Hi Ladies, The Round Robin has returned home! Nick and I had fun going through it together! He really likes the Monkey card game, we are playing after his bath!! And what boy doesn't like Baseball Cards :) I loved everything that was in the box, I am using the addy book for GW contacts! Some great new seeds to try, and even some plants, yipee! And My Aloe that has been outside all summer has a new plant hanger! The rhubarb roots are something I have wanted, but haven't seemed to remember to get. Tina your jam will come to you next season!!The candles have been claimed by my son, but he has to let me burn them in the livingroom. He is excited to grow some seeds! Well, I think everyone did a great job with this RR, and everyone was very great at keeping it moving! Thanks To All who played, steph and nick P.S. Thanks for the minis you set aside for me Maureen!

Thanks all. I guess I should have added in background info on our situation. We are recently retired, empty nesters who live in a 100 year old house, and, as we all know, there is never enough closet space in older houses. That is why I initially wanted to try to open up this inaccessible closet space. Then, we had the window dilemma, and using the double door type opening we want there will still be some dead space on each end of the closet. (I do think I've figured out a way to make it usable and accessible in a reach-in closet though.) I worked at home a lot, so our smallest bedroom is an office, and I still use that space a lot. My husband typically works with his laptop at a desk/table in the living room. He is the one who is asking for a desk nook so he'll have room to spread out paperwork (and not have it visible all of the time if he wants to walk away from it). The desk nook would be in a guest bedroom that we don't use at all because we hardly ever have overnight guests. All of your comments have been immensely helpful, and I now am starting to wonder whether he would actually ever go up to that second floor space and shut himself away when we have a large, open first floor. I think maybe the solution I should suggest is that I give up my habit of stationing myself in the office and turn it over to him. I can sit at any table in the first floor with a laptop instead of upstairs in the office. Thanks for all the help. And, yes, we are not a completely paperless world and often have printed documents we want to reference while using the computer.

@Olychick Thank you for the great advice, neutral is what I’m going for but but a few pops of colour here and there. I agree that I should do artwork instead of another mirror. In fact, I‘ve been thinking of replacing the current mirror for a solid one, you know, something less chaotic. I’ll be sure to hang it lower. We’ll see if I can find something as large. I’m actually open to changing/adding anything except the dining set and rug. The things I know I will be changing/adding for sure are as follow: - The curtain. I really don’t like the brown curtain. I initially put it up just to add some privacy in the dining room in the evening, until I find something more suitable. - Tray. I would like a nice silver tray to set on the buffet. - Artwork. I’d like to add some artwork above the buffet. - Bar cart. I’d like a small bar cart on the left corner of the dining room. something I can keep fresh cut flowers and cocktail glasses on. - Chairs/Bench. For this one. I have two ideas. Either keeping the current 4 chairs and add a cream coloured leather bench. Or replacing all the chairs for 6 fabric upholstered/tufted cream dining chairs. I open to other suggestions.

I am actually ruminating on an idea for creating a shelf in my room dedicated to a book theme. And then have a series of displays I can rotate out. I think that would be a great hobby for a young person, particularly one stuck at home during a pandemic. One could create their own mini-worlds. This is an outgrowth of my fairy garden hobby. I had it as a kid and now with my own yard finally am picking it up again but realizing I can take it inside to one of my window shelves . . . The one I am working on now is based on "Peter Rabbit." But other busier life pursuits keep moving it to the back burner . . .