Ikea works really hard to make sure you don't miss anything, with a meandering floorplan that takes you through all of their room displays and vignettes. Then they take you through the shopping area for small items. Even if you want to take a shortcut to a particular section, you have to be pretty familiar with their stores to find them. If you have anything particular in mind, bring measurements. A measuring tape and pencil and paper wouldn't hurt, although they usually have ones to grab there (stubby pencils and paper measuring tape). Any of the larger things in the room displays, you will just write down the info and location of where to find it in the warehouse. Small things you can pick up along the way, especially once you get to the small goods area. The food is really good and not too expensive. If you have any kid/grandkids/nieces/nephews/ friends with kids, the kids section has some cool stuff. I've gotten their multi-colored plastic dining set for a shower gift more than once--all my mommy friends had them--and I actually like the cup size for myself.

LOL, magnaverde! I hope this isn't too far OT, but I have another, more mundane, color/taste observation. Every year I make gallons of that middle-class holiday staple, cranberry Jello salad. My recipe, from a church cookbook, states "any flavor red gelatin." I prefer to use the red raspberry flavor, but I think almost all artificial 'fruity' flavors taste alike. Following are some ingredient lists for (basically) the same salad, found on the internet, on different sites: 1 (6 oz.) pkg. raspberry gelatin 1 c. boiling water 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained, save juice 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice 1 (14 oz.) jar cranberry-orange relish 1 c. diced apples 1/2 c. broken pecans 1/4 c. celery, chopped 1 lb fresh cranberries crushed or minced 2 packages black cherry Jello 1 medium orange peeled and seeded (all white must be removed) 1 cup pecans or walnuts crushed 1 cup sugar 2 sm. strawberry Jello 1 Ocean Spray cran fruit (12 oz.) 1/2 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple 12-16 red grapes 1/4 c. chopped nuts 2 c. boiling water 1/2 c. cold water 1 lg. pkg. orange Jello 2 c. hot water 10 c. cold water 1 jar orange cranberry relish 1/2 c. chopped celery 1/2 c. chopped walnuts I was surprised to find this one, too: 1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon Jello 1 2/3 c. water 1/2 c. celery, chopped or diced 1/2 c. nut meats 1 c. ground cranberries 1/2 c. ground orange 2/3 c. sugar Or 1 c. cranberry orange relish may be used I'd be willing to wager that very few people, least of all myself, could tell what 'flavor' of gelatin was used in the final product.

That nest is a thing of beauty. If only hornets weren't so aggressive! What kind of woodstove do you have? When we first moved into this house we heated entirely with a Jotul woodstove in the living room and an antique coal cook stove in the kitchen. Eventually we sold the coal stove, moved the Jotul over to the barn to use there, and bought a bigger Jotul. We kept it going all winter, day and night. I haven't fired the stove up in years. I've been afraid of fire since I've been living alone, but in recent winters I've begun to think longingly of the coziness of a small fire in the Jotul. It's near my desk and would keep me warm without burning a lot of heating oil. My son installed a new fireproof mat underneath it last week and informed me that we have lots of well-seasoned firewood. I had the chimney inspected two years ago. Do you think I need to get it inspected again before I use the stove? The chimney also serves the oil burner. Anyway, I had planned just to tell you I like woodstoves. :-)

<I have no interest in being around noisy sports fans - they are the worst. My, so judgmental.> There is nothing judgmental about it - that is simply what annoys me the most - therefore they are the worst for me, but that is not a judgement. There is nothing wrong with them, but I just do not want to be anywhere near them. My being annoyed by them is not a judgment. I have friends who can be noisy sports fans, and I will not be around them when they are watching sports. In general, I prefer a calm environment. When I was a child, my father would drag me to rodeos with him, and these would offend me so much that I would cry constantly. Eventually, he stopped dragging me with him.