1976 Ford Pinto, didn't blow up on me, but I was never rear-ended 1976 Honda CVCC--my friends called this a beer can. Because it looked like one to them. Could reach over and roll down the window on the passenger side while driving, without leaning over. Small! 1988 Pontiac LeMans-the car they brought back from the 60s only uglier and less durable. The first car I ever ever bought. 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse-At this time, Mitsubishi, Dodge, and Eagle (remember them?!) were in collusion, I mean had agreements, in place and Eagle made the Talon. Daddy liked my Eclipse so much he bought a Talon. 1990 Mazda Miata--you know how I feel about that one!!!! 2011-1990=21 years old. Still running strong. After bankruptcy, foreclosure, and divorce... AND it got flooded, there is no A/C (I don't care), no heater (I don't care), the driver's window doesn't crank up or down, I can pull it instead, and the radio just went out. I might fix that. I did just get a brand new convertible top and it'll likely work another three or so years. My parents owned, during my lifetime, and I rode in: '67 Jaguar XKE (CHECK THIS CAR OUT!!!!) Late 70s Grand Torino Ford, Pinto (the same one) A really huge and old Oldsmobile that I learned to drive on. Ugh. Cars my boyfriends/husbands have owned, and I drove/owned: 196? VW Bug (two of them) 198? Honda CRX (two of them) 1986 1/2 yes, a half year??? Toyota Celica, Supra (two of them) Oldsmobile Cutlass Nissan pickup Mazda 626 Mazda Protege Isuzu Rodeo The weird thing is, the two bugs, two Hondas, and the two Supras are the same two guys. Both guys onwed all those cars in succession. Where they deviate? After I broke up with boyfriend of eight years, he bought a Nissan Pathfinder. The one I married and stayed married to for 11 years, owned an ordinary Nissan pickup. Weird!!!!!

I did see the movie "We Are Marshall" and loved it. Powerful story and well done, but also very sad to think about such a horrific loss of life. On a slightly different note, from 2003 to 2005, I flew almost once a month and I came to loathe it for all the reasons I mentioned in the opening paragraph. It is partly fear, but you'd think after all those flights I'd get used to it, but I haven't. I tolerate flying and that's it. In 1996, I was on a Southwestern flight from Norfolk to Denver and we were preparing to land in Denver in the middle of severe thunderstorms. As we were landing (and not far from the tarmac) a tremendous burst of wind shoved the plane down toward the ground and gave us all a good jolt. The pilot goosed the two engines on that 737 and we went up at a very sharp angle, back into the skies. He flew over the airport and then tried to land again from the other side of the airport (and was successful). It really was a terrifying experience and after that flight, it took me years to get over the feeling of terror and dread when I stepped on an airplane. Thanks for the posts. I don't feel so alone. :) Rose

Thank you all so much for your input! I have been thinking hard and spent half an hour this morning standing in the middle of my current kitchen... That thinking and standing has changed my mind in regards to a proper dining table. I am now considering a smaller island and an extendable dining table which will normally sit quetly by the wall but when needed will jump out to the empty space and stretch perpendicular to the island. Disregard the photo frames and shelving on the walls, I don't really have them, was just playing with the software. I can't change the pictures now as I'm at work and the software is at home... For now I've only made that island smaller and added the dining table "placeholder". mama goose, you've just opened a whole new world to me, I'm now in love with stud bay storage! Will definitely investigate, what a fantastic option. Might work like magic for my cookbooks collection. Also a great idea to have dish drawers facing the DW. The only thing is, I was planning to put power outlets on that side of the island, where would you have them if that wall is all drawers? I guess can stil put them under the seating overhang, on a side of the cabinet with the dishes? A little harder to reach but on the other hand, well hidden from view. Also, rotating that cabinet for dishes to face the DW, would you put some sort of fake "face" on the side that is now on the front wall of the island? Just for visual continuity... Hope this question makes sense. mark_rachel - I don't quite understand. Do you mean, shelving instead of the fridge? Where would the fridge go then? I'm changing the setup anyway and there won't be "permanent" seating there so hopefully works better, please take a look. kaismom - I did think no dining table. I don't think that anymore. Family meals are important. Christmas is important. Yes, I am definitely trying to design not just the kitchen but a space for the family. Please take another look, I've updated the plan. A smaller island and an extendable table. I agree - that large island would be too "permanent" and too "customised" for when we will be selling the house eventually. cpartist - I thought about table-height section of the island. I don't really like this option, but I understand it works for many people. I would love a MW drawer but I spent a lot of time googling and it seems like not a single brand is available here in Australia. This country is my favourite place in the whole world but in some aspects we are just behind the rest of the planet... I will think about swapping the MW with some drawers in the snak area, but this places it quite far from the rest of the kitchen... Worth considering though. Thank you for your overall kind feedback Sophie Wheeler - yeah, I see it now. Please keep ideas coming :)

Mtn, the biggest downside to the Miata is that it costs $10k (per MSRP) more than the Subaru BRZ. Of course, I know that nobody pays MSRP, and since we're looking at 2019 models on both vehicles (so basically a year old already; the 2020s will be appearing shorty), I have no idea how much the dealers are going to be discounting. There are more Miatas on Mazda lots than BRZs on Subaru lots (at least in my state and those adjacent to it), so you'd think there'd be a little more incentive on the Miata, but my logic does not necessarily equal car sales logic. The upside to the Miata is that I think it would just make me happy each time I laid eyes on it. I feel it's probaby more suitable to a 57-year old woman than the BRZ, which truth be told, has something about it that makes me think it's more geared towards young men in their 20s-30s. The Miata is a classic to me, and in that Mica Eternal Blue, it makes my heart sing. Too, I am sure I would love having a convertible again. DH and I have spent all flippin' day discussing it, and these are the two ACTUAL cars we're comparing ... I think the scales are definitely tipped towards the Miata, and DH understands that. He wants me to have what I'll be happiest driving, so ... we shall see. (I still think that little Miata is just a sexpot with a happy face!) We're planning to go take a look at the Miata in person tomorrow when the dealership is closed. And then if I still love it, I guess I gotta figure out how to put on my best poker face and go back for negotiations on price next week. Ugh. I hate that part.