I went in to work this morning, and there was a big beautiful bouquet of flowers. I said "Wow! Someone got some pretty flowers, and I bet it wasn't me!" Well, of course it wasn't......it was from a co workers husband. For crying out loud, even when I was happily married, I never got stuff like that. One valentines day, he said.."oh, your gift is on the seat of the truck." Well, he'd been with his brother who NO WAY could come home with out a valentine gift for HIS wife if he wanted to see the next day, so mine got me a card and a freakin' 79 cent plant. The card was still in the paper bag, not signed or even in the envelope. Now THAT'S romance! In his defense, years later, he picked wildflowers on a hiking trip, and carried them down the mountain, and brought them to me. They were so pretty. I loved them more because he'd stopped and picked them himself, thinking how much I would like them. Now THAT'S romance! OK, one romantic gesture in 25 years........what more could a woman ask for? LoL Jean

Well, I've been collecting plates, saucers, and cups for a couple of years now.. and have a great collection. I guess the hard thing is to decide how to put it all together for a backsplash..The ones I've seen on here are awesome! As for the rounds from tree,I think it's all going to firewood... might save a couple... our tree man says they attract termites and other bugs if left out... Also, when we thought we had to evacuate (you all will laugh at what I took) the only things I could think of that were really valuable to me were my stained glass lamp and hanging hummingbird that my sister made for me that would have been destroyed had the tree come down on our bedroom..

Yea, the counters aren't in bad shape at all. Except there's some water damage around that wood trim. Which is also the part I hate the most. That trim! And with wanting to paint the cabs white, I can't leave that and I don't like the look of that part painted, either. You know how you walk in the room, and something just stands out and as eye sore, making you not like the entire room. That's what these counters do for me. I really wouldn't mind the kitchen at all, if it weren't for those. Heck..I'd probably not even paint the cabs, (a whole other fear there). But, the green with the red paint kills me. If we don't get them done in the next six months, we're painting the kitchen again. Just to get rid of the red and green. It's funny, one of the reasons we bought this house a yr ago over some of the others, was because of the counters. I was so sick of seeing the same granite everywhere, this was a nice change. I think if I could go to a granite yard, pick out a beautiful slab I'd consider doing granite. But, I'm really just tired of seeing it in every single house I go to. High end homes, to middle of the road ones like mine. I have no choice but to do something cheaper, from a box store. And I just can't see doing the thin, little granite slabs all the builders and flippers do around here.

My gosh that's so funny - it'd been so long since I've had a chance to poke around (due to the mommy part of my handle!) that I'd forgotten! I'm LOVING your kitchen! What's really funny is that I haven't posted pictures of my wetbar, and it looks like we went the same direction there too! My sinks a bit different, but the marble, the uppers... you'll see eventually. We're actually moving in next month - I haven't posted finished pics because they're still using my island as a workbench. When do you get to use your kitchen?