Sneak Peak

Not too much has been happening here on our reno. BUT lots has been happening in the garden. The greenhouses are filling up with tomatoes; the weeds are keeping me busy; pots are getting filled - just a very busy time of year I must say.


We have had a couple of visitors who wanted to have a sneak peak so I thought I better let the rest of you have yours too. The carpet is now down in the hallway. Feels odd to walk on it - I was getting so used to the ugly lino tile that was under the old carpet. In the middle of the night padding down the hallway in my bare feet it was cold. Mike would leave his slippers at the door to the bedroom so he wouldn't have to walk on it - but me I would forget.

and NOW

Then

So here you go - carpet. No trim yet or doors but that is coming soon.








And here - here is a peak into the bathroom. Yes my grandson was the FIRST to have a bath and splash all over the walls and the shower doors.

Almost, Almost Done

Front door is in; not with out it's problems.

Problems, problems - NO PROBLEM as they say in Jamaica - we have solutions.



Last summer on one of my wonderful walks through an upscale neighbourhood I spied some doors that I loved. I took a picture - had to have that door or one like it. It was not the colour but the style - both these doors have a Missions style to them and I thought that would look great for the front of our house.

The problems that we had are slowly melting away from my memory as I see our door in place. We still haven't put up the trim but here is the door. 

We decided not to have a mail slot and have a mail box instead. We didn`t want just any mailbox - or at least I didn`t. I found these two at the Willow`s Market.

Option 1 - expensive, very big but I like the detail, a bit modern looking

Option 2 - less expensive, smaller size and full of character

So we went with Option 2 - I like it - was way easier to hang too. We really don`t get a lot of mail - utility bills, the odd parcel which wouldn`t fit in either box and a few magazines. I think Option 1 has an oriental, modern look to it and our door suggests or in designer speak ``speaks to another time - has an old world charm`` - in other words - suits the door.

Revisiting Mother's Day

My Mom and Me

I spent some time on Mother's Day cleaning the dog hair out of my car. I had to move the car to get my built in vacuum hose to reach the second side of my car and while moving it - I got to hear the Vinyl Cafe. Now I am not sure everyone knows about the Vinyl Cafe. It is a program on CBC - oh I can hear one of my friends saying "you have to be OLD to listen to CBC" and I said to her - grow up then, this is good radio. The Vinyl Cafe is hosted by Stuart McLean, is best described in these words from the Vinyl Cafe website.

"The Vinyl Cafe stories are about Dave, owner of the second hand record store, and they are collected in books and on CD. The stories also feature Dave's wife, Morley, their two children, Sam and Stephanie, and assorted friends and neighbours. The motto of Dave's store - and of the radio show - is "We May Not Be Big, But We're Small"."

The one of the day was "Mother's Day" and the story was "Sam's New Underwear". It describes a Mother's changing role as her children grow up and grow away. One day, a baby, toddler and the next - you are a spectator in your child's life - when did this happen; HOW did this happen. It brought tears to my eyes as I sat in the back seat - vacuum cleaner going and Stuart McLean hitting every Motherly nerve in my body and it brought thoughts about my kids and how I had to adapt to being me, not me, Raymond's Mother or me, Paula's Mother, or me, Tracy's Mother. Just me - Geri.  Not the fixer of hurts - physical or physiological; not the person to give unsolisted "good advise"; not the person to do everything for everyone BUT just me. I still don't think I have it right - as I learned to bite my tongue a lot so that they can grow and fail and try and succeed. It is a hard thing to do because you know it would be so easy to SWOOP in and save the day. I have learned to help ONLY when I am asked. I must say I am so proud of my children for doing it on their own.

Mother's Day

This was one good Mother's Day - heard from all of my children and had a walk with my Step-mom. I wish I had taken my camera. We walked the Raven Trail along the Campbell River past the old Raven Lumber site. It is pretty amazing how they are reclaiming the industrial site and encouraging the natural vegetation to grow. Pretty amazing to see what can be done to restore the land and how fast it comes back. The day was sunny and warm - just a perfect May day.

And for Mother's Day - nothing can be better than hearing from family far and wide and this year they were ALL away. Ottawa called first, then Whistler and a surprise call from Italy. All in all a good day.

The perfect day ended with a Mother's Day Barbeque at Kimble's. Rosco was the greeter.

I was amazed at the variety of tulips that Julianne has growing in her garden - yes those yellow pompom flowers are tulips.

Our hostess talking to her daughter in San Diego and our host - I don't think he realized that I was going to put his picture on the blog.















Not quite sure about these geese. There must be a story here. They were made years ago by Bob (Dad, Grampa) - I think we all have a set. I must dig mine out and paint them.

Uncle Mike and Linden had some fun with Julianne's new flower pots.

School of Life

You never know when you will learn something new. My Grandmother once said "you have to learn one new thing every day". Great - some days I learn nothing new and other days, it is a flood gate of knowledge.

I was in the grocery store the other day in the cleaning aisle - abnormal place for me to be because I am not big on cleaning. My thoughts on housework are to keep it as clean as to be healthy and as tidy as to keep Mike happy. Anyway back to my story - the cleaning aisle, yes. Met up with a lady that I know - she asked me where the oven cleaning products were. ME? She asked ME. We were standing right in front of them. I pointed them out and I said I don't buy them anymore because I have a self cleaning oven. She said she did too but she buys the manual spray Easy Off to clean her oven racks. Oh now that is a hateful job - she gave me the best cleaning tip and I can say that because I tried it and it worked.

Put on rubber gloves. Put the oven racks into a large black garbage bag, go outside - spray them in the bag. Spray them liberally. Close the bag and lay it in the sunshine for a few hours. Then take them out - oh yah - wear rubber gloves. Lay them on the ground - not your grass. Hose them down and VOILA - they are clean - OH YES THEY WERE. No scrubbing, no soaking - how great was that.

Keeping it Under Wraps

Plumber has been and gone. I must say we are quite pleased - especially when the plumber said he has done a lot of bathrooms designed by DMI Designs and this one is comparible with those - WAHOOOOO!!! Saturday, I spent oodles of money getting new towels and other bits for the bathroom but I am not letting anyone have a peek until it is completely decked out. Need the mirror up and the shower door and the bathroom door. THEN you can see. So for now just know that it is pretty nice. Toilet flushes and the drains don't leak is all that Mike cares about - although he did say "you did a really great job on this" Now that was the ULTIMATE compliment.

Stagnating

We seem to be stuck in reno land. I find it so frustrating. The trim is up and I am doing touch-ups. The plumber will be here on Friday - guess then the carpet can go in the hall and then the trim in the hall and bathroom and closet doors. Seems like not much left but oh my goodness waiting is wearing on both of us - we are ready to kill each other I think. Mike has moved his focus into the garden. He has been hanging the new gates he welded and he has been rodotilling all the vegetable beds. He has repotted his plethora of tomato plants and put them into the back greenhouse.

Spring is upon us - a cold spring but here at last. The daffodils that I planted last fall are all up. I must say it is marvellous. NOTE to self - plant more. To heck with tulips. The deer love them so I will confine them to the box by the shop and my three pots on the deck.. But daffodils - now there is a sunny, cheerful flower if I must say. Also the rhododendrons in our garden are starting to come alive. The more mature ones were planted before we bought our place and the person who planted them must have had a plan. They start blooming with the hot pink one closest to the house and then on down the creek - such a sight

I just love the green this time of

year contrasting with the vibrant

yellow of the daffodils.

I don't remember the new rhodo being red - oh it is going to be a beauty.

 And so it goes. The pink "curly lilies" are abundant now as well - my Sister's favourite. But they are actually Pink Fawn Lily (Erythronium revolutum). Curly lilies works for me.

Wandering around brings sanity to the insanity of doing a reno that goes on and on. I won't even talk about the saga of the front door. Will tell you all about it when you see it next.

Now that you have wandered with me around the yard, I am hoping that the next pictures you see are of two happy people in their wonderful newly renovated bathroom and hallway.