..." A Definition of Fugue state Fugue state: An altered state of consciousness in which a person may move about purposely and even speak but is not fully aware. A fugue state is usually a type of complex partial seizure Seems as if I once read that psychiaitry sometimes uses the term when a person seems to be under the influence of several conflicting thoughts at the same time. Since the musical fugue contains two or three counterpoint "melodies" working around the same time.....maybe that's the conection, if any!

Plantgrrl, I discovered this kind of by accident. I was frustrated with losing them in winter, but there's one particular species that grows like a weed for me no matter what (it's either schneideriana or pendula - I'm not sure which...) I had a clump I needed to pot up becuase it had fallen out of the main pot and I threw it in the nearest pot, which was a very shallow bonsai pot. Well, that has grown to be one of the nicest looking heurnias I've ever grown, and it's been a prolific flowerer since I put it in that pot, too. In fact, last winter, it flowered all winter long. (Not so much this winter because it's been more dreary...) I had all but quit growing Stapeliads, partly due to my winter losses and having to constantly fight mealies. I decided last summer since I've gone to using systemics to keep mealies away that I'd give them another try and I got an H. urceolata and promptly put it in a bonsai pot. It's done wonderfully and I'm going to bet by summer's end, it will be like my other Huernia and have completely filled that pot. And the best part is that I can water them all winter long without fear of losing them. By the way, after this discovery, I decided that surely just filling the bottom of a regular pot with pebbles or packing peanuts to turn it into a shallow pot would have the same affect, but it doesn't for some reason... Denise in Omaha

Farm chic, I like the overall shape of that table, but white would not work in this room. There is literally nothing white in this room, not even the ceiling! Kkay, you know, I saw a trunk/chest in a store last weekend and I was really drawn to it but it was just a little too small. If I could find the one I saw in a bigger size, I think it might be a candidate. Funky -- I think you and I could be friends for life. I have looked (online) at that RH table a few times!! It is so cool looking. I wondered how the metal would hold up, ie would it scratch easily. I should go look at it in the store. We had a round table in this room way back when... That's still a possibility although right now I'm thinking a long table so everyone can put their feet up, and probably putting the round red ottoman elsewhere. I'm not sure about the aesthetics of a round table, plus a round ottoman, plus the square ottoman that goes with the leather chair... Finally, abundant blessings, I knew someone would mention the position of that chair. I know it's not great, but the reality of this room is that we sit on that chair and that end of the sofa to watch TV. Also, if I pull the chair out and angle it more, it gets too tight with the end table and that end of the sofa (I've done it) and ends up looking more awkward. Eventually I'm going to slide the sofa down the wall a few inches in the other direction, but that entails moving the artwork, etc...so I've been procrastinating. That might help but probably not that much. Same problem with the red ottoman -- that's for the feet of whoever is sitting at that end of the sofa (don't get me started -- DH and DS seem physically unable to sit there without putting their feet up on something). But if I had a longer table, the ottoman would go elsewhere.

Another layout, which puts the fridge on the long wall near the DR, as in Manon Floreat's plan, with the range and hood as a focal point between the two windows. There's a separate clean-up zone on the short wall, which will help hide the dirty/draining dishes from the front entry. You'd mentioned a sink in the island, so that becomes the primary prep area, with a secondary prep space between the clean-up sink and the range. With separate prep and clean-up zones, it will be easy for a helper to unload or load the DW, or gather dishes to set the table, without interfering with prep and cooking tasks. I drew a 36" corner susan for pots and pans, but there is also a 30" drawer base in the island, which could store bakeware. Dish storage is on the island, in a 36" drawer, which opens toward the DW. There is a shallow shelf/cabinet facing the long wall--could be used for bottles of oil, cutting boards, baking sheets, or coffee cups/glasses. All base cabinets are drawers, with the exception of the trash pull-out and the shallow cabinet. The MW is in an upper cabinet to the right of the clean-up sink. I'd like to see it closer to the fridge, but couldn't fit it in above the counter. The MW could go in a drawer in the island, if the prep sink was centered (red outline), but then the primary prep space is not as wide. Two disadvantages are 1) there is no tall pantry cabinet, and 2) the dish storage is on the opposite end of the kitchen from the DR entry. Images--range between windows. GW Kitchens discussions--all drawer bases.