Ros's Profile

I wouldn't bother holding on to "things" - shirts, books, dvds, etc go back to their original owners or are donated, as applicable. That said, I'll fully admit to having a small box full of old pictures, letters (a serious long-distance relationship), and whatnot. It stays. Because the people I dated are worth remembering, because the good times we shared were really good, and because my past means something to me that has nothing to do with my current relationship.

Frankly, if my husband had demanded that I throw out the contents of that box, it would have been a big huge sign that we weren't particularly well-suited - like, dude, why are you being threatened and possessive over something I did before we were together?

RAD, with caveats.

Check for bedbugs, smells, stains, structural integrity, worn spots... With the size and tufting, recovering or slipcovering this could would be a very expensive option. Also, depending on what the legs look like under that skirt, maybe altering that might be an issue...

Also, it depends very strongly on the decor of the room it's going in to, and the size of that room... but it looks interesting, huge, and comfy. And cheap. What's not to love, really...

Depending on how much of a green thumb they have, a pergola over the top balcony could be pretty.

If that's not an option, what my landlord did with our current apartment would likely work, visually: he closed in the balcony with huge windows as a veranda. The windows open, the breeze is lovely, we enjoy the space so much, and it looks less... bare than a balcony on a and floor. That, some paint (the people above had great suggestions re: colour) and doing something about the door on the ground floor (small balcony with windowboxes? Interesting railing?) would be great.

I've used wax paper or parchment paper in a pinch (with a bit of tape...), as well as cloth and paper towels, and mason jars.

Really, I tend to prefer mason jars, but you have to be careful not to overfill them because the liquid expands while freezing and it WILL crack the glass...

What about casseroles? Shepard's pie, meatloaf, twice-baked potatoes... (These are also all things that can be frozen and re-heated by the new parents at a convenient time, which can be nice. Just tape re-heating instructions to the package!)

I've also had gluten-free lasagna noodles that were quite decent, and frozen lasagna made from gluten-free noodles worked really well.

Floor-to-ceiling white curtains, and lots of white linens (if you buy couches, white slipcovers are easiest since they can be washed - I've bought decent ones on Overstock for pretty cheap). And plants. Lots of plants. Maybe with one accent color?

And yeah, I'll third the Scandinavian suggestion... It could look really great! :)

This is fantastic - I was just looking for linen tablecloths! Thanks!

Based on the reading I've done, lead in glazing (or in old crystal glasses) isn't actually there in heavy enough amounts to have any healthcare impacts unless you're storing food in it (for example, storing liquid in lead crystal decanters is no good, because some of it will leach into the liquid).

There's just a level where our environment is toxic, to a certain extent: the tap water smells like bleach all summer, we live in cities surrounded by car exhaust, our food is soaked in pesticides unless we eat "organic" (and then promptly take a few tylenol...), our furniture is made with god-knows-what (don't get me started on pallet wood...). If you want to channel all anxieties into "no lead at all is acceptable on dishes", feel free, but perhaps a more holistic approach to health in general might be more relaxing.

Third for Pepper Ana's list!

In terms of finding places, I highly recommend Padmapper - it cross-references Craigslist, Kijiji, etc, puts everything on a map, and then you can apply filter options. Brilliant!

Also, if your schedule is relatively steady (working weekdays, standard office hours) realize that most neighborhoods have excellent rush hour busses to downtown, and being farther away from the metro is SO much cheaper. For example, I live in Lachine - gorgeous 5 1/2, veranda, parking space, across the street from a park, heat included, great landlord, and dirt cheap, and, while Lachine can be out of the way for a lot of people, it takes my husband 45 minutes door-to-door to get from home to work downtown every day - about equivalent as what it used to take in NDG, where rents are much, much higher.

Yes! You're brilliant! Thanks so much!