AustinSarah2's Profile

It was reported that they were a real problem in NYC just a few years ago, and that everybody, rich and poor, had them. I know that my daughter had them in her apartment. She was very casual about it ... I had lived in NYC for 22 years without a bed bug problem, but plenty of roach and rat problems.

My sister went to hostel in Chicago a year ago. She was there for medical treatment but stayed inthe hostel to save money. It turned out the hostel had them. Freak out! She was out of there in seconds flat.

My father is recovering from a stroke. Although he is 88, he is refusing to give up and accept his limitations. Like a lot of people, he lost about half his assets last year, which was another blow. I was trying to explain the Keep Calm and Carry On poster to him over the telphone the last time we talked. Since he's pretty deaf, I'm not sure he understood everything I said. I'm going to send him one. I doubt that he looks at design blogs, so he won't know how "overdone" it is.

I think the poster and the story behind it will be a positive message. He is a World War II era vet, and is well aware of what the British went through. He is also of that generation who accepted a lot of limitations stoically, and the message will appeal to him.

Just a story from one who occasionally gets fed up herself with the ubiquitous KCCO poster. But a poster can mean different things to different people. He is a long-time movable type lead press printer -- kind of a pioneer in reforging interest in the medium. He can't print any more, but appreciates good graphic design.

I think all three are beautiful. I prefer to bathe in privacy, so I am not concerned about the unflattering aspects of pressing flesh to glass. OK -- that's it. They're beautiful and they're DEEP.

I just discovered Kaldewei. Now there's Regia. I need a good Japanese source, so I can consider one of their famous soaking tubs.

I'm getting to grasp the wabi-sabi concept. It's new to me. Some of the kitchens are great. The one with the super rusted sink just doesn't do it for me. Given what I know about cleanliness and bacteria, no, that sink doesn't go in the kitchen, under any philosophy. There are some beautiful images here, though.

It's all about the bath. The bigger the better. What moron at American Standard came up with these shallow square baths that became standard in post World War II suburbia? Go backwards, dear friends, and experience a deep, wondeful soak. Or go forward, and get into a big Kaldewei tub or a Japanese soaking tub. Life is for the living, and living is at its finest when your whole body is soaking in clean hot water.

Don't go down this road, folks; you'll regret it. Black for kitchens came in as a heavy trend a couple of years ago, and many of the top-end condos in Austin are done with black kitchens. The 360 tower, the new condos at Mueller Airport are just two complexes where the kitchens are black. They are so hot now, but in five years, these kitchens are going to look so passe. They will be indelibly linked to the time they were built.

If your cabinets are dark wood, you're not going to be able to stay with the natural wood and have them look anything but dated. If you want a fresher look, you'll have to go with paint, or rip out the cabinets and replace them. That's a shame, given the expense and the use of resources.

There are so many ways to go; don't go with something that backs you into a corner.

Yes, I noticed these available at Christmas time. In a northern setting at Christmas I think they'd be great. But isn't it a little late in the year to be getting enthusiastic about snowballs in decor? Of course, where I live, any snow-themed decoration looks weird.

$35.00.

I had a locking medicine cabinet and promptly lost the key. Have you ever felt like an idiot calling a locksmith to unlock your medicine cabinet?

Now that I am a little better organized, I'd like to get one again. I think a locked medicine cabinet is very nice to have to keep snoops at bay. Who doesn't take at least one medication they would prefer not to discuss, or wonder if their guests/repairmen know they take?

I'm of the wipe-down a day persuasion when it comes to the bathroom. Plus, as soon as I see a long hair on the floor, it's time for a quick mopping. As for storing toilet brushes, my solution is to buy the cheapest one I can find (usually 98 cents), use it once, and toss it. Why are we keeping the most germicious implement around like it is an irreplaceable artifact?

Beautiful color, beautiful mirror! And I love the two hens, although I'm usually not into animal knick-knacks. These were special exceptions!