They are 'potholders' in my world, too. My favorites are a couple I got from Walmart, They were in a set, The 2 potholders, with 3 or 4 matching dish towels. I'm not sure how well they'll last, I've only been using them about 6 or 7 years now. The dish towels were absolutely worthless! I've tried the silicone, both holders and mitts. Didn't like it at all! In fact, I don't like mitts of any kind! And with all due respect to those of you That knit and/or crochet potholders, I've never had one that was thick enough to be any good. Not even those I crocheted myself. They are pretty though! Maybe there are some new patterns out there That work up into useful potholders. Rusty

I have only one old house book on the coffee table. "Inside the Bungalow (America's Arts & Crafts Interior)" by Paul Duchscheree and Douglas Keister.

I like to buy all kinds of fresh-baked goods at farmer's markets. I end up making lots of scones and muffins for teachers' meetings, so I just wanted to add a few recipes here. I have some sources (if I do, I'll name it) and some I do not (just didn't note it at the time I saved the recipe). I didn't create the recipe and I may or may not have tweaked these recipes. These always work out great for me! I also added a couple of other recipes I make a lot when I need something in bulk. Hope some work for you! I love, love the vanilla ones (I usually double the recipe)...but the huge hit...pumpkin scones. I doctor up the spice glaze to make it spicier and darker in color than written below. I get asked to make these for every event. (I usually triple the pumpkin recipe since these tend to be more in demand.) There's an old-fashioned crumb cake (I think that's what it's called) in the KA cookbook that I make all the time, too. It's similar to one of the recipes posted on the coffee cake thread. ******************* Scones ====== 1 cup unsalted butter, cold 4 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2 liquid cups heavy cream 1 cup chocolate chips (see variations) Equipment: 2 half sheet pans lined with nonstick liners such as Silpat or parchment a baking stone or a baking sheet Oven Temperature: 400ËF Baking Time: 15 to 20 minutes Servings: 12 or 16 4-in by 1 ½-in high scones 1. Chill the butter. Cut butter into 1" cubes. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or freeze for 10 minutes. 2. Mix the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and with your fingertips, press the cubes into large flakes. (Or use an electric mixer, mixing until the butter is the size of small walnuts.) Stir in the cream just until the flour is moistened and the dough starts to come together in large clumps. Stir in the chips. Knead the dough in the bowl just until it holds together, and turn it our onto a lightly floured board. 3. Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400ËF at least 30 minutes before baking. Have an oven rack at the middle level and set a baking stone or baking sheet on it before preheating. 4. Shape the dough. Lightly flour the top of the dough (or use a floured pastry sleeve), and roll it out into a long rectangle 1 inch thick and about 8 inches by 12 inches; use a bench scraper to keep the edges even by smacking it up against the sides of the dough. Fold the dough in thirds, lightly flour the board again, and rotate the dough so the closed side faces to the left. Roll it out again and repeat the "turn" 3 more times, refrigerating the dough, covered with plastic wrap, for about 15 minutes as necessary only if it begins to soften and stick. Roll out the dough once more. Trim the edges so it will rise...

My favorite wedding was a non wedding. DD became engaged on Christmas Eve. They planned to take it slow and marry the following summer or fall. But her accounting brain took over and she ran their taxes. She called me in tears that they had to get married now!!! Of course I thought she was with child so I consoled her by saying, well so it's a bit sooner than planned but these things work themselves out etc. She said I'm not pregnant, it's taxes. LOL So on News Years Eve her brother married her quietly without fanfare. They met halfway as if they were meeting to drop off a package and that was that. Fast forward to the following year. DD and her DH decide to host an anniversary party. We had been a pirate loving family long before it became a thing with Johnny Depp. She decided the party should be pirate themed and all guests would come dressed as pirates. So she went and had her pirate costume designed with pants and a rip away skirt with matching vest for her DH. We held it at a local restaurant with a basement. The pirates in attendance all showed up bearing wedding gifts. I got a small tiered cake which I decorated at the last minute with sugar sea shells. They had a sit down banquet with three meal choices for the guests. A new Years Eve Party was in full swing upstairs and we had several party crashers who wanted to visit the pirates and take pictures. People are still talking about that pirate non wedding. to this day.