Today Mr. Happy, Henry and I met up in Halifax to do a little shopping. We wandered into La Cache and discovered that the store is closing. Very, very sad news. La Cache has always been a great place to find beautiful ($$$) dresses for little girls (that always went on sale for $ at the end of the season), colourful accessories and all sorts of other good things, like bedding.
After a quick consultation, Mr. Happy and I decided that it would be a good time to buy a new duvet cover. Hopefully a certain fur-nephew won't puke or poop on this one. (I'll post a picture tomorrow.)
While we were at La Cache I called Ms. Electron-knits, thinking that the sale might be something she would be interested in - despite her sea-faring lifestyle, Ms. EK looks nothing like an "old salt" and often wears cute girly sundresses in the summer.
Mr. Happy, Henry and I ended up having lunch with Ms. EK. During the course of conversation, Henry discovered that Ms. EK's significant other is out to sea right now. One thing led to another and Henry decided to blow us off in favour of keeping Ms. EK company.
I know that Ms. EK and Henry are both consulting adults, but I do worry that Ms. EK's sailor might come home early. Oh Henry, what kind of trouble have you got yourself in now?
Showing posts with label House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label House. Show all posts
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Back From Vacation
Mr. Happy and I are finally back from vacationing in our own home. On Jun 27th, we moved out of our room so that we could finally say goodbye to this:
...the 80-year old wallpaper. It's had a good life, and while we really liked it and know that wallpaper is coming back into fashion, it was old and worn and past its prime. It wasn't until I looked at the picture that I realized:
1. Whoa! That's some busy wallpaper.
2. Our room is a mess.
3. Huhn, that's a lot of wall space above our bed. I should get some art or something to hang there.
I moved as many things out of our bedroom as possible and picked up some paint for the project. We decided to paint our room the same colour white as in the craft room. When Mr. Happy and I first got married, we lived in his parents house while they were overseas. Our bedroom there was white and I remembered how bright and cheery it was in the morning.
As you may recall, when I picked out this colour the first time, I had a bit of a problem getting the paint mixed properly. I wrote about it here.
When I went in to get the paint for our bedroom, the young man told me that he had heard about the initial problem. He then took the cans of paint and mixed them for me. I wasn't paying attention to what he was doing as I had other things to pick up. It's Schmamadian Schmire, you can always find things to pick up. Apparently, I should have watched him like a hawk watching field mice having a family reunion picnic in an open field:
Lesson learned: When you pick out a paint colour at the store, INSIST that they look up the colour in their computer. Do not, under any circumstances, encourage them to SCAN the colour. The scanner system seems to be unreliable and produced PINK paint not once, but twice, even though the guy at the counter assured me that it had been "re-calibrated".
When I realized that there was a problem, I went back for more paint. This time, I was armed with a PICTURE of the paint can with the proper formula on the top. Luckily, I had a new haircut, so the guys at the paint counter didn't recognize me. I think I may be getting a bad reputation at Schmamadian Schmire.
I stood at the counter and when the guy started to scan the chip, I asked him to look up the formula in the computer. Then I asked him to show me the formula so that we could compare it with the formula on the can I had at home. It wasn't the same, so I asked him to mix it with the formula I provided from the original paint can. He was very nice about it and a bit shocked at the difference.
While getting the right colour paint has been a pain in the arse, I am really happy with the results. I'm also quite happy with the Debbie Travis paint. I'm just not happy with clerks taking the "easy" way to do things. Scanning the chip rather than looking up the colour seems to be "easier". I've worked in retail from the age of 15, so I know that the "easy" way usually ends up costing more in the long run, either for myself, or the customer.
Anyhoo, here's the finished product:
See?
Bright and Cheery. Crisp and clean.
...the 80-year old wallpaper. It's had a good life, and while we really liked it and know that wallpaper is coming back into fashion, it was old and worn and past its prime. It wasn't until I looked at the picture that I realized:
1. Whoa! That's some busy wallpaper.
2. Our room is a mess.
3. Huhn, that's a lot of wall space above our bed. I should get some art or something to hang there.
I moved as many things out of our bedroom as possible and picked up some paint for the project. We decided to paint our room the same colour white as in the craft room. When Mr. Happy and I first got married, we lived in his parents house while they were overseas. Our bedroom there was white and I remembered how bright and cheery it was in the morning.
As you may recall, when I picked out this colour the first time, I had a bit of a problem getting the paint mixed properly. I wrote about it here.
When I went in to get the paint for our bedroom, the young man told me that he had heard about the initial problem. He then took the cans of paint and mixed them for me. I wasn't paying attention to what he was doing as I had other things to pick up. It's Schmamadian Schmire, you can always find things to pick up. Apparently, I should have watched him like a hawk watching field mice having a family reunion picnic in an open field:
Lesson learned: When you pick out a paint colour at the store, INSIST that they look up the colour in their computer. Do not, under any circumstances, encourage them to SCAN the colour. The scanner system seems to be unreliable and produced PINK paint not once, but twice, even though the guy at the counter assured me that it had been "re-calibrated".
When I realized that there was a problem, I went back for more paint. This time, I was armed with a PICTURE of the paint can with the proper formula on the top. Luckily, I had a new haircut, so the guys at the paint counter didn't recognize me. I think I may be getting a bad reputation at Schmamadian Schmire.
I stood at the counter and when the guy started to scan the chip, I asked him to look up the formula in the computer. Then I asked him to show me the formula so that we could compare it with the formula on the can I had at home. It wasn't the same, so I asked him to mix it with the formula I provided from the original paint can. He was very nice about it and a bit shocked at the difference.
While getting the right colour paint has been a pain in the arse, I am really happy with the results. I'm also quite happy with the Debbie Travis paint. I'm just not happy with clerks taking the "easy" way to do things. Scanning the chip rather than looking up the colour seems to be "easier". I've worked in retail from the age of 15, so I know that the "easy" way usually ends up costing more in the long run, either for myself, or the customer.
Anyhoo, here's the finished product:
See?
Bright and Cheery. Crisp and clean.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Frickin' Frackin'
...paint saga continues.
I'm going to need another can of paint and perhaps something to calm my nerves.
*shakes fist at paint can*
I'm going to need another can of paint and perhaps something to calm my nerves.
*shakes fist at paint can*
Monday, July 07, 2008
How To Vacation in Your Own Home
When we first moved into our 80 something year-old home there were 6 rooms that had wallpaper. This included the hallway - which should really count as two rooms because of its size.
This wallpaper dated back at least 40 years if not 80. In the first year that we lived here, we stripped the wallpaper in four rooms. We scraped,*we painted, we plastered, and we cried with joy when those four rooms were done.
And then we rested...
...for a few years.
This rest went on until we could no longer stand walking through the hallway, so we stripped the wallpaper, and wisely** hired a painter to take care of the hallway and a big gaping hole in our kitchen ceiling (plumbers, sigh).
And we rested again. Until the front room reno lit the fire under my arse and sparked a whole new list of home projects. On June 27th, I came home from work and spent my Friday night cleaning out our bedroom as we*** had decided it was high time to say goodbye to the ferny wallpaper in our bedroom.
This gets me to the title of this post. For just over a week now we have been sleeping in the "back bedroom" also known as "Serge's room"**** Mr. Happy and I have been joking that it's like being on vacation in our own house. We've never slept in that room before, so it's kind of like visiting a foreign land. It is also much quieter back there which is a nice change from our room which is on the front of the house.
So, here are my tips on how to have a mini-vacation in your own home:
1. Move all of your things out of your usual bedroom.
2. Turn your bedroom into a construction zone - rip down old wallpaper. Prep the walls for painting.
3. Move into the spare room.
4. Pile your clean clothes on the chairs and floor in the room.
6. Delay the work on your room as long as possible so that you can stay on your vacation for an entire week.
7. Take time to make jam and bread in the middle of what could be prime construction time - you're on vacation, you don't have a deadline!
Despite the fun I'm having on this vacation, it will be nice to get back into our own room. Here's hoping it's all done soon.
*80 year-old wallpaper often comes off easily.
**That's still up for debate as the walls could have used another coat of paint.
***More like, I decided and Mr. Happy came home to the construction zone.
*****Serge was our boarder who moved out in 2004, but we still call it his room. We're like parents who keep their kids room as a shrine, only Serge took his Little League trophies and bottles of wine when he left.
This wallpaper dated back at least 40 years if not 80. In the first year that we lived here, we stripped the wallpaper in four rooms. We scraped,*we painted, we plastered, and we cried with joy when those four rooms were done.
And then we rested...
...for a few years.
This rest went on until we could no longer stand walking through the hallway, so we stripped the wallpaper, and wisely** hired a painter to take care of the hallway and a big gaping hole in our kitchen ceiling (plumbers, sigh).
And we rested again. Until the front room reno lit the fire under my arse and sparked a whole new list of home projects. On June 27th, I came home from work and spent my Friday night cleaning out our bedroom as we*** had decided it was high time to say goodbye to the ferny wallpaper in our bedroom.
This gets me to the title of this post. For just over a week now we have been sleeping in the "back bedroom" also known as "Serge's room"**** Mr. Happy and I have been joking that it's like being on vacation in our own house. We've never slept in that room before, so it's kind of like visiting a foreign land. It is also much quieter back there which is a nice change from our room which is on the front of the house.
So, here are my tips on how to have a mini-vacation in your own home:
1. Move all of your things out of your usual bedroom.
2. Turn your bedroom into a construction zone - rip down old wallpaper. Prep the walls for painting.
3. Move into the spare room.
4. Pile your clean clothes on the chairs and floor in the room.
6. Delay the work on your room as long as possible so that you can stay on your vacation for an entire week.
7. Take time to make jam and bread in the middle of what could be prime construction time - you're on vacation, you don't have a deadline!
Despite the fun I'm having on this vacation, it will be nice to get back into our own room. Here's hoping it's all done soon.
*80 year-old wallpaper often comes off easily.
**That's still up for debate as the walls could have used another coat of paint.
***More like, I decided and Mr. Happy came home to the construction zone.
*****Serge was our boarder who moved out in 2004, but we still call it his room. We're like parents who keep their kids room as a shrine, only Serge took his Little League trophies and bottles of wine when he left.
Friday, July 04, 2008
An Open Letter of Apology to Schmamadian Schnire
Dear Schmamadian Snire,
I would like to sincerely apologize for my previous letter. I was in the throes of home renovation and was feeling vulnerable and sensitive to every inconvenience. I do hope you can forgive me and that we can remain friends.
After the mis-tinted paint drama back in March, I finally got around to painting my craft studio. The Debbie Travis paint covered the walls quite nicely. I am thrilled with both the white and the green in my craft studio. It is exactly what I imagined.
You'll be pleased to know that Mr. Happy and I are doing more "sprucing up" at our house. We've stripped the 80-year-old wallpaper in our bedroom and are preparing to paint this weekend. After much hemming and hawing, we decided to paint the room with the same colour we used in the craft studio.
I would like to sincerely apologize for my previous letter. I was in the throes of home renovation and was feeling vulnerable and sensitive to every inconvenience. I do hope you can forgive me and that we can remain friends.
After the mis-tinted paint drama back in March, I finally got around to painting my craft studio. The Debbie Travis paint covered the walls quite nicely. I am thrilled with both the white and the green in my craft studio. It is exactly what I imagined.
You'll be pleased to know that Mr. Happy and I are doing more "sprucing up" at our house. We've stripped the 80-year-old wallpaper in our bedroom and are preparing to paint this weekend. After much hemming and hawing, we decided to paint the room with the same colour we used in the craft studio.
Today I walked over your threshold and down your hallowed aisles to stand, humbly before the paint counter.
Happily, I found a very helpful staff member who called over, "Someone who loves to mix paint." When the someone arrived at the counter, I was surprised to see the face of a teenage boy. Having worked for my parents from the tender age of mumble, mumble* I understand that some aspects of a retail job are a lot of fun.**
The young man walked with me to the Debbie Travis paint section where he asked, "Do you want to use her paint or do you want to use another base?"
I promptly replied, "Um, no. I'll use Debbie's because the last time I had this colour mixed in a different base, it turned out pink and there was a some drama trying to get it right."
He said, "oh. I think I may have heard about that."
My eyes widened and I said, "Oh dear, yes. That was me! Three cans of paint later I left with Debbie Travis.*"
The young man just smiled and headed to the counter with the base. Ahem. Apparently the new personnel at the store are learning from the fiascos of the past.
If you calibrate your paint machine; learn how to correct mistints; and be nice to your customers, they will, after a bit of whingeing come back to you. And they will be thrilled to pieces to discover their new favourite paint brand is on sale.
$7.00 off? I'm painting the whole bloody house at that price!
Thank you again, for welcoming back your prodigal daughter with open doors and lots of tempting goodies in the sale bins.***
Yours always,
Steph
*I'm sure there were labour laws broken, so let's not discuss how young I was
Happily, I found a very helpful staff member who called over, "Someone who loves to mix paint." When the someone arrived at the counter, I was surprised to see the face of a teenage boy. Having worked for my parents from the tender age of mumble, mumble* I understand that some aspects of a retail job are a lot of fun.**
The young man walked with me to the Debbie Travis paint section where he asked, "Do you want to use her paint or do you want to use another base?"
I promptly replied, "Um, no. I'll use Debbie's because the last time I had this colour mixed in a different base, it turned out pink and there was a some drama trying to get it right."
He said, "oh. I think I may have heard about that."
My eyes widened and I said, "Oh dear, yes. That was me! Three cans of paint later I left with Debbie Travis.*"
The young man just smiled and headed to the counter with the base. Ahem. Apparently the new personnel at the store are learning from the fiascos of the past.
If you calibrate your paint machine; learn how to correct mistints; and be nice to your customers, they will, after a bit of whingeing come back to you. And they will be thrilled to pieces to discover their new favourite paint brand is on sale.
$7.00 off? I'm painting the whole bloody house at that price!
Thank you again, for welcoming back your prodigal daughter with open doors and lots of tempting goodies in the sale bins.***
Yours always,
Steph
*I'm sure there were labour laws broken, so let's not discuss how young I was
**For me, it was bagging the bulk chocolates.
***Why yes, I DO need a Margaritaville Frozen Cocktail maker and a set of Tinkerbell floor mats!
***Why yes, I DO need a Margaritaville Frozen Cocktail maker and a set of Tinkerbell floor mats!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
An Open Letter To Schmamadian Schnire
Dear Schmamadian Schnire,
Over the years I have spent many hours walking your hallowed aisles. I spent many an evening of my childhood in the "city" reluctantly trudging behind my father and brother as they combed the store for this or that. I, like many youngsters, had a bit of Schmamadian Schnire money in my wallet and used it to play "store" with my little friends... I have worn your helmets, lifejackets, snowshoes, winter boots, skates, and snowsuits.
In my adult life, I have wandered through your store wondering how all of the employees seem to disappear just when you need help carrying something or finding something or want to ask a question about a product. I have even seen 5 of your employees playing football in one aisle of the store while at least 3 families looked around helplessly in the bicycle aisle the weekend before Easter. (A little known fact: the Easter Bunny brings new bicycles in Canada)
Despite the shitty customer service I have returned time and again to buy things for my home and my car. I have saved up my Schmamadian Schnire money to put toward purchases. I even have to admit that I really enjoy a trip to Schmamadian Schnire. Like many other Canadians, I always find something I need or want at Schmamadian Schnire.
Right now, however, I'm a little disappointed.
A week ago, I purchased two cans of paint. One white, one green, and both mixed by yet another of your unhappy employees. She flipped open the lids, showed us the colours and then hammered them shut. She did not, as is generally suggested, check the colour by spreading some on the chip and drying it with a heat gun.
On Saturday, I cracked open the white paint. I started cutting in. I worried to myself, "Gee, that looks pink". It was pink.
I spent an HOUR standing at the paint counter trying to get it fixed. Exceedingly long story short and three cans of paint later, I walked out with the correct colour. Since I was already frustrated and just wanted to get going, I didn't get the boys at the paint counter to check the can of green I had brought in with me.
So tonight, almost a week later, I started cutting in what I hope will be a cheery, bright green.
I have just spread what looks like pea-soup baby vomit on my wall.
I will be in to see you tomorrow. It will not be pretty. And I really hope that hard-done-by clerk is working again this Thursday.
I will have to think about our ongoing relationship.
Yours reluctantly,
The girl who insisted on the yellow and black CCM Boy's bike in 1984.
Over the years I have spent many hours walking your hallowed aisles. I spent many an evening of my childhood in the "city" reluctantly trudging behind my father and brother as they combed the store for this or that. I, like many youngsters, had a bit of Schmamadian Schnire money in my wallet and used it to play "store" with my little friends... I have worn your helmets, lifejackets, snowshoes, winter boots, skates, and snowsuits.
In my adult life, I have wandered through your store wondering how all of the employees seem to disappear just when you need help carrying something or finding something or want to ask a question about a product. I have even seen 5 of your employees playing football in one aisle of the store while at least 3 families looked around helplessly in the bicycle aisle the weekend before Easter. (A little known fact: the Easter Bunny brings new bicycles in Canada)
Despite the shitty customer service I have returned time and again to buy things for my home and my car. I have saved up my Schmamadian Schnire money to put toward purchases. I even have to admit that I really enjoy a trip to Schmamadian Schnire. Like many other Canadians, I always find something I need or want at Schmamadian Schnire.
Right now, however, I'm a little disappointed.
A week ago, I purchased two cans of paint. One white, one green, and both mixed by yet another of your unhappy employees. She flipped open the lids, showed us the colours and then hammered them shut. She did not, as is generally suggested, check the colour by spreading some on the chip and drying it with a heat gun.
On Saturday, I cracked open the white paint. I started cutting in. I worried to myself, "Gee, that looks pink". It was pink.
I spent an HOUR standing at the paint counter trying to get it fixed. Exceedingly long story short and three cans of paint later, I walked out with the correct colour. Since I was already frustrated and just wanted to get going, I didn't get the boys at the paint counter to check the can of green I had brought in with me.
So tonight, almost a week later, I started cutting in what I hope will be a cheery, bright green.
I have just spread what looks like pea-soup baby vomit on my wall.
I will be in to see you tomorrow. It will not be pretty. And I really hope that hard-done-by clerk is working again this Thursday.
I will have to think about our ongoing relationship.
Yours reluctantly,
The girl who insisted on the yellow and black CCM Boy's bike in 1984.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Renovators and Resources
The Great Renovation project continues apace Chez Happy.
The source of the cold air in this room has finally been discovered. On Wednesday night we had a storm with a lot of wind. I could hear the newly installed vapour barrier in the room blowing around, so I went in to check the situation.
The plastic that you see in this photo was blowing around like a kite in the wind... but it was the bit of plastic sticking over the sheet rock on the right that was causing the greatest concern. With every gust of wind, the plastic was making a noise that sounded like it was blowing raspberries at me.
As you can see in this photo:
we have what looks to be a lovely wooden ceiling in this room. In actual fact, this is the same ceiling that extends across the length of the entire front porch. Anyone else seeing the problem in this?
When the foundation of this room (an addition built in the 1940s or 1950s) settled, so did the wall. There seems to be a gap between the wall and this ceiling. Mr. Happy and Troy have determined the best course of action for fixing the gap and have decided to insulate and cover up the lovely ceiling.
Good-bye pretty wood. Hello warm room!
In other news, Mr. Happy and I had yesterday off together - the ENTIRE DAY. Wow.
We spent the morning staring out at the rain, trying to make it disappear through the sheer force of our will. It eventually did peter off, so we headed out to run some "errands".
After grabbing a Mocha we popped in to one of our favourite "home supply" stores in Halifax: Renovator's Resource. I may have blogged about this before, but just in case: Renovator's Resource is stocked with reclaimed doors, windows, wood, sinks, tubs, toilets, fixtures and all sorts of interesting tidbits.
Almost every time we go there, I find something that I've seen somewhere else... this time, it was the same light fixture that was in my bedroom when I was a kid:
I think that the current winner is "Exotic Grass" and "Vintage White" from Debbie Travis. Exotic Grass can be found under the "dramatic" group of colours, on the second page.
The plan is to paint one or two walls in the green and the rest in the white. I have a small desk for the room, which I'm going to paint or stain a dark colour (chocolate brown, I think). I'm also planning to find a place for turquoise in the room. We'll see what happens.
In the meantime, I've got bread rising in the oven, so I should get going.
The source of the cold air in this room has finally been discovered. On Wednesday night we had a storm with a lot of wind. I could hear the newly installed vapour barrier in the room blowing around, so I went in to check the situation.
The plastic that you see in this photo was blowing around like a kite in the wind... but it was the bit of plastic sticking over the sheet rock on the right that was causing the greatest concern. With every gust of wind, the plastic was making a noise that sounded like it was blowing raspberries at me.
As you can see in this photo:
we have what looks to be a lovely wooden ceiling in this room. In actual fact, this is the same ceiling that extends across the length of the entire front porch. Anyone else seeing the problem in this?
When the foundation of this room (an addition built in the 1940s or 1950s) settled, so did the wall. There seems to be a gap between the wall and this ceiling. Mr. Happy and Troy have determined the best course of action for fixing the gap and have decided to insulate and cover up the lovely ceiling.
Good-bye pretty wood. Hello warm room!
In other news, Mr. Happy and I had yesterday off together - the ENTIRE DAY. Wow.
We spent the morning staring out at the rain, trying to make it disappear through the sheer force of our will. It eventually did peter off, so we headed out to run some "errands".
After grabbing a Mocha we popped in to one of our favourite "home supply" stores in Halifax: Renovator's Resource. I may have blogged about this before, but just in case: Renovator's Resource is stocked with reclaimed doors, windows, wood, sinks, tubs, toilets, fixtures and all sorts of interesting tidbits.
Almost every time we go there, I find something that I've seen somewhere else... this time, it was the same light fixture that was in my bedroom when I was a kid:
I think that the current winner is "Exotic Grass" and "Vintage White" from Debbie Travis. Exotic Grass can be found under the "dramatic" group of colours, on the second page.
The plan is to paint one or two walls in the green and the rest in the white. I have a small desk for the room, which I'm going to paint or stain a dark colour (chocolate brown, I think). I'm also planning to find a place for turquoise in the room. We'll see what happens.
In the meantime, I've got bread rising in the oven, so I should get going.
I hope you're all well. For those of you who were buried by snow this weekend: please remember to stretch before you shovel.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
It seems I have a bit of blogger's block these days. I think it's my yearly case of the blahs, which leads to me sulking my way through February and March. The good news is, the clocks "spring ahead" this weekend. I'm very much looking forward to that!
In other news, we're doing a little home renovation here at the Happy Household.
We've been planning to spruce up the front room for years, with the intention that it would become my space for arts and crafts... We've put it off for so long that I had started to lose hope, especially since I cleaned out the room last August so that we could set to work.* Many months passed and the room remained untouched. (OK, OK, I may have made a hole in the wall to check out the situation with the insulation. The wallboard was pressed paper, so it was quite easy to do!)
This winter, I've been really longing for a space to work on my projects, so I had a long talk with Mr. Happy a few weeks ago. I explained how many things I have planned to do, but without a space designated for crafting, well, I always feel hindered by the fact that I must dig out and find all of my supplies before going ahead. My beads are in the dining room cabinet, my sewing machine is upstairs, my yarn is in the hallway and the living room, my fabric is... well, I'm not even sure where it is right now.
Much to my delight, my new personal hero - Troy the Carpenter - arrived and started work on the room. The name of the space has been upgraded from craft room to "studio". And we will hopefully be painting this weekend.
In the meantime... please feast your eyes on my latest sock project:
*Mr. Happy's job may seem glamourous to some, but in truth he works long hours with little time off... in fact, when we went to Mexico last May it was the first time he had taken a vacation in a couple of years. This kind of schedule doesn't bode well for home repair or a social life.
In other news, we're doing a little home renovation here at the Happy Household.
We've been planning to spruce up the front room for years, with the intention that it would become my space for arts and crafts... We've put it off for so long that I had started to lose hope, especially since I cleaned out the room last August so that we could set to work.* Many months passed and the room remained untouched. (OK, OK, I may have made a hole in the wall to check out the situation with the insulation. The wallboard was pressed paper, so it was quite easy to do!)
This winter, I've been really longing for a space to work on my projects, so I had a long talk with Mr. Happy a few weeks ago. I explained how many things I have planned to do, but without a space designated for crafting, well, I always feel hindered by the fact that I must dig out and find all of my supplies before going ahead. My beads are in the dining room cabinet, my sewing machine is upstairs, my yarn is in the hallway and the living room, my fabric is... well, I'm not even sure where it is right now.
Much to my delight, my new personal hero - Troy the Carpenter - arrived and started work on the room. The name of the space has been upgraded from craft room to "studio". And we will hopefully be painting this weekend.
In the meantime... please feast your eyes on my latest sock project:
*Mr. Happy's job may seem glamourous to some, but in truth he works long hours with little time off... in fact, when we went to Mexico last May it was the first time he had taken a vacation in a couple of years. This kind of schedule doesn't bode well for home repair or a social life.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Thanks for all the help, Noel
Since the first of August we have been eyeing the yard that once was the pride of the neighbourhood - Once upon a time, a family owned that house. They cared for the lawn and the flower beds and the property. They grew up in that house, they grew old in that house and then they moved away. Now we have every home owner's dread - messy renters living next door. (If they were tidy renters, I wouldn't mind. I'd even bake them bread and learn the name of their kids and their dog.)
I thought that we would have to wait for snow before the neighbour's yard was returned to its pristine state. Today, however, the threat of Noel (Tropical Storm) had the neighbours outside - cleaning up bicycles, totes, and the "Pimpes" wardrobe
I will forever be grateful to Noel, and to the neighbour who carefully put away all the stuff in the back yard today.
Even if we lose some shingles.
I thought that we would have to wait for snow before the neighbour's yard was returned to its pristine state. Today, however, the threat of Noel (Tropical Storm) had the neighbours outside - cleaning up bicycles, totes, and the "Pimpes" wardrobe
I will forever be grateful to Noel, and to the neighbour who carefully put away all the stuff in the back yard today.
Even if we lose some shingles.
Monday, October 29, 2007
The End of the Watt Furnace Moratorium
Mr. Happy left for England a week ago tonight.
For the last week I have been sleeping in my flannie jammies in a bed layered with the following (Top to bottom)
- The feather filled comforter that once belonged to my neighbour's grandmother
- A quilt made my my grandmother - folded in half (i.e. two layers)
- A cotton bedspread - carried home from Portugal by my father only to be spotted in Sears a month later.
- A Velux blanket
- a feather duvet
- New Brunswick sheets
- Me.
I have been doing so well:
I've abandoned the house for coffee shops and longer hours at the office;
I've been eating supper and then heading to bed where I watch TV and hang out for the night ;
I've even employed the oft-overlooked "canine heating system" on Saturday night (Pippin came for a sleep-over)
I've considered putting sweaters on the houseplants;
I've drank many many cups of this*:
Tonight I started baking a batch of bread.
It was 12C inside the house.
Then I realized that the temperature was going to dip down to the freezing mark tonight, I caved; I went downstairs and turned on the furnace.
Mr. Happy and his internal radiant heating system are an ocean away.
Don't blame me. Blame him. If he was here, I might have made it.
*If you haven't already discovered this little gem, Abuelita is a product from Mexico. It's the best hot chocolate I've ever had. The package contains 6 round "cakes" that make 4 servings each. You melt the chocolate in milk... and then you slurp down ever last bit. It smells like, and even tastes like, Ganong Chicken Bones.
Cubanos, which is a hop, skip and a jump from my house, sells Abuelita. I'm predicting a run on it once the word gets out.
By the way - Abuelita falls into the "Happiness to be had for under $10" category.
For the last week I have been sleeping in my flannie jammies in a bed layered with the following (Top to bottom)
- The feather filled comforter that once belonged to my neighbour's grandmother
- A quilt made my my grandmother - folded in half (i.e. two layers)
- A cotton bedspread - carried home from Portugal by my father only to be spotted in Sears a month later.
- A Velux blanket
- a feather duvet
- New Brunswick sheets
- Me.
I have been doing so well:
I've abandoned the house for coffee shops and longer hours at the office;
I've been eating supper and then heading to bed where I watch TV and hang out for the night ;
I've even employed the oft-overlooked "canine heating system" on Saturday night (Pippin came for a sleep-over)
I've considered putting sweaters on the houseplants;
I've drank many many cups of this*:
Tonight I started baking a batch of bread.
It was 12C inside the house.
Then I realized that the temperature was going to dip down to the freezing mark tonight, I caved; I went downstairs and turned on the furnace.
Mr. Happy and his internal radiant heating system are an ocean away.
Don't blame me. Blame him. If he was here, I might have made it.
*If you haven't already discovered this little gem, Abuelita is a product from Mexico. It's the best hot chocolate I've ever had. The package contains 6 round "cakes" that make 4 servings each. You melt the chocolate in milk... and then you slurp down ever last bit. It smells like, and even tastes like, Ganong Chicken Bones.
Cubanos, which is a hop, skip and a jump from my house, sells Abuelita. I'm predicting a run on it once the word gets out.
By the way - Abuelita falls into the "Happiness to be had for under $10" category.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Why I can feel muscles I didn't know I had:
Before:
After-ish:
Why did it take us 6 years to get around to this? Um. Well... I only saw the icky risers half the time. On the way down the stairs, all I saw was nice treads. Hee hee.
There is still a lot of work before the stairs are "done" but this is just sooooo much better.
Tip for reno-crazed homeowners: If you encounter a similar situation, do not start sanding the risers from the bottom. The dust makes your stairs quite slippery. It only took 3 stairs for me to sort this out. And no, I did not fall. I just found it difficult to brace myself enough to apply pressure to the sander.
After-ish:
Why did it take us 6 years to get around to this? Um. Well... I only saw the icky risers half the time. On the way down the stairs, all I saw was nice treads. Hee hee.
There is still a lot of work before the stairs are "done" but this is just sooooo much better.
Tip for reno-crazed homeowners: If you encounter a similar situation, do not start sanding the risers from the bottom. The dust makes your stairs quite slippery. It only took 3 stairs for me to sort this out. And no, I did not fall. I just found it difficult to brace myself enough to apply pressure to the sander.
Monday, August 06, 2007
What I Did On My Summer Vacation* - part deux
*or - How My Mom Is Watching Out For Me
Well, you all know the saga of the house next door, right?
First, it went up for sale. Then, there was all the rhubarb thievery. Then came Operation Gonorrhea. And finally, something I didn't mention here, the new owner* put the house up for rent. There may have also been an incident with some activists in the garden "freeing the rhubarb roots", but everyone involved in that bit of late night, cover of darkness shovelling has been trained to deny, deny, deny. Rank and serial number only!
While I was away in New Brunswick, Mr. Happy kept me apprised of the situation next door. The "For Rent" sign was taken down and it wasn't long before a family of 5 (or is it 15 - I can't yet figure out who lives there and who doesn't) moved in next door.
Ok, so what does this have to do with my summer vacation? Well, I came home intent on doing some work around the house. The plan was to either scrape wallpaper in our bedroom OR to work on the sun porch (sigh - the project that will never get done). These plans were sidelined when we realized that we don't want to traumatize the children next door. It was time for dining room curtains. I've only had the fabric for 5 years. Ahem.
On Thursday morning I bought TWO fabulous Umbra curtain rods at Linens 'N Things** - (half price - yay!) and then I went home to try to figure out how on earth I was going to make the curtains.
After rummaging around in my craft and sewing supplies (wouldn't a craft room in the sun porch be great?), I consulted with my neighbour (source of much wisdom and knowledge). The two of us were standing in my spare room (where the sewing machine lives, for now) looking at the fabric and trying to figure out the best way to make the curtains - drapes? tab tops? just throw the fabric over the rod and be done with it? I had envisioned drapes with pleats hanging on rings. A friend of mine had given me some curtain rings years ago but I didn't know how to attach them.
This is the part where Mom was watching out for me: I reached into a drawer and pulled out a roll of what I thought was some sort of reinforcement for curtains. My neighbour said, "Oh! That's the stuff you need! That goes on the back of the curtain and then the hooks slip up into that tape, see?" And she showed me the little channels for the hooks. I reached into Mom's sewing kit (now my sewing kit) and pulled out one of the hooks she was talking about. Needless to say, I was very thankful that my mom's sewing kit is filled with extremely useful things and that she still seems to be looking out for me.
I'll skip the gory details about the sewing, the lining and the double hems (which are gorgeous, by the way) and just show you the finished product:
The fabric has a yellow threads and dark khaki green threads forming grids on it (fabric people could probably name this style) - which pull in the colour on the walls and the colour of our sofas - which are visible from the dining room. (Our house is small - everything is visible from the dining room!)
Aren't they beautiful? I think I did a pretty good job for someone who only sews about twice a year.
I also made drapes for our bedroom while I was at it. I won't be showing these to you until the bedroom walls are stripped of the ancient wallpaper and painted. At this rate, that could be next summer. I've had that fabric since 1999.
Speaking of fabric (and because this post just isn't long enough), here's the fabric I bought while Becca and I were at Mardens last Monday:
First, this pretty paisley print:
That's for new throw pillows on the couch. It goes quite nicely with the new curtains.
Next up, this vintage looking print:
Safety first people! I wish I had bought more of this- we need a couple new curtains in the kitchen and this would be perfect.
This fabric:
is to feed my addiction to green. And to make something fun for Christmas.
And last, but certainly not least, a little something for the knitters:
I just can't wait to use it all. In my new craft room. Sigh.
* The new owner just happens to be an old girlfriend of Mr. Happy. When I told the KOL crew about the new owner, the collective gasp in the room was so strong that a man walking by the coffee shop was sucked in through the door and had a latte in his hand before he knew what had happened.
**apparently the 'n Things refers to curtain rods and potato scrubbers.)
Well, you all know the saga of the house next door, right?
First, it went up for sale. Then, there was all the rhubarb thievery. Then came Operation Gonorrhea. And finally, something I didn't mention here, the new owner* put the house up for rent. There may have also been an incident with some activists in the garden "freeing the rhubarb roots", but everyone involved in that bit of late night, cover of darkness shovelling has been trained to deny, deny, deny. Rank and serial number only!
While I was away in New Brunswick, Mr. Happy kept me apprised of the situation next door. The "For Rent" sign was taken down and it wasn't long before a family of 5 (or is it 15 - I can't yet figure out who lives there and who doesn't) moved in next door.
Ok, so what does this have to do with my summer vacation? Well, I came home intent on doing some work around the house. The plan was to either scrape wallpaper in our bedroom OR to work on the sun porch (sigh - the project that will never get done). These plans were sidelined when we realized that we don't want to traumatize the children next door. It was time for dining room curtains. I've only had the fabric for 5 years. Ahem.
On Thursday morning I bought TWO fabulous Umbra curtain rods at Linens 'N Things** - (half price - yay!) and then I went home to try to figure out how on earth I was going to make the curtains.
After rummaging around in my craft and sewing supplies (wouldn't a craft room in the sun porch be great?), I consulted with my neighbour (source of much wisdom and knowledge). The two of us were standing in my spare room (where the sewing machine lives, for now) looking at the fabric and trying to figure out the best way to make the curtains - drapes? tab tops? just throw the fabric over the rod and be done with it? I had envisioned drapes with pleats hanging on rings. A friend of mine had given me some curtain rings years ago but I didn't know how to attach them.
This is the part where Mom was watching out for me: I reached into a drawer and pulled out a roll of what I thought was some sort of reinforcement for curtains. My neighbour said, "Oh! That's the stuff you need! That goes on the back of the curtain and then the hooks slip up into that tape, see?" And she showed me the little channels for the hooks. I reached into Mom's sewing kit (now my sewing kit) and pulled out one of the hooks she was talking about. Needless to say, I was very thankful that my mom's sewing kit is filled with extremely useful things and that she still seems to be looking out for me.
I'll skip the gory details about the sewing, the lining and the double hems (which are gorgeous, by the way) and just show you the finished product:
The fabric has a yellow threads and dark khaki green threads forming grids on it (fabric people could probably name this style) - which pull in the colour on the walls and the colour of our sofas - which are visible from the dining room. (Our house is small - everything is visible from the dining room!)
Aren't they beautiful? I think I did a pretty good job for someone who only sews about twice a year.
I also made drapes for our bedroom while I was at it. I won't be showing these to you until the bedroom walls are stripped of the ancient wallpaper and painted. At this rate, that could be next summer. I've had that fabric since 1999.
Speaking of fabric (and because this post just isn't long enough), here's the fabric I bought while Becca and I were at Mardens last Monday:
First, this pretty paisley print:
That's for new throw pillows on the couch. It goes quite nicely with the new curtains.
Next up, this vintage looking print:
Safety first people! I wish I had bought more of this- we need a couple new curtains in the kitchen and this would be perfect.
This fabric:
is to feed my addiction to green. And to make something fun for Christmas.
And last, but certainly not least, a little something for the knitters:
I just can't wait to use it all. In my new craft room. Sigh.
* The new owner just happens to be an old girlfriend of Mr. Happy. When I told the KOL crew about the new owner, the collective gasp in the room was so strong that a man walking by the coffee shop was sucked in through the door and had a latte in his hand before he knew what had happened.
**apparently the 'n Things refers to curtain rods and potato scrubbers.)
Friday, August 12, 2005
Balls on a Teddy Bear
I'm trying to refrain from cursing a blue streak right now. Really, really friggin' hard.
Tonight is Andrew's night off. It is his only night off this weekend. It is our only night since MONDAY that we have spent together. When he got home, I was in the kitchen, playing Mrs. Susie Homemaker. I had my apron on and I was kneading bread. He caught the bug and decided to do the thorough vacuuming that the floors so desperately needed. Our intention was to tidy up, get some groceries, and then maybe rent a movie or go out for Cows. At least, that was the nice scenario I had romanticized in my head while I spun the dough and pushed it on the counter. Ahhhh...
Now? Now Andrew is in the basement with our Mr. Washie, hereafter known as Mr. Kenmore. Andrew asked me to leave him alone with Mr. Kenmore because, unlike "Big Stephanie", I have a tendency to get violent when my large appliances give me lip.
(Did everyone's mom say this to them? My mom would ask me to do something and if she sensed I was going to talk back she would say, "And don't give me any lip").
Oh, wait a second... there's a development with Mr. Kenmore...
I'm back! I am sooooooo lucky to have a husband who can fix stuff. (He once fixed a cd-player with a rubber band, which seems brilliant to me, but may make sense to other people.) He's figured out Mr. Kenmore's problem. Until we can get a new thingy-thongy, we'll have to hold down the little latch with a screwdriver to get Mr. Kenmore to spin.
OK, THAT, I can handle. A broken Mr. Kenmore, I cannot.
Here are a few more photos to liven up this dull place!
I took this photo the morning after the ice storm in 1998. This poor little tree was buckled right over. Those of you who lived through that ice storm will probably remember the sounds it made. First there was the sound it made as it came down and pelted our house and windows. It popped against the roof my parents' sunroom. Then there was the sound of trees limbs creaking and then snapping as they broke under the weight ot the ice. The days following the storm, when some of the ice began to melt, there was the sound of it falling off the trees and then skidding on the frozen ground. This was such a strange/horrible time in my life (for reasons I can't really go into), and the ice storm holds a lot of significance for me. Angela was living in Montreal during the ice storm and struggled to work over slippery streets, climbing over downed trees, and shivering through the power outage at her apartment.
This is another one from the ice storm. In my parents back yard the umbrella type clothes line had been left up and this was the result. Pretty cool, eh? No pun intended.
And since we need a photo that shows that Canadian ice can be friendly:
This was taken on the Saint John River in Woodstock, NB, around New Years about 6 and a half years ago. I don't think this wasn't my first time skating on the river, but it was the first time I played hockey on it. This motley looking crew is:
Standing (from left to right): Me,("Breakaway girl who catches figure skate pick in ice and flies through the air before landing on the ice and skidding through the boots that were the goal posts"), my uncle's friend, Wayne, ("Just give'er!"), Andrew ("Ballet on ice"), my cousin, Jon ( "Does my hat look like a zucchini or what?").
Kneeling (from left to right): My uncle, Don ( "I've got a metal plate in my shoulder from taking out bigger boys than you!") and my cousin, Andy ("The Wall" or "He's got so many clothes on, we can't get the puck past him").
taking the photo: My cousin, Jon's, now wife, Kelly ("I've never played hockey with the guys before either - we've got to do this again") - she's the one who is pregnant with twins now. I think her hockey playing days are over.
Ok, Mr. Kenmore is fixed and I've got a hot date upstairs...
Tonight is Andrew's night off. It is his only night off this weekend. It is our only night since MONDAY that we have spent together. When he got home, I was in the kitchen, playing Mrs. Susie Homemaker. I had my apron on and I was kneading bread. He caught the bug and decided to do the thorough vacuuming that the floors so desperately needed. Our intention was to tidy up, get some groceries, and then maybe rent a movie or go out for Cows. At least, that was the nice scenario I had romanticized in my head while I spun the dough and pushed it on the counter. Ahhhh...
Now? Now Andrew is in the basement with our Mr. Washie, hereafter known as Mr. Kenmore. Andrew asked me to leave him alone with Mr. Kenmore because, unlike "Big Stephanie", I have a tendency to get violent when my large appliances give me lip.
(Did everyone's mom say this to them? My mom would ask me to do something and if she sensed I was going to talk back she would say, "And don't give me any lip").
Oh, wait a second... there's a development with Mr. Kenmore...
I'm back! I am sooooooo lucky to have a husband who can fix stuff. (He once fixed a cd-player with a rubber band, which seems brilliant to me, but may make sense to other people.) He's figured out Mr. Kenmore's problem. Until we can get a new thingy-thongy, we'll have to hold down the little latch with a screwdriver to get Mr. Kenmore to spin.
OK, THAT, I can handle. A broken Mr. Kenmore, I cannot.
Here are a few more photos to liven up this dull place!
I took this photo the morning after the ice storm in 1998. This poor little tree was buckled right over. Those of you who lived through that ice storm will probably remember the sounds it made. First there was the sound it made as it came down and pelted our house and windows. It popped against the roof my parents' sunroom. Then there was the sound of trees limbs creaking and then snapping as they broke under the weight ot the ice. The days following the storm, when some of the ice began to melt, there was the sound of it falling off the trees and then skidding on the frozen ground. This was such a strange/horrible time in my life (for reasons I can't really go into), and the ice storm holds a lot of significance for me. Angela was living in Montreal during the ice storm and struggled to work over slippery streets, climbing over downed trees, and shivering through the power outage at her apartment.
This is another one from the ice storm. In my parents back yard the umbrella type clothes line had been left up and this was the result. Pretty cool, eh? No pun intended.
And since we need a photo that shows that Canadian ice can be friendly:
This was taken on the Saint John River in Woodstock, NB, around New Years about 6 and a half years ago. I don't think this wasn't my first time skating on the river, but it was the first time I played hockey on it. This motley looking crew is:
Standing (from left to right): Me,("Breakaway girl who catches figure skate pick in ice and flies through the air before landing on the ice and skidding through the boots that were the goal posts"), my uncle's friend, Wayne, ("Just give'er!"), Andrew ("Ballet on ice"), my cousin, Jon ( "Does my hat look like a zucchini or what?").
Kneeling (from left to right): My uncle, Don ( "I've got a metal plate in my shoulder from taking out bigger boys than you!") and my cousin, Andy ("The Wall" or "He's got so many clothes on, we can't get the puck past him").
taking the photo: My cousin, Jon's, now wife, Kelly ("I've never played hockey with the guys before either - we've got to do this again") - she's the one who is pregnant with twins now. I think her hockey playing days are over.
Ok, Mr. Kenmore is fixed and I've got a hot date upstairs...
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
My New, Not-So-Secret, Crush
Wow. I've been absent for a while now, haven't I? ok, ok. I know you all think it's because I'm still bitter that I couldn't go to Maryland Sheep and Wool, but it's not. I've just haven't had a chance to blog since last Friday. I really shouldn't even be doing this now because I'm pretty much exhausted and I doubt that I'll be able to infuse this entry with as much humour as I would like. So, for the sake of sanity, it will be point form for me, please and thank you:
Saturday:
- Got up and organized self for day on the town. Threw together bag of wool and Boa for overjoyed Janey who was in Halifax for a meeting. Planned meeting time: 10:30am. I am notoriously late for everything. At 10:08am, I hopped into car, drove across bridge, and was cruising through the downtown core, feeling quite self-satisfied at the fact that I was clearly going to be early for this meeting as it was only 10:15am and I was almost to the meeting place and that's when I realized I didn't have the bag of wool for Janey. The words that came out of my mouth... well, let's just say, the sailors at the crosswalk were aghast. I managed to turn around, go home, pick up the yarn and get to the meeting place by 10:34am. I didn't tell Janey any of this when I saw her... so you heard it here first. I hope you're enjoying the yarn, and yes, that pattern you sent the link for is GORGEOUS.
- Picked up our former boarder, Serge and his delightful gal pal, Paula and went out for b-fast. It was so good to see them both, and despite the fact that they had been out late the night before, they were both in great spirits. I think the breakfast locale helped that along (Cora's, AGAIN!). Paula and I then ditched Sergio-ti-Oh at home and hit the mall for some spontaneous shopping. Gosh I miss having those two in our house. Paula and I used to hang out in our jammies and watch movies all day long. It was like having a built in party when they were here.
Sunday:
- in pajamas until 3pm.
- went to Blue Rodeo concert. Andrew and I were early. I pulled out the knitting. Andrew was a bit shocked by this behaviour at first and actually hissed the words "Put that away, people are watching!" as if I had suddenly pulled out drug paraphenelia or a coffee table version of one of Madonna's scandalous photo books. I told him to suck it up and that I was spreading the good news of knitting through my glorious example (the lace camisole from vintage knits, using Rowan 4-ply). Soon enough, though, he realized it was amusing to watch all the people watching me... 'cause you know they were wishing they had brought something to do too.
This Is The Part About the Not-So-Secret Crush
Ok, so the reason we were at the B.R. concert was because Andrew had been given two tickets by one of the guys in the band for whom he had done a favour last year. This man must be incredibly thoughtful or incredibly organized to have remembered the favour, whichever the case, we were thrilled to get the tickets, not just because B.R. are a very talented band with quite a few recognizable (to Canadians at least) hits, a phenomenal amount of energy (these guys have been doing this since, uh, the early 90s?) and great stage prescence, but also because Matt Mays and El Torpedo were opening for them.
Andrew has known Matt for quite a few years now and recorded him in various stages of his music career over the years. It was a huge thrill to see him and his band, El Torpedo rocking out on the stage at the Metro Centre. We were sitting in view of the bands as they came out before they went on stage and their bass player, Andy, who also knows Andrew from a way back, had seen us earlier and knew where we were sitting. Being the total geeks that we all are, we were waving as they came out and exchanged the old "rock on" signs with the band. Next hand gesture we should have done? L for Luh-hooo-sers. I'm such a geek for this kind of stuff. And I swear to you, I'm not telling you all "we know the band" stuff to seem cooler than I am, 'cause I'm totally not cool, I'm just telling you because I'm just so freaking happy to see a band from here doing well. It's been a long time since Sloan left Hali... we're due for some fame around here.
Anyhooooooo... The band blew me away. Andrew had picked up their cd for me a while ago and I had been really enjoying it. But seeing them on stage, with their heads thrashing around and Matt singing away... well, I think I developed a little crush on the band. So, Matt, if you've done the unthinkable and you're reading this because you googled yourself and here you are: Uhhhhhh... yes, well, you guys were, uh, hot onstage and I really wanted to be there in the gaggle of girls asking for your autograph after the show, but Andrew refused to let me embarrass you in front of real live fans. (Andy Patil, you can just stop laughing right now. Your girlfriend knits and if I get to meet her, then you'll be buying yarn at every stop the band makes.)
As for B.R. well, they just rocked for 2 whole hours. I was mentally exhausted at the end of their 2nd encore. I can't begin to tell you how great it was to see a band like them still playing and still churning out great music after all these years. And it also appears that none of them have had to sell their souls to do it, a la R0lling St0nes.
Monday:
- Painted Serge's old bedroom. Needed a fresh coat. Because I didn't bother to 'cut in' around the trim, this was achieved in record time. I know, I'm a painting slacker. I'm going to painting slacker hell. Shoot me. The room is "done" and looks all nice and fresh for next weekend when we'll have company.
Tuesday:
My cousin came over for supper. Spread the good word of knitting to her. Taught her how to knit. The bugger started knitting semi-continental style. With no prompting from me whatsoever. I'm a thrower. She was throwing with her left hand, but I'm sure with practice, she'll be picking in no time. I don't know if she'll go home and find a knitting group or a shop, but perhaps IF THERE ARE ANY KNITTERS OUT THERE FROM THE CHARLOTTETOWN AREA OF PEI, Please let me know if there are any classes, knitting groups over there, k?
Wednesday:
JAK and the Curious C came over tonight with their new puppy! Please see JAK's blog for a photo. His name is Harley and he's just over 3 pounds! He's a little Shih Tzu and he's so cute you want to smooch his little face about a million times. I would have had a photo, but my camera was dead. I took film photos instead.
That's all for now folks. It's late, I've got granola bars in the oven, bread that needs to come out of the pans and a bed that is hollering my name. Gotta run!
Saturday:
- Got up and organized self for day on the town. Threw together bag of wool and Boa for overjoyed Janey who was in Halifax for a meeting. Planned meeting time: 10:30am. I am notoriously late for everything. At 10:08am, I hopped into car, drove across bridge, and was cruising through the downtown core, feeling quite self-satisfied at the fact that I was clearly going to be early for this meeting as it was only 10:15am and I was almost to the meeting place and that's when I realized I didn't have the bag of wool for Janey. The words that came out of my mouth... well, let's just say, the sailors at the crosswalk were aghast. I managed to turn around, go home, pick up the yarn and get to the meeting place by 10:34am. I didn't tell Janey any of this when I saw her... so you heard it here first. I hope you're enjoying the yarn, and yes, that pattern you sent the link for is GORGEOUS.
- Picked up our former boarder, Serge and his delightful gal pal, Paula and went out for b-fast. It was so good to see them both, and despite the fact that they had been out late the night before, they were both in great spirits. I think the breakfast locale helped that along (Cora's, AGAIN!). Paula and I then ditched Sergio-ti-Oh at home and hit the mall for some spontaneous shopping. Gosh I miss having those two in our house. Paula and I used to hang out in our jammies and watch movies all day long. It was like having a built in party when they were here.
Sunday:
- in pajamas until 3pm.
- went to Blue Rodeo concert. Andrew and I were early. I pulled out the knitting. Andrew was a bit shocked by this behaviour at first and actually hissed the words "Put that away, people are watching!" as if I had suddenly pulled out drug paraphenelia or a coffee table version of one of Madonna's scandalous photo books. I told him to suck it up and that I was spreading the good news of knitting through my glorious example (the lace camisole from vintage knits, using Rowan 4-ply). Soon enough, though, he realized it was amusing to watch all the people watching me... 'cause you know they were wishing they had brought something to do too.
This Is The Part About the Not-So-Secret Crush
Ok, so the reason we were at the B.R. concert was because Andrew had been given two tickets by one of the guys in the band for whom he had done a favour last year. This man must be incredibly thoughtful or incredibly organized to have remembered the favour, whichever the case, we were thrilled to get the tickets, not just because B.R. are a very talented band with quite a few recognizable (to Canadians at least) hits, a phenomenal amount of energy (these guys have been doing this since, uh, the early 90s?) and great stage prescence, but also because Matt Mays and El Torpedo were opening for them.
Andrew has known Matt for quite a few years now and recorded him in various stages of his music career over the years. It was a huge thrill to see him and his band, El Torpedo rocking out on the stage at the Metro Centre. We were sitting in view of the bands as they came out before they went on stage and their bass player, Andy, who also knows Andrew from a way back, had seen us earlier and knew where we were sitting. Being the total geeks that we all are, we were waving as they came out and exchanged the old "rock on" signs with the band. Next hand gesture we should have done? L for Luh-hooo-sers. I'm such a geek for this kind of stuff. And I swear to you, I'm not telling you all "we know the band" stuff to seem cooler than I am, 'cause I'm totally not cool, I'm just telling you because I'm just so freaking happy to see a band from here doing well. It's been a long time since Sloan left Hali... we're due for some fame around here.
Anyhooooooo... The band blew me away. Andrew had picked up their cd for me a while ago and I had been really enjoying it. But seeing them on stage, with their heads thrashing around and Matt singing away... well, I think I developed a little crush on the band. So, Matt, if you've done the unthinkable and you're reading this because you googled yourself and here you are: Uhhhhhh... yes, well, you guys were, uh, hot onstage and I really wanted to be there in the gaggle of girls asking for your autograph after the show, but Andrew refused to let me embarrass you in front of real live fans. (Andy Patil, you can just stop laughing right now. Your girlfriend knits and if I get to meet her, then you'll be buying yarn at every stop the band makes.)
As for B.R. well, they just rocked for 2 whole hours. I was mentally exhausted at the end of their 2nd encore. I can't begin to tell you how great it was to see a band like them still playing and still churning out great music after all these years. And it also appears that none of them have had to sell their souls to do it, a la R0lling St0nes.
Monday:
- Painted Serge's old bedroom. Needed a fresh coat. Because I didn't bother to 'cut in' around the trim, this was achieved in record time. I know, I'm a painting slacker. I'm going to painting slacker hell. Shoot me. The room is "done" and looks all nice and fresh for next weekend when we'll have company.
Tuesday:
My cousin came over for supper. Spread the good word of knitting to her. Taught her how to knit. The bugger started knitting semi-continental style. With no prompting from me whatsoever. I'm a thrower. She was throwing with her left hand, but I'm sure with practice, she'll be picking in no time. I don't know if she'll go home and find a knitting group or a shop, but perhaps IF THERE ARE ANY KNITTERS OUT THERE FROM THE CHARLOTTETOWN AREA OF PEI, Please let me know if there are any classes, knitting groups over there, k?
Wednesday:
JAK and the Curious C came over tonight with their new puppy! Please see JAK's blog for a photo. His name is Harley and he's just over 3 pounds! He's a little Shih Tzu and he's so cute you want to smooch his little face about a million times. I would have had a photo, but my camera was dead. I took film photos instead.
That's all for now folks. It's late, I've got granola bars in the oven, bread that needs to come out of the pans and a bed that is hollering my name. Gotta run!
Sunday, March 13, 2005
My Love(-Hate) Relationship with the Painter-Dude
I went to work one day last week and left behind a huge hole in my kitchen ceiling... I can home that afternoon and my ceiling had no hole. As I stood at the back door, keys still in hand, staring at the ceiling, I felt the love wash over me. I was truly in love with the painter, Shawn.
Mind you, I could not possibly consider cooking in that kitchen, as Shawn's work had left behind enough white powder to have the entire US postal system in a panicked frenzy. I was mildly dismayed by this, but when I considered the fact that I had my own personal Michelangelo at work in my home, I quickly got over it. (I don't think having your own personal Michelangelo is exactly like having your own personal Jesus, but the spiritual effect is similar.)
Later in the week, our hallway, which had been a dingy disaster for almost 4 years (yes, ladies and gents, 4 years. Yeah, yeah, if you knew how much Andrew works you would understand why it's gone on so long... and yes, I could have worked on it myself, but there are parts of that wall that are physically impossible for me to reach. I'm still waiting on my wings or the ability to leap tall, even small, buildings in a single bound.) started to whiten, and then brighten, as Shawn, the paint-brush wielding genius, smoothed on first primer and then paint. Andrew and I both stood in the hallway after the first coat of paint and declared Shawn to be a master with a paint roller.
By this Friday the entire job was done. I had mixed feelings when I saw that Shawn's gear was gone from our house when I got home from work. It wasn't long before our relationship went south. I spent 6.5 hours cleaning on Friday night. Oh, yes, Friday night. Big happenin' party at our house on Friday night. Rock on.
First, there was the time spent with the vacuum cleaner, attempting to suck up all that drywall compound dust... After about 20 minutes with the vacuum I realized that Shawn, although a talented painter, was not the god I had made him out to be in my head. Then I donned my hot pink rubber gloves (you've got to do something to make the job more festive hence the pink rubber gloves) and went mad in the kitchen with soapy water and a sponge. I may have said a few things about Shawn that were kind of mean at that point. I felt bad and moved on to the hallway, wiping down every centimetre of woodwork. It was when I was crawling on the floor with the sponge that I cursed Shawn and his lack of a shop vac or some sort of filtration system. Finally, it was just me and Mr Mop. I danced my swishy, soapy dance with Mr Mop, cha-cha-cha-ing down the hallway, sashaying up and down the stairs, twirling through the kitchen. Our reunion dance was successful; We were Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Mr. Mop and I. After everything was done I realized that although I loved Shawn for what he had done to my kitchen ceiling and my hallway, I could not possibly forgive him for the dust he had caused and how he had come between me and my sparkling hardwood floors.
Ah, the lessons you learn from love...
Mr Mop, would you care to dance? I think they're playing our song...
Mind you, I could not possibly consider cooking in that kitchen, as Shawn's work had left behind enough white powder to have the entire US postal system in a panicked frenzy. I was mildly dismayed by this, but when I considered the fact that I had my own personal Michelangelo at work in my home, I quickly got over it. (I don't think having your own personal Michelangelo is exactly like having your own personal Jesus, but the spiritual effect is similar.)
Later in the week, our hallway, which had been a dingy disaster for almost 4 years (yes, ladies and gents, 4 years. Yeah, yeah, if you knew how much Andrew works you would understand why it's gone on so long... and yes, I could have worked on it myself, but there are parts of that wall that are physically impossible for me to reach. I'm still waiting on my wings or the ability to leap tall, even small, buildings in a single bound.) started to whiten, and then brighten, as Shawn, the paint-brush wielding genius, smoothed on first primer and then paint. Andrew and I both stood in the hallway after the first coat of paint and declared Shawn to be a master with a paint roller.
By this Friday the entire job was done. I had mixed feelings when I saw that Shawn's gear was gone from our house when I got home from work. It wasn't long before our relationship went south. I spent 6.5 hours cleaning on Friday night. Oh, yes, Friday night. Big happenin' party at our house on Friday night. Rock on.
First, there was the time spent with the vacuum cleaner, attempting to suck up all that drywall compound dust... After about 20 minutes with the vacuum I realized that Shawn, although a talented painter, was not the god I had made him out to be in my head. Then I donned my hot pink rubber gloves (you've got to do something to make the job more festive hence the pink rubber gloves) and went mad in the kitchen with soapy water and a sponge. I may have said a few things about Shawn that were kind of mean at that point. I felt bad and moved on to the hallway, wiping down every centimetre of woodwork. It was when I was crawling on the floor with the sponge that I cursed Shawn and his lack of a shop vac or some sort of filtration system. Finally, it was just me and Mr Mop. I danced my swishy, soapy dance with Mr Mop, cha-cha-cha-ing down the hallway, sashaying up and down the stairs, twirling through the kitchen. Our reunion dance was successful; We were Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Mr. Mop and I. After everything was done I realized that although I loved Shawn for what he had done to my kitchen ceiling and my hallway, I could not possibly forgive him for the dust he had caused and how he had come between me and my sparkling hardwood floors.
Ah, the lessons you learn from love...
Mr Mop, would you care to dance? I think they're playing our song...
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