an Upgrade....

Before:

After:

Yep, we finally took it down. With the exception of my exercise DVDs, the TV hadn't been used since Obama's inauguration. And, really, exercise DVDs aren't really enjoyable enough to need a bigger screen- so the travel DVD player will do just fine from here on out.

Eventually the newly aquired surface will be home to our seasons table. But, for the moment, we're really enjoying an unseasonal luxury: I ordered these beautiful flowers from Hawaii for my sweet husband as an Valentines/birthday/anniversary gift. Pete's birthday happens to be Valentines Day, and our 5th anniversary is in early March. So, was it worth the cost of two-day air from Hawaii? Totally. Our living room is scented with plumeria (and not from a spray bottle)-- it instantly takes both of us back to our honeymoon on the windward side of O'ahu.

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Now, onto something completely unrelated. You've gotta check out Clara's Depression Era Cooking. This 90-something great-grandmother shares wisdom and recipes from her experiences in the Depression. Her great- grandson filmed the segments (and did a great job!). Clara was a first-generation American teenager going to highschool during the Depression... she eventually had to drop out of school because her family wasn't able to afford socks. There is a lot we can learn from her! Start with the first episode- they're all about 6 mins.