TammyE's Profile

I generally agree with this advice, but as with most good advice, there are exceptions. The windows in my living room are definitely exceptions. When we moved into our house, these windows were already fitted with very nice custom blinds, courtesy of the previous owners. We added the same beautiful semi-sheers we had used in our previous home. It took about a month before I realized everything had to come down.

Here's why:

1. Our house is well above street level, with no houses on the other side of the street. (Our town is built in a terrace-like way up the side of a mountain.) Privacy isn't an issue, as no one can see in.

2. With the coverings removed, we can see nearby treetops, plus the lake down below and the mountains on the far side of the lake. It's a crime to block this view.

3. The windows are all in a bay, with four tall window in total. The room doesn't get direct sunlight, but the bay brings in a lot of natural light that allows us to leave the lights off during the daylight hours. Window coverings blocked too much light.

4. The windows themselves are 100 years old, and quite beautifully detailed. The window coverings masked this.

5. As soon as we removed the coverings, we realized that the bay was ripe with window seat potential. We built a deep seat, which is now my sons' (and our dog's) favourite place to hang out. Blinds and curtains would be fussy and impractical in this much-used space.

I say all this just to point out that it's okay to break the rules if you know why you're breaking them. I've never had an unadorned window before, but in this case it's the right choice.

My husband and I realized that we could either have a big house or a yard, but we can't have both. It's just way too much work to maintain both. Plus the property taxes -- oy! So we have a small house and a nice-sized yard, and we're pretty happy.

I agree with those who've commented on how wonderful and refreshing it is to see a space decorated solely as an expression of the homeowners' creativity. I love it.

Ever since I discovered this recipe for skillet cornbread, I don't make it any other way:

http://verbatim.blogs.com/verbatim/2007/12/skillet-sizzled.html

It alone makes skillet ownership worthwhile.

My go-to summer dressing for green salads: three parts good olive oil, two parts white wine vinegar, one part honey, salt and pepper to taste. EVERYONE who tries this raves about it, and no one can believe it's that simple.

My family of four just downsized from 1,500 square feet to just under 1,000 square feet. My husband and I also work from home, so we need to make every inch of our house work for us. I like the challenge of making our lives work in this space (our house has a fantastic layout, which really helps), and keeping things organized and clutter-free.

Living and working in a relatively small space means we do a mini version of the Cure every month instead of every spring and fall, but it's worth it. Less house to clean, smaller mortgage, lower utility bills, and we're able to afford to live in a great part of town.

I can't speak to the family togetherness angle. We were all pretty much in each others' back pockets at our old, bigger place, too. :)

Actually, most companies that allow teleworking specifically state in their telework policy that the working parent will not be the primary caregiver during work hours. So your suggestion, while all good in theory, wouldn't fly.

That aside, the main reason I'm commenting is to give serious thumbs up to the Laptop Lunchbox pictured above. My kids both use them, and they're amazing. My oldest son has been using the same kit for five years, and it's still holding strong. The photos don't do justice to just how rugged they are.

Ha! We called quiche "eggy pie", too. We also called salmon "pink chicken". I'm still amazed we got away with that one.

My kids would eat any vegetable cut into long strips, roasted (though sometimes raw would work, too), and dubbed "fries". Same deal with anything cut into thin slices (e.g. apples, cucumbers, zucchini) and dubbed "chips".

Buying a leather sofa when I was pregnant with my first child was the smartest parenting decision I've ever made. Withstands markers, not to mention juice, drool, pee, poop, mucus, and barf. I wonder if the folks at Natuzzi would like me to write up a customer testimonial for them. :)

This is a wonderful idea! And you made me realize that, in my house, we use the rail at the top of our dining room wainscoting in much the same way. I used to consider it clutter when all of our funny little cards and random tchotchkes gravitated there, but now I realize that it's a big reason why I love our dining room so much. :)