lkplatow is very close to me and I was fortunate enough to get to meet her this Spring! We both commented how none of our friends 'get it'. Unfortunately time and $$$ prevents me from going oout and about to the places I desire to go so much. We talked about a trip to Stoudts in Lancaster and all of those great flea-markets/ antique malls but it would torture me too muchn to not be able to buy and to get so many ideas that I can't do anything about at this time. Like dream about my own small shop (I would also sell cupcakes - inside joke!). DH is much better w/ it since he started working in the furniture biz and that's good Since I'm constantly repurposing what we have. My mom is great to go out w/ and she does work at an antiques mall very PT but she's 4 hours away from me and only gets 1 wknd off. My sister would be great but she's more of a 'Can you do something w/ my house while you're here?' kind of call. Not exactly a visionary. Everybody elses eyes just glaze over so I don't talk about it anymore. My boss just says 'Come over - can you do something w/ this? Whatever you want to do.' I confess to showing my magazines to my 6 and 4yr old boys and asking them their opinions. DD (2) is bound to be the next Kelly Wearstler the way she crayons all over our walls. Either that or she has a future as a grafitti artist. For now her art lives on our walls. Oh well maybe someday we can be decorating buddies. Or someday I'll catch a breath and lkplatow and I can really get together.

Wow....what an amazing list of people.... too many of them no longer with us or active here. It is nice to remember some of their names and their struggles that we shared. Thanks for the memories.

Sorry you had rough days, Don - I had a couple of them also, no permanent damage but not much comfort. Hang in there, let's hold hands. I like the quotes, most of them are personal, but certainly make you acquainted with the writer.

"banquet of consequences." Robert Louis Stevenson - I know that many of his thoughts have more depth, but this one struck me as a great metaphor this morning