I am so excited! There is an area in my basement we have called the "future familyroom" since we moved in 6 years ago.... and finally after all this time it has drywall, and I bought PAINT!!!
It is very, very expensive to hire a drywaller to do jsut a room and a hallway these days, did you know that? 4 years ago we got someone to finish the mudding, taping and ceiling in my den for a measly $300 cash. Times were slower for tradesmen back then, but NOW in our booming neighbourhood.... Most of the drywallers I called for quotes supressed laughters of contempt for such a piddly job as mine, and the 2 that were polite enough to come out to quote had what can only be described as SHOCKING quotes. Apparently they are so busy that they can mud several jobs a day (while waiting for it to dry for the next coat) and with what they are chargin' Wholly Moley they better get it done quick! You are dying to know what the damage is aren't you.... well the quote was for $1640 + tax. Quite an increase in 4 years, eh? But Vanne will be proud to know I was very sweet the whole job and by the time it was said and done I talked him down to $1500 with taxes in. YIKES!
It really does look fabulous though, I am a happy homeowner as long as I don't think too much about what still is left to be done. Floors, lights, paint, trim, a closet door, window casings.......
7.28.2005
7.25.2005
TOO HOT FOR ME!
Okay, it's been a mild summer thus far on the West Coast of Canada.... really my favourite kind of summer. I still could get away with a light, long sleeve shirt up until 2 weeks ago thanks to lots of cloud cover. Some may call it dreary, but GREEN is my favourite colour for plants, so the grey skies suit me just fine.
NOW HOWEVER it is sunny. It was nice for a while, getting out in shorts, seeing the Bard on the Beach with friends..... but enough already! It's getting stinking hot! I have zero concentration and a short fuse in this weather. Working is darned near impossible, I hate to cook when I'm hot, the laundry doesn't get folded, housework of any sort feels like torture (more than usual), cuddling with my husband is out of the question... I could whine endlessly.... and I think I might, because it's MY BLOG [insert evil laughter here]. Sunscreen is icky but I burn fast, I don't like wearing hats when I'm hot, short sharts are getting inappropriate with my "Badges of Motherhood" aka stretchmarks, vericose viens and cottage cheese style cellulite.... icky picture, eh? Really though the very worst part of the heat HAS to be the swelling. My extremities are swollen alarmingly: chubby fingers, painful toes, swollen neck, its really unattractive and uncomfortable, especially typing.... (what the heck am I doing at my computer then!)
I am drinking lots of water, and spritzing myself and trying not to move around TOO much.... dinners are definately challenging there is no doubt about that. Last night it was tortillas/soft tacos and I put some chili in the slow cooker this morning, so a winter comfort food on a hot summer's evening will have to do.
I really can't for the life of me figure out how anyone in a less temperate area of the world SURVIVES this -- for longer and hotter! I love my Vancouver Island location, really really really really I do.
Rain-rain come back for a bit, I miss you!!!!!
NOW HOWEVER it is sunny. It was nice for a while, getting out in shorts, seeing the Bard on the Beach with friends..... but enough already! It's getting stinking hot! I have zero concentration and a short fuse in this weather. Working is darned near impossible, I hate to cook when I'm hot, the laundry doesn't get folded, housework of any sort feels like torture (more than usual), cuddling with my husband is out of the question... I could whine endlessly.... and I think I might, because it's MY BLOG [insert evil laughter here]. Sunscreen is icky but I burn fast, I don't like wearing hats when I'm hot, short sharts are getting inappropriate with my "Badges of Motherhood" aka stretchmarks, vericose viens and cottage cheese style cellulite.... icky picture, eh? Really though the very worst part of the heat HAS to be the swelling. My extremities are swollen alarmingly: chubby fingers, painful toes, swollen neck, its really unattractive and uncomfortable, especially typing.... (what the heck am I doing at my computer then!)
I am drinking lots of water, and spritzing myself and trying not to move around TOO much.... dinners are definately challenging there is no doubt about that. Last night it was tortillas/soft tacos and I put some chili in the slow cooker this morning, so a winter comfort food on a hot summer's evening will have to do.
I really can't for the life of me figure out how anyone in a less temperate area of the world SURVIVES this -- for longer and hotter! I love my Vancouver Island location, really really really really I do.
Rain-rain come back for a bit, I miss you!!!!!
7.23.2005
A Perfect Day Continued
Where was I?
Oh yes, his little crooked monkey feet. He had a great time on the equipment, hanging, swinging, balancing, jumping, throwing, riding, climbing!!!! She said he has great coordination for ANY age, in fact I think she used the word "superstar". (He did after all learn to ride a 2-wheeler without training wheels well befre his 4th birthday! and now at 4 he is popping wheelies and trying jumps ---- oooh what am I in for!) I can honestly say I had nothing to do with it. I am coordinated enough not to get hurt, and sometimes not even that. Dancing or any rhythmic excercise is better left to someone else. And my darling hubby is not much better (at dancing anyways) though he is very strong and very in control of his balance, so that goes far. In my own defence, my aim when throwing anything is almost surgical in precision, I got out of doing sit-ups in gym class more than once by swishing a few baskets in a row.
Back to the perfect day (it sure is easy to get distracted with these blog things....). After playing a whole hour at the Physio's assessment gym, me and my darling boy headed out into a perfect day and looked at flooring for our soon-to-be-completed basement familyroom. Now that may not sound like fun to some, but I love it! THEN we drove by the SPCA and oogled at the dogs.... I am a dog person and always had them growing up, big ones, little ones. And cats too. I feel somehow sad that my kids don't have a 4-legged companion. We have a cat and as cats go he is extraordinary, patient, cuddly and even comes when called -- but he is pushing 17 years old and the kids need to treat him with some respect, not that he gets it..... he's just not a rough and tumlble play buddy like a dog is. ANYWAY!!!!!! There were a couple of potential family members in there, one in particular that had been there only one night dropped off by a growing family that had no room in their new fenceless home. She was sweet, not too big and obviously NOT abused. They said she is still skittish about the kennel situation, and come back on Tuesday to see her again. (My darling Hubby says no dogs while we live here, but we are going to be here for so long that it seems silly to cut a dog out of the equation).......
So after we left with slightly broken, but still optomistic hearts, we carried on to the next flooring place (JOY!) and then stopped to get a couple of SLURPEES, this is a rare and wonderful treat for my boys as I have probably bought a total of 3 SLURPEES in their entire lives.
My timing couldn't have been better all day. All this was done at leisure and I still had time to shop for my grocery list at the local grocery store before picking up my eldest son from the park at 4!!!! I passed my sweaty little man my SLURPEE and we went home. Refreshed from the icy drink, happy with the memories of a somehow relaxing full day out. Now this is a truly amazing event really and anyone who knows me lately would know how unusual it is. Any day where I need to leave the house with one or both kids is usually VERY VERY stressful! Getting them out and in the car on time, "NOW! NOW! NOW!" I bellow at them like a drill sergeant.... and the struggle at every stop to keep them near, keep them from destroying EVERYTHING they touch, get them to leave and load back into the car for the next excrutiating stop..... but not this day!!!!!!! It went SO SMOOTH, I was relaxed, I was on time, I got everything on my list done..... sigh. Happy day.
And the great thing is, I managed to get the groceries away, a load of laundry taken care of and dinner made before my hubby got home and I left to babysit my sister's kids for their date night. Top that off with her 2 year old boy being really sweet and the 3 month old baby being a cooing smiling angel the whole time they were gone, and you just have to know the Gods of mercy and goodwill were smiling on me all day.
So far today has been delightful as well, maybe I can do this thing called my life after all!
Oh yes, his little crooked monkey feet. He had a great time on the equipment, hanging, swinging, balancing, jumping, throwing, riding, climbing!!!! She said he has great coordination for ANY age, in fact I think she used the word "superstar". (He did after all learn to ride a 2-wheeler without training wheels well befre his 4th birthday! and now at 4 he is popping wheelies and trying jumps ---- oooh what am I in for!) I can honestly say I had nothing to do with it. I am coordinated enough not to get hurt, and sometimes not even that. Dancing or any rhythmic excercise is better left to someone else. And my darling hubby is not much better (at dancing anyways) though he is very strong and very in control of his balance, so that goes far. In my own defence, my aim when throwing anything is almost surgical in precision, I got out of doing sit-ups in gym class more than once by swishing a few baskets in a row.
Back to the perfect day (it sure is easy to get distracted with these blog things....). After playing a whole hour at the Physio's assessment gym, me and my darling boy headed out into a perfect day and looked at flooring for our soon-to-be-completed basement familyroom. Now that may not sound like fun to some, but I love it! THEN we drove by the SPCA and oogled at the dogs.... I am a dog person and always had them growing up, big ones, little ones. And cats too. I feel somehow sad that my kids don't have a 4-legged companion. We have a cat and as cats go he is extraordinary, patient, cuddly and even comes when called -- but he is pushing 17 years old and the kids need to treat him with some respect, not that he gets it..... he's just not a rough and tumlble play buddy like a dog is. ANYWAY!!!!!! There were a couple of potential family members in there, one in particular that had been there only one night dropped off by a growing family that had no room in their new fenceless home. She was sweet, not too big and obviously NOT abused. They said she is still skittish about the kennel situation, and come back on Tuesday to see her again. (My darling Hubby says no dogs while we live here, but we are going to be here for so long that it seems silly to cut a dog out of the equation).......
So after we left with slightly broken, but still optomistic hearts, we carried on to the next flooring place (JOY!) and then stopped to get a couple of SLURPEES, this is a rare and wonderful treat for my boys as I have probably bought a total of 3 SLURPEES in their entire lives.
My timing couldn't have been better all day. All this was done at leisure and I still had time to shop for my grocery list at the local grocery store before picking up my eldest son from the park at 4!!!! I passed my sweaty little man my SLURPEE and we went home. Refreshed from the icy drink, happy with the memories of a somehow relaxing full day out. Now this is a truly amazing event really and anyone who knows me lately would know how unusual it is. Any day where I need to leave the house with one or both kids is usually VERY VERY stressful! Getting them out and in the car on time, "NOW! NOW! NOW!" I bellow at them like a drill sergeant.... and the struggle at every stop to keep them near, keep them from destroying EVERYTHING they touch, get them to leave and load back into the car for the next excrutiating stop..... but not this day!!!!!!! It went SO SMOOTH, I was relaxed, I was on time, I got everything on my list done..... sigh. Happy day.
And the great thing is, I managed to get the groceries away, a load of laundry taken care of and dinner made before my hubby got home and I left to babysit my sister's kids for their date night. Top that off with her 2 year old boy being really sweet and the 3 month old baby being a cooing smiling angel the whole time they were gone, and you just have to know the Gods of mercy and goodwill were smiling on me all day.
So far today has been delightful as well, maybe I can do this thing called my life after all!
7.22.2005
I am so flattered!
My TRULY dear and special friends the ones that love me without question and know my innermost workings, my very first meaningful relationships (population 3), are ACTUALLY reading my blog!!!! I am so flattered and I want to say that I enjoy theirs very much.
I have such talented and creative friends and the best part is I can feel like I had a part of the making of who they are.... as I have been around more than half their lives! (Ha! Put that in your pipe and smoke it!)
Now aside from that bit of teary-eyed joy that comes fro loving (and being loved), I want to relay the rest of my wonderful day to the wide wonderful world of blog.
Today had to be one of the more perfect days, really! I decided to play hooky from my home-based office today.... the weather is fine and I had a "to-do-list" as long as my arm. SO... I hung around in my PJ's until 11:00, had Artichoke Dip with Tortilla chips for breakfast (my friends won't be surprised after a hi-school of hot-dog and spagetti breakfasts-- or homemade black forest cake depending on the friend).
Then I got myself and my boys dressed for the day... dropped my 8 year old off at the park ( we have a park leader there during the summer 3 days a week with lots of activities!!! Great program!). Then me and my wee monkey went to pick up a SEARS parcel -- Sears.ca has the very best deals on the outlet site and free shipping! But on the way to the pick-up point in the mall I found some extraodinary deals on some summer tops very cute and at $2.99 each I had to pick 2! That taken care of we wisked through the Tim Horton's drive thru for a large coffee and some sour cream glazed TimBits... mmmmmmm!!!!! And headed North for the appointment with the physiotherapist to see my little monkeys funny foot posture. We were there for a delightful hour watching him explore the coolest climbing appartatus and excercise equipment I have ever seen, the physio lady was super nice and the verdict was that he is really very verycoordinated for any age let alone 4! But his little pads may need Orthopedic supports to correct his funny feet.
AAAH! Is that the time?! I need to continue my perfect day later! I am babysitting for my sister tonight!!!!
I have such talented and creative friends and the best part is I can feel like I had a part of the making of who they are.... as I have been around more than half their lives! (Ha! Put that in your pipe and smoke it!)
Now aside from that bit of teary-eyed joy that comes fro loving (and being loved), I want to relay the rest of my wonderful day to the wide wonderful world of blog.
Today had to be one of the more perfect days, really! I decided to play hooky from my home-based office today.... the weather is fine and I had a "to-do-list" as long as my arm. SO... I hung around in my PJ's until 11:00, had Artichoke Dip with Tortilla chips for breakfast (my friends won't be surprised after a hi-school of hot-dog and spagetti breakfasts-- or homemade black forest cake depending on the friend).
Then I got myself and my boys dressed for the day... dropped my 8 year old off at the park ( we have a park leader there during the summer 3 days a week with lots of activities!!! Great program!). Then me and my wee monkey went to pick up a SEARS parcel -- Sears.ca has the very best deals on the outlet site and free shipping! But on the way to the pick-up point in the mall I found some extraodinary deals on some summer tops very cute and at $2.99 each I had to pick 2! That taken care of we wisked through the Tim Horton's drive thru for a large coffee and some sour cream glazed TimBits... mmmmmmm!!!!! And headed North for the appointment with the physiotherapist to see my little monkeys funny foot posture. We were there for a delightful hour watching him explore the coolest climbing appartatus and excercise equipment I have ever seen, the physio lady was super nice and the verdict was that he is really very verycoordinated for any age let alone 4! But his little pads may need Orthopedic supports to correct his funny feet.
AAAH! Is that the time?! I need to continue my perfect day later! I am babysitting for my sister tonight!!!!
7.21.2005
Thou reeky flap-mouthed pigeon-egg!
"Thou reeky flap-mouthed pigeon-egg!" And other insults..... he really was a poet. A wordsmith of great imagination! Willam Shakespeare could dish it out like no one else.
I was so lucky this weekend to have friends with a common appreciation for really good words!!!! Myself, Tai, Vanne (and the wonderful Jeff), and Nisha all took in a live showing of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" in the smaller venue at the Bard on the Beach festival. Okay, so it's Tom Stoppard and not Shakespeare you say, but there are overlaps here! And the spirit is there! It really was wonderful, the actors were full of genuine expression and the humour was both intelectual and physical so there's a laugh for everyone. If anyone gets a chance to pick up the movie version DO IT!
That was the Saturday afternoon. Sunday was highlighted by seeing "As You Like It", this one really is by Shakepeare! HA! And was great, it's funny how quickly we slip into his English, after the first scene it was all natural dialogue. Kind of stretches the ear and the brain for a pleasant walk in the park, y'know what I mean? A far departure from "Treehouse TV" that I am exposed to much too often with young children.
"I used to be smart!" I wimper all to often since having kids.... but with the help of the friends that knew me "BC" (before children) I am re-discovering the person in me that can appreciate a really well-crafted insult!
Point: "Sense sure you have, else could you not have motion; but sure that sense is apoplex'd. " sounds much more cutting than "You stupid poo-poo head". So if you really want to cut to the bone those of "not so much brain as ear wax", then check out Shakespeare.
Hey, it's not all about the insults either.... I just don't cuss, and need an alternative to vent!!! Might as well get inspired!!!!
I was so lucky this weekend to have friends with a common appreciation for really good words!!!! Myself, Tai, Vanne (and the wonderful Jeff), and Nisha all took in a live showing of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" in the smaller venue at the Bard on the Beach festival. Okay, so it's Tom Stoppard and not Shakespeare you say, but there are overlaps here! And the spirit is there! It really was wonderful, the actors were full of genuine expression and the humour was both intelectual and physical so there's a laugh for everyone. If anyone gets a chance to pick up the movie version DO IT!
That was the Saturday afternoon. Sunday was highlighted by seeing "As You Like It", this one really is by Shakepeare! HA! And was great, it's funny how quickly we slip into his English, after the first scene it was all natural dialogue. Kind of stretches the ear and the brain for a pleasant walk in the park, y'know what I mean? A far departure from "Treehouse TV" that I am exposed to much too often with young children.
"I used to be smart!" I wimper all to often since having kids.... but with the help of the friends that knew me "BC" (before children) I am re-discovering the person in me that can appreciate a really well-crafted insult!
Point: "Sense sure you have, else could you not have motion; but sure that sense is apoplex'd. " sounds much more cutting than "You stupid poo-poo head". So if you really want to cut to the bone those of "not so much brain as ear wax", then check out Shakespeare.
Hey, it's not all about the insults either.... I just don't cuss, and need an alternative to vent!!! Might as well get inspired!!!!
peer pressure made me do it
Honestly, I am not sure what I am doing here, but I want my comments to count on my friend's blogs, so here I am....
So Tai, Nish, Vanne This one's for YOU!!!!
I too will write my thoughts, my dreams, my funny links that I think you will enjoy. We will be in contact and that will be grand! All good, all good. Course my brain is pretty much exhausted after doing all this registering, so I will keep this one short.
Here's to many future entries!!!!
So Tai, Nish, Vanne This one's for YOU!!!!
I too will write my thoughts, my dreams, my funny links that I think you will enjoy. We will be in contact and that will be grand! All good, all good. Course my brain is pretty much exhausted after doing all this registering, so I will keep this one short.
Here's to many future entries!!!!
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