Hi Bill, I have seen mention of this Mapei on other threads and did a google search and came up with a lot of foreign-language links. Who makes it? Or better yet, can you give me a link to a website? (Also, I sent you an email - did you get it? I noticed another tile installation disaster today. Our Master Bath floor has been covered for protection until today when part of it was exposed while the double vanity was installed. The large 16" square honed Calcutta Gold tiles are not centered on any of the walls, so there are really off grout lines at the center of the vanity. It is really obvious and when I think about it I literally want to cry :( . This is our forever house and everywhere I turn, a tile job is done badly. I could really use a good referal!)

There was a thread on this topic some months ago--see below. There are some good photos of niches. Our project is bogged down, but I have a few additional comments since I posted... Because we have to watch our pennies, I'm shopping in bargain places. One problem I have encountered is that oddball lots of tiles often don't include bullnose pieces as well as regular field tile sizes. The niche that we have roughed in will require some cute tricks to make ordinary tile edges seem attractive and classy; we don't want to just snip tiles and leave raw edges. DH, my sweaty equity, did not finish the niche smoothly when he created it in drywall because we knew we would cover it in tile. Now, we're thinking that we might not do the tiling right away and he'll have to pull out drywall tools and make a proper corner edging around the niche. This kind of "go back and do over" gig is getting very frustrating. [Meanwhile, I've found a smashingly exciting tile that of course only comes without trim pieces. It's sitting right next to me, thinking. Unfortunately it has a decidedly unfinished raw edge and will require tricky handling if we choose to use it. I just covered it over so I can't see it tempting me there on the table. Have to be more practical. ] Tile shops do carry a metal edging that can be used to finish off edges when no bullnose is available, but I haven't seen examples of it in actual use on a range niche. Would love to see a sample photo to reassure me. Also, remember that if you choose to work with a thick tile or a remnant of some kind of rock from countertop on the back of the niche, that will cut down the depth of the niche shelf. If you want the area above range/cooktop to be an artistic focal point, I humbly suggest that you either make a niche OR some kind of tile design but not both. If you choose too fancy a niche back, the items standing within the niche will compete with the tile design for viewer's attention. Mine will be a working kitchen, so we're planning to put oil bottles, vinegar bottles, salt shaker, etc. there and they are supposed to get top billing. Don't forget that you can suspend a second shelf in the niche if there's room. Here is a link that might be useful: Niche topic thread

Some of our too-many horses. For a long time we've had a young chestnut mare and an ancient, long-since-retired pasture-buddy mare. However about a month ago my wife decided to move the young horse to a nearby riding facility so she could train and ride it more regularly. That left the old mare alone and lonely, so she asked around, and we got the above two for pasture board. Then a friend moved back to town, and needed somewhere to keep her one of her horses, and just after that the young chestnut mare got a cold, and the barn owner asked us to move it home so the other horses didn't get sick. It was sort-of working with two horses in the front pasture, two in the new back pasture, and the sick horse isolated in the paddock in between, but then one of the horses above figured out how to get out of the back pasture making things even more of a problem.

Thanks goldblush! Ava, I use the pizza dough recipe that came with my Cuisinart countertop oven. Even better than the pizza, is the fact that my 10" cast iron fits in the oven! Here's the dough recipe. I made it the day before and kept it in the frig to save time. Pizza Dough 2 1/4 tsp yeast (or 1 packet) 1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 cup warm water 3 cups flour 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 tbsp olive oil In a liquid measuring cup dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. (I make the dough by hand, but the instructions are for a food processor). Insert the dough or metal chopping blade into the bowl of a food processor. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Pulse a few times to combine. With the motor running, pour the liquid mixture through the feed tube as fast as the flour absorbs it. Process until the dough cleans the sides of the work bowl and forms a ball. Continue to process for 30 seconds to knead the dough. Dough may be slightly sticky. Lightly coat a bowl with olive oil, add the dough, turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap. let rise for about 1 hour, the dough should double. Place on a lightly floured surface and gently fold over to punch down. Form into 2 crusts.