gscience, I just remembered your kitchen -- you have the blue Big Chill, right? I really like your kitchen and I see why you want a table like this one. It would fit your kitchen style really well; it's probably the closest thing to chrome dinette that you can get in wood. :) I am not getting into the chrome vs wood debate (I think they'd both work in your space) but I don't know how easy it is to find a chrome one that will seat 8 like this one; maybe that will help the decision. Or I know -- you can buy my old oak one (cheap!) and that'll force me to make a decision on a table for us. [big grin] [very very off topic] How are you liking the Big Chill? Were you able to see one in person before buying? We won't need a new fridge for a while longer (I hope), but I like the idea of a standalone fridge that doesn't need a fridge cabinet, and the Big Chills are pretty cool (sorry for pun...).

Today they arrived (again!!!!) and we had laid out special plywood that matched end to end--no tripping hazard. They tried to tell me that although I paid AJ Madison $200 for the white glove install and delivery, I owed them $20 per step. While I realize that many delivery companies do charge for this, it's not in my delivery contract and the delivery company never told me this info during the 5 telephone conversations we have had over exactly what material would be acceptable to accommodate delivery. I tell you, there are the companies that are "problem sovlers" and those that just compalin. The California delivery service that AJ Madison uses has been nothing but complainers! I have had a refridge delivered (another company), all my cabinets delivered, my VERY heavy all one piece concrete hearth delivered, etc. So I beleieved them when they said that the range was large and too heavy for delivery over plywood. Yet when they showed up, it was one guy with a heavy duty dolly and a helper who made sure they guy was guided correctly....WTF??? THIS was the too big, too heavy item that couldn't go over plywood???? If one guy can wheel it, how big could it really be? One stove/range. Sheesh. Some people are stuck in the "can't do" mode....if companies could only be in the "can do" mode the world would be so much easier! In the end, they never did install it--claimed the space was too small, even though my contractor got it in there, and left huge amounts of rubbish everywhere, never even trying to clean up the cardboard boxes, the plastic covering the burner covers, etc.

We have been looking at Recliners for weeks. My husband wants a soft, cushy comfortable recliner. He does not care what it looks like. I would prefer a recliner that looks more like a chair. However, I never sit in the recliner. I would think most people purchase recliners because they want to be comfortable, not to have a good looking piece of furniture. Anyway, he sits in it and I am willing to have whatever he thinks is comfortable. The problem is that we have looked at Best, Lazy Boy and some off brands (or at least brands I have never heard of) from Macy's and Haverty's and other local furniture stores that are soft and comfortable. These chairs have been in the $600 - $1100 range. They will probably not hold up well. We have looked at Bradington Young and some Hooker that are beautiful chairs, firm seating, and look to be well made and stylish. Most are high leg recliners. Most of these fall in a price range of $1,800 - $2,500. My husband says they are all uncomfortable. He said that if he wanted to sit in a firm chair, he would sit in one of our club chairs. Truthfully, I would like to stay in a budget of $1,200 - $1,500. We are so tired of looking. He has come to the point of refusing to even sit in the higher end chairs in the store that look firm with no cushy arms and seat. Does anyone know of a middle of the line recliner that may be better made that is soft and comfortable. I do not necessarily want a chair to last 20 years, but I would like for it to last 8-10 years.

Who has long term care insurance? We do. We got the policies in our late 50’s when we had no medical issues. The monthly premiums are not a burden, at all. It gives us peace of mind. We are a family of three and neither my husband nor I want our daughter to have to care for us. We bought the inflation protected, stay in your own home incentives which didn’t add much more to the premium. Now that we are talking about finished basements, ours is such that a caretaker could live there. With its own entrance, it would be a very comfortable apartment for a live-in. However, bottom line:, “Man proposes; God disposes”. “Best laid plans”…. A few of us were gabbing the other night at bookclub, (THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg…if you haven’t read it, this is the perfect time of year to do so ) about our generation aging. We all agreed we feel younger than we are, if not physically than, at least, mentally. I remember my great grandmother wearing only black because she was a widow. I’m 74 and in my head I feel 50ish. Boy, is it a shock to look in the mirror…who is that old lady? LOL.