Wow Jane, I am tired just reading about what all you did! Sounds like a wonderful time and lots of work and effort on your part. What a large group to entertain! So nice that your DH helps you with the decorating. Mine does not help with the inside at all. I carry everything up from the basement including the trees, all the boxes, ladders, etc. The only thing he does outside is put a blow mold Santa on our mailbox, although this year, he did run an extension cord from the backyard for some of the lights as they kept tripping the breaker this year! Again, getting everything down out of the rafters, off of the shelves, and put up is up to me! Sorry, I just needed to vent a little. I get a bit envious when I hear of other DH's that help with decorating. Anyway, looking forward to your pix. TFS, Candy

So you were in love with this guy when you married husband number two? I don't understand how people can do that. I understand he may not have been attainable at that point, but how could you commit to someone else if you really loved him and how could he commit to and marry someone else if he really loved you. What's real is real, what is fantasy is fantasy. Fact is, he loved his first and second wives enough to marry them... not so about you. And, he obviously didn't care enough to wait arround for you. He goes to bed with his wife every night, not you. If you're married, quit communicating with men you are attracted to.. it's only going to cause heartache.

We're doing the same thing. It started with a minor kitchen remodel that did add value to the house, 100%+ return investment. Now, we're turning our living room into an office, which means building two 17 ft walls and putting in french doors. It won't add value to the house, but we need an office. I know many people feel the same way we do about formal living rooms, but the cost of the house is based on square footage and if the house needs to be fixed up. We're also going to put in a pool. We live in a hot climate so we can use ours 7 months out of the year, plus you can't go outside in the summer for more than a few minutes unless you have a pool. The only problem is it will only boost our home value $30k and it costs $50k. But, we have enough equity to absorb the cost. If we didn't, we would move because even though we plan to stay long-term things could change in a moment. We have looked at other homes in the area, but they cost a lot more than what we would owe with the pool included because our house has increased in value so much. Even though the improvement value wouldn't get 100% return, the low amount we owe + the pool is still less than a new house with a pool. So, it makes financial sense to over improve.

One problem is that glass cutters can handle straight cuts, but curves are iffy. If your table top is round or oval, it is tough to cut, but a rectangular piece is easier to do. I also wondering if codes require the table top to be "safety' glass, e.g., glass that is internally stressed to cause it to fragment into many small pieces if struck. This stuff may be very difficult to cut in the usual way. If Walmart can not supply you with a replacement top, then make a replacement top or get a whole new table. If you make a top out of plywood, be sure to use outdoor or better yet, marine rated plywood. The other stuff will de-lainate in a short time. Finish the plywood with an outdoor rated finish. A marine varnish is good, but ti takes a longer time to dry than other finishes. Whichever finish you use, be sure to soak the edges where the end grain shows. The edge will require much more finishing liquid than large flat surface. Continue to brush the finish onto the edges as it soaks in. Stop the application when the rate of wicking slows, and lastly, apply to the large flat surface. Sealing the edge (and end grains) is critical for long life.