cathyxyz wrote:

> Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
> actually have a dining room table
>
> We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
> Mom used to lay the table properly for every meal. She still does.
> Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...


Nah, I'm single, so I eat like a civilized human being: on the coffee
table watching TV!



Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

SOME MAY CALL YOU OLD FASHONED, BUT I CAN SEE VALUE IN WHAT YOU DO.

"Jude" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Goomba38 wrote:
>
> I agree completely. I think there are some far-reaching social
> implications when your children eat dinner in front of the TV every
> night, whether it's in the kitchen or the living rooms. It would make
> an interesting sociological study. I'm sure it affects kids abilities
> for small talk as well as family bonding, etc.

We almost always eat in front of the TV. All of us as a family though, with
a little conversation as well. Although I find too much conversation, and my
daughter won't finish her meal because it's cold.

We only have a very small house, with a small kitchen witha little dining
area next to it with a small table in it. The table seems to get things on
it all the time. In winter the lounge room's the one with the heater. So
it's often just more practical to eat at the lounge room, and often it's
just in time to see bits of the news, and maybe discuss it.

Jen

"-L." > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> The only time we eat at the formal dining table is when we have guests.
> I would like that to change but I am outnumbered and resistance is
> futile.

And I see you're a Star Trek fan.

Jen

"cathyxyz" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
> actually have a dining room table
>
> We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
> Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
> Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...
>
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)
>

Well, how can I put this? We eat at the dining room table every day that we
eat at home.
There's no food allowed in the bedrooms or living room (except maybe an
apple or something like that), and no kitchen table...plus we like gathering
at the table and talking with each other, gives us a chance to catch up in
this hectic house. I remember when I was a kid, it was a big deal to get to
eat in the living room, you know with the tv trays? And sometimes my dad
still eats in the living room. Not here though

kimberly

cathyxyz wrote:
>
> Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
> actually have a dining room table
>
> We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
> Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
> Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...
>
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)

Yes we eat all of our meals at home in the dining room at the dining
room table. Trying to eat off the coffee table in the living room is a
distinct pain.

cathyxyz wrote:
> Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
> actually have a dining room table
>
> We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
> Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
> Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...
>
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)
>

We usually eat at what serves as our dining table. Sometimes my husband
or I will eat at the computer, and sometimes Ellie asks to eat at her
little table where she eats lunch instead of at the big table.
Occasionally we eat in front of the TV, but thats usually only if we're
watching a movie or something.
--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

email:
anisaerah at s b c global.net

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams

>> I have a room with a fireplace adjacent to my kitchen. We
>> never use a fireplace.

My kitchen/family room is a long room with kitchen at one end, family
room at the other, and a space about 8' x 12' in the center where we
have our tiny kitchen table. It only seats two people. This eating
area has the wood stove in it. Very nice and warm. We eat there
whenever we don't have company.

When we have anyone over to eat, it's the formal dining room, which is
a really lovely old room in our old house.

Jo Anne

We use the
> dining room more now than ever, because the table is bigger and we can
> seat more people there. When it's just hubby and me eating in the
> dining room, we're usually on automatic for seating and then laugh
> about how we're dining like royality (at opposite ends of the table).
> Helllloooo down there!
> > Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

We don't have that problem any more with our dining room table and other
spaces. In 1991 when we sold our house in Washington (state of) we bought a
mobile type trailer and a truck, put all our worldly goods in storage and
decided just to see the U.S and find another place to live. We were in it
abt. 18 months. Our trailer was only 21' and we were stuck so tight in it
eating, sleeping, etc. that I don't think we've ever recovered. We are
si-a-meez. But that is the reason when we eat at a big table we eat at one
corner. The rest of the table is for (food) 'stuff.'

Here's a picture of our mansion. http://tinyurl.com/j3w64

It was getting pretty cold by the time we got into our house, and our
furniture was NOT arriving. We inherited the previous owner's dog until he
got settled in his house, but Molly would sleep under the trailer while we
slept there at night,not the doghouse -- no cell phones then, but the dog
kept us posted. No help though, really, she barked all night chasing
critters out of the property.
Dee Dee

In article >,
Nathalie Chiva > wrote:

> But then I have no TV, and I was raised on good food properly served
> and a tradition of conversation at dinner, I just can't imagine it
> any other way. It doesn't have anything to do with formality, it's
> family or couple life. Call me old-fashioned.
> Nathalie in Switzerland

Call you grounded and wise. This is an interesting story from a few
weeks back in the Minneapolis newspaper:
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/230069.html
I knew a young woman who grew up in a family where everyone's attendance
was required for Sunday dinner. Required. No sports, dates, or jobs
were allowed to interfere with that family time. Required. I think
that mom was pretty wise, too.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 2-19-2006, Yummy! and church review. :-)

On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 23:41:24 -0600, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article >,
> Nathalie Chiva > wrote:
>
>> But then I have no TV, and I was raised on good food properly served
>> and a tradition of conversation at dinner, I just can't imagine it
>> any other way. It doesn't have anything to do with formality, it's
>> family or couple life. Call me old-fashioned.
>> Nathalie in Switzerland
>
>Call you grounded and wise. This is an interesting story from a few
>weeks back in the Minneapolis newspaper:
>http://www.startribune.com/462/story/230069.html
>I knew a young woman who grew up in a family where everyone's attendance
>was required for Sunday dinner. Required. No sports, dates, or jobs
>were allowed to interfere with that family time. Required. I think
>that mom was pretty wise, too.

Thanks for the link. It boggles my mind that there is a need to have a
program like that, but if it works, great!
Even if I'm alone I sit down at the kitchen table. I take a book
though.

Nathalie in Switzerland

On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 17:08:52 -0700, Arri London >
wrote:


>Yes we eat all of our meals at home in the dining room at the dining
>room table. Trying to eat off the coffee table in the living room is a
>distinct pain.

I was wondering why nobody had mentioned that. The few times I have
eaten sitting down in a sofa at a low coffee table (not at home, at
other people's place), I have found it sooooo uncomfortable. Plus, bad
for the digestion to be bent in two like that.

Nathalie in Switzerland

Dee Randall wrote:
> A dining room may often look formal, but it doesn't have to be, except in
> one's head. If one thinks of a dining room with the standard set up and
> everything laid out perfect, then it will be formal usually in your mind,
> too.

Our dining room is weird in that it holds only the dining table and
chairs. Here's pics (photos 6 and 7):

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/usenetlyn/my_photos

There isn't a lot of room to do anything but sit at the table. I do
use the table to do other things, like wrap packages, though.

-L.

On Mon 27 Feb 2006 02:03:43a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Nathalie
Chiva?

> On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 23:41:24 -0600, Melba's Jammin'
> > wrote:
>
>>In article >,
>> Nathalie Chiva > wrote:
>>
>>> But then I have no TV, and I was raised on good food properly served
>>> and a tradition of conversation at dinner, I just can't imagine it
>>> any other way. It doesn't have anything to do with formality, it's
>>> family or couple life. Call me old-fashioned.
>>> Nathalie in Switzerland
>>
>>Call you grounded and wise. This is an interesting story from a few
>>weeks back in the Minneapolis newspaper:
>>http://www.startribune.com/462/story/230069.html I knew a young woman who
>>grew up in a family where everyone's attendance was required for Sunday
>>dinner. Required. No sports, dates, or jobs were allowed to interfere
>>with that family time. Required. I think that mom was pretty wise,
>>too.
>
> Thanks for the link. It boggles my mind that there is a need to have a
> program like that, but if it works, great!
> Even if I'm alone I sit down at the kitchen table. I take a book
> though.

To some extent I can see the need. With both parents working (often
different schedules), children's extra-curricular activities that
sometimes start well before the normal school day or end well after it, a
common meal time for all to sit down together could, indeed, be a
challenge.

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

Nancy Young wrote:
>
> "cathyxyz" > wrote
>
> > Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
> > actually have a dining room table
> >
> > We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
> > Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
> > Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...
>
> When I was a kid, you only ate at the dining room table
> on holidays. Otherwise no food, in any form or fashion,
> left the kitchen, and we all ate at the kitchen table. Now,
> I have a little wood tray table I use, once in a while we eat
> in the kitchen at the table like big people. When you don't have
> children, the rules can go out the window. I'd be strict about
> eating at the table if I did have them.
>
> nancy

Yup, when our kids were home, we always ate at the kitchen table,
properly set. Now there is just dh and I and we eat in front of the
tv. We don't have a dining room......Sharon

Up until a few years ago, we lived in a tiny studio apartment in NYC
with a tiny eat-in kitchen. Seeking more space we bought a house out on
Long Island. I insisted the house had more than 1 bath room, and had a
dining room.
We've been here now over 6 years, and every single day we eat at the
dining room table.
I often think of our tiny place we had on E. 82nd Street, and now
totally enjoy being able to dine in a real dining room.
Apartment living stinks!

Bill

"biig" > wrote in message ...
>
>
> Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>> "cathyxyz" > wrote
>>
>> > Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
>> > actually have a dining room table
>> >
>> > We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
>> > Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
>> > Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...
>>
>> When I was a kid, you only ate at the dining room table
>> on holidays. Otherwise no food, in any form or fashion,
>> left the kitchen, and we all ate at the kitchen table. Now,
>> I have a little wood tray table I use, once in a while we eat
>> in the kitchen at the table like big people. When you don't have
>> children, the rules can go out the window. I'd be strict about
>> eating at the table if I did have them.
>>
>> nancy
>
> Yup, when our kids were home, we always ate at the kitchen table,
> properly set. Now there is just dh and I and we eat in front of the
> tv. We don't have a dining room......Sharon

Our dining room has been converted to a music room. It's full of instruments
and stands and the table is covered with scores. When we want to use it
there is a major project to get it cleaned out. But that's only for formal
dinners a few times a year. 99% of the time we eat in the sunroom.


--
Peter Aitken

-L. wrote:
> Dee Randall wrote:
>> A dining room may often look formal, but it doesn't have to be,
>> except in one's head. If one thinks of a dining room with the
>> standard set up and everything laid out perfect, then it will be
>> formal usually in your mind, too.
>
> Our dining room is weird in that it holds only the dining table and
> chairs. Here's pics (photos 6 and 7):
>
> http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/usenetlyn/my_photos
>
> There isn't a lot of room to do anything but sit at the table. I do
> use the table to do other things, like wrap packages, though.
>
> -L.

Great room! You could actually fit some interesting pieces of furniture in
there without blocking the seating. Off the top of my head I can picture a
lovely antique corner display cabinet to hold wine glasses and the like.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
>
> Great room! You could actually fit some interesting pieces of furniture in
> there without blocking the seating. Off the top of my head I can picture a
> lovely antique corner display cabinet to hold wine glasses and the like.
>
> Jill

Thanks. There is a tiny bit of wiggle room in the corners and I have
thought about doing something similar...would like it to match the
table which is dark cherry (DH's pick) and haven't quite found the
right piece(s) yet.

-L.

In article .com>,
"cathyxyz" > wrote:

> Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
> actually have a dining room table
>
> We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
> Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
> Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...

Yes, we eat pretty much all our meals at the dining room table. The
only exception being Rich and lunch, since he's at work. I try to eat
at the same time as the kids, and we definitely have them eat at the
table. If we have a ton of people over, then we set up a second (and
sometimes third) table, and adults can eat in the living room for no kid
parties.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
sf > wrote:

> If the weather at my house was conducive to outdoor dining and I had a
> deck off my kitchen - I'd be eating outside until it was so cold, I
> couldn't. A table is a table, setting it nicely and having whole
> family meals around it makes for good childhood memories. My kids are
> grown now and they will testify to that.

We try to eat outdoors often, which can be difficult in our region.
Once spring weather arrives, we do picnic lunches or more dressed up at
the table outside, and in the summer we often eat dinner outside as
well. We host an Easter feast for our church each year, and we set up
four long tables outside for everyone to sit, if the weather is good
enough, and serve from the dining room table and bar inside.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
Nathalie Chiva > wrote:

> But then I have no TV, and I was raised on good food properly served
> and a tradition of conversation at dinner, I just can't imagine it
> any other way. It doesn't have anything to do with formality, it's
> family or couple life. Call me old-fashioned.

I think we are more like you. No television in this house except for
movies, we have zero reception and didn't want to waste money piping in
garbage talk and behavior that we wouldn't allow if those people were
actually in our living room, and we don't watch movies while eating a
meal. We might pop popcorn or have some other snack while watching a
movie as a treat, but just as often we read together or play games.
After the meal.

We eat at the dining table, we say grace, the table is set, the kids
are taught table manners, we talk about the day, though the kids
sometimes have to be directed more toward eating than talking, and we
usually have flowers of some sort, and some times candles.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

-L. wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> Great room! You could actually fit some interesting pieces of
>> furniture in there without blocking the seating. Off the top of my
>> head I can picture a lovely antique corner display cabinet to hold
>> wine glasses and the like.
>>
>> Jill
>
> Thanks. There is a tiny bit of wiggle room in the corners and I have
> thought about doing something similar...would like it to match the
> table which is dark cherry (DH's pick) and haven't quite found the
> right piece(s) yet.
>
> -L.

Funny, I'm always running across stuff like this. My coffee table and end
tables are from my grandmother; they are leather topped tables. My 4-drawer
chest in my bedroom are dark cherry (I donated the bed and remaining dresser
and night stand to my brother for his 2nd bedroom). But you can also find
complimentary woods. Go to your local hardware store and get samples, same
as you would do for paint. There are lighter woods (in this case slightly
lighter) which will set off the dining table.

And I hesitate to say this, but then, you know I'm not one to hold back LOL
You need a much larger painting or print on the wall behind the table to
bring everything together in the room. I only think this, of course,
because my LLL is a painter and I'm used to seeing some of his large pieces
displayed in both large and small spaces. Something 6ft length by 4ft high
or 5x3, unframed, would really set off the back wall. Muted shades, unless
you really want this wall to POP! But I'm not promoting his work, just
saying, I think the wall deserves more. Seek out what you like, but the
wall looks rather bare, IMHO.

Here's a link to some of his work last year:

http://community.webshots.com/album/332698141UtcsuJ

Jill

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> -L. wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>
>>> Great room! You could actually fit some interesting pieces of
>>> furniture in there without blocking the seating. Off the top of my
>>> head I can picture a lovely antique corner display cabinet to hold
>>> wine glasses and the like.
>>>
>>> Jill
>>
>> Thanks. There is a tiny bit of wiggle room in the corners and I have
>> thought about doing something similar...would like it to match the
>> table which is dark cherry (DH's pick) and haven't quite found the
>> right piece(s) yet.
>>
>> -L.
>
> Funny, I'm always running across stuff like this. My coffee table and end
> tables are from my grandmother; they are leather topped tables. My
> 4-drawer
> chest in my bedroom are dark cherry (I donated the bed and remaining
> dresser
> and night stand to my brother for his 2nd bedroom). But you can also find
> complimentary woods. Go to your local hardware store and get samples,
> same
> as you would do for paint. There are lighter woods (in this case slightly
> lighter) which will set off the dining table.
>
> And I hesitate to say this, but then, you know I'm not one to hold back
> LOL
> You need a much larger painting or print on the wall behind the table to
> bring everything together in the room. I only think this, of course,
> because my LLL is a painter and I'm used to seeing some of his large
> pieces
> displayed in both large and small spaces. Something 6ft length by 4ft
> high
> or 5x3, unframed, would really set off the back wall. Muted shades,
> unless
> you really want this wall to POP! But I'm not promoting his work, just
> saying, I think the wall deserves more. Seek out what you like, but the
> wall looks rather bare, IMHO.
>
> Here's a link to some of his work last year:
>
> http://community.webshots.com/album/332698141UtcsuJ
>
> Jill
>
> Jill
>
>

Not only would larger art work bring drama to the room, it needs to be hung
a whole lot lower so it relates to the furniture.

Actually she should go thru the whole house and lower all the art work at
least a foot if not two.

Ms P

ms_peacock wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>> -L. wrote:
>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>
>> also find complimentary woods. Go to your local hardware store and
>> get samples, same
>> as you would do for paint. There are lighter woods (in this case
>> slightly lighter) which will set off the dining table.
>>
>> And I hesitate to say this, but then, you know I'm not one to hold
>> back LOL
>> You need a much larger painting or print on the wall behind the
>> table to bring everything together in the room. I only think this,
>> of course, because my LLL is a painter and I'm used to seeing some
>> of his large pieces
>> displayed in both large and small spaces. Something 6ft length by
>> 4ft high
>> or 5x3, unframed, would really set off the back wall. Muted shades,
>> unless
>> you really want this wall to POP! But I'm not promoting his work,
>> just saying, I think the wall deserves more. Seek out what you
>> like, but the wall looks rather bare, IMHO.
>>
>> Jill
>
> Not only would larger art work bring drama to the room, it needs to
> be hung a whole lot lower so it relates to the furniture.
>
I wasn't going to say so, but that was my first thought. I'm 5'3" and if I
wanted to looked at the pieces in the dining room I'd feel like I needed to
stand on a chair, which of course would be inappropriate

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> >
> I wasn't going to say so, but that was my first thought. I'm 5'3" and if I
> wanted to looked at the pieces in the dining room I'd feel like I needed to
> stand on a chair, which of course would be inappropriate
>
> Jill

You don't. I am 5'4" and they are fine. Trust me on this one.
That photo was taken from the sunken living room. In the photo from
further away, I was sitting on the couch (#6). Also, what you don't
see in that room are the two levels of terraced ceiling - the cord on
the chandelier is about 5 or 6 feet long. So the prints "work"
placed where they are. It's a "vertical" room.

FFS - I guess I won't be posting any more photos to make a point about
there not being a lot of room for anything else but dining in the
dining room, LOL! Anything else you guys want to pick apart?

-L.

-L. wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>>
>> I wasn't going to say so, but that was my first thought. I'm 5'3"
>> and if I wanted to looked at the pieces in the dining room I'd feel
>> like I needed to stand on a chair, which of course would be
>> inappropriate
>>
>> Jill
>
> You don't. I am 5'4" and they are fine. Trust me on this one.
> That photo was taken from the sunken living room. In the photo from
> further away, I was sitting on the couch (#6). Also, what you don't
> see in that room are the two levels of terraced ceiling - the cord on
> the chandelier is about 5 or 6 feet long. So the prints "work"
> placed where they are. It's a "vertical" room.
>
> FFS - I guess I won't be posting any more photos to make a point about
> there not being a lot of room for anything else but dining in the
> dining room, LOL! Anything else you guys want to pick apart?
>
> -L.

Oh pooh! We weren't picking it apart! We were coveting Just dreaming
about what we'd do with that room!

Jill

-L. wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> Funny, I'm always running across stuff like this. My coffee table
>> and end tables are from my grandmother; they are leather topped
>> tables. My 4-drawer chest in my bedroom are dark cherry (I donated
>> the bed and remaining dresser and night stand to my brother for his
>> 2nd bedroom). But you can also find complimentary woods. Go to
>> your local hardware store and get samples, same as you would do for
>> paint. There are lighter woods (in this case slightly lighter)
>> which will set off the dining table.
>>
>> And I hesitate to say this, but then, you know I'm not one to hold
>> back LOL You need a much larger painting or print on the wall behind
>> the table to bring everything together in the room.
>
> The room is smaller than it looks in the pics, but the ceilings are
> extremely high. The prints I have in there serendipidiously matched
> the ceiling paint which is a very odd shade of green - I had
> purchased
> them 10 years ago or so and they are original art from a lady I have
> met. I collect her work. They're 5-color lino prints, on handmade
> paper. No way am I ever replacing them.
>
>> I only think this, of course,
>> because my LLL is a painter and I'm used to seeing some of his large
>> pieces displayed in both large and small spaces. Something 6ft
>> length by 4ft high or 5x3, unframed, would really set off the back
>> wall. Muted shades, unless you really want this wall to POP! But
>> I'm not promoting his work, just saying, I think the wall deserves
>> more. Seek out what you like, but the wall looks rather bare, IMHO.
>>
>> Here's a link to some of his work last year:
>>
>> http://community.webshots.com/album/332698141UtcsuJ
>
> I have seen his work - very talented! His stuff looks familiar - did
> he ever work the Broadripple Art Fair in Indianapolis? I used ot
> teach
> at the Art League there, and sold my own work at that show (it's an
> excellent show, BTW - or at least used to be).
>
> -L.

I don't remember him ever mentioning Indianapolis but that would be within
the territory of the shows he does up and down the coast.

Anyway I love your house! It's very pretty!

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
>> Not only would larger art work bring drama to the room, it needs to
>> be hung a whole lot lower so it relates to the furniture.
>>
> I wasn't going to say so, but that was my first thought. I'm 5'3" and if
> I
> wanted to looked at the pieces in the dining room I'd feel like I needed
> to
> stand on a chair, which of course would be inappropriate

Have to admit that immediately after admiring the table, my next thought was
"wow, those prints are way too high!"

Gabby

On Mon 27 Feb 2006 04:02:08p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it -L.?

>
> jmcquown wrote:
>> >
>> I wasn't going to say so, but that was my first thought. I'm 5'3" and
>> if I wanted to looked at the pieces in the dining room I'd feel like I
>> needed to stand on a chair, which of course would be inappropriate
>>
>> Jill
>
> You don't. I am 5'4" and they are fine. Trust me on this one.
> That photo was taken from the sunken living room. In the photo from
> further away, I was sitting on the couch (#6). Also, what you don't
> see in that room are the two levels of terraced ceiling - the cord on
> the chandelier is about 5 or 6 feet long. So the prints "work"
> placed where they are. It's a "vertical" room.
>
> FFS - I guess I won't be posting any more photos to make a point about
> there not being a lot of room for anything else but dining in the
> dining room, LOL! Anything else you guys want to pick apart?

Given the chance, I'm sure they will. You know this group. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

"Nancy Young" > writes:

>When I was a kid, you only ate at the dining room table
>on holidays. Otherwise no food, in any form or fashion,
>left the kitchen, and we all ate at the kitchen table. Now,
>I have a little wood tray table I use, once in a while we eat
>in the kitchen at the table like big people.

We had the same difference between the dining room and kitchen when I
was a kid. Our house was old -- 1850s or something -- with a separate
room for the dining room. Most houses nowadays have a large kitchen
area with room for a table or an attached semi-dining-room kind of
thing.
My parent's dining room set was definitely for special occasions. A
huge Victorian monstrosity that was over 100 years old.
I would rather eat at the kitchen table instead of in front of the tv,
but when I'm the only one home, I don't bother sitting at the table. So
I guess it gets used once a day during the week, and if I make dinner on
weekends (which I haven't lately), and that's it.

Stacia

"Dee Randall" > writes:

>Square footage is a horrible thing to waste.

That is so true. Just last night we officially arranged the table
area of the kitchen -- the kitchen itself is kind of blocked off by a
countertop-bar-thingie so I guess I can officially call the adjacent
area a dining room -- and DH was getting irritated with my insistence
that we use every square inch available. I have a baker's rack I love
which doesn't fit really well, but by gum we got that sucker in there!
No matter how much space we have, we can always use more in the kitchen.
And heaven forbid DH try to tell me where to put my appliances...

Stacia

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> To some extent I can see the need. With both parents working (often
> different schedules), children's extra-curricular activities that
> sometimes start well before the normal school day or end well after it, a
> common meal time for all to sit down together could, indeed, be a
> challenge.

<shrug> Depends on what your priorities are. Some people see this as a
way to foster bonding and sharing within the family. That's great - if
that's what they need to do to achieve that goal. Personally, I don't
think meal time is any more "special" than any other time we spend
together. I have more fun playing with and tickling/teasing each other
in the master bedroom while watching a movie after dinner, than I do
sitting together "sharing" at a dinner table. I suspect DH and DS feel
the same.
-L.

-L. wrote:

>
> <shrug> Depends on what your priorities are. Some people see this as a
> way to foster bonding and sharing within the family. That's great - if
> that's what they need to do to achieve that goal. Personally, I don't
> think meal time is any more "special" than any other time we spend
> together. I have more fun playing with and tickling/teasing each other
> in the master bedroom while watching a movie after dinner, than I do
> sitting together "sharing" at a dinner table. I suspect DH and DS feel
> the same.

Sorry for chipping in here - cos I lost track of this thread yesterday
sometime ...so I hope I am not opening my mouth to change feet...

But I feel the same way you do. I have already said we eat in the
family room, but what I forgot to say was that we have two desks in
there and we usually gather around them at meal times... after moving a
whole lotta junk out of the way, of course...So I suppose we are still
eating together. Mind you, we both have toddlers, so I don't think they
care where they eat - as long and Mom and Pop are around.... but my
(much) older first born is still not fussy where he eats when he comes
to visit - as long as we are in the same room he's fine with it... and
we talk a lot heh he heh. He helped us make the famous lemon chicken
"vanish" the other day.

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

-L. wrote:


> It's funny - sometimes DS eats better sitting in his highchair and
> other times he eats better sitting with us eating off of his and our
> plates. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Do you find the same is
> true?

She eats better some days than others, but it doesn't seem to have
anything to do with location. She also likes to try whatever we are
eating - buts prefers it on her own plate now - and her own fork and
spoon, of course

> Also, do you cook any special foods for her?

No, we don't make special meals for her. She gets what we are
having... so no "secret weapons" I am afraid... She has her likes and
dislikes, but not too many dislikes for us to worry about it. But she
also goes off her food if she is ill. Sorry your little one is still
not too well....

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

Gabby wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>>> Not only would larger art work bring drama to the room, it needs to
>>> be hung a whole lot lower so it relates to the furniture.
>>>
>> I wasn't going to say so, but that was my first thought. I'm 5'3"
>> and if I
>> wanted to looked at the pieces in the dining room I'd feel like I
>> needed to
>> stand on a chair, which of course would be inappropriate
>
> Have to admit that immediately after admiring the table, my next
> thought was "wow, those prints are way too high!"
>
> Gabby

Yes, they are, unless you're a pro basketball player

Jill

Food Snob wrote:
> Nathalie Chiva wrote:
>> On 26 Feb 2006 08:42:52 -0800, "-L." > wrote:
>>
>>> The only time we eat at the formal dining table is when we have
>>> guests. I would like that to change but I am outnumbered and
>>> resistance is futile. DS eats in his high chair, I usually eat
>>> standing up while managing him, and DH eats in his office
>>> (working), in the kitchen next to us, or in the bedroom watching a
>>> movie (we have sort of a theater set-up). We are pretty
>>> non-conventional types when it comes to formality.
>>
>> You eat *standing up*?!? Ugh. Can't be good for your health. I have 2
>> kids, but even when they were toddlers they ate *at the table* (sure,
>> in their high chair, but at the table), and if they had to wait a
>> minute because their father or I were eating too, well they did.
>> I must say, I'm amazed to see in this thread how many people eat
>> while watching TV or doing stuff at the computer or whatever. But
>> then I
>> have no TV, and I was raised on good food properly served and a
>> tradition of conversation at dinner, I just can't imagine it any
>> other way. It doesn't have anything to do with formality, it's
>> family or couple life. Call me old-fashioned.
>
> Regular family dinners are correlated with school success for kids.
> I often work evenings, but any time I don't we have family dinner. My
> four year old watches absolutely no TV. He has no interest in it. We
> wouldn't dream of having a TV on at dinner time. We even turn off
> Public Radio during dinner!*
> Oh no. Now I'm going to look like a public broadcasting snob as well!
>
> * Unless it's This American Life.
>>
>> Nathalie in Switzerland
>
I don't even remember much about television prior to 1963. What I *do*
remember about that year was my mother coming down the stairs to the
basement (it was a finished basement/family room), crying (her friend Peggy
had called her) and turning on the television to watch... President Kennedy
had been shot in Dallas. From that day on, I associated television with bad
things. I don't watch much television. I still don't watch the news. I
remember so vividly my mom in tears and I couldn't do anything to comfort
her. My dad worked at Quantico at the time; there was no escaping it.

I watch some comedy TV shows now but I don't subscribe to cable. And after
9/11 when I lost 30 people I knew personally, I don't watch things about
war. I'm politically blind for a reason. I don't want to know and I don't
believe my opinions can make a difference.

OB Food: breakfast this morning will be scrambled eggs with cheese and a
side of grits.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
.. .
> Gabby wrote:
>> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>> Not only would larger art work bring drama to the room, it needs to
>>>> be hung a whole lot lower so it relates to the furniture.
>>>>
>>> I wasn't going to say so, but that was my first thought. I'm 5'3"
>>> and if I
>>> wanted to looked at the pieces in the dining room I'd feel like I
>>> needed to
>>> stand on a chair, which of course would be inappropriate
>>
>> Have to admit that immediately after admiring the table, my next
>> thought was "wow, those prints are way too high!"
>>
>> Gabby
>
> Yes, they are, unless you're a pro basketball player

While I wouldn't expect them to be at MY eye level (I'm only 4'10" after
all), Kareem's eye level isn't good for anyone else either.

Gabby

cathyxyz wrote:
> Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
> actually have a dining room table
>
> We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
> Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
> Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...
>
> Cheers
> Cathy(xyz)

almost never, maybe once or twice, the dining room table was mahagony
and never used. and neither was the china or silverware, the good
stuff. and there was plastic over the sofa cushions. nice, warm comfy
place to grow up in.

On Tue 28 Feb 2006 04:10:21a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
?

> cathyxyz wrote:
>> Sorry - all the talk about using good tableware reminded me that we
>> actually have a dining room table
>>
>> We usually eat in the "family" room. I can remember as a kid that my
>> Mom used to lay the table properly for *every* meal. She still does.
>> Only time we use ours now is for HIgh Days and Holidays...
>>
>> Cheers
>> Cathy(xyz)
>
> almost never, maybe once or twice, the dining room table was mahagony
> and never used. and neither was the china or silverware, the good
> stuff. and there was plastic over the sofa cushions. nice, warm comfy
> place to grow up in.

I grew up eating most meals in a large country kitchen with a huge round
oak table and chairs. Our formal diningroom and livingroom were never off-
limits, but they were not used daily, except that I spent at least an hour
everyday practicing my piano lessons on the piano in the livingroom. We
had all of our Sunday dinners in the diningroom, using the good china,
crystal, and silverware. Otherwise, it was mostly used when we had
company. Mom's Sunday dinners were legendary and were always more formal
than our weekday meals. I think my parents used these weekly meals partly
to train me in the "art" of proper dining. I could set a mean dining table
by age 8 or 9, choosing what was needed by what mom was cooking for dinner.
:-)

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA