Thanks! Diana we've been think what we want, guess we will take a sketch of it with us this winter and figure how we want it put back together. It is not a huge room. Think we will steel some space from the barn for the fridge. Please! offer all the advice you have! We want to get it right the first time! We had two excellent contractors do the professional work outside. The did an excellent job. We are doing the paint and paper type stuff and I'm demo'ing the kitchen! I just did a post for that..... Keesha the neighbors are thrilled we are fixing it up! I've gotten most of the wall paper off and done a LOT of cleaning, still lots to do!

Hi O F (as in "Old Fart") I can testify that Caroline and family are genial and generous hosts, or at least, they were such, about six or so years ago. As to whether her/their activities include stalking, murdering with axes or other similar activities, I can't testify, as I didn't follow them all the time for any length of time. I'd be inclined to say that my experience with them tends to make me conclude that they wouldn't consider such ... ... but you know how may times someone who's later found to have been doing scandalous things ... ... were considered by all in their community who knew them to be fine, upstanding members of that community, incapable of such malfeasance. Such doesn't happen very often, actually ... and fortunately. Plus ... on the province-wide radio phone-in show today, the topic under discussion was whether folks had ever been taken for a ride in more than matters of the heart, in some of the on-line dating services. An official who deals with such things says that much of it is conducted by large gangs who make millions by developing elaborate schemes to defraud people, while breaking their hearts, which they use on at least thousands of people. And they feel that the visible portion is only a tip of the iceberg, as many who are defrauded in such a manner are too embarrassed to admit it ... to anyone, let alone officialdom. Back to the topic at hand ... I think that there's a better chance that one of Caroline's beloved canines would/might pull a fast one on you than that she would: you know how canines lower on the totem pole like to test the boundaries, now and again? Hope you have a great weekend, Old Fixer-upper. ole joyfuelled

ACK. You frighten me to think how many days left yet. Finally took the beach bag off the kitchen table. Did trek down 10/31 during the frigid, windy storm. Below is a re-post of a picture with the amazing 20' waves pounding the Lighthouse. Usually slip in an escape to some distant sandbox to start thawing out the toes.

Being a "yankee" from the cold, cold, barren, snow covered and soon to be deep freeze of Northern Wisconsin, I don't have a lot of experience with grits. But I do know cheese well, and the recipe sounded good to me! I can understand why the comments made were offensive to some. I am really jealous of you Southerners this time of the year, I would love to be "freezing" in 50 degree weather, lol. AND you have some great college football teams that are really fun to watch! Seriously, we are not all that different. We have great medical centers, we hunt and use what we kill, and we do have manners in the North. Why don't we capture the essence of the season and let this rest? Peace to all.