It's always nice to get a little something new. Last Christmas my daughter Joy gave me a sort-of purple metal star. At first I didn't know what I would do with it. This spring I found a nail already in the siding out back, so I hung it there and have appreciated it ever since. It fills in an empty spot so nicely, and adds some character to the bare siding. The color also contrasts really well with the yellow of our house. So, this summer I decided I needed one more star for our garden shed out back. It has a window on one side, but the front is definitely bland. This past week-end I tried out a new store I have been meaning to get to for a while now. It's called Real Deals and is a chain of stores across the U.S. I found myself a new star there, and brought it home, where the insurance man promptly hung it up on our shed.

Ah....much better!