I jotted down a quote out of a pulp paper black and white printed catalog for the Vermont Country Store years ago. When we poured a concrete slab 40 ft by 40 feet next to our shop I knew it would be more useful than just shooting baskets in the goal I set up at one end. I used a nail to carefully scratch in the wet concrete, “A useful item is a joy forever” and then put down all of our names and the date. I just could not imagine a more appropriate saying to be permanent in our slab. I could just imagine all of the many uses it would serve and how I would always be proud of the day we laid it down. Last July Eva and I actually visited the Vermont Country Store. It was just as good as the catalog. Every thing you can think of to support a country lifestyle was there. I think they had it right when they used that quote in their catalog. Anything you buy from them has the potential to be useful and a joy forever.