what no snow? is mother nature ok?

cause we were supposed to....
then we weren't supposed to..... what's up with that?
well i am glad there is no snow
now onto the weekend.........
we shopped for storm doors.... we settled on one that is almond, has polished brass hardware (yes i know i'm out of date but i like it) is a full view......and is 297.98 (+6% sales tax so it's 315.86)
we can get a 10% tax energy credit........ when did storm doors get so expensive?
but i really want a storm door on the front now, for various reasons that have to do with cold/frost/winter and also for mold on the front door and being able to paint etc.
we'll be ordering it i think in two weeks
while we were looking at storm doors we also made an appointment with them to come measure for a kitchen......
and guess what? it's not going to be no 2K........ we're talking more ........a fair amount more.
oye
so i am most likely going to have to talk to the bank anyway for the balance....
oye again
but i need a kitchen......i am more then willing to compromise on the doors *but not the guts of the cabinets* and the counter tops feeling that i can replace the counters and do something interesting with the doors at a latter date.
(or paint them all cream and glaze them with that sort of golden/brownish/dirty glaze i do on doll bases and the mini carousel horses i used to make)
 we also picked up paint colors for the front door
bernie wants to ditch my favorite beautiful beloved english dusty plum......
so i got samples of various yellows, periwinkles, purple/violet/lilac/lavenders
and a pear green
i don't know how that ended up there as i really hate green for the most part but it's pretty yellow so that may be it
really though at this point, i should pick colors that look good with the seasonal mildew on the front door........
i am hoping the storm door alleviates some of that
and under the category of 'wanting it all'
the color needs to work with seasons too......the plum works with all holidays and seasons
i am thinking that the yellows may not
possible the blues either
which really does leave the purple family
and i suspect that the colors i brought home are too bright, (in other words my beloved clear pastels) that due to the oranges of the bricks etc...... i may need something grayed a bit...plus we are going to paint the trim that almond/cream
which sounds boring as hell but believe me with all that's going on visually with the front of the house due to the stone........ it's wonderful and welcome.
all the trim and the gable siding is that EXACT same color.....for a reason.
but the door needs to be different.
actually a bright raspberry like in the living room would probably work pretty well if we can get the mold under control.... or maybe a glazed over raspberry?

now also while out, we found a sale on chicken thighs (.99 a pound so i got 6 pounds) i'm planning on breading them and oven baking them today, with a few extra for the week

bernie picked up some of my china yesterday......one more package is on it's way
i unpacked it sort of on the fly as we were going to put the ducks out and head out to town. i was amazed at that service for 4, it was extremely clear that the seller had lovingly packed that up...... carefully and completely secure...i swear that box could have survived an earthquake i think without a chip to the very delicate china cups
it's amazing...... i was in a haze of vintage china induced rapture. ( and anyone that loves china will more then know THAT feeling....)
i know
i owe yous all pictures
and i can't wait to get that living room cleaned and the china squared away so i can use it all.....(the table is covered with the results of my little gluttony  spree of birthday present shopping....but at least it's for the house no?)
i also realized, now i am going to have to plan meals around all the pieces so i get an excuse to use them all! ahem........ some stuff is small so that means much smaller portions (another plus with vintage china)
anyone have any ideas what i can use the cream soup bowls for (in addition to the obvious?) maybe some sort of appetizers

do you guys start with appetizers? i do a lot.......not every meal but definite often
i like spinach dip that's a good one
stuff mushrooms i've done too
cheese balls
i do sometimes use a salad as one

what makes a good appetizer? it should stave off the worst of your acute hunger i suppose but not enough to fill you up before the meal
i will be hitting the vintage cookbooks soon
(love vintage cookbooks...... pre-1960 is good.......pre 1950 is better.... war  years, depression, 1920's and back to about 1911......the older ones i think are too confusing but i have a few and anything that starts the chicken soup recipe with 'pick a plump former laying chicken')

***sorry i accidentally published this prematurely)
now bernie is taking wen off as it's my bd
i don't know what we are going to be doing but i am sure something will pop up interesting.
following that we'll most likely just spend the day together
maybe wandering around in town.......maybe just staying home.

bernie is in the kitchen making blueberry pancakes, i have some blueberries that i frozen and some i canned, he is using the canned ones.....
as the frozen package that's upstairs is measured for a pie
(not that i am good at piecrusts....mom was.....her lemon meringue was legendary)
but if i keep trying maybe maybe someday......?
although blueberry cheese cake sounds pretty good too don't you think?

anyway, that's sunday for you
i hope some of you guys post some appetizer ideas for everyone
ttyl
vi