I am BACK!!!!

Its been a busy busy two weeks.......

Ottawa.... hot but beautiful. The hot part was not so bad, actually, because homes and stores mostly have "Air". Which is a contradicting term, since they have no "fresh air" just AIR. But the outside air, was less than fresh.... The car trips were my only stresser, and I didn't even have to drive anywhere. I was surrounded by city knowledgeable people, was was lucky I didn't have to maneuver the streets myself.

Ottawa was ...family, fun meals (raclette especially), home improvement projects, Ikea, C.A. Paradis (fantastic kitchen store) and huge malls and grocery stores. 6 days, not long enough, but yet, just long enough. I also watched and am now in love with Eddie Izzard, the comedian. You need to check out his clips on You Tube. He is hilarious. Really good take on things, and he has a melting pot of European accents to further make his stand up enjoyable!!!

The drive home was smooth and faster than going up. Weird. I didn't do much driving, just the last 2 hours. But the trip is so smooth, it didn't really feel like we were in the car much. The drive through Montreal is so exciting (both in a good way and a bad way) that its over before you know it (but in actuality it takes almost an hour to get through the city at 9:30AM). Then, we are just 2.5 hours from Quebec City, our first stop. We chatted, and stopped for a pee and snack. Then a wonderful visit to my Aunt Angelines for lunch. We spent 2 hours there just catching up and seeing all the changes to the front of the house because of the city "improvements" they are doing to beautify the waterfront. Ma Tante gained about 12 feet in her front yard because they narrowed the big street she was on. She lives at the bottom of the cliff on the waterfront, just under the Plains of Abraham. The nice stone she has in her new flower beds (along the newly paved driveway, thanks to the city) are from a 50 year old retaining wall in back of her house that her hubby put in, when he built this little house. Those trees you see behind her house is actually a cliff going straight up. its so fun. In the second picture you can see the line on her lawn where the new grass is. Its about 3 feet from the bottom step, and she has all new lawn. She laughed because its rare to have a city "give" you something. Now she had to go and buy a little electric lawnmower.



Then after we left Quebec we were an hour from New Brunswick. That province has to be THE most beautiful province. The rolling hills, farm lands, the rivers, and yes, even the bridges are beautiful. Sickly to be on them, but beautiful, just the same. I am glad I got home before I saw the news about the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis.

We arrived at 10pm to my sisters and after a yummy snack and a visit, we slept soundly. Tuesday morning we had a 7:45 coffee shop meeting with Stephanie and Sean (at Reids) and then onto the highway and we were home by 3pm. Nice to be home..... but it was just as hot here. ugh

Big City Living

Well, I am on day 4 in the big city. According to the people who are use to living in a city, Kelly and Frank live very close together. But to drive from one house to the other, it takes over 15 minutes (at 10pm when there is no traffic) double that time during the day. Its amazing how big a city Ottawa is. One thing about this city.... there isn't a ugly part of it. Not that I've seen yet, anyway. And so much to look at.... Amazing houses, with awesome landscaping...big and small properties... fun pathways.... there are so many cool businesses along each road...."Ottawa Reptiles"....Missy's Executive Pet Grooming"... "Newfie Pub"...."Couples Passion Shop".... Every kind of restaraunts....Lebonese...Italian...Vietamese....Greek.....oh my...the choices. These are all within walking distance to where we are staying.
I start my morning with an hour long walk threw the streets surrounding my in-laws. My first day of walking I stayed on the main streets.... Montreal Rd, Carson...Den Hagg.... but how boring... so I started walking through residential streets and there was so much to look at... I could walk for hours just looking. Also, I was quite amazed that when I met other people along the sidewalks, that no body looks you in the eye, at all.. It was quite unnerving. No greetings, no glancing, no nods.... The second day, I didn't look or nod, or glance, but as I got walking I thought to myself... how fast the city thought process takes over. So.... on the third day... I purposely looked at all my passersby and said hello. How fun..... older people.... looked back and said hello....maybe remembering how things use to be when life was a bit more simple. My age people where 100% responsive.... some nodded, some answered my greeting as an afterthought and others at least looked at me. Anyone younger, which was quite a few simply looked through me or past me. Hopefully they don't think I was a lunatic, but simple someone who isn't totally terrified to say a simple HELLO.
Yesterday... we took a day trip to Renfrew with the whole gang. Two car loads.... to visit an old family friend who has a wonderfully simple home and existence. He lives with the land, and putters all day with gardens, wood, and the nature around him. A lovely way of live. It was a great day and a fun trip with my two little nieces and sister in law. We sang silly songs, place abc games and a fun memory game.
Thats it so far.... we are on stolen wireless...... so I best go for now

Silence...

Stephanie finished at 3:30, then re read the last 100 pages, just to make sure. Now its Michelle and Scott. No one is talking. Michelle is boohooing.... and they are talking in riddles and hints.... so I had to leave the room!!!!

Harry Potter is here... at my house...

Long anticipated..... anxiously awaited. Family decisions....who reads it first. It was agreed that Stephanie would be first. (Arriving home last night, in time for the release). It is 1:05, and she is on page 229. She started at 11:00am. She has also done 2 loads of laundry. Michelle and Scott, sat for over an hour watching her face as she read. When I came in, she announced that it will be a hard book for me to read!!!!! I wasn't sure what she meant, but under further questioning (to the sounds of Michelle going LALALALALALALALALALA) she told me it was pretty sad so far. Michelle had to work at 12:30, which was one of the factors in the decision to let Stephanie read first. Scott and I are fairly slow readers, and therefore, Michelle is second on the reading list. soooooo.......... Scott drove Michelle to work 35 minutes ago, and arrive back 15 minutes ago, with his own copy. Ugh. Michelle accused him of letting the "only child" syndrome take over, because he just can't stand waiting to read it!!!!!! So, he is planted on the chair in his room, on page 15.

It will be a very quiet afternoon!

While you were out!

What a fun few days. I went to the big city of Fredericton on Tuesday... stopping by Sandra's in Moncton for supper and tea. Then early, early Wednesday morning, my sister, Gail, and I intruded on Stephanie's and Sean's apt... to come up with a plan. Stephanie had a vision of "coffee shop" colors. Paint the whole room... or one wall.. or a part of a wall... we rolled around some ideas..and then went to Home Depot... the paint department. A whole wall of color samples, a ton of booklets of ideas. We came up with an idea... and picked a ton of color samples.

Back to the apt, and Sean went to work, Gail went to an apt, and Stephanie and I went to work. We unpacked boxes, sorted clothes, made piles for garbage, piles to give away, we talked the whole time and came up with cool ideas for placements, chairs, boxes, etc. Stephanie and Sean had homework...just like on trading spaces. They had to pick colors... and make a pattern, measure and tape it off. No easy feat, especially with 12 foot ceilings.

At the end of the day, I left them alone and went to have a yummy supper with Gail and Mert. After a Snow Pea stir fry, sausage and rice... we hit Walmart for a few things that the kids are needing and then home again to make curtains for the new apt. The fabric was linen we found in Gail's sewing room and a couple of dollars worth of beads fancied the curtains up enough, and with a tieback, they will be easy to hang down for privacy, and up for light and air. We made the exact same ones for the bedroom but didn't hang those. Sean said he would do that tonight.

The best surprise for me was that Sandra called me last night and offered to come up today and help me with the painting. She was a GOD SEND.... truly... Stephanie and Sean both had to work, and Gail had an appointment in the afternoon... so I was basically solo with the "SS CAFE"paint job. When Sandra called I couldn't believe my ears. Sooooooo amazing.

Thursday morning started with a 8am meeting at READ's coffee shop (the best Cinnamon Coffee I have ever had) and a color presentation. S & S worked for a few hours, taping and bounced colors back and forth... and she left me with two choices. She just couldn't decide. So it was nice that I got some input. We went with a Disney colors scheme... Pluto, muddle something and haycorn brown. the red was RED RED WINE... fun. After buying paint, and a few supplies, I met up with Sandra by 9 and she helped me drag everything up the stairs. And we began!!! 3 coats of everything and by the end of the day... both Sandra and I had done enough climbing, balancing, plies, dives and dismounts that we feel we will be recruited by Circ du Soliel... truly.

First coat was gross but they got better as the afternoon worn on.

The best part of the day was taking the tape off and hanging curtains....

Sandra painted two of the six boxes and the kids will paint the others. they will look so nice in the room with the paint.

The curtains are hung, the crap is all out of the room and chairs moved back in. There is still lots to do, but we are done for the day. Thanks to Sandra for all your help...Gail for all your supervision, a yummy lunch and "passing of things" (that is a huge help when your up on a ladder or box and need a rag or color change)

Gotta love the colors and the beads. Stephanie's curtains match my "beadress" lamp in my dining room...with the cool beads.

Home tomorrow...with Stephanie in tow, with lots of projects for her to do while home....and a list for Sean to do while she is away!!!!

Backyard project

So, last summer... we worked almost all summer on our backyard renovations. Terry was busy the whole summer. This summer..... terry is not. Therefore he has decided to start creating. He would would to replace our deck over with an awning which will incorporate the whole deck, not just part of it. Why...... not sure......bored...... who knows. So last night he started the prototype. This is the canape that Terry would like to replace. On further questioning, he explained that the deck has lost at least 4 feet of usable space, the rain still gets the furniture and its starting to wear out, after 3 years in the weather.

This is the start of the prototype. It is not put together, just laid out. He acquired this pipe stuff from the dumpster at West Kings, and borrowed the pipe bender over night and did all the necessary bends a few days ago.
While I was outside with terry inspecting this newest project, we both made note of the big footprint in a small unplanted flowerbed in the yard. We chuckled at the fact that Mollie took a shortcut through the bed, when Terry noticed a little oddity. I said I did too, I notice a square hole in the dirt. He said no, look a little farther left...... can you see it?

I think the odd hole I found was the back or front door to a little toads home.. how fun.

Sunday Morning Entertainment!!!

Well, its not even 11 am and the morning has been a full day so far!!!! It started with a long walk with Mollie from home to Canadian Tire and around the path through the woods and home. We met a dog with his owner but the dog was running FREEEEEEEE. Now Mollie is usually a vicious ogre when she is on the leash, and a huge chicken when she is loose. But today, she was sort of scared but felt she needed to protect me... but as much as she tried to let the approaching dog know that she was wasn't scare of it, it was pretty obvious she was. She made herself as big as possible while she slowly backed up behind my legs..... anyway, it took only 2 seconds for them to make nose to nose contact and Mollie relaxed and enjoyed her new friend.

After our walk, I enjoyed our traditional Sunday morning breakfast (Dad and I) of poached eggs on toast... lots of pepper and a half banana... yum... Coffee with the family and then the wildlife entertainment started. This brave and determined squirrel edged along our canape over the deck for 5 minutes, a foot at a time, skittering back two feet, then ahead two feet..... he went down onto the deck and collected up on fallen seed from the feeder and flew back up to the canape. Then down again, a little faster... another seed.... back up to the post.

I think he knew he had entered into Cave Lion territory. No worries, both my cats were sound asleep in the front yard. After much bravado skittering, he decided he needed to go right to the source of the food..... What a hoot. He got quite brave and brazen actually. after about a half hour, Sonny(my 18 year old, stone deaf, hunter) sauntered up the stairs and settled himself down in a deck chair. Although he has no interest in this squirrel, and couldn't really move fast enough to catch him, the Squirrel was quite shaken by the intrusion and after 10 seconds of staring at the cat, he chose to leap to safety from the feeder to the canape... a span of 4 feet... and run to safety.

Then the phone rings..... Nova Alarms... the School Alarm is going off, and I am third on the contact list... on this quiet Sunday morning, so off I have to go to save the school from impending doom...... or a Sunday Morning Mouse Attack. I met the RCMP there, and they had no interest in going into the school to check for intruders, but I guilted them into it, when they saw me get out of my car and unlock the door. Anyway, as we all suspected, the school was clear. I took advantage of the time there and emptied the fax machine of the applications for Lynn's job and reloaded with paper. I listened to 17 phone messages... and then set the alarm and headed home. There was my Sunday Morning.... gone.!!!