Zsuzsi's Profile

Pretty! Music for my eyes!

be gifted fresh eggs?
I thought I was cheerfully resigned to language evolving, but this sounds silly to me. I don't gift people, gift eggs OR gift gifts.

Nice pictures, nice apartment!
And I am...stunned by the number of readers who "feel sorry for" kids who live in small apartments.
Need I remind you of the name of this site?
We live in 57 square meters with our 2 sons (don't know what that is in square feet, but certainly not a lot. The living room is also our dining room, my office and our guest room). Sure, it's a tight squeeze. Sure, our boys would LIKE to have their own bedrooms. But maybe some of their friends who have more space would like to have some of the things our boys have : a dad who takes them on bus-metro-tram-train excursions around town, at the drop of a hat, rain or shine. A bakery down the street with cakes & pies to die for. Music lessons. A swing set in the (shared) back yard. Nice neighbors. Funny, I don't feel sorry for my boys.
And even if I did, I don't see myself getting rid of my kids or inheriting a larger home any time soon. You have what you have. Sheesh.

What's with the Google ad?

I think we all agree that working full-time can be stressful, and that staying home full-time with young children can be just as stressful. What surprised me (and apparently other readers) in this post is that it seemed to assume that all readers are doing the latter. It took me a sec to figure out what kind of Monday we were out to save.
This said, good ideas. I am not a stay-at-home mom, but have school vacations off and a husband who doesn't. I think we'll try to save Tuesday with the picnic idea. Thanks.

Hee hee. But Apartment Therapy has once again been tempted to be Chateau Therapy. Most houses (let alone apartments) don't have a second staircase for getting back up that slide again.

I agree with Britomart.

I painted a half a wall, last summer. The bottom. It's a weird shade of grade in a room that's mostly red and yellow (thanks to previous homeowners, without which it would be white). I had never done such a thing. For weeks, until I got used to it, I was ridiculously pleased with myself and life every time I wandered into the living room. Not because it was necessarily the right color or an excellent paint job. But because it was a CHANGE.

My husband's niece and nephew ask for gift cards,and their parents have repeated that this is best, because it prevents unwanted gifts from piling up in the corner.
But I think a 12 year-old boy can be slightly guided, that it's ok for us to send things that reflect our contribution to his upbringing even slightly (I insist on slightly. Obviously I would like to take into consideration his likes & dislikes, his age, what kids are into these days) instead of just telling him to go buy whatever he would have bought anyhow, as we were perfectly superfluous to him, just suppliersof gift cards at certain times of the year. At age 43, I still wear earrings that were a gift from my aunt when I was 13. And I think of her fondly every time I wear them. I didn't choose them. She did, for me, and I loved them also because they came from her. Receiving a gift isn't the same thing as "ordering" exactly what we want.
Hmmm. Now that I think of it, said niece and nephew don't write or call after we send gifts, whether they be gifts we've chosen or gift cards. I think we should stop sending either.
Grrr.

Sure, give all the advice you want to give, but not with the word "Always" tacked on. I live in France. I love champagne. But I like it because it's special, not ALWAYS served. Is this apartment therapy or chateau therapy? I am so embarrassed for you, for your narrow vision of gracefully receiving your friends. Why do I keep reading this site?