600 sq feet. It is exactly the right size for us. I think if it were any smaller we would feel squashed. As it was, it took us a couple of months to adjust to the smaller space. It is on a quarter acre lot, and that turns out to also be exactly the right size. I want a beautiful garden but I do not want to be working in in 40 hours a week. And I am no longer interested in battling wildlife to harvest fruits and vegetables, so I am growing ornaments. Well, I may add some culinary herbs next year. We will see. We are in a lovely, friendly college town. We can walk so many places, library, grocery store, restaurants, parks. Driving has become more of an option and less of a necessity. That means that as we grow older and driving becomes problematic, we will not be forced to move. I watched my Dad struggle as his vision deteriorated and he faced the possibility of having to leave his home of 50 years because he could no longer safely drive. I think it would have killed him. Fortunately one of his daughters came to live with him. We love historic houses, and we got one. It was built around 1920, and updated about 10 years ago. Updating can destroy the historic quality of a house, but fortunately for us, the previous owners had taste quite simlilar to ours. It functions like a modern house, but retains most of the architectural flavor of the era. Yay! We will change a few minor things - tile in one bathroom and on the fireplace, one light fixture, and most important, adding built-in bookcases since my DH and I are both book people. A house does need to reflect the interests of its inhabitants. But essentially, we just moved in and felt right at home. Things on my list that I did not get : window seat, big pantry, big laundry room with space to hang laundry for air drying. They woud be nice to have, but fade in importance when compared to what we did get. Things on my list that I am especially grateful to get : New but historic style casement windows (they are gorgeous and I love them), a combined kitchen-family room (I am surprised how much I actually like this), gas burning fireplace (haven't used it yet, but will when the weather turns cold. Besides, Christmas.) This house simply works, and works well, and in our opinion it is absolutely beautiful.

Hi Mary, I'd be more than happy to share my Mandarin Orange Cake recipe! Mandarin Orange Cake 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda 2-11 oz. cans Mandarin oranges, undrained Frosting: 1-15 oz. can Mandarin oranges, undrained 1 pkg. dry instant vanilla pudding (1 small box) 1-8 oz. container Cool Whip Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking soda. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until well blended. Stir in 2-11 oz. cans Mandarin oranges with the juice. Pour batter into a greased and lightly floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Frosting: Blend together 1-15 oz. can Mandarin oranges with juice, 1 package instant vanilla pudding, and 1-8 oz. container Cool Whip. Chill for 2 minutes (or longer) until mixture has set a little. Spread on cooled cake. Mom got a stand/upright mixer some time ago (a year or so ago) from Ginny's and it's been a big help in doing cakes, cookies, and other desserts! And I don't act at the theatre, I'm more behind the scenes helping clean and put up sets on the workdays. Not sure when I'll be learning to drive, but maybe it'll be sooner than later. Brad AKA Moonwolf

Yes, I had new clothes for the start of school every year. Some were hand-me-downs from the girl next door, who was three years older. I was just thinking the other day that Marilyn's clothes would suit me better today because my hair color is more red-brown now. She had brown hair and eyes. I was 'black and blue'. I remember trying on dresses that my mother had brought home as she decided which ones to keep and which to return to the store. Until she decided, they were all 'property of Marshall Field's'. That certainly sounded odd. I'll always remember my first day at Kindergarten because within the first minute in the door a classmate punched me in the stomach. I was staring at him, and he didn't like it. I'd never seen a Japanese boy before! WWII had recently ended, and I expect he had suffered because of his race. (His mother was mortified!) A dozen years later Mike and I graduated from HS together.

Jakkom, I would have enjoyed that foam. But I notice it's parm in tomato soup. I.e., a classic pairing of umami rich, homey foods, made lovelier by fancy techniques. Not "entertainment" which is what that "dessert" obviously was. When they were doing the graduated dots, my mind went to Nepalese monks doing sand paintings. Mesmerizing to watch, and ephemeral, but the monks don't make you lick their work. But while the dots, and even the piles of sand, were at least artistic, when they shattered the foam bricks then ever so carefully tweezered on single shards of frozen blueberry goop per person, it went from somewhat revolting but artistically entertaining and mind-expanding drivel, to--I swear this was what was going through my head as it happened in the video--"Somebody should tell the emperor his wee willy is winking!" It went from puerile "art" to a garbage heap that looked like the aftermath of the food fight. Whereas the foam on your soup sounds like it was the right technique to produce a desirable result. And if you just want melty parm without having to make a perfect silky foam, add a little calcium sterate. :) I don't mind small portions at restaurants when the point is to eat many different little things--and the patrons are forewarned at the quantity and price that a full meal will be. Tapas are generally 3-5 plates per person, in my experience, for a full meal, and a group of six might share round 2-3 dozen dishes and have a bite or two from each. They must be priced, however, as several for the price of a full meal at a competitively ranked restaurant, and if that's high enough to pay for the extra labor that tapas usually require, the quality had better be fine dining worthy. Tapas are really meant to be bar food, and often are just presented as this is what just came out of the kitchen, do you want it, rather than made to order, which probably also keeps the labor cost down. You should never have to stop for burgers on the way home from fine dining, no matter how entertaining it is!