I am amused by the modern architecture and lifestyle being offered by new home developers.
When we drive through a new subdivision, what do we see? A community of garages.
Now take a look inside one of those houses (out back, behind the garage). Wow! Three bathrooms. I guess I'm supposed to spend my leisure hours in there, admiring the fine decorations.
Then there is the family room next to the living room. I'm not sure what the difference is.
Perhaps I am old fashioned. I like to drive or walk up to my house and see a house -- not a garage. Sometimes, I think an extra washroom would be nice, but then our one bathroom is empty 90 per cent of the time anyway.
We have a living room but no family room. On second thought, I guess we do have a family room -- we call it a kitchen. That's where we all gather whenever the smell of good cooking permeates our home.
Printed in "The Consumer Game" by Ellen Roseman in the Globe and
Mail, 1983 October 13.