Karen - Panda is Mr dove's worst nigthmare, he keeps going after the tail feathers and getting them - the dove is finally learning how not to sit too close to the bars. Miss K bothered the birds too around Panda's age and now she has nothing to do w/them - they grow out of it. BTW - My dove is around 23yrs old Luv - Thanks for the props, the jars are empty because they cost too much to fill! LOL Judith also said I had a lot of things to do tablescapes w/too and has encouraged me to do so! Jaybird - Miss Kitty wasn't mad, she had just sneezed and she had the funniest look on her face and I was able to capture some of it. Here's my other bird - Houdini. I've had him around 25yrs, the cats leave him alone because he will go after their paws and tails if the get too close.....and they've learned the hard beak way! I thought this was very clever - it's a trompe l'oeil birdcage created in a wall niche. Here's a couple of new pieces I have, unfortunately I haven't gotten around finding a spot for them - my friend was extremely generous w/my b'day gifts and bought me the pair of birds, the wooden dove, the Chinese couple, and the pair of tulipieres & the mirrored obelisk - it was truly an embarrassment of riches.

I don't go about decor with warm or cool in mind, more with the space in mind and the related spaces. I lean towards warm, with a deep love of gold, burgundy, copper, etc, but will also toss in a cool colored room if it flows. I am currently thinking about how to do this victorian...and I'll probably do the majority of it in pretty warm colors taking a clue from the original draperies that exist (gold, green and copper) and to compliment the wood (i don't love wood with cool colors). But I think up in the servents quarters I'm going to go ahead and embrace my cool side. The rooms are darker than the rest of the house, and being former attic overlooking gardens and the bay, I think they call for softer cool tones in silvery gray and soft yellows maybe even a lovely soft blue or silvery green (no hospital green or peach LOL YUCK...this is because we were patients verses staff Vamp...I betcha no patient loves hospital green LOL) I just have to make this flow from the gold walls of the hall...it will be a fun challenge, and I'm bringing in a pro so I don't screw it up LOL

terriks - Snooki and all her nasty little friends also entered my mind........but this house is WAY TOO CLEAN. Tacky, yes. Filthy and disgusting, no. chisue - I also thought of Tony Montana, but his turf is Miami. But NJ is famous for mobsters, and the dark red carpet would be great for not showing a little blood that might happen to get on the floor. The extra kitchenette would be a great place to hack up the drug informants. graywings - I also Googled and found out about the doctor, but his name being Benn, I assumed he might be Indian. I did see where he gave Howard Dean a $250 donation. Scary what you can find on the internet. See - I wasn't far off when I said he probably foolishly gave too many donations to the wrong people! Sorry all this has been at the homeowner's expense. I was just having fun, wasn't intending to be mean about it. He obviously has different taste, and obviously spent a lot of money doing it. More money than I will ever have. I'm sure my house would not win any design awards either. Thanks for the laughs guys!

I thought about that distinction..travel and experiences vs things..to me, it's also not either or, it's both. I traveled less that I wanted to, planned to, yet quite a lot; most of things I love were bought or found during trips, whether several hour trip, or travel to faraway places. So that things I love they remind me of travel, experiences, certain people in my life..and travelling somewhere allows me to experience, to see people I love, to meet new ones, and to see and appreciate many wonderful things as well. Not all of them I'll be able to snatch and take with me, but I'll remember them. and most likely I'll snatch something small too:) So to me, it's two sides of a coin..the coin being, well..a journey. And each journey will be unique of course; but the point is to have it..recognize it...try to have a blast when possible, since once upon a time that journey will come to an end, and hard to know what the next one will feel like. Probably very unlike anything we imagine. I'm not afraid of becoming old lady(yes, I'm vain and shallow nevertheless lol, and would like to still look like I'm 28..))..I'm more afraid of not having a chance to become one..:) That'd be a pity.. And I hope to live to see my grandchildren one day, to love and to hold, you know, and I'm pretty sure they won't find me or my place ridiculous:) Funny, quirky, strange, different from what it will be(what it will be then?)-maybe. Well it's all cool. We don't take our journeys alone; others continue it, and they'll take from ours so much, even if no things will be left, no actual place, and very little memories.