susanburns's Profile

How perfectly apt that Mary Roach, who writes hilariously and in a very approachable way about topics that are just so universally interesting, would live in a home that reflects all those characteristics! The humor, honesty, comfort, friendliness, and also clearly smart & creative elements in her home fit the personality that comes through in her books. Love her, love her home.

My favorite is how the word "beautiful" is literally only ever used in a CL furniture posting to describe items from the 1970's or so that used to be called "Early American" style.

JYW, you have asked the best question. Why do it? What is the real point? If things are working okay, why mess with it?

I heard that same NPR piece and then read up a little on some forums, and started to get mad that I'm spending money on something that is, essentially, unnecessary. We really don't have to do anything to our hair at all, just get some smells out after a a garlicky dinner or a campfire! So I chose to go no-poo back in March and have stuck with it all this time. I did BS and ACV, and I kept the BS solution in an old shampoo bottle, pre-mixed, and the same with the ACV solution -- kept it in my conditioner bottle.

At one point, when I was really flush with cash, I went out on a limb and bought the incredibly pricey, aforementioned Deva No-Poo and matching conditioner, and it really is great. Unfortunately, it may serve as a gateway because I think when these bottles are done I may just get some organic shampoo/conditioner (I've heard that J/A/S/O/N is good and no SLS). So really, I've come full-circle and have decided that I will return to shampooing at some point. Not because I have to, but because I like doing it. And the smell. Love the smell!

I agree that I'd ditch the retro dinette set, then view your checkerboard flooring as "vintage" (as opposed to 50's diner). The columns currently look out-of-place next to the decidedly un-rustic look of everything else. Maybe you could white-wash the walls, and paint the kitchen something warm and perhaps add in a couple of other more rustic touches to help those columns not look so lonely. I'm thinking wooden shutters at the windows and/or some not-too-prim wainscotting. Then you could even go a step further and distress the pure-white cabinets -- just sand a little around the edges.