I recently had a neighbor approach me as I was fixing some rotted siding on my garage. This is the neighbor whose lawn is saturated with creeping charlie. He asked, hey with all the money you are putting into this house, are you planning on staying here awhile? First, the repairs we were making weren't for cosmetic purposes, they were more functional. I'd assumed, "all the money" meant all the landscaping we've done ourselves. I love my yard, and I regret not getting started on it sooner when we purchased our home in 2004, we waited a few years and focused on the interior, with no relaxing, private, soothing patio to relax on. But, oh, today, we can enjoy sitting on our patio on our very small lot, with privacy from our neighbors. It's nice, and would I love to purchase a home with the landscaping already done? You bet, but I don't regret that I had to do it myself, because now I'm hooked and I love what I've learned - gardening and landscaping is very therapeutic to me. I've also wondered how much is too much, but I've been told by neighbors that I'm their inspiration, and we have people stopping at the front of our house to view our property from time to time, so we are heading in the right direction, especially as plants begin to mature. I have a small back yard, and yet in my rear yard I have a poplar tree (soon to be replaced), a mature lilac shrub, a hedge of privets, 2 smokebush trees/shrubs, a green giant thuja, an emerald green thuja, 5 purple leaf sand cherries, a serviceberry, a red japanese maple, a heptacodium, and a katsura willow tree, among various perennials, vines, and evergreen and deciduous shrubs. I'm thinking of adding a degroots spire and replacing the poplar with a dogwood or magnolia. The placement for each works, and creates a nice lush private space for us. I have run out of planting space, but I don't intend to lose more lawn, so now it's just waiting for everything to reach maturity and a matter of enjoying what we created. As long as you are comfortable in your own space, that's all that matters. There are a couple homes that we see on our walks in the neighborhood, with the front lawn completely over done in an awkward cottage style. There's nothing wrong with the style, but I think when homes like that are wedged between other homes with more open or formal landscaping, it looks odd and out of place. I feel sorry for the immediate neighbors. In my opinion when all you see is the landscaping from the curb and not the house, that's when you've gone overboard. I dread the day we sell our home and someone who doesn't appreciate what we've done lives here. We joke about it sometimes. But, I've recently heard from some new owners in the neighborhood that others talk about the work we've done on the house with the "striped awnings", so it's nice to hear when you've invested so much sweat into improving it and making it your own. I don't care if anyone thinks we've put too much money into our house. We didn't buy to flip it, and I don't ask everyone else how they spend their money.

"DD's theory is that due to the global financial crisis, fashion has come to a grinding halt. Nothing new. So the trend lag between here and Europe has collapsed and we're seeing the same stuff everywhere. This is from my 16 y.o. fashion analyst! :-)" Out of the mouths of babes... The Italians are over, this week, and are doing all they can to help the American economy. They came with huge lists from their family and friends. It's all Abercrombie & Fitch. That brand has taken Italy by storm, maybe the rest of Europe, too. They used to buy only Polo. I guess the lines at their stores go on forever and the prices are absurd. With the exchange rate...they're in heaven. We had a dinner last night and I forgot to ask what Italian brand was hot now. Last time it was Roberto Cavalli but his things are way too young for me. I'll stick with Armani if I'm still alive to see the dollar reign, once more.

Clarification: I meant that most American recipes use too little of the spices called for--really like the authors are being stingy--not that they need to call for more spices. H B, I'm glad to give you a laugh, but I've actually been there when making small, low heat sauces. :) Re combos of many flavors, I do like a lot of them, like the Italian spaghetti sauce I grew up making, Indian and Mexican food, etc. Mr. Rao talks about how his mom removed "everything unnecessary") from each sauce. That leaves a clean, fresh, simple flavor and makes it possible to distinguish one cooked down tomato sauce from the next, however, for depth and richness, my own is the best with all its components making a harmonious whole. Both answers are "right"--it just depends on what you want it to taste like in the end and they're all good. Re meat: I was taught that good meat (the opposite of the half rotten medieval stuff Linda mentioned that needs exotic spices to cover the stank) doesn't need any spices at all. Broiled or grilled naked with a little finishing salt is all. I also like meats with good sauces, because I like sauces, but it doesn't require it, and if the sauce is hiding the flavor of the meat it's too much. Chicken needs more to be entertaining, but flavorwise, it can be fine on its own as well.

Lars, the NYT recipe (below, since it is behind a firewall IIRC) was the only recipe I found with many reviews and a high rating. I liked it because it is not something you see people make all the time and so it is special, it looks pretty, but has flavors with a wide appeal. Not particularly hard at all, just need time to chill the custard. I'd give it a thumbs up, but again, DOUBLE the custard (even as I was making it, I said to DH, "it is no harder to make a batch of this than to make 2 or 3 batches"...wish I would have). And i did beat the eggs/sugar longer than the recipe called for, but someone in comments said 10min and next time I'd do that. I baked mine in a springform pan lined w parchment. Boston Cream Pie FOR THE CUSTARD: note: consider doubling this 3 large egg yolks ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch Pinch kosher salt 1 cup/240 milliliters whole milk ¼ cup/60 milliliters heavy cream 1 tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract FOR THE CAKE: 8 tablespoons/114 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the pan 1 ¾ cups/224 grams all-purpose flour 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ¾ cup/180 milliliters whole milk 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract FOR THE GLAZE: ¼ cup/60 milliliters heavy cream 4 ounces/113 grams semisweet chocolate chips 1 teaspoon neutral oil, such as safflower Pinch kosher salt Add to Your Grocery List PREPARATION Make the custard: In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Whisk in cornstarch and salt. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in milk and then the cream. Add butter. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, just until it starts to thicken. Immediately whisk mixture until smooth, then continue to cook and stir custard until it has come to a very low boil for 2 minutes, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Strain custard through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, pushing it through with a small spatula. Stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the surface. Chill for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Prepare the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round baking pan, generously greasing the sides, and line it with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a simmer over medium heat. When the butter is melted, remove pan from heat. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and thick, about 4 to 6 minutes (note; consider doing this for 10 minutes). With the mixer running on low, add the milk mixture and beat until combined. Then add flour mixture and vanilla and beat until combined. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes. With a very thin knife, cut around the edge to release the cake from the side of the pan. Carefully flip the cake onto the rack, then turn it right-side-up to cool completely. Assemble the cake: Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the cake into two layers and place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Stir custard, and spread it onto the cut side of the bottom half. Replace the top half of the cake, cut side down. Prepare the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium-low, heat the cream to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and pour cream over the chocolate chips, oil, salt and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake. PS We are on day 3 of Risk (albeit with many long breaks in the action). Still losing. Worse. Send reinforcements. Or pie.