What a difference a door makes. Here is the latest bit of progress at "Stinky Hollow"...

This is the entrance to the bathroom. Looks much better with a door attached...

My husband managed to install most of the doors on this most recent trip. You'll notice that the bathroom door is shorter than the other doors. This was necessary for a number of cottage-related frustrations that are too tedious to get into...

In the photo below, you see the existing door leading into the master bedroom. It's one of those hollow-core ugly doors from the late 70's. The ones we have chosen are four inches narrower. We did this because of the slanted walls - if the door is narrower, it takes up less wall space which can be used for other things...like furniture.

A big dilemma right now is how to make the new match with the old. Although the bedrooms were covered in cheesy panelling, the hallway and staircase have rather nice wood. Unfortunately, the hallway and stairwell are the only places in the cottage where the wood is actually nice enough to keep. Strange... Regardless, we aren't sure what to do, as much of the good panelling had to be removed in order to run wire...

To paint or not to paint? When you see wood like this, with a durable varnish on it, you feel as though it's almost sacrilege to cover it up. But then again, would you ever choose this colour? Would you go into a paint store and say, "I'm looking for a reddish brown hue with muddy orange undertones...and super shiny."

And do we like knot-holes? Maybe if you're a bug lover! There's nothing worse than lying in bed on a dark stormy night, and finding yourself peering around the room. Every knot-hole seems to be staring back..or is it a spider?! And if there's a terrorist mosquito in the room, good luck trying to find it. The knot-holes act like camouflage, giving every rogue insect a perfect place to rest up right before dive-bombing your head. Going to the cottage to relax? If you've got knot-holes, you'll be up all night. Forget about it.

So, I decided to test some wood samples that my husband brought home. I bought some Broda stain (which is low-voc) and some Benjamin Moore latex. I tried one sample without priming just to see how it would look, but the paint didn't take well. Prime, we'll have to do...The first sample shows a white pickling effect; one side is brushed on, the other side is brushed on and then wiped off. The same goes for the sample on the far right. The middle sample is the Benjamin Moore, in a colour called "Overcast."
It's a lovely, beachy, greenish gray colour. My sample paint is eggshell, but the birch plywood sucked it up and it appears flat. A pearl finish would be a better choice. Anyway, my husband and I studied the samples for quite a while and enlisted the opinions of the kids...

I like the pickled-stain look...

But staining requires that the wood be conditioned first. Then you have to apply 3 or 4 coats of semi-translucent stain, and then you have to finish it off with a topcoat. Just thinking about it makes me want to pass out. Painted wood always looks fresh and cheerful and at the end of the day, you want your cottage to be bright, especially on a dreary day in winter...

Never underestimate the power of paint. Check out these before & after pics I found on the internet...

Think a red brick wall looks good? Guess again...

*  *  *  *  *

It sure was nice to see the sun this weekend. I managed to get Marcello the bunny into the garden. He was so excited he wouldn't sit still to have his picture taken...

*  *  *  *  *
Just finished reading a book called, "This Life is in Your Hands." The author was raised by counter-culture parents who were part of the "back to nature" movement of the early 70's. She was raised in a cabin with no running water, no electricity, and surrounded by hippies who would just show up to work the land. In the nude. With acoustic guitars and their bongs.
It's a heart-breaking read...

Her parents work non-stop running their farm. Her mother cracks under the relentless physical and emotional strain, and is so distracted by the never-ending urgency of farm chores that she and her sister are left to their own devices. One day, her little sister keeps pestering her mother who finally says, "Go outside - go play with your boat." She toddles down to the pond with her wooden boat, and drowns. Talk about paradise lost.

It makes you realise that technology, while having an insidious dark side, is nevertheless what has pulled us out of the dark ages. There is nothing noble about not having a toilet - sanitation saves lives. And electricity gives people an opportunity to read and not worry about setting the house on fire. (this happens in the story, too). I felt admiration for these people, but also a sense of horror in a way. It just seems like madness...especially for the women.

No one needs an i-phone or a microwave oven, but indoor plumbing should be non-negotiable. The simple life is very desirable to me, which is why having a cottage is such a dream come true. It's a break from society, from the never-ending intrusion of popular culture and technological interference. Simplicity, yes, but going back to some harsh existence that even the pioneers couldn't handle is not the answer. Hard work is good, but too much just makes you old. This is a pretty interesting read, food for thought...
I'm starting a new book tomorrow..

I've always been fascinated by how iconic, classic albums manage to be created. This is one of my favourite recordings, and the book is written by the fellow who produced one the biggest-selling albums in pop history. It's been given good reviews, and it's probably a quick read...