Thanks, M! Maybe a photo tomorrow... :chuckle:

Jeez Mireyna, I had no idea your injuries were that extensive.
I certainly hope you can sort things out and get back to living a pain free life again. You're such a nice person :thumbsup:

In today's times, formal dining rooms are such a waste of space when there's also an informal eating area. They are, though, pretty to look at. At our old house we had an old English-style secretary where we kept the laptop, and that sat in the formal dining room, so that's the only way the room got any use!

Did you do any remodeling to change the kitchen area to a breakfast nook? (I love the idea of a little cozy booth...)

The current thinking in residential design, well, in the majority of cases anyway, would be to somehow integrate the cooking area, known as the kitchen :thumbsup: with the dining area to improve flow. This is probably due to the revolution in residential design started by Frank Lloyd Wright and also the International Style (read van der Rohe, Corbusier, Gropius etc) to open up living spaces. The use of formal and informal segregations into rooms and partitions were seen as class divides of sorts, and the Modern (read non-classical and non-traditional) way of living did not condone such divisions.

Wait'll the grandmother thing happens. That's when the REAL
freaking out starts. :rofl:

No, space is limited for remodeling, and even opening the kitchen to the dining area was nixed, because the adjoining wall is a load bearing one. But, we have a pretty bay window which overlooks the backyard/pool, so we put a small, round breakfast table there (for the kiddos, mainly). Next to that will go some kind of chair and side table.

Yes, formal dining areas are just silly, and a wasted use of space. Especially in older homes, they are always right next to the kitchen and casual eating area. Who needs two eating areas within 20 feet of each other?? :chuckle:

In our home, the "family room" is a L-shaped area of space that is both the living room and dining room.

Thanks Steve, I appreciate the advise!:thumbsup:
Thanks Paulie, you're nice too!!:clap:

About dining rooms.... you're all correct, it is a waste of space, but when you need it, at least it's there. My mother-in-law wants to buy another house, because she currently doesn't have a formal dining area, so she want a house that does! So some people really find it a completion of an interior, I guess?
The mistake I made (and I knew it before I bought it :dummy:) is that I got a glass table top! I love the look of it, hate the cleaning of it. That's probably the main reason why we don't use it very often! Once it's full of fingerprints, it's a real pain to polish up the glass!

Glass tabletops are best suited for neat freaks who plan to never have children!:rofl:

I agree with your MIL, Mireyna. I think a formal dining area is asthetically pleasing, especially in an old home like ours. We pass through it since it's between the kitchen and living area, so at least there's a pretty view while we're wearing a path across the rug. We can view it as an extra-wide hallway with a table and chairs stuck in the middle.

Hi, Nancy. Glad you officially joined the ranks of this wacky group. :thumbsup: I have a while to wait before becoming a grandmother - my oldest will be 8 this month, so I may be pushing 70 when that happens and maybe by then will be ready for it!:chuckle:

Tell me about your grandchildren!:clap:

I do have to agree that a formal dining area is nice to look at. I guess I'm thinking of a smaller home, where you need to make every square inch count - like my place! In a larger house, a formal dining room with a nicely decorated table, sideboard, hutch, etc is very elegant! :thumbsup:

These days I've been feeling a bit crabby (and not very thankful) regarding my house - I'm feeling a bit cramped. I should know better, and appreciate what I do have! :dummy: <--me! PMS doesn't help! :crying:

Hi Nancy - welcome to the coffeehouse! :thumbsup:

Thanks for the nice welcome! There are 4 grandchildren, plus an extra one that I've acquired by default as my one son and his wife are raising a niece who has automatically begun calling me "Grandma"! All are girls.......their ages are 2, 2, 3-1/2, 11 and 13. The 11 and 13 year olds live in Winnipeg, so I don't get to see them as much as I'd like.....but thank goodness for the Internet where pictures and e-mails can travel back and forth at the speed of growth! I absolutely LOVE being a Grandma!!

Glass tabletops
 

........or pets, or company! Our coffee table and end tables are glass topped.....which I insisted on buying and regret doing so. I can dust, and before I leave the room, there's another layer of dust racing to take the empty spaces! To make it worse, when the sun comes in the bay window, not only can you see the eternal dust layer, but the next layer that's lazily floating its way down through the sun beams. It's not in the budget right now, but as soon as it is, those things are gone!

Gee, Carolina. I thought I was the only one around here who got crabby!

I feel your pain regarding cramped quarters - before we moved, we had 1 bathroom and 1500 feet of living space for the five of us. My husband had a shower/toilet/sink in his junk room, and he used that, but all the rest of us shared the other bath. Every closet and drawer was overflowing!

Are the two 2 year olds twins?

No......one is my son's daughter and the other is the niece of the son who is raising her along with his 3-1/2 year old daughter. Lotsa temper tantrums in THAT household! The kids argue too. :rofl::rofl::rofl:

gosh .....

i really hope you get better son pal..........

i do not have much advise to give as i don not have much info to give but i sincerely hope you will get better very soon and have a great life ........

Hey Nancy, welcome in joining us gals for coffee ! :cheers:

Welcome to TRF, Nancy. Don't tell my wife about the freaking out thing. She is about to become a first time grandmother within the next 12 hours. Our son and daughter-in-law are about to present us with a granddaughter tonight or tomorrow. Right now we and her parents are sitting in our kids' apartment waiting for them to call us to get over to the hospital. The mothers are on pins and needles - the fathers are watching basketball games.

The difference between men and women exemplified. :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Hi girls,

OK, this is really gross. My poor husband is snoring up a storm, and I think he ate something tonight that doesn't agree with him (MIL cooked dinner). How do I know this? I may need to sleep on the couch tonight - lots of global warming going on here... :chuckle:

Oh, no! Carolina that's bad. You know, I can't think of anything funny to say to that because I just read Exploding Taco's new thread and my stomach is still doing flip-flops. Poor guy...

Yeah, me too! :thumbsdow

How exciting! Keep us posted, Grampa!

Men are weird! :dummy: :justkiddi
Please keep us posted!!!!! :clap:

:joy::joy::joy::joy:

That's great to know, Ed. Congratulations to you and Arlene on soon to become grand-parents (which you may have already by the time you read this message!!) :chuckle:

Congrats to your son and his wife too. Nice to know they are having a girl. You know how much I love girls!! :thumbsup::chuckle::chuckle:

:cheers: Congrats!

p.s. - my son was born during a particular hockey game, and that made the moment even prouder for my husband! :thinking: :rofl:

That's a hoot, Carolina! Good morning - can I get you a cuppa? Sugar or cream? Oh - and did you have to spend the night in the fresh air zone?

My 4 year old woke me up at 3am, tapping on my shoulder - climbed in with baby V and husband. Glad we got a king size bed a couple years back. Hope her pull-up doesn't leak.:chuckle:

morning girls ... how are things going ?

Good morning - LOTS of cream and sugar, please!!

I stayed up too late on TRF last night, which allowed me to sleep soundly through the methane situation last night. Our kiddos love to snuggle with us so much that I think a king size bed might be in order for us one of these days. Plus, it gives one a bit more room in the event of snoring or other such things! :chuckle:

Good morning, Elaine - what time is it there?