I think the biggest surprise about aging has been to find out that when making plans, it dawns on a person how old they'd be when those plans come to fruition. I think of twenty years ago as yesterday, but then gasp when I think of my age twenty years from now. That's when it registers on me how old I am. My parents were very vibrant clear on up to their seventies and eighties. Fun, pliable thinkers, energetic, adventuresome. God, I hope that's a genetic trait and I happend to get those particular sets of genes! LOL. Another clue to my chronological age is just that. Finding myself telling people a certain event was "not so long ago" when talking of things happening fifty years ago. But, time is relative, no? It isn't that long ago by some perspectives. Did people look older for their age in previous eras, and why? Perhaps, and I've heard the discrepancy explained by the better nutrition and health care and the easier life folks have now. I suspect more that it was a social issue instead. People are not told anymore that an older woman shouldn't wear long hair, or and older woman shouldn't wear a swim suit, or older women should wear wear dark muted outfits, or orthopaedic shoes. Older women are not told that they shouldn't work but now work up to or past retirement. The castes have broken down as far as expectations of propriety. I met my first grade teacher on a visit to my old schoolhouse before it was razed to make way for low-income apartments. She was nearing retirement and I was shocked to see her looking younger than when she taught me so many decades prior. Her bun had given way to a soft bob. Her gabardine skirt and tailored jacket with the lace hankie in the pocket gave way to a floral pants suit. She had makeup on.

Hey folks, just writing to give an update. I'm still searching for a home, the whole process has me feeling down. It's so hard to find a home that's just affordable for me, in a good location that I want to live at in this town. I don't really want to spend more than the upper price range I set for myself. I know what I want in a house, but the choices are so limited. Finally after 1 month of waiting with no new houses being listed that I want to see during that time, I just saw a home listed 2 days ago. It looks like really nice house base on pictures, I still have to see it in person. but i think this is the one and i'm gonna pull the trigger after I see it. and the location is just perfect. In fact, it's a better home and a comparable location to the house on my very first post. Price is about the same too. Showing starts this weekend starting Saturday, but I'm working friday and all weekend, 12 hour shifts, so there's no way I can go see the house coz i get home at from work 8 pm. But my agent has already already contacted the seller's agent and made an appointment to see it on monday. I'm so anxious and nervous having to wait until monday to see it. I just have a gut feeling an offer will be made before I get the chance. houses this nice base on what i saw on zillow from Listed for sale date and listing remove, on average the difference is 1 week. I'm not sure how accurate that is from zillow, but i believe it. There was a house that was listed 2 months ago, and offers were made in just 2 days. It was a nice house, interior and backyard were in great condition, and the price was in the sweet spot for buyers in the area. It was a smaller house, but with a big backyard and pool. It was priced at $50,000 less than the upper limit of the price range that I'm looking at. I'm not surprised it sold fast.

Whew! I'm glad this thread got back on track. There is a lot of helpful info here. I have acquired a couple of samples of both. I really, really, like the look of the Virginia Mist (not the one that is also called Jet Mist) honed, but the granite place is telling me it will definitely stain in its honed version and suggested leathered, which I don't love. "ngcurt" mentioned "antiqued" Virginia Mist. I have never heard of antiqued. What is that? I have played with the samples of soapstone from Alberene and went to the quarry to choose a slab, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. I can definitely scratch it all up with my fingernail and dent the end with a pot easily. However, I have yet to permanently stain it with anything acidic while ketchup and lemon juice for 30 min barely etched the granite surfaces. I left marks all over the granite with a key and have yet to get them off, even with suggested acetone... Oil definitely sits on the soapstone, but I haven't tried Simple Green as "athome inva" mentioned. Never thought of that. It seems like an easy solution. The quarry said to use denatured alcohol. Didn't happen to have that around. I'm surprised yours darkened so quickly. I think I would like that. But Alberene had a piece in their office that was used to create a "cabinet" and its top. The unoiled cabinet was still very light while the waxed top was very dark. I wonder if they are now quarrying a different vein than what you have? It is all quite beautiful. After speaking to the granite fabricator, I am now a bit more nervous about trying the granite than the soapstone because I have no idea how I would remove stains from granite. I had thought it was pretty indestructible. "Sabrina Alfa Interiors"--Are you saying that the drawback to black honed granite is really just the fingerprints? I think I could live with fingerprints as long as the stone and the finish itself is not actually damaged. Also, there is the leathered version of AB that really doesn't show anything. It looks like cheap Formica, but it seems to be extremely durable. The black is beautiful. Any thoughts? For that matter, there is a leathered "Virginia Mist," too. Also looks like cheap Formica, but it would be durable and would probably hide a lot. Thank you guys so much for all the input. Of course, I will still accept more of it. :) It seems there are pros and cons to both, so I almost feel like flipping a coin or choosing based on price.

Hi Vapor - all my pics on my phones were high res. But when you choose some of them to send via email, the phone (the older iOS) would ask you which size you would like the enclosures to be. While the recipient of the email will have the pics in low res, my originals remain high res. So it won't be an issue. Don't know about the new iOS because I haven't upgraded my phone yet.