So just why is it that virtually every RV comes with two matching recliners?  Where and when did this cultural phenomenon—apparently indigenous to this new culture of which we’ve become a part—originate? I hope to have an in-depth investigative report soon, but for the moment we’re busy rebelling.  We’re just not pleather people.  And so the recliners were loaded on the truck and sent off to the resale shop, where I’m sure they’ll bring delight to someone who IS a pleather person. In their place is now our beloved wicker rocker that came along with us on this journey. It’s lighter, it opens up our living room and it lets in much more light  from our biggest window.  More importantly it connects us to a special friend.

Our friend Annette gives Martha Stewart a run for her money when it comes to stylish pragmatism. Some years ago we looked around our house in New Orleans and said, “We need some help classing up this place. Cheaply.”

And so we reached out to Annette and offered to wine, dine and show her the town if she’d come for a visit and lend us a hand. You read that right. Gay guys asking their straight friend for decorating help. Another stereotype busted.

And help she did, guiding us to fabulous paint colors for our walls, fabrics for our chairs, and this lovely (and inexpensive) rocker.   See that little pillow there?  It was made by our fabulously frugal friend out of remnants from the chair fabric.  Across the middle is embroidered: D&D: Waste not, want not. A. Hall.

And now everywhere where we go, that advice comes with us…and a bit of Annette too.