Joanie38, the bridge you refer to is the other Chesapeake Bay Bridge - it crosses the bay down at the bottom in VA. I've been on that one once years ago but I don't remember much about it. Annie, I used to drive the Deegan all the time. I went to Fordham in the Bronx, lived for a time up in Westchester as well as in Manhattan. I've driven pretty much every highway around NYC. None of them are much of a pleasure, especially in the South Bronx! Allison, I've only had the one panic attack. The first few times I had to use the bridge following the panic attack, I used a variety of mental/physical exercises on my approach to the bridge and was able to stave another attack off when I could feel my heart starting to beat faster. Now I just focus my mind on other things as I cross the bridge and have really just tried not to think about it at all. Interestingly, the way the bridge is designed, with separate spans, one eastbound and one westbound, I discovered that driving eastbound was fine. But westbound, the span has a different curve to it, so you can really see how high you are going and right as you near the top, the cement barriers change over to rails that allow you to see directly down below. Anyway, thanks for the advice about diet - I actually don't drink much alcohol and don't have caffeine at all, and very rarely smoked or processed meats. But I always have water with me when I'm driving, so I'll make sure to follow that advice! Unfortunately, there is no way though I could have taken my hands off the wheel during that panic attack to drink water! I didn't even realize what was happening until it happened. But now I know what the signs are so I can prepare myself in advance!

Terri, that is a great painting. I am wading my way through the books that I ordered and I can tell you I have a very long way to go to a quarter as good as you are. Do you ever buy your canvases pre-primed? I found a great article on supplies for the beginning oil artist. Absolutely stressed was high quality brushes and the best paint you can afford. I purchase from Utrecht and some things from Amazon but I have found Ultrecht, Dickblick, and Jerry's have better prices on art supplies overall than Amazon. The list had 12 colors that were recommended. Honestly the pricing is pretty even across the spectrum. Ultrecht has their own line of oils and some of their prices are great but then in other colors they are higher. Highly pigmented reds and yellows are on the high end. Do you have a studio, or at least a dedicated room where you paint? My animals would drive me crazy and there is no way to paint without locking Simba and Toby out of the room or all art would be abstract kitty paws! I am so happy for your encouragement and I am determined to go as far as my limited talent will take me.

In your latest, while the pantry access from the kitchen won't be quite as convenient, I think it will work. I think it's better than the one with only one entrance. Plus, it gives you a shortcut from the garage to the Garden room w/o having to go through the kitchen - which I can almost guarantee that people would do - and that they would cut through the main workspace instead of going around the island. I like it! I also like the idea of the appliance pass through - which makes me wonder if you could also use it as a staging area for things you want from the pantry to cut down on the amount of running around to the side door with your arms full - you might want to make it another foot or two wider to use it that way. Will the pass through have a door to hide the appliances from view when not in use (and to hide the interior of the pantry)? I do have two concerns about the pantry: #1 - You don't appear to have much real storage space. Do you really need that sink in there? I'd rather see that wall be all shelving for food storage. If you really want a sink, then put it on the opposite wall. Make the wall that's shared with the kitchen a row of cabs + counter with the sink. It would also make it easier for the pass through idea. #2 - The refrigerator & Freezer locations...First, the refrigerator may not open fully b/c it's against the wall and it might not quite fit b/c of the door frame/trim. You will need at least 6" b/w the wall and the refrigerator to allow it open fully - and then it will be opening into the doorway. Second, how wide is that aisle b/w the refrigerator and freezer handles and the opposite wall? You don't want to have a "pinch" point there since you will exiting with items in your hands/arms. I would try for at least 45". So, how much space do you really need in your office? I know that when I work from home, I rarely take up more space than that needed for a desk to hold my laptop + two large monitors + notebook space (yes, I still take hand-written notes!) You might want to take another foot or so of depth on the "bottom" to add to the pantry to give you a wider aisle. Inside the pantry, I would add another 6", at least, to the refrigerator/freezer wall so you can put a 6" pullout or similar b/w the refrigerator and wall. Idea! Why not take 13.5" and... From the wall, add 1.5" filler (to clear the door trim) Then, 12" pullout for brooms, etc. Then, refrigerator & freezer Then, shelving Finally, eliminate the "Broom" cabinet on the bottom and use that for more cab/counter space in the pantry.

From a link in the above article: New Jersey artist Clinton Hobart discovered counterfeits of his painting "Three Persimmons" were for sale on a website based in China. "In a gallery, this would sell for about $450 unframed to $500 framed," Hobart says. But the counterfeit online is $23.99. "No artist wants to find that someone is taking their stuff and is passing it off as their own," he says. ************************ Yep. I can absolutely imagine how infuriating this is to the real creators of the artwork being copied. I'm beginning to see how wrong this is, and to think that American businesses are the biggest buyers of the fakes? Incredible.