Howdy folks,

First off, I'd like to say how much I enjoy reading everyone's posts. Thank
you one and all.

I've found a nifty way to display shells.  I got a coffee table from IKEA.
It's basically a giant shadowbox.  The top of the table is glass.  Underneath
is a drawer. It was about $200.  I put a blue towel on the bottom of the
drawer, and laid out some shells, coral, fossils and other beachcombing
finds.  It looks really snappy.  I realize this won't do for the really
hard-core among you.  It does expose the shells to light, causing possible
fading.  But for those of us who aren't content to keep our shells in the
dark (taking them out only occasionally to rub our hands together and cackle
and gloat) the table collection makes a nice conversation piece.

Truthfully, I find it sometimes stops conversation.  Sometimes I look down
into the display of shells and memories and my mind wanders, I'm not in New
Haven anymore.  I'm walking along a sugar-white Bahama beach or diving on a
coral reef...  And whoever is trying to talk to me is saying "Ellen?  Ellen?
Ellen!"