tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59369141899418842112024-03-19T18:40:37.698-07:00Mayne Island CottageAdriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-10673822651051439092013-09-29T14:08:00.002-07:002013-09-29T14:13:51.721-07:00<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Well, it's been quite a long time since I updated my blog.</span> We have made no progress on the exterior of our cottage, so there isn't much to say. The only thing we've done is install modern technology. Our plan all along had been to go "screen free" at the cottage and have no land-line. Unfortunately, we could obtain no cell reception whatsoever unless we drove a few miles down the road. And Lorenzo could not keep up with work without having internet. So we caved: we now have a land-line <i>and</i> internet. </b><br />
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<b>It felt a bit sad to me, but the upside is that we can now go more often as Lorenzo can do work at the cottage. He's not sitting there wondering what's going on and having to drive down the road in the pouring rain just to make contact with the office. </b><b>The last time we were there, he had his feet up by the fire with his laptop and he was happy as a clam knowing he was completely on top of things.</b><br />
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<b>Just when I thought my renovation days were over....</b><br />
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<b>My father sold the family house this summer and decided to move into an apartment at the Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver. He has many friends living there and is looking forward to a relaxing lifestyle of bocci ball, morning cappuccino at the cafe, and socializing with other elderly Italians. The location (east Vancouver) is great, and there are a wide variety of things to do, ie - Ferrari shows, language and cooking classes, community gardening, wine tasting, etc. There's a great restaurant, a small cafe, a library, grape vines everywhere... This is not assisted living - my Dad has his own self-contained apartment.</b><br />
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<b>There is a rather long waiting list to get in, so when the phone call came in, my brother and I went down to see the new digs. We weren't too impressed and decided immediately that it needed to be fixed up. We rolled our sleeves up and went to work and spent the majority of our summer getting the place ready. Meanwhile, our Dad hopped on a plane to Italy - we told him he couldn't come home until his new place was move-in ready. Here's the result. </b><br />
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<b>A t</b><b>ypical boxy boring apartment with tacky vertical blinds, horrible paint colours, and not a single redeeming feature transformed. Here is the living room...</b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Before:</span></u></b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">After:</span></u></b><br />
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<b>Fresh paint ("Sea-Spray" - Benjamin Moore; my go-to colour) new window treatments, some new </b><b>furniture, and bobs-your-uncle. I found the area rug at the Sears clearance centre for $65. </b><br />
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<b>Always check the Sears outlet <i>on-line</i>. With a click of a button, you can get some amazing deals.</b><br />
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<b>The previous paint colour was a hue that I don't believe exists in nature; a ghastly cross between brick brown and dusty rose. Juxtaposed against the popcorn ceilings, it made a terrible first impression. Colour and lighting. The two most important things to transform a space...</b><br />
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<b>The TV console is from Ikea; my brother hung a new flat-screen on the wall. The glass coffee table was in my basement not being used; in a small space, glass is the way to go. We found a </b><b>lovely new sofa at LaZboy that was under 80" wide, which can be difficult to find. It was on sale. It's called "Metro"and is incredibly comfortable. LaZboy couches are made in America, offer a lifetime warranty on frame/springs, and are so-well constructed they are worth reupholstering down the road. Avoid buying crap made in China (ie - The Brick) if you don't have to. Two things you never cheap-out on: sofas and mattresses. And sheets.</b><br />
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<b>Above the couch my brother hung a big mirror which reflects the light and views from the sliding glass door. Very smart. The bookcase is from Ikea which offered some much-needed storage for my Dad's books and Italian ceramics. Several of his books are about the pope.</b><br />
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<b>The Hemnes bookcase is only $150 and it's sold pine as opposed to particle board. Most of Ikea's products are not solid wood - make sure you read the fine print...</b><br />
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<b>At around 19-inches wide, it can be tucked in just about anywhere. Hint: Don't just load up a bookcase by cramming a bunch of stuff into every spare inch. Imagine a zig-zag pattern - intersperse books with pictures and other things to make it look more interesting. Place some books horizontally; keep the tallest books on the ends.</b><br />
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<b>Outside, the deck featured a lovely view of the grass and gardens. </b><br />
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<b>I removed the window screen, cleaned everything, and my brother found a cute bistro set that fits perfectly...</b><br />
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<b><br />This indoor/outdoor rug from Sears was $120 and measures 2 x 7 feet. I have one here at home, and they are virtually indestructible. Highly recommended. If I had known the cushions were going to be bright green I wouldn't have bought a navy blue one, but it still looks pretty good....</b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Moving on...</span></i></b><br />
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<b>This was the view from the front doorway looking down the hall. There was an ugly sconce above the kitchen table which was positioned too high on the wall to be of any practical use. I found a great sconce on the Home Depot website for $88. It was a bit of a splurge but it really looks nice and throws enough down-light to use for reading...</b><br />
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<b>Pay attention to light fixtures - they are so important...</b><br />
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<b>In the hallway, I hung a few family photos and my Dad's old mail-sorter that my Mum bought back in the 1970's. It's made of metal and has an owl's face on it. It's cute.</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The bathroom</span> was incredibly dirty and the flooring in both the bathroom and kitchen was awful...</b><br />
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<b>My brother ripped up all the old vinyl and had a new floor put down...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>The vanity was hideous with crooked cupboards, an ugly gray Formica top, and a badly-placed medicine cabinet on the wall. We bought a Hemnes vanity for $299. which proved to be a bit of a nightmare for my brother to install...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>But it sure looks nice....</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>We removed the medicine cabinet and I bought new towel and toilet paper holders which Lorenzo installed. I found a nice soap dispenser at the Superstore...</b><br />
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<b>...bought the Hemnes medicine cabinet to hang above the toilet where previously there was an unnecessary grab-rail.</b><br />
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<b>The other job was grinding out the old grout and re-grouting the tub surround. That was fun. The grab-bars were so dirty I had to use de-greaser and a toothbrush to get them clean.</b><br />
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<b>I bought a new shower curtain rod & shower curtain at Sears, my brother installed a new shower head, found a nice bath mat at Ikea, and now it looks very nice. </b><br />
<b>I found a double-curtain rod which is great if you're limited for wall space. There was really nowhere to put a long towel bar, so this works...</b><br />
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<b>A new shower curtain in crisp white waffle-cotton with new rings really freshens things up. When in doubt, go white. It always looks good....</b><br />
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<b>If there had been any colour in this bathroom, it would have only served to accentuate how small it is. Lacking a window, it's best to use whites, mirrors, and reflective materials such as chrome and stainless steel. The shower caddy that just hangs over the shower head is very handy and didn't require any drilling...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Before:</span> (looks like a hospital bathroom)</u></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> The bedroom</span> was a very difficult room to decorate.... </b><br />
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<b>It measures roughly 10 x 10, but because of a jut-out wall, it narrows in one area to 8 x 10. We wanted my Dad to have a double bed, but there would be no room at all for night stands. Add to this c</b><b>heap vinyl blinds, a cold white colour, a goofy layout, and a badly-placed hot water heater.</b><br />
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<b>The closet door was builder-brown and the closet had only one horizontal rail going across...</b><br />
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<b>All the doors in the apartment were painted white and a double rod/shelf was installed. The new black handle is an added touch and easier for my Dad to grip than a tiny little knob. Lorenzo installed the floating shelf because there was no room for anything else. It works.</b><br />
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<b>The other side of the room was the only place to put some extra storage, but there wasn't enough depth for a standard dresser. The flimsy venetian blinds did nothing to reduce the blinding sunlight coming through.</b><br />
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<b>So we bought a narrow-depth Pax wardrobe and installed black-out blinds on the windows; my Dad likes a dark room in the mornings....</b><br />
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<b>I organized my Dad's things and I quite like the angled shoe racks....</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo installed a coat rack on the door and I hung a picture my Mum bought in Mexico many years ago. The challenge with decorating someone else's home is remembering that it isn't your space; it's theirs. You might not like the things you're forced to work with, but usually you can make them work...</b><br />
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<b>We bought a giant print of Amsterdam at Ikea but we're going to tell my Dad it's Italy....</b><br />
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<b style="text-align: start;">This was the worst room in the apartment but it turned out okay. My brother installed a floating shelf below one of the windows which helped to even out the walls and provide a resting place for books or pictures. I gave my Dad a lamp I wasn't using that can accommodate a 100-watt bulb. Lamps like these are getting harder to find; usually you're limited to a 40 or 60 watt bulb. This apartment has no overhead lighting in the bedroom (which is odd) so the little lamp has to light the entire space...</b></div>
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<b> Everything is off the floor which makes the room feel larger. The duvet cover belonged to my Mum and had been in storage for a long time. I think my Dad will be happy to see this again.</b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Before:</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcXNEYbQB5ToHiznmxjSBnWgp_I4ScMalVVw_OECPegCR5gOJpE76w2akOFb7ar0z7xaizNJvxODrd5kVSCegfbAEJxNWepBDtQ-1EbO2D_DqG4weU5g5e1e5q6d3cD6yAJMbIiSbw5g/s1600/Oa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcXNEYbQB5ToHiznmxjSBnWgp_I4ScMalVVw_OECPegCR5gOJpE76w2akOFb7ar0z7xaizNJvxODrd5kVSCegfbAEJxNWepBDtQ-1EbO2D_DqG4weU5g5e1e5q6d3cD6yAJMbIiSbw5g/s400/Oa.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGAuAvO8ok7Fq3ULFCv_I65RGq9p7lLV_zWqOyS34XWF7IliK6c-kG2FYsPPwLqZcTUQf7lQB0O7OyVjmDQaOcTbiEAGxzUbBr0KBqIlunzwNbyL4nDCLqrtbOpvk6MO3_W1NTpqjl1o/s1600/Q.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGAuAvO8ok7Fq3ULFCv_I65RGq9p7lLV_zWqOyS34XWF7IliK6c-kG2FYsPPwLqZcTUQf7lQB0O7OyVjmDQaOcTbiEAGxzUbBr0KBqIlunzwNbyL4nDCLqrtbOpvk6MO3_W1NTpqjl1o/s400/Q.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Looking into the kitchen..</i></span>.</b><br />
<b>If you're sitting with your back against the sofa, this is the view into the kitchen/dining area. Again, brick-pink walls, brown doors, ugly floor, etc. The wall where the table & chairs are is only 39-inches wide, so my Dad couldn't use his old table - we had to get a new one... You're seeing the apartment with the previous owner's furniture.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0F2xpYLn9Xake329uQr_9JK1GhghqzazB8l5JI0Ip0qQl2ros50s4khoUiF7tWHDxYznnp-NyhDRKhF9IO1VVu4f9LA8N7vMR5Icz7c3dd1lhhjKlWBFEgjOYnvm9KrWAZFA_hzg3RY/s1600/020A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0F2xpYLn9Xake329uQr_9JK1GhghqzazB8l5JI0Ip0qQl2ros50s4khoUiF7tWHDxYznnp-NyhDRKhF9IO1VVu4f9LA8N7vMR5Icz7c3dd1lhhjKlWBFEgjOYnvm9KrWAZFA_hzg3RY/s400/020A.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b><b>It's amazing what paint can do. Painting out the walls & doors, changing the kitchen flooring, and adding some decent furniture & lighting made all the difference...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk2ZiJSo3AiTly5hc50cgr4hPuZu9hfwEcdaEn7AcKIUMekMmgI1HT-HsTFOl9QDENlvECGWhxZFJ6R80eJ5oHCp5w0qUBk234Mozbeqc8-fk2s5NtYOKxShtEEBdLPr1SrhZztnvqLk/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk2ZiJSo3AiTly5hc50cgr4hPuZu9hfwEcdaEn7AcKIUMekMmgI1HT-HsTFOl9QDENlvECGWhxZFJ6R80eJ5oHCp5w0qUBk234Mozbeqc8-fk2s5NtYOKxShtEEBdLPr1SrhZztnvqLk/s400/022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Here was the original kitchen. My Dad suggested that we just give the cupboards a clean, but they were uncleanable. The hinges were rusted, the drawers did not open properly, and it was just too ugly. Dad deserved better.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDewNfEJOH-F_CmS6WTLyPCej_BmHiLSLdOgUx3G9tgjowUru8FDI6elxMut1TPaW6iWuCQomYt7BtdcInVLa74r-HJvI0O4KBQnrFAb9182Pb9CDz0DCXCnLrsWkLPnFqUxy9lo04hI/s1600/Ga.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDewNfEJOH-F_CmS6WTLyPCej_BmHiLSLdOgUx3G9tgjowUru8FDI6elxMut1TPaW6iWuCQomYt7BtdcInVLa74r-HJvI0O4KBQnrFAb9182Pb9CDz0DCXCnLrsWkLPnFqUxy9lo04hI/s400/Ga.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>My brother found a kitchen guy in Maple Ridge who could do the kitchen in a speedier time-frame than Ikea so that's what we did. New cabinets, new counters & hardware, and my brother installed crisp white subway tile...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbd2vdiT6PaqE7kkbC81s5nLI7SvHofT_0AjeYUGgwvPY5SI8MSgU6lIMPC4IicOFEscKBkoe2CmAqflQbCWVeTay5pmMjWOLXt86F211eBIiharQVEJchG4VP0vXUIYzuQtlZPQ6Drp4/s1600/H.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbd2vdiT6PaqE7kkbC81s5nLI7SvHofT_0AjeYUGgwvPY5SI8MSgU6lIMPC4IicOFEscKBkoe2CmAqflQbCWVeTay5pmMjWOLXt86F211eBIiharQVEJchG4VP0vXUIYzuQtlZPQ6Drp4/s400/H.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>I found the rug at Canadian Tire - it's shaggy and soft on the feet. Lorenzo installed the shelves and I arranged my Dad's Italian ceramics so they'd be a focal point and a pop of colour.... A kitchen without some open shelving is terribly boring to me. </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlH1zB1L9n8onesOKIymoWB3WW3ODgLvpy2fx8h2Ay_xgrGkqadGqO7N_998PHLYwxlIriRdL78rQWEKkrOHmPHOm4SO1aVruYLAvdtsK9zPlB_NEFBGLwBzP5On0xFtttPsYbs2U48I/s1600/G.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlH1zB1L9n8onesOKIymoWB3WW3ODgLvpy2fx8h2Ay_xgrGkqadGqO7N_998PHLYwxlIriRdL78rQWEKkrOHmPHOm4SO1aVruYLAvdtsK9zPlB_NEFBGLwBzP5On0xFtttPsYbs2U48I/s400/G.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b><b>If you can't afford solid-surface counter-tops and plan to go with laminate, avoid patterns that try to look like something else, ie - granite. It never fools anyone. Best to keep it plain. I chose a mottled black with a satin finish.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnTjJ7CFwi2z3cLLpzHmddR_xf6byC6u7lXHcKOMHQzSEvCprP_B_gNToK0mpmoZ5UmAFsILdj5SJaJFICqKZemICGN_yLTc_D140lFcBIIadybsdPJaujZ4el5POIqFhebUkEJ9hfmo/s1600/c-formica-pierre+quartz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnTjJ7CFwi2z3cLLpzHmddR_xf6byC6u7lXHcKOMHQzSEvCprP_B_gNToK0mpmoZ5UmAFsILdj5SJaJFICqKZemICGN_yLTc_D140lFcBIIadybsdPJaujZ4el5POIqFhebUkEJ9hfmo/s320/c-formica-pierre+quartz.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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<b>Also</b>, i<b>f you have laminate counter-tops consider getting a stainless steel rack of some sort for hot pots. This one from Ikea is only $12.99</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTWDveIiZiMB80wZ6tIuvh36CJgVqfktptLBsILVOHW3KCP9EUgbFzwIPwCRKsh1IxchmC9Jo9C_jz1xZFi47iarDGoMFPX8FXpxo-yD_f1P66b2NFOS7Zr676JQP9YjC8E6qhtH7qOc/s1600/ikea-lamplig+%252412.99.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTWDveIiZiMB80wZ6tIuvh36CJgVqfktptLBsILVOHW3KCP9EUgbFzwIPwCRKsh1IxchmC9Jo9C_jz1xZFi47iarDGoMFPX8FXpxo-yD_f1P66b2NFOS7Zr676JQP9YjC8E6qhtH7qOc/s400/ikea-lamplig+%252412.99.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Another view...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHN6hUVVIWUFKVQTUEB8FSuvnyz7NQ0kzwHvNurijcb9pWcuuHvvmIuu4vXRs_5Y8n1GLV0RfRJFJ39FrkxNLLq2ou8Oj2Oay-uRTrcdh3trTZIQoLxPulpmejHYayiNi5rb7xvRPmFU/s1600/Ha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHN6hUVVIWUFKVQTUEB8FSuvnyz7NQ0kzwHvNurijcb9pWcuuHvvmIuu4vXRs_5Y8n1GLV0RfRJFJ39FrkxNLLq2ou8Oj2Oay-uRTrcdh3trTZIQoLxPulpmejHYayiNi5rb7xvRPmFU/s400/Ha.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>This was the THIRD mirror I hung in this kitchen. The first one was a huge rectangle that was too large for the space. The second was too small. This one was just right, in my opinion, and it reflects the light from the living room...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFfAmWK0lU_wXAEurAvBnE1GC8nO5ULg6IvnFkQX5vbfnALQwGdMW-wshoFnv_a8JMlrWl9mS3dlJYjkyNNTgKDUptvug2bUjp1x5t0Lay4QypmWrdX3rxaQ3ldUdb2u9Dx5O0s8VYVU/s1600/I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFfAmWK0lU_wXAEurAvBnE1GC8nO5ULg6IvnFkQX5vbfnALQwGdMW-wshoFnv_a8JMlrWl9mS3dlJYjkyNNTgKDUptvug2bUjp1x5t0Lay4QypmWrdX3rxaQ3ldUdb2u9Dx5O0s8VYVU/s400/I.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>The previous kitchen was over-run with upper cabinetry...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZJH0nFbdk7ymLd4Bw7OYqUCpdL7JcdtHxv_knt13HFM3HnMTicBUO6VCM4bicZnqnxtDumKcGhu8e2oSLYSMz3UcCgqkmzeigBnRpO8dflUXdxNYY6x5obf0u9-vT9bQwMXw8Adhjao/s1600/CC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZJH0nFbdk7ymLd4Bw7OYqUCpdL7JcdtHxv_knt13HFM3HnMTicBUO6VCM4bicZnqnxtDumKcGhu8e2oSLYSMz3UcCgqkmzeigBnRpO8dflUXdxNYY6x5obf0u9-vT9bQwMXw8Adhjao/s400/CC.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Now it looks clean and contemporary. I dislike the microwave above the fridge but it's too wide to place to the left of the stove... Lorenzo wants to drill a hole through the pantry cupboard wall and put the microwave behind the louvered doors. I agree, but my Dad probably won't care... The existing sink was in good shape so we kept it; my brother installed a new tap set.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHn04wMzCTBcNIai4TLI0N4V2hrIEup8Hif2L4EmIPxXRTfLHle7RG2RZqrDthzLMvvGTlcsh7_efPSHe2o-HH2-dRyA6UnIpXpRWaJUdcank7DK4G098HTogi_GCdkKKMQL5COuMbKQs/s1600/E.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHn04wMzCTBcNIai4TLI0N4V2hrIEup8Hif2L4EmIPxXRTfLHle7RG2RZqrDthzLMvvGTlcsh7_efPSHe2o-HH2-dRyA6UnIpXpRWaJUdcank7DK4G098HTogi_GCdkKKMQL5COuMbKQs/s400/E.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>I cannot count how many trips I made to this tiny apartment over the summer. Lorenzo was a huge help - and my boys spent a day hauling things in and out. So many boxes to lug in, so much sorting to do....my Dad had kept every birthday card and receipt going back to 1972. It was mind boggling. He had dozens of keys, key chains, lighters that don't work anymore, maps of Italy - enough to open a map store. And three - THREE - books all the same. All about one of the popes. I got rid of two of them, kept one on his shelf...</b><br />
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<b>At one point, the entire deck was covered in boxes...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J7A1Qfk_N-AJ4-sstbhLuvgusvrXXpcFaY6zjZkHVGcvx7LbRbjLiBJr7ib3vgrMc5ip8OsdNYQaoTCltMtr_r8ppwPdG9GWyCnJj4R-VamGcnY7chA2Xmpq5gSaoJ7W4Yhm5W7bNOU/s1600/V.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J7A1Qfk_N-AJ4-sstbhLuvgusvrXXpcFaY6zjZkHVGcvx7LbRbjLiBJr7ib3vgrMc5ip8OsdNYQaoTCltMtr_r8ppwPdG9GWyCnJj4R-VamGcnY7chA2Xmpq5gSaoJ7W4Yhm5W7bNOU/s400/V.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>I sorted through all the paper work, Christmas decorations, photographs, etc. and organized them into clear boxes so that my Dad will be able to find things. This is his storage room. He has boxes of long-play records that he bought in the 1950's. I don't know what to do with them, but I wasn't about to throw them away. Lorenzo installed some handy hooks for grocery bags....</b><br />
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<b>My brother installed some wire shelving in the kitchen pantry cupboard which is perfect for all the odds & ends. I found two recycling containers that fit perfectly on the bottom...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>My Dad turned 77 in July and he's in great shape for his age - light on his feet, energetic, and still pretty sharp. But I'm assuming his eye sight isn't quite what it used to be judging from the condition of things. Every pot, pan, lid, fork, spoon, etc. had to be scrubbed with an SOS pad. Everything seemed sticky to me, so I washed every single thing, even his CD's. All of that was far more work than anything else we did and very time consuming. My son said to me one day, "Aren't you sick of spending so much time at Nonno's apartment?" I asked him if he'd do this for me one day. He said he would. I sure hope so.... </b><br />
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<b>My Dad will fly into Vancouver on October 1st. I hope he'll be pleased...</b><br />
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<b>Looking down the hall before:</b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">After:</span></u></b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>I really enjoyed my time in the apartment this summer. It was a nice break, actually. I'd pop in some Irish tunes, make tea, and just work on things one at a time. When it was all done, I decided that I could live here. It's nice enough, it's clean and cozy, and it's all a single person needs.</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Over View...</i></span></b><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Small Space Design Advice: </span></u></b><br />
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<b>1- Elevate as many things as you can: get things off the floor. Think vertically.</b><br />
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<b>2 - Use a patterned area rug to anchor the elements in a room if it flows into another. It creates separation which actually makes the overall area appear larger.</b><br />
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<b>3- Wall mount your TV if you can; install floating shelves instead of using end tables. The more floor area you see, the bigger the room will appear.</b><br />
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<b>3- Use mirrors to give the illusion of space. They are crucial - every room should have a mirror. If you lack a window in a bathroom or a kitchen, use a mirror - it's the next best thing. If you have something beautiful to look at - ie - a pretty view outside or a fabulous stained glass lamp, put a mirror in front of it. Now you've got two gorgeous things to look at.</b><br />
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<b>4- Keep colours neutral and use the same colour throughout every room to give continuity. Breaks in colour close in a space and "feature" walls are outdated. Painting a single wall an "accent colour" is usually pointless and distracts the eye from things that are much prettier to look at, such as artwork or interesting decorative pieces. And unless your walls are perfectly straight, you'll only draw attention to any defects.</b><br />
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<b>5- Use glass instead of solid materials so that things "disappear" instead of taking up visual space. If I'd used a typical wood coffee table in the living room, it would have looked crowded.</b><br />
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<b>6 - Use the same material for all hardware - ie, curtain rods, cabinet handles, light fixtures, knobs, etc. If you have chrome, brass, oiled bronze, brushed nickel all in one space, it is jarring. Keep it all the same if you can.</b><br />
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<b>7 - Black and white in a kitchen is classic, it never goes out of style, it always looks clean, and you can add pops of colour at any time, ie - a red rug, or a big yellow cookie jar. Use colour in accessories, not fixed pieces.</b><br />
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<b>8 - Hand lotion and hair spray are not attractive. Neither are tooth brushes and blow dryers. Hide them. Your bathroom should only have a few things on display, ie - soap dispenser, towel. It will feel bigger and airier.</b><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">9 - EDIT. Be ruthless. You can't keep everything if your home is small. Learn to purge! Clutter, knick-knacks, too many family photos, etc. only make your home feel smaller. However, too much empty space can make a home feel dead. Try to find a warm balance. Try to have something lovely to look at from every angle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">And be considerate of your children: one day they'll have to go through all of your <i>STUFF</i>. Make it easy on them. Don't bury them under a mountain of crap - it's not fair. </span><br />
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<b>Our budget was small which severely limited what we could do. But all in all, I'm pretty happy with it.</b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now!</b><br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-77609942796612421162013-07-17T02:18:00.000-07:002019-07-31T14:25:13.817-07:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">*** The Mayne Island Cottage Reveal ***</span></b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo, our daughter and I headed over to the island on Thursday night, leaving two teenage boys to fend for themselves. I was touched by how enthusiastic they were to help us load up the truck; such helpful lads. And the way they sprinted into the house as we pulled away? Eager to start in on their chores, I suspect.</b><br />
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<b>The weather was great, and this marked the first time we truly had (almost) nothing to do. I had taken a slew of pictures on our last trip over, but I used the wrong aperture on the camera and the results were disappointing. Anyway, here is the cottage! It's done! YAY!!!</b><br />
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<u><b>The Cottage Reveal:</b></u><br />
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<u><b>Bathroom:</b></u><br />
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<b>As mentioned previously, the bathroom was on the main floor and it occupied the south-east corner of the cottage which meant we had very little light coming in. This picture was taken the day we decided to make an offer; it was all we could afford and we could see the potential. Behind the hideous cedar-paneled wall was the bathroom. Talk about lack of privacy...</b><br />
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<b>The old bathroom did not have a tub and it was pretty ugly...</b><br />
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<b>Construction began which meant re-locating all the plumbing to the second floor, reinforcing the floor to accommodate the tub etc. This was a big job which presented a truckload of headaches...</b><br />
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<b>We borrowed the closet from the boy's room and about two-thirds of the space from our daughter's room...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvAYzFkCYWU_GoObUmVqlpdRNQGRBIYdQkLzBCGkNhwwjlCp8znGTVnc2CU62dtgSBAC8sdpGAA46wSiTwqAsWgPEjY9tfwmo-55RdxPnoeGLAvAl3rejG5F3Ry4Ph_8_r5Oc-LlyLw/s1600/mayne+island+cottage+bathroom+reno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvAYzFkCYWU_GoObUmVqlpdRNQGRBIYdQkLzBCGkNhwwjlCp8znGTVnc2CU62dtgSBAC8sdpGAA46wSiTwqAsWgPEjY9tfwmo-55RdxPnoeGLAvAl3rejG5F3Ry4Ph_8_r5Oc-LlyLw/s400/mayne+island+cottage+bathroom+reno.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>The goal was to make a decent-sized family bathroom....with a tub!</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJN68JaJWT_wUHFEBIjl4f1ZpiwCijrXdaAs2aIV9rQ__suo2DPk9ar6O-ygd2-NZ27C0lU6luj148GvdR6B4LOJciUF3FX5iQgPsEqsoA8wR1CYScdSQw2x7VwNWdiLqM5iYGqvEyaw/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJN68JaJWT_wUHFEBIjl4f1ZpiwCijrXdaAs2aIV9rQ__suo2DPk9ar6O-ygd2-NZ27C0lU6luj148GvdR6B4LOJciUF3FX5iQgPsEqsoA8wR1CYScdSQw2x7VwNWdiLqM5iYGqvEyaw/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lorenzo in the tub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>We chose pebble-tile for the bath enclosure because it looks beachy and it hides the fact that many of the walls are not perfectly straight...</b><br />
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<b>I couldn't be more pleased with our bathroom....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2odmp0jMckVzofaRTDXjaebdEK-GyEZqNls0uFll2oX8m7He6JIYTAPT3H2sSZJDVa3h02FviYMgvXrM59i7lh-KnXfxHJ1xV9pamKv81ntA_aMxzLtNJEPHgA58QeEbcC5OdLg94A/s1600/mar-16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2odmp0jMckVzofaRTDXjaebdEK-GyEZqNls0uFll2oX8m7He6JIYTAPT3H2sSZJDVa3h02FviYMgvXrM59i7lh-KnXfxHJ1xV9pamKv81ntA_aMxzLtNJEPHgA58QeEbcC5OdLg94A/s400/mar-16.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>The console was an excellent find and I especially appreciate the storage in the basket drawers at the bottom. I use this for the blow dryer, flat iron, and other hair accessories....</b><br />
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<b>The back wall before....</b><br />
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<b>and after...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pusR5tneThu6V5uWYK8GSPtnpMGJ1j1-U6NX3TgQKsNIRwWEurzJT91iKgkvpk2UbmXWOw8RdX0do1LXTdZ3G5chR_jizVBXdlWmpdsCFI_ckANJDFZTkLQi-yThN_pln0sXJ4FCJg/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pusR5tneThu6V5uWYK8GSPtnpMGJ1j1-U6NX3TgQKsNIRwWEurzJT91iKgkvpk2UbmXWOw8RdX0do1LXTdZ3G5chR_jizVBXdlWmpdsCFI_ckANJDFZTkLQi-yThN_pln0sXJ4FCJg/s640/6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Due to the narrowness and overall small size of this space, we opted for built-in storage that is no deeper than the studs...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK1ALNZV06afrVncUZB9fEMLV02T_qQfSwb1msNkS9SDDvpfLuKHbF7lVSi29aRkZJle0IWxPGOsHkeFSbQnK0TCev1sNrjupiJMUgnVLUCCdgLM2RgTADw_0SqlkCf8aISWpUUjGfw/s1600/bath-zz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK1ALNZV06afrVncUZB9fEMLV02T_qQfSwb1msNkS9SDDvpfLuKHbF7lVSi29aRkZJle0IWxPGOsHkeFSbQnK0TCev1sNrjupiJMUgnVLUCCdgLM2RgTADw_0SqlkCf8aISWpUUjGfw/s320/bath-zz.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>We have a medicine cabinet above the sink and another cabinet above the toilet...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJJHDtwpglJfW5ehWsiGlY0lJR5SJ0SWBuxtdMMsHKbJk3KsrNotm1rVHJuB0z3wL0PqnC2B5dT67212A8sjO_5FMbdzjnRuo5hEOefGOtvTBRTkcGkUvJJoE6kQ2qA0VbvR4uPQSow/s1600/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJJHDtwpglJfW5ehWsiGlY0lJR5SJ0SWBuxtdMMsHKbJk3KsrNotm1rVHJuB0z3wL0PqnC2B5dT67212A8sjO_5FMbdzjnRuo5hEOefGOtvTBRTkcGkUvJJoE6kQ2qA0VbvR4uPQSow/s400/067.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNI9Tivg8PLllcqbopuTDBJx2TA0LGE6g56F79UWhJQGKsTpEMg0En7QHhGVledok_tUCxEJhyhgf77TX9nl3I8nDjLbPyJFlIiDLNqt0CdGokLTwfcRYUVZJqLrOTkvN1Uig_IUmbMA/s1600/068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNI9Tivg8PLllcqbopuTDBJx2TA0LGE6g56F79UWhJQGKsTpEMg0En7QHhGVledok_tUCxEJhyhgf77TX9nl3I8nDjLbPyJFlIiDLNqt0CdGokLTwfcRYUVZJqLrOTkvN1Uig_IUmbMA/s400/068.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>I have learned over the years that deep storage is not only unnecessary for the vast majority of items, but also a recipe for clutter and not being able to access the things you need. This bathroom is a pleasure to use and better outfitted than my bathrooms at home...</b><br />
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<b>No cottage is complete without a whimsical drawing from one of the kids. My daughter drew this in the third grade...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyhjK0W04vBFsXZq5wPyY0go8R48AISbSnR7VtumFEPH1_ooxbOW2eboF7Ej6tkO-QU9fRFlma5gbcQWeR6qurBhVo_SxPegyybSuG4ri7zR6jB-62Gfzysiqttsf4ZxfdSg1KZdJlg/s1600/043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyhjK0W04vBFsXZq5wPyY0go8R48AISbSnR7VtumFEPH1_ooxbOW2eboF7Ej6tkO-QU9fRFlma5gbcQWeR6qurBhVo_SxPegyybSuG4ri7zR6jB-62Gfzysiqttsf4ZxfdSg1KZdJlg/s400/043.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Eh voila!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgP17pyWYmjd49HuMLKpnFolKLfy6xP8uGsc8O0oLBF4Bi93dFAmyEstL9dT-Wcn0iqWGcTx2ryzFvdtnkmgdbtdIhtQztpdCYJsEs1JzvCtPeBjyoBMfUvMBJcx1-HrjQSVh1crcKA/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgP17pyWYmjd49HuMLKpnFolKLfy6xP8uGsc8O0oLBF4Bi93dFAmyEstL9dT-Wcn0iqWGcTx2ryzFvdtnkmgdbtdIhtQztpdCYJsEs1JzvCtPeBjyoBMfUvMBJcx1-HrjQSVh1crcKA/s640/4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>All in all, the bathroom is a very lovely space and I feel happy when I walk into it. The gray-green colour feels very clean and fresh and all the elements came together the way I envisioned it. There's a place for everything. Lorenzo wants to put in a sky-light as he's convinced that we're going to have moisture issues, but I don't think we will. The fan is extremely powerful. Having said that, some natural light would be nice. We'll see....</b><br />
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<b><u>House Tour Part Two - The Landing:</u></b><br />
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<b>The stairwell heading up to the second floor was dark and spooky. And the "stained glass" light fixture was pretty ugly...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BIuCDnZ6eBaTwQhVtrCO7A7GJnJfvyuQWeLJbO0-A0u4ZfHJloNmsN7sSp5DjWDCuMpX2zThfEcJ4Ws4WmkagmvSearbvnXFd8DUCBO3qg5zmqQZNzC8ZrasTgwufUKA-wOT3ax58E0/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BIuCDnZ6eBaTwQhVtrCO7A7GJnJfvyuQWeLJbO0-A0u4ZfHJloNmsN7sSp5DjWDCuMpX2zThfEcJ4Ws4WmkagmvSearbvnXFd8DUCBO3qg5zmqQZNzC8ZrasTgwufUKA-wOT3ax58E0/s400/1.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">New flooring, a lick of paint, and what a transformation.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9OgYnECZHyadtWN_ybBw3d0IW6Me6l_Itgv9dRz0KXPmPAxwTBBajRGt7sPlvVrZPhKfbHlgCCkpDQLN43y5y4-HpD1YRB_bl-BENS09WxnGhnJ89pOGB2odQcNBsdooovC38zaYu4g/s1600/1a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9OgYnECZHyadtWN_ybBw3d0IW6Me6l_Itgv9dRz0KXPmPAxwTBBajRGt7sPlvVrZPhKfbHlgCCkpDQLN43y5y4-HpD1YRB_bl-BENS09WxnGhnJ89pOGB2odQcNBsdooovC38zaYu4g/s400/1a.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>I saw a wire-cage pendant light on the Home Depot website for $49....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMG4hV8JB80SgbNqoamGscNti3MbTkwCh5u8DLNpNB8_dCRIjuAjBMQ9PAI0UY8XU5XeUFPRrUaaheUJHiwoIqQ841UWCRQorX6ofGPyg-U_zq0l7DqtXKNl16KD6KSdC6SkfYpAbyYxw/s1600/1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMG4hV8JB80SgbNqoamGscNti3MbTkwCh5u8DLNpNB8_dCRIjuAjBMQ9PAI0UY8XU5XeUFPRrUaaheUJHiwoIqQ841UWCRQorX6ofGPyg-U_zq0l7DqtXKNl16KD6KSdC6SkfYpAbyYxw/s320/1b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Lorenzo liked it, so we bought it. It is perfect for the space....</b><br />
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<b>The old railings were removed....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiqhJqUG7xMF5qPnDqDdpfCWwKBHsATtYLvjIguF76ULwYD9lFgkv9iQHHMUKHp1tl5fv-BKUMtZfnlBdxH2V-UrU1w-vIi_5zmhuqz9EJqdSVEvSKQTj_i52lLpfvs7YY7TSgzZW3T4/s1600/1c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghiqhJqUG7xMF5qPnDqDdpfCWwKBHsATtYLvjIguF76ULwYD9lFgkv9iQHHMUKHp1tl5fv-BKUMtZfnlBdxH2V-UrU1w-vIi_5zmhuqz9EJqdSVEvSKQTj_i52lLpfvs7YY7TSgzZW3T4/s400/1c.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>And Lorenzo installed railings from Home Depot....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipM4xuJyuHuTQsO2BQ3N83yo-9VzeijBkis0y5B4ycs88DHJBKXU4EPT6bIn-H6XZGC2iXdJJbxUqR63IDwQwAqHZ8iOJTDGmasaLrSmGqEqy92n8T8engiQza5WORAfrRkcyODhMCc50/s1600/2-wire+cage+light+pendant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipM4xuJyuHuTQsO2BQ3N83yo-9VzeijBkis0y5B4ycs88DHJBKXU4EPT6bIn-H6XZGC2iXdJJbxUqR63IDwQwAqHZ8iOJTDGmasaLrSmGqEqy92n8T8engiQza5WORAfrRkcyODhMCc50/s640/2-wire+cage+light+pendant.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<b>Dark pine paneling be gone!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-k8w_rUd7Nyy89S0kn3e-6OWD6B3VShLRBNQacduTZgrays5GEgomEgmYVoioZXkAIVBHJfBhP-LfXD537a2v-bvIa7ZS20TFc6gNw9x2A7R0XcOftMLQDoWn71ihd9ipZDauzAUYNbU/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-k8w_rUd7Nyy89S0kn3e-6OWD6B3VShLRBNQacduTZgrays5GEgomEgmYVoioZXkAIVBHJfBhP-LfXD537a2v-bvIa7ZS20TFc6gNw9x2A7R0XcOftMLQDoWn71ihd9ipZDauzAUYNbU/s400/3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Light, bright and airy....</b><br />
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<b>This outdoor barn lamp looks right in this spot....</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo installed new pine walls that matched the original paneling elsewhere on the landing...</b><br />
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<b>New doors and trim and the whole landing looks bigger, brighter, and much more welcoming...</b><br />
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<b><u>Daughter's Room:</u> This room became a bedroom and bathroom, neither of which are particularly large but the bedroom is impossibly small....</b><br />
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<b>The result was a tiny space....</b><br />
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<b>But it has a certain charm....</b><br />
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<b>And is just big enough for a set of bunks....</b><br />
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<b>And a cabinet in the corner... I had left over knobs from the kitchen so I switched out the old ones which were small and boring. It looks much better now. The wall lights are from Ikea and they're fantastic. What a great idea if you don't have room for lamps and night stands....</b><br />
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<b><u>Moving along. The Boy's Room:</u></b><br />
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<b>Our sons' original room was just gorgeous and we thought about leaving it the way it was. Something about those 70's paneled walls and the thick shaggy rose-coloured carpet almost brought a tear to our eye...not to mention the oversized aluminum window. So retro!</b><br />
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<b>Everything was stripped away, new window installed, new walls and ceiling and floor...</b><br />
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<b>It's amazing how much bigger this room looks - I swear, it looks as though we added on to it. Two double beds from the Salvation Army, an old dresser, some lighting and hooks, and bob's-your-uncle. Our window screens hadn't arrived when we were there so I just threw up some old sheers to keep the skeeters out...</b><br />
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<b>As I said, we had to take their closet for the bathroom....</b><br />
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<b>It wasn't a very useful closet anyway...</b><br />
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<b>It's now a very nice room for two loving brothers to share...</b><br />
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<b><br /><u>The Master Retreat:</u></b><br />
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<b>Actually, our bedroom shares the exact dimensions of the boys' room which is about 10-feet wide by 15-feet long. Another room lost in the worst decade for style....and check out the bright blue plastic coat hanger on the wall. Such a thoughtful touch....</b><br />
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<b>Demolition, work, sweat....I think a dead bird or something fell on Lorenzo's head when he gutted this room. South wall before....</b><br />
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<b>and after....</b><br />
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<b>I hung a favourite print by Kiff Holland on the wall opposite the bed so we'd have something nice to look at when we wake up in the morning....</b><br />
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<b>North side of the room before....</b><br />
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<b>and after.... This room feels so big and airy even though we opted for a king-sized bed. I love my cottage bedroom - at night the creamy-coloured walls glow when the lamps are on and the high gloss paint on the wainscoted ceiling also bounces light around. In a long narrow room with only one window, you have to keep things light and reflective. </b><br />
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<b>Let's head down the stairs to the main floor...and what a yucky staircase it was.</b><br />
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<b>Not anymore!</b><br />
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<b>What used to be the ugliest part of the cottage is now bright and pleasant...</b><br />
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<b>After the bathroom was removed from the main floor, we added windows where previously there were none. New plumbing, electrical, insulation, walls, ceiling, flooring... Gutted to the studs.</b><br />
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<b>Two years later, dozens of weekends of back-breaking work for Lorenzo, and here it is. We couldn't be more happy with the results...</b><br />
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<b>West wall before....</b><br />
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<b>New windows, new front door....</b><br />
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<b>And here it is. I still think we should have put in a glass front door but Lorenzo disagrees. I installed a mirror on the south wall to reflect the windows and it really made a difference....</b><br />
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<b>The original kitchen....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnQeBD_vSPY1fbO5ynP9xE0Kbn2v9U1oPdaYNLlqtsSSqPjgrDEVSvTzSFICK8lSxkvNpnec_-ef6DpcfXnzfGouB3j498lHeGodvmjtqD_wPeT-LJ_swg2EIPCg9Sthcal3-Gp8px9A/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnQeBD_vSPY1fbO5ynP9xE0Kbn2v9U1oPdaYNLlqtsSSqPjgrDEVSvTzSFICK8lSxkvNpnec_-ef6DpcfXnzfGouB3j498lHeGodvmjtqD_wPeT-LJ_swg2EIPCg9Sthcal3-Gp8px9A/s400/4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Out with the old....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3iL2Abiw9KCRHFcuc9DWMqH2ZDjoMTr-zaUrCEXKvEHNDlhqIydHOzcBxm1GWFt6E919Uy_CETqUY03gqiJkOHzP73ja3NJ5ei4AHcepHY0RkhsxnnYT446vNhv73L_7lXOIqn_KeW0/s1600/5-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3iL2Abiw9KCRHFcuc9DWMqH2ZDjoMTr-zaUrCEXKvEHNDlhqIydHOzcBxm1GWFt6E919Uy_CETqUY03gqiJkOHzP73ja3NJ5ei4AHcepHY0RkhsxnnYT446vNhv73L_7lXOIqn_KeW0/s400/5-a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>In with the new....</b><br />
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<b><br /><br /><br />View of the original kitchen before the bathroom was removed....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tJs8hMkN9igx1bqsHaKKDLEPilyF06YCEvdwiN4lFClW9O4ct69bcLxkqzC25la1UfeWwQ0zGJksURSJcRZJMKVXUeYnO2RXcvWxWJ0LwtlQ4OPVg5a_pBYlXyUyDPr1HwGHn4SI_yQ/s1600/6-cottage+kitchen+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tJs8hMkN9igx1bqsHaKKDLEPilyF06YCEvdwiN4lFClW9O4ct69bcLxkqzC25la1UfeWwQ0zGJksURSJcRZJMKVXUeYnO2RXcvWxWJ0LwtlQ4OPVg5a_pBYlXyUyDPr1HwGHn4SI_yQ/s400/6-cottage+kitchen+before.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Demolition, new windows....</b><br />
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<b>A very cute cottage kitchen!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Before....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYT4RQjbBVP4aBpV45J2NV-JBr861FO50kVGbsAqvesTDLCD05wdClQSJ4zHoezWuNHm53tLgWCzmePwd_LQaVmS0BVoc30YJ1a_ouw_lgLh9pS1gMO_SdHXsknXBrof1s2Sysodcjxx0/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYT4RQjbBVP4aBpV45J2NV-JBr861FO50kVGbsAqvesTDLCD05wdClQSJ4zHoezWuNHm53tLgWCzmePwd_LQaVmS0BVoc30YJ1a_ouw_lgLh9pS1gMO_SdHXsknXBrof1s2Sysodcjxx0/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>During....</b><br />
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<b>After!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlapd5cJBcBDjj-C5mJ81FPQ0XkIp8R3n7HHnUvzBPeIybI4HJFpDZNUYWwb_I-k305gNn7L_nVOsVPN7vGItl86pRZd4wPp1kAf8TnOVIu0iuVjL4CtZMNIuL_77YUNIXTmvm2tHcZdQ/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlapd5cJBcBDjj-C5mJ81FPQ0XkIp8R3n7HHnUvzBPeIybI4HJFpDZNUYWwb_I-k305gNn7L_nVOsVPN7vGItl86pRZd4wPp1kAf8TnOVIu0iuVjL4CtZMNIuL_77YUNIXTmvm2tHcZdQ/s640/9.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>South-east corner where the original bathroom used to be. Yanked it out, put in windows to bring in the glorious southern exposure. </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphkZ8OK8TKsCZNdkbFbmqJ8RViXss4hV2rcNpNzyH6EZSfMW8v55jQBj78QXMBo1v-YuHm9Yo15n2nHNxA5soak3BrHZGCMFtzE0a2jZgshyphenhyphenh8Xb2pQsTuY722obe_x1uaON0poU_wLE/s1600/9-a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphkZ8OK8TKsCZNdkbFbmqJ8RViXss4hV2rcNpNzyH6EZSfMW8v55jQBj78QXMBo1v-YuHm9Yo15n2nHNxA5soak3BrHZGCMFtzE0a2jZgshyphenhyphenh8Xb2pQsTuY722obe_x1uaON0poU_wLE/s400/9-a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Nice and sunny in the morning....</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Guess what appeared in my kitchen window last Friday?</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJW6yp0fCk_wC3ih0-DFGOSKU5ssZAJQuNhyP45P9WD5-bkhagCIAYg4rN8PiCCxg4NtRHXHTk8f9GA9X8VbfuH9ZbMDvGmGuJmxeZ0C3nJ4divAAgV-mxho0RIqqQ-CxqCc0BRgKaYA/s1600/9-c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJW6yp0fCk_wC3ih0-DFGOSKU5ssZAJQuNhyP45P9WD5-bkhagCIAYg4rN8PiCCxg4NtRHXHTk8f9GA9X8VbfuH9ZbMDvGmGuJmxeZ0C3nJ4divAAgV-mxho0RIqqQ-CxqCc0BRgKaYA/s640/9-c.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span id="goog_634842893"></span><span id="goog_634842894"></span><br /></b>
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<b>A young buck!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_WnyeZQMQiRVWzkdf6SdA3UuAwFrMVOxIWxv81io4CMDr4w8w-K2ASIbRGRfB_jKQq9eWgRkRfnA9oKUJZtUXlXCaK8PxQ-lbR5auNx2wgvtGzPu16rqo4e_01lDSjOEiN6_vt57jSE/s1600/052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_WnyeZQMQiRVWzkdf6SdA3UuAwFrMVOxIWxv81io4CMDr4w8w-K2ASIbRGRfB_jKQq9eWgRkRfnA9oKUJZtUXlXCaK8PxQ-lbR5auNx2wgvtGzPu16rqo4e_01lDSjOEiN6_vt57jSE/s400/052.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Moving along...original cottage; east view....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPZiSYy74TPNkPo6Fyj4-dkghMyIEP4k1sjCeo4kyklIX0bb9frNzJkWUP3_aNWggNX0Bqnxb-nZzDoxkRpPRPnqnb0LcdOJQyt5iGuqe7y72cz1lRcnHJ-bKTGm_9qupeRZy1AQ80Jw/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPZiSYy74TPNkPo6Fyj4-dkghMyIEP4k1sjCeo4kyklIX0bb9frNzJkWUP3_aNWggNX0Bqnxb-nZzDoxkRpPRPnqnb0LcdOJQyt5iGuqe7y72cz1lRcnHJ-bKTGm_9qupeRZy1AQ80Jw/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Strange "den" area knocked out to reveal that king-beam had been cut and left unsupported. That was fun....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsJUe1ELl0bjDf5ZhQnr0pFqXwZegEPUOZGSPJBKFiEnGqbjoF8MO_koYXOXO1IpjqITeoxQ2Jwsfl8U_7u5nBPpv3VTJssrg1jN09mzD82rOxrnpOzmP5klZT_5gZFPlcONgheY8GAw/s1600/10-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsJUe1ELl0bjDf5ZhQnr0pFqXwZegEPUOZGSPJBKFiEnGqbjoF8MO_koYXOXO1IpjqITeoxQ2Jwsfl8U_7u5nBPpv3VTJssrg1jN09mzD82rOxrnpOzmP5klZT_5gZFPlcONgheY8GAw/s400/10-a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Now it's one big open plan....</b><br />
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<b>We never could figure out why this "room" was walled in. It was dark and miserable....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwdCnmNzc0kASGx0hQ_tuSDBugT4gvw3RqzI3uGHZYk8TDugqcBp4rwA_CAehU1bbWer3GSyyv-6AOOuKN0NmDJQeFHmJblrqHufvnvsXPCqKStP_cGCaqSOW4LdiKHvqbiblBnTSf3d0/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwdCnmNzc0kASGx0hQ_tuSDBugT4gvw3RqzI3uGHZYk8TDugqcBp4rwA_CAehU1bbWer3GSyyv-6AOOuKN0NmDJQeFHmJblrqHufvnvsXPCqKStP_cGCaqSOW4LdiKHvqbiblBnTSf3d0/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Here we go again, adding windows where there should have been windows in the first place. I don't know how the previous owners coped in such a dark house...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8yna5JQIS10FnRduMJyfYIwhIwGxPD2b0v3CGBZ9z9mD6PfF2qtCo1jM3Rl8jTakhLFulUFJXUkntLVLMtHg6A2dfaZXS080KJLaNZqGOIdGAUWUBrh7G-sDYaOVbuvj7laHTvIVFj4/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8yna5JQIS10FnRduMJyfYIwhIwGxPD2b0v3CGBZ9z9mD6PfF2qtCo1jM3Rl8jTakhLFulUFJXUkntLVLMtHg6A2dfaZXS080KJLaNZqGOIdGAUWUBrh7G-sDYaOVbuvj7laHTvIVFj4/s400/11.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>It's not dark anymore....</b><br />
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<b>The stackable washer & dryer that were left for us were in good shape but they were too small for a family of five. </b><br />
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<b>We gave them to our friend's mother and knocked out the whole laundry area to accommodate full-size units as well as a closet....</b><br />
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<b>I chose flat-panel doors for the washer & dryer closet because I knew I wanted to put mirrors on them....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95AGBOaa79fvMA7-dj-AwyefVWGu52LeSrn8eZLhBxVaBPmr-drKXP5US5zNgGrfxC56Kvw-zHC2Do8CSS2GL3vqELR3bRux0I8Hdb6srgeQSVGO6W8QK_m4UN71tNPqbk1zdgBKqFbo/s1600/12-b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95AGBOaa79fvMA7-dj-AwyefVWGu52LeSrn8eZLhBxVaBPmr-drKXP5US5zNgGrfxC56Kvw-zHC2Do8CSS2GL3vqELR3bRux0I8Hdb6srgeQSVGO6W8QK_m4UN71tNPqbk1zdgBKqFbo/s400/12-b.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Hands-down, one of the best ideas I came up with. Nothing transforms a space more than colour and light, and mirrors give you light. They are magical. This corner of the cottage is twice as bright as it was; this is the north-end and it tended to be a bit gloomy. </b><br />
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<b>Behind the mirored doors is my laundry "room"....</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>South side of the cottage...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxl-HopVxiQnYETpnHe3UQ4ibvHCP6ARlJ5hMCSyPx_pHgIdlOnjKHsoesOgqgYR1bmEmrAdqrLn7cufWvuFVphtlDu2FIAX2HqMIosA0-_mISgQef6HO6fQhpl3I6FmmHYcIoNmEL8W8/s1600/013-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxl-HopVxiQnYETpnHe3UQ4ibvHCP6ARlJ5hMCSyPx_pHgIdlOnjKHsoesOgqgYR1bmEmrAdqrLn7cufWvuFVphtlDu2FIAX2HqMIosA0-_mISgQef6HO6fQhpl3I6FmmHYcIoNmEL8W8/s400/013-a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span id="goog_765253616"></span><span id="goog_765253617"></span><br /></b><br />
I<b> found this pine cabinet on Craigslist. It fit in this spot perfectly. This is a handy little thing - it's where I keep tea candles, cell phones, loose change, board games, etc. </b><br />
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<b>This is the west wall which gave us more headaches than anything we did...poor Lorenzo. Builds a fantastic fireplace only to knock it all down....</b><br />
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<b>I wish now that we had added more windows. Hind sight....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKW_nC1GqUXadWdguVfkZOliB6v0hCGd7_oCweoA1K-e3C774_FUoSbzG1-XlzV1OoFOPj18ICmqBhtImbGAHf5DBauYrjah1xWpee8Hpg3MrNwy6DWrtKFxMrnz8BRJWOm0jdUpopWAc/s1600/13-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKW_nC1GqUXadWdguVfkZOliB6v0hCGd7_oCweoA1K-e3C774_FUoSbzG1-XlzV1OoFOPj18ICmqBhtImbGAHf5DBauYrjah1xWpee8Hpg3MrNwy6DWrtKFxMrnz8BRJWOm0jdUpopWAc/s400/13-a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b><b>After it was all done, this wall just looked wrong...had to break the news to Guido that we needed to renovate the renovation....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx4xRjTiW9CbR_KXTVMgu7pILbIBU-ZP2mmpQKuhCniHGJyencXTTz0NJpxVy8efq97q3Fb7RWfm1lf7cEa-Us2fv5RNZXjrNMSo1ZX4PS9WN0GQnwTec9MuH766Nr7WxqDeOWS0eLcs/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx4xRjTiW9CbR_KXTVMgu7pILbIBU-ZP2mmpQKuhCniHGJyencXTTz0NJpxVy8efq97q3Fb7RWfm1lf7cEa-Us2fv5RNZXjrNMSo1ZX4PS9WN0GQnwTec9MuH766Nr7WxqDeOWS0eLcs/s400/1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Once we pebble-tiled the wall and installed some shelves, we had a real focal point instead of a huge blank stretch of dullness....I love this wall now. I chose different pebble tile for the wall than what we'd used on the hearth. I just liked the gray better than the multi-coloured. I think it looks fine...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcMMiyatQNtSvJMImz_cYWSMeRnCtX063HMNE5aqizFJtJK2kb7-Y-bR41pG6BuQk6Kpe7b8vaU4NWbK_oNNM9-mIxv0KSSbZLfRVOC5GacOxgHu6Fo7-YATQ1-6rV9rfeQgm2KbmQPM/s1600/13-b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcMMiyatQNtSvJMImz_cYWSMeRnCtX063HMNE5aqizFJtJK2kb7-Y-bR41pG6BuQk6Kpe7b8vaU4NWbK_oNNM9-mIxv0KSSbZLfRVOC5GacOxgHu6Fo7-YATQ1-6rV9rfeQgm2KbmQPM/s640/13-b.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>My cousin and his wife had some left-over Ikea countertop that we used for the shelves. It's oak, just like our kitchen counters, so it blends in nicely. </b><b>I bought the brackets at Home Depot. I have decided not to clutter up these shelves with bits & bobs. I want to keep the cottage feeling as clutter-free as possible. The print is "Haida Totems" by Emily Carr. I brought it from home because it seemed to suit Mayne Island more than Burnaby...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoGXEhdqxK2tzgHdO4Qu_bViTUC2ke3C1HMqiaHjtu248VwxnmQItctkcpDxsiLcdyd346BLf9c6XkNjx0gm_Aq3PyPWCE0LqF3r0qsJIMml3gSsV3kpAO32agfB57ryOOgX4z2ptMIY/s1600/13-c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoGXEhdqxK2tzgHdO4Qu_bViTUC2ke3C1HMqiaHjtu248VwxnmQItctkcpDxsiLcdyd346BLf9c6XkNjx0gm_Aq3PyPWCE0LqF3r0qsJIMml3gSsV3kpAO32agfB57ryOOgX4z2ptMIY/s400/13-c.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>On the other side of the wood stove I hung a big clock that I bought at Bowerings. It was on sale for $29. The metal trees I purchased at the Envisions Gallery on Mayne Island. They're really cool....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39w79wi_dipP3YWlM3xb9A-yMThvp4cIaB2YLjEoVyGLQod94NvioDFjhlbEa4fMuXsQJ5F8BC6WITS9PUt3B8jsr4_S23Njrlxx1DYsk-Oombc4o7q23hElVJuI86KpVTCWs5ruf4zk/s1600/13-d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39w79wi_dipP3YWlM3xb9A-yMThvp4cIaB2YLjEoVyGLQod94NvioDFjhlbEa4fMuXsQJ5F8BC6WITS9PUt3B8jsr4_S23Njrlxx1DYsk-Oombc4o7q23hElVJuI86KpVTCWs5ruf4zk/s400/13-d.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>If someone had told me that our renovations would take two years, I wouldn't have bought this cottage. Just looking at these old pictures reminds me of how discouraged and exhausted we were. Here is the south-east corner before...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrIPCoD4msxJNaYVoE_Vzzp4YOxrom8RyxovRJ_QY_NwYETo912EpubqBItec8hf6CseO7_cB7mRabzgaYqEa1Ae3IMWDN6yuJpsnZghmU_VRJTIg4Pui7gKeERBubrzmjwKQ9YRKHko/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrIPCoD4msxJNaYVoE_Vzzp4YOxrom8RyxovRJ_QY_NwYETo912EpubqBItec8hf6CseO7_cB7mRabzgaYqEa1Ae3IMWDN6yuJpsnZghmU_VRJTIg4Pui7gKeERBubrzmjwKQ9YRKHko/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>after...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnK4HyOb9OqD7pERQRCg65xXVLD8LG1DaZ_Did3MAejPcV9fSahQk6hcvOQgdPWVf_OJnpyQKGR41PJvO8jXdGtFjp1MeFYzgxlMVYhthgrcMKB9ebrjhI2p7hVGxud2g51w4zuqs0bs/s1600/14-a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnK4HyOb9OqD7pERQRCg65xXVLD8LG1DaZ_Did3MAejPcV9fSahQk6hcvOQgdPWVf_OJnpyQKGR41PJvO8jXdGtFjp1MeFYzgxlMVYhthgrcMKB9ebrjhI2p7hVGxud2g51w4zuqs0bs/s640/14-a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>before...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBHqpwLi4Cyi9_x2Bo-2945dOojfchqziSze03_lnL-28S2goUmrEOuwikGiiDnHgcQvlzNIqM4hgg9TL0wbuJMuaH-SpS8IXQHzPu37OBvMYB66WMpuiX5MCpMOeCX-BOZCHGBKqDZY/s1600/14-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBHqpwLi4Cyi9_x2Bo-2945dOojfchqziSze03_lnL-28S2goUmrEOuwikGiiDnHgcQvlzNIqM4hgg9TL0wbuJMuaH-SpS8IXQHzPu37OBvMYB66WMpuiX5MCpMOeCX-BOZCHGBKqDZY/s400/14-b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>after....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxL3yNsM7CiOPr94eZIDm1VDfAuQ8_9Q0SL91M3X5oj69Mz99WSPQAQmr1RxOmzZEMYn0OBw3edQHq9_12RxepMujQsffl4cz3lyHb0WGTJaGgkYsRG4KwA07vnwf1VdecxxEWvZKTdk/s1600/14-c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxL3yNsM7CiOPr94eZIDm1VDfAuQ8_9Q0SL91M3X5oj69Mz99WSPQAQmr1RxOmzZEMYn0OBw3edQHq9_12RxepMujQsffl4cz3lyHb0WGTJaGgkYsRG4KwA07vnwf1VdecxxEWvZKTdk/s640/14-c.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>I bought this sofa table on Craislist, painted it, and put on a new knob. The exposed back of a sofa</b><br />
<b>is never a pleasant view. This looks much better and gives me a place to put the mail, ferry schedules, etc.....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0d_UvXt9jAujfmzKkD9ILUDiKIU7fLSmsX_XTRbY6SHkfQZP_zSj9CydTmyAVkVf3WTNn9U0x6twIFvGRHwRCGFon55UU7yHler_Em0SEY2-lvjS8RshgfRLB4dRRTSRDnRJeNGGFtz0/s1600/14-d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0d_UvXt9jAujfmzKkD9ILUDiKIU7fLSmsX_XTRbY6SHkfQZP_zSj9CydTmyAVkVf3WTNn9U0x6twIFvGRHwRCGFon55UU7yHler_Em0SEY2-lvjS8RshgfRLB4dRRTSRDnRJeNGGFtz0/s400/14-d.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>North side before...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzttaoqLcCwliINd5vl2ENgqS59aoYmLZEtoQWP4EZEA9rdiMf5fdlSWd3Uq4TEPhP5LWA8quaqoLi4NUD8-Sf4lOJqnJYGYgIK_PXx7vBji0k-tGclxvm19gtw6B3fq6lM_lcTHRgOQ/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzttaoqLcCwliINd5vl2ENgqS59aoYmLZEtoQWP4EZEA9rdiMf5fdlSWd3Uq4TEPhP5LWA8quaqoLi4NUD8-Sf4lOJqnJYGYgIK_PXx7vBji0k-tGclxvm19gtw6B3fq6lM_lcTHRgOQ/s400/15.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>and after...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPe3arPQrsKdx22cbBYSSE0UFt7lLHkjaILSgJlqxZkCSd7eM5czxClqO6jvoJpEet1p2vwGsA_AE08Lih4QE5Fdr-8mJ8pgSqZzDlwebaBdOHMGewOE3LKbsnY3K10rDaRh_nmF7TZE/s1600/15-a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoPe3arPQrsKdx22cbBYSSE0UFt7lLHkjaILSgJlqxZkCSd7eM5czxClqO6jvoJpEet1p2vwGsA_AE08Lih4QE5Fdr-8mJ8pgSqZzDlwebaBdOHMGewOE3LKbsnY3K10rDaRh_nmF7TZE/s640/15-a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Coat hooks and shoe rack from Ikea....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3swOXv17zk3EFurRqa-AtoorJYiO4G5eq5L1eFZaYbVeN_IZXrA7ZzUPyCcaohXqMbh3wA2-3Np8fPPOte6E5iUPD1f0HlqUv4M4L_hJd28-g68MShyphenhyphensTRO7k4XBewAw32hjFuQZ-jY/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3swOXv17zk3EFurRqa-AtoorJYiO4G5eq5L1eFZaYbVeN_IZXrA7ZzUPyCcaohXqMbh3wA2-3Np8fPPOte6E5iUPD1f0HlqUv4M4L_hJd28-g68MShyphenhyphensTRO7k4XBewAw32hjFuQZ-jY/s400/030.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>The reading corner....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kTbJudRR4ro92ybaboo4a404ISt6mhsBSE5P11qayCI88hHLFHFthhyPUlDklDBopSfH_R16hoUIyP7DRVV_wVX7Co6SGrXluFF_FkQgLsU8q_670bEldZsCy2tk2LytTt_V-hLGYns/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kTbJudRR4ro92ybaboo4a404ISt6mhsBSE5P11qayCI88hHLFHFthhyPUlDklDBopSfH_R16hoUIyP7DRVV_wVX7Co6SGrXluFF_FkQgLsU8q_670bEldZsCy2tk2LytTt_V-hLGYns/s400/032.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Fish from the Envisions gallery on Mayne Island...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkc35hcVJZ1toY8Ahzu49CfyYhz8jyozMglp0XKGOi-k4fAeQEUC7gdC181ysDzi2U1reBT1051crZkL_dJltxBqAJnF7iKhJJSQ4ybyG9pva_4eWB4-LxuV07g75IhgNqUllbIhArH2U/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkc35hcVJZ1toY8Ahzu49CfyYhz8jyozMglp0XKGOi-k4fAeQEUC7gdC181ysDzi2U1reBT1051crZkL_dJltxBqAJnF7iKhJJSQ4ybyG9pva_4eWB4-LxuV07g75IhgNqUllbIhArH2U/s400/055.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Well, that's all for now. Here are some other pictures:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4_yM1rLoLzsunzItTCHaM2tDW9Hu5ve5FAzDu-lH8aanm2EzBdGckBtZp3_sYvZQoYaWEB259Kef0qxFMh2ZyiV1vy8tTLnZsBrWs_C0sDNxc1QHMtzYGsKyFgLm85d33RET8VvbgaA/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4_yM1rLoLzsunzItTCHaM2tDW9Hu5ve5FAzDu-lH8aanm2EzBdGckBtZp3_sYvZQoYaWEB259Kef0qxFMh2ZyiV1vy8tTLnZsBrWs_C0sDNxc1QHMtzYGsKyFgLm85d33RET8VvbgaA/s640/029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>Marcello chilling at the cottage...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJIaBYJKP1WSFxQYCcOKE26S8GVd9kTeDZqI2pk-jPMaEFUkMXtjV-FL1bqf7lNGCTpElZT_RKaPS6I-DQAFvNuYd-tHiWccOC55cNpOhUsjrKcYfnvcML5DZgm35fT0LDwu8u_Bh-1s/s1600/078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJIaBYJKP1WSFxQYCcOKE26S8GVd9kTeDZqI2pk-jPMaEFUkMXtjV-FL1bqf7lNGCTpElZT_RKaPS6I-DQAFvNuYd-tHiWccOC55cNpOhUsjrKcYfnvcML5DZgm35fT0LDwu8u_Bh-1s/s400/078.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Morning sunlight through the trees...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRVgcpXTkqhwKFkd1yuUGLglodswrfy0tK_0cNG_QNNabJTANaUd9l_CRHqk2dIkF2y9ibB4spx6YbVSqyvfcl7HrBdHAICQBXbO2mO_G9yHpZOkERNJRbLyDCGzzd8Eq7WQke0BDra8/s1600/079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRVgcpXTkqhwKFkd1yuUGLglodswrfy0tK_0cNG_QNNabJTANaUd9l_CRHqk2dIkF2y9ibB4spx6YbVSqyvfcl7HrBdHAICQBXbO2mO_G9yHpZOkERNJRbLyDCGzzd8Eq7WQke0BDra8/s400/079.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Dad and Ducky at the Springwater....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugxp-Xy8cSrvORr8R7rWXvsPJAO2vn9HA_lMTrGClCe54glb4flbCelzVN1mB5_X-bIwhiQWF3O9-SK37agEQjAoVvcYpnzMQsF9ZQgn1_pAxx_kkxJ8aXAFDq77nJ8HIqI7ugMfFhAo/s1600/080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugxp-Xy8cSrvORr8R7rWXvsPJAO2vn9HA_lMTrGClCe54glb4flbCelzVN1mB5_X-bIwhiQWF3O9-SK37agEQjAoVvcYpnzMQsF9ZQgn1_pAxx_kkxJ8aXAFDq77nJ8HIqI7ugMfFhAo/s400/080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>big smooch....</b><br />
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<b>A horseman passes by the cottage....</b><br />
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<b>Our girl with Sachiko on the grass...</b><br />
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<b>Our daughter refuses to look into the camera....</b><br />
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<b>Guido lounges on the front porch....</b><br />
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<b>Having my tea...</b><br />
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<b>the church fair on Saturday...</b><br />
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<b>a glass of wine at the Springwater...</b><br />
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<b>the boys on their electric scooters....</b><br />
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<b>candles and firelight in the evening....</b><br />
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<b>Sachie on the lawn...</b><br />
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<b>Boys in the kitchen....</b><br />
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<b>Village Bay...</b><br />
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<b>We're <i>done</i>. </b><br />
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<b>I dedicate this blog to my husband, Lorenzo. </b><b>When we met, he didn't even know where Mayne Island was. Eighteen years later, he takes on the biggest challenge of our lives. Because he knew this is where I call home. Thank god he grew to love the place as much as I. </b><br />
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<b>This is our Mayne Island cottage. Built by an Italian stallion!</b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now. Stay tuned for the exterior renovation coming your way this fall....</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-86195969459272536592013-06-17T01:08:00.000-07:002013-06-17T01:12:35.740-07:00<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">So we decided to renovate the cottage.</span> Here's what happened: When we gutted the space and started figuring out where windows would go, we kind of screwed up. We ended up with a ridiculously long wall where the wood stove is. I found myself staring at it and shaking my head. We should have installed more windows. And when I hung a picture and a clock they both appeared lost; floating in space as it were....</b><br />
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<b>I imagined a mantle or shelf travelling the length of the wall to add some interest but even that wouldn't solve the problem. So I told Lorenzo that we should pebble-tile the wall behind the wood stove. We had already pebble-tiled the hearth which is four feet wide. I knew that if we did a feature wall the same width and brought it up to the ceiling, it would break up the space and improve the overall appearance. So we called our trusty tile guy, Tony Dominelli who lives on Bowen Island, and he agreed to meet Lorenzo at the cottage. This was the last weekend in May. And so the work began....</b><br />
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<b>While this was going on, Lorenzo began installing the central vacuum system. The outlet upstairs had to be boxed-in, unfortunately, but it looks alright. Once it's painted the same colour as the wall it won't look too bad. Maybe a very small child could sit there and read a book or something....</b><br />
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<b>And then Lorenzo installed in the stair rails....</b><br />
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<b>He bought the components at Home Depot....</b><br />
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<b>We thought about painting out the wood but have since decided to leave it as is; I'll apply some mineral oil. I'm really happy with the way it turned out - it's a narrow stairwell with not a great deal of light coming in. Using metal balusters was a good choice; they take up a minimal amount of visual space, they're zero maintenance, and the proportions are correct....</b><br />
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<b>After the pebble-tile was up, Lorenzo framed it with some vertical moulding and grouted it all. The grout colour is too dark in my opinion so I'm going to lighten it the next time I go over....</b><br />
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<b>All in all, I'm very glad we did this. The wall looks so much better now....</b><br />
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<b>On the next trip, I'll paint the moulding the same colour as the wall, and then we're going to install shelves on either side supported by brackets. This will anchor the picture and clock and provide a place to put some candles or books. And then we'll be done! I mean it this time. Except for the exterior, of course.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Day in the Life of Marcello the Bunny:</b></span><br />
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<b>hanging out in the wildflower garden, nibbling on tasty leaves....</b><br />
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<b>taking a break under the trailer....</b><br />
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<b>sitting in the jasmine pot, taking a look around....</b><br />
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<b>posing for his close-up....</b><br />
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<b>hey! Dad's having ice cream!</b><br />
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<b>they know I prefer spumoni, but this will do....</b><br />
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<b>We're planning to head to the cottage for the Canada Day long weekend. I guess I should book our ferry. Ciao for now!</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-82937224349070421462013-05-27T20:48:00.001-07:002013-05-27T20:49:09.891-07:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Another rainy gray day on the south coast</span>.... Marcello the Bunny did something so funny last night. I opened the dishwasher and he hopped on. Maybe he thought he was going for a ride somewhere. He is so hilarious!</b><br />
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<b>Marcello is a very chill rabbit - I can vacuum right up to him and he doesn't move. But the other day (while he was lounging on the back deck) Lorenzo whistled for the boys to come home. Marcello completely lost it - he tore into the kitchen at breakneck speed, spinning and skidding on the hardwood floor, ran into the living room, stamped his feet, ran around the couch and stamped his feet, and this went on for about two minutes. He was so angry! I guess the human whistle pushed him over the edge.</b><br />
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<b>Therefore, when he chose the dishwasher door as his new perch, how could I say no? </b><br />
<b>Look at that face! </b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-69906097287590388682013-05-22T22:57:00.002-07:002013-05-22T23:18:44.254-07:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's been a long time</span> since I last wrote. I'll have to re-cap two separate trips to the cottage. </b><br />
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<b>On April 26th, Lorenzo & I took the U-Haul over, loaded up with all our cottage furnishings - beds, mattresses, night stands, lamps, appliances, pictures, mirrors, dishes, etc. </b><br />
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<b>The place was rather a mess...</b><br />
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<b>All I remember of that trip was working non-stop until about 11pm for two nights. We didn't watch a movie, or play Scrabble, or do anything enjoyable. It was just work - assembling beds, hauling in the mattresses, cleaning, etc. I washed the hardwood floors, put clean linens on the beds, washed windows, etc. </b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo put the big happy knobs on the cabinets...</b><br />
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<b>..and they look really nice....</b><br />
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<b>He installed the dining room light...</b><br />
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<b>and installed the kitchen shelves...</b><br />
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<b>I'm not exactly pleased with the shelves. The bottom shelf should always be parallel to the bottom of any adjacent cabinet. It has to be balanced. In this kitchen, they had to be placed too high on the wall for my liking due to an electrical outlet. Oh well...</b><br />
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<b>We carried in the washer and dryer but Lorenzo couldn't install the washer because one of the connecting hoses had a slight leak. So many jobs went this way - what should have been straight-forward would turn into a huge fiasco. And we forgot to bring the rails for the top bunk, so that didn't get done either.</b><br />
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<b>On the second (last) day, we loaded up the truck with all the tools we no longer need...</b><br />
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<b>Lots of sorting through boxes of wires, gadgets, and miscellaneous crap...</b><br />
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<b>I covered up the ugly leather couches with fleece blankets and pillows from Ikea. They don't look half bad now...</b><br />
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<b>And then we staggered home. We showed up around noon and everyone was sleeping. Our three kids were not exactly perfect angels while we were gone - even though we had a family member stay here. We were not impressed at all. My house needed vacuuming. The bunny-box hadn't been emptied. The stove was sticky. Loads of laundry were piled up in the basement waiting for my attention. I was just drained - and very ticked off. When I was their age, my parents would have returned to a house that gleamed. Why is this? Better trained? Or was it fear? In any case, we decided that they'd have to come with us on the next trip.</b><br />
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<b>This occurred on Friday. We pulled the kids out of school, packed up the dog, the rabbit, bags of food, and a bunch of other stuff, and took the 10am ferry. When we arrived, it began to pour rain. The kids unloaded the truck at breakneck speed and once it was all in the cottage, I made a pot of coffee and brought out the scones we'd picked up at the bakery....Our first family meal in the renovated cottage. My daughter hadn't seen anything since we'd purchased it two years ago and she just ran around exclaiming - she was just thrilled with everything.</b><br />
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<b>The next few days were spent assembling the top-bunk of the bunkbed which entailed three trips to the hardware store, installing the kitchen lights, mowing the lawn, putting up hooks, etc. Lorenzo is still recovering from hernia surgery and wasn't supposed to be doing any heavy lifting, so I had to haul his heavy tool bag around. I'd say, "Step aside, weak man!" I installed the mirrors for the closet doors by myself and it was kind of nice not being interfered with. He was impressed, which made me feel useful.</b><br />
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<b>My cousin and his wife were there also, and one day he scooped up the boys and took them crabbing on his boat. We also had a lovely dinner at their house on Saturday night - roast beef, prawns, corn on the cob, baked potatoes...what a feast. Afterward, we sat around the fire playing guitars and chatting. What else...? The kids walked down the road to my aunt & uncle's who said the kids were welcome to use their pool table which turned out to be a god-send. I guess our cottage is boring. No pool table, no ocean view, just two parents who never stop working, it seems. It was nice to make a big bacon & egg breakfast in my kitchen, though. </b><br />
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<b>The weather wasn't very good - drizzly rain with periodic sunny patches - but it was still nice to be there. I can't get over the bird-song. I'd just sit on the porch and listen....</b><br />
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<b>We got the boys to haul the old stinky couch off the porch and throw it into the pile of stuff to be carted away...My younger son didn't want his picture taken. Oh well!</b><br />
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<b>Keep going, boys...</b><br />
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<b>My daughter brought her guitar case (see above) but forgot to add her guitar. I swear, I have to think of everything. The sun came out just in time for a nice dinner at the Springwater....this is my younger son. He ate two entire entrees....</b><br />
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<b>Here's my weak husband - the one who made me do all the heavy lifting...</b><br />
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<b>On the last day, my cousin's wife and I went to the Fernhill Centre which has two very nice stores. There used to be a great little restaurant called the Wild Fennel but it closed down last year, unfortunately. They made the best peanut-butter pie you've ever tasted. And buffalo burgers! We were really sad when they closed the doors...</b><br />
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<b>The Tree Frog is a clothing store which sells beautiful things made from organic cotton and bamboo. Sweaters, tops, dresses, leggings; apparel for both men and women. Organic soaps and homemade candles, interesting jewelry and scarves, carved wood boxes, etc. Everything is gorgeous, but we didn't buy anything. This store smells so good - of lavender and cedarwood and other lovely things. You walk in and you just feel happy.</b><br />
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<b>Next store to this is the Envisions Gallery which sells locally made pottery, crafts, glass-works, etc. Beautiful things - I bought a fish to hang on the wall. This is probably my favourite gallery - it is even more impressive than galleries on the mainland...</b><br />
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<b>Then all of us met up for lunch. That was the only leisure on the entire trip!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>I took a few pictures but I don't want to post them yet. It was hard to set up good shots with four people around, the dog, the rabbit, and hoodies and shoes lying all over the place. We've worked so hard for two years and I want the final pictures to do it justice. And there's a few more little things that need to get done.</b><br />
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<b>The plan was to stay on Mayne Island until Monday evening, but our three annoying teenagers acted as though they were being condemned to a sensory-deprivation chamber. It was really, really, annoying. So we changed our ferry reservation and returned on Sunday night instead. Lorenzo and I were right choked about it, but there is no joy in dragging three complaining kids around. On the whole, they were good - I can't complain, really. They just wanted to be with their friends doing the things that teenagers do. It's a tough age....for us.</b><br />
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<b>On Monday, which was Victoria Day, I did a ton of laundry, washed the hardwood floors, cleaned and cleaned....I was so tired I felt like I was going to crack into a million pieces. Right now, I am under the weather. Sore throat, aching bones. My left wrist, which was just starting to heal, is in pain again. I'd like to sleep for three days straight. I have never been a morning person, but on Mayne Island I wake up practically at the crack of dawn, wide awake. It's pretty incredible for someone like me. But as soon as I'm back in the city, I never feel truly rested. I slept really well at the cottage - no bad dreams - just a deep, restful sleep every night. I can't wait to go back, just for that reason alone.</b><br />
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<b>So, that's it. This weekend, Lorenzo and I have a long list of things to do around here. I might get started on some painting and I have an antique sewing machine I've been meaning to refinish. It never ends... Owning two homes is a lot of work; I don't think I really imagined how tiring this would be. At least we've crossed the finish line - it feels good.</b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now.</b><br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-34373337426943924362013-04-25T00:50:00.000-07:002013-04-25T00:58:44.376-07:00<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The U-Haul truck has been loaded</span> and so has our truck - we're taking two vehicles to Mayne Island. If we run out of time and everything isn't done, I'll stay on by myself.</b><br />
<b>I spent the day wrapping up some art work to bring over, cleaning the basement (which is empty, practically) and packing up last minute stuff. It's hard to believe that we're actually moving into our cottage....</b><br />
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<b>The night after my last entry, our younger son woke us up in the middle of the night. It has been so long since any of our kids have woken us up that I was totally confused for a moment. He said he was in pain - he was holding his ear and he started pacing the living room. Luckily, I still had some pain-killers from when I had my dental surgery. I gave him one, filled his ear with olive oil again, and he passed out. I told him I'd be taking him to the clinic when it opens at 8-am. I couldn't get back to sleep after that; I was almost waiting for his ear to burst which happened when he was about 8 years old. The next day I had a headache so severe I could hardly function - I think everyone is under the weather right now.</b><br />
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<b>The next day my son insisted on going to school. I was really ticked off about this. He came home looking awful so I took him in and the doctor said he has a bad ear infection. All this week he's had soccer tryouts and refused to miss any of them; he's a trooper. My daughter isn't well either - coughing, sore throat, runny nose. But she goes to school regardless. My oldest son, however, is fit as a fiddle. Glowing with health. But somehow he couldn't manage to get out of bed this morning; at 10-am he sauntered into the kitchen and gave me a heart attack. I'm losing patience with this boy. The other night he was still up at 1:30 in the morning, sitting on the basement couch listening to music. Living with three teenagers is really trying....I am worried about leaving them when they aren't well. I think Lorenzo will come home as soon as the heavy lifting is done and the lights are installed. I can do the rest on my own. </b><br />
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<b>Someone once said that having children means that your heart exists on the outside of your body. It is so true. They are always, always in your thoughts - you're never truly free of it and I don't think it matters how old they are. If Lorenzo is here, I feel fine about leaving - but when it's both of us leaving, I have real anxiety. Mayne Island is a long way away - an ocean separates us which is kind of disturbing.</b><br />
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<b>Anyway, my older son is deeply offended that his cousin is coming to stay while we're gone. He thinks he's a model of exemplary behaviour. Reliable and trustworthy. I'll believe that when he gets himself to school on time....</b><br />
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<b>Well, that's it for now. </b><br />
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<b> Boys washing the dishes. Mayne Island - 2009</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-1530176968299723722013-04-23T00:58:00.001-07:002013-04-23T01:54:47.552-07:00<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Last Thursday, I packed my things to head to the cottage. </b>The plan was to leave Friday morning and spend the weekend scouring the floors & windows and getting everything sparkly clean. In my basket I had the requisite three jugs of Vancouver water, tea, old rags, and my favourite cleaning potion...<br />
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I love this stuff - I use it on hardwood floors, painted wood, leather, etc. It's lovely smelling too - and environmentally friendly, apparently.<br />
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Anyway, Friday morning came and went and somehow I was still here. Postponed my departure for the evening but when the rains came pounding down I didn't want to leave the cozy sanctuary of my home. Set my alarm for Saturday morning. Slept in and talked myself into having a headache. More rain and wind - stood looking out the window and everything outside looked gray and bleak. Put the kettle on and considered my options. Wrist still felt a bit sore, maybe I should wait. Sunday became the new goal: I resolved to take the 11am ferry and get to work! Then Lorenzo casually mentioned that if I waited until Monday, the ferry costs would be much cheaper. Sounded good to me - poured another cup of tea and curled up with my book. By Sunday night it just seemed like a really dumb idea all around.<br />
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So we decided to bail on the whole thing, rent a trailer, and head over the following Friday. I'd spend this week getting things packed up and preparing the house for our absence. For some reason, I just couldn't face being there alone. And it didn't help that Lorenzo was talking about wolf spiders hiding in the wood stack outside....ready to pounce!<br />
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Yesterday I began making phone calls but unfortunately there were no trailers to be found. Not one. I guess it's end-of-the-month moving time for everyone. So we rented a truck, and we're picking it up tomorrow...<br />
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On Sunday, my daughter and I went to Sears and ordered a double mattress and two twin mattresses. And I discovered that Sears can ship to Mayne Island - the Home Hardware is an official Sears distribution centre. And then I saw these great couches on sale....<br />
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It has been about fourteen years since Lorenzo and I bought any new living-room furniture, so I felt entitled I guess. He liked them, so I put them on the charge card and arranged to have them shipped over with the mattresses...<br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">They are soft, supple Natuzzi leather and on sale for 50% off until the end of June. I could just imagine how <i>spectacular</i> they'd look against the hardwood floors. A whole vision appeared before me: There we are - jazz music tinkling in the background, a</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> glass of red wine, fire crackling in the stove, candles flickering on the mantle, and there - in the centre of it all - these <i>gorgeous</i> Natuzzi leather couches! A little dash of Italian design on Mayne Island! I enter the scene, wearing something silky and sophisticated - Lorenzo is composing something on the piano....</span></div>
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Woke up this morning and realized I'd been imagining someone else's life.<br />
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Who the hell puts white leather couches in a cottage? Suddenly I had visions of chasing my kids away from them, worrying about wood-smoke and finger prints; fretting over every tiny stain and wrinkle. Dog scratches and bunny fluff. Everyone is miserable and scared to sit down.<br />
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Gloom descended on my sparkling fantasy. Reality is, I have three kids and two pets and everything in my life is sticky.<br />
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With a sad heart, I called Sears and cancelled them. The cottage gets the hideous brown boat from the basement...it's wrinkly and lumpy....I hate it. It's like a big brown ghastly <i>barge</i> and there's rips and tears from when Sachie was a pup. I'll have to get very creative with this one...<br />
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Then I pondered over the fact that the mattresses I purchased wouldn't be arriving on Mayne until early June. I decided that I wanted the cottage to be set up by the time we leave on Sunday. Every bed made, every last little thing put in its place. The thought of leaving with yet more work to do in the future made me antsy. So I called Sears and cancelled the mattresses because I needed mattresses <i>right now</i>. When I get a bee in my bonnet, look out. But where to find mattresses at a moment's notice?<br />
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I remembered that the Salvation Army sells new mattresses. I called around, and the New Westminster location had what I needed. My son was horrified. He figured they'd be <i>used....</i>you know,<i> </i>bed-bug infested mattresses that someone dragged out of an East End crack house...<br />
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I explained to him that it's illegal for any company to sell used mattresses under the Health Canada Act. I called Lorenzo about my plan and he yelled, "I'm not buying used mattresses!" Veins bursting in his head.<br />
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Anyway, after he came home from work we hitched his little trailer onto the truck, headed into New West and bought three perfectly acceptable, brand new, pillow-top mattresses for a few hundred bucks. This is a very impressive thrift store - I saw all kinds of interesting things but we had to pick our son up from soccer...<br />
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I have to mention this: years ago, when Lorenzo first went into business for himself, he had to go to Edmonton. It was winter-time and the temperature there was minus-30. He didn't have a winter coat and we couldn't afford to buy one. So I went to the Salvation Army. I found a beautiful, Humphrey Bogart-type men's dress coat. Merino wool and cashmere, silk lining, triple-stitched pockets. <i>Made in Italy</i>. Price? $28.<br />
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My father trained to be a tailor in Italy. He examined the coat and said, "This would cost about two thousand dollars to have made right now." Lorenzo wasn't keen on wearing a used coat (because he's a snob) but it fit him beautifully - he looked so handsome in it, and he said he was warm as toast on his trip. Thrift stores are amazing - you never know what you'll find.<br />
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Today I sorted out linens, pillows, duvets and duvet covers, mattress protectors, etc. and put everything into labelled garbage bags.<br />
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So, tomorrow the truck will be here, and we'll be finally loading up a year's worth of clutter and Craigslist finds. Our basement is going to be empty! Yay! I've arranged for my niece to stay and police the teens while we're gone, everything is going to get done, and I'm really, really excited about this.<br />
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Around 10pm, my daughter mentioned that she isn't feeling well - her throat is sore. My younger son informed me that he can't hear out of his right ear. We already had this checked out a few weeks ago and the stupid doctor gave him nasal spray. Anyway, I filled his ear with warm olive oil and tomorrow I'm taking him up to the clinic. I can see it now: The trip to Mayne Island gets thwarted again.....<br />
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I'm reading such a riveting book right now...<br />
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I'm halfway through, and right now Ernest Shackleton's crew has been stranded in the antarctic for two years. Two years living on penguins and seal blubber, battling frost-bite and despair. I cannot fathom how anyone could ever sign up for something like this...it is mind-boggling to me. But what a great read this is. I'm an arm-chair adventurist.<br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-4639220276384084732013-04-17T22:01:00.000-07:002013-04-17T22:01:44.525-07:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I think this is the longest I've gone</span> without a post. The reason is, there is no cottage news to deliver. It seems that all of the urgency has completely dissipated - it's pretty much done, so we've been enjoying a much-needed respite. Having Lorenzo home for the past several weekends has been so nice - and almost strange; I've been so used to him being gone that it seemed like we were on holidays. We could actually make plans and do things together. We've had friends over for dinner, gone grocery shopping together, watched tv, etc. in other words, all the things that normal people do.</b><br />
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<b>And then our oldest son turned 16 two days ago, so there were preparations involved for that. It is really odd looking at this tall boy and having to accept the fact that he's only two years from legal adulthood. I cannot wrap my mind around it. Last week, he challenged me to a left-handed arm wrestle. (I'm left-handed, he is not). About six months ago, I flattened him with my left arm. In just six short months, he has grown about seven inches and gained super-human strength. Before I even had a chance to engage my arm, we heard a loud "crunch" - like someone crushing a small handful of potato chips. That was my left wrist. The days of frolicking with my boys are over - I always get hurt. I iced my wrist on and off in the days following but it is still not healed. My son felt terrible. So, it's official: I'm weaker and shorter than these two punks. Strange.... But now I never hesitate to get them to do stuff for me, so that's kind of nice. I'll just pretend that I'm too feeble to manage....sit on the couch eating bon-bons, cradling my injured wrist for the next ten years.</b><br />
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<b>On Monday morning, Lorenzo left for the interior to visit all the customers he's been neglecting since the cottage reno began. I was worried that he'd encounter a blizzard somewhere, but so far the clear weather has held out. I had a lot of apprehension before he left. He was waking up at 4:30am so I left him a note, urging him to take the truck just in case. Instead, he took his hybrid and did not seem concerned. He'll be home on Thursday. </b><br />
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<b>The nice thing about him being gone is the ease with which dinner is approached. Yesterday, he missed glorious "Pancake Tuesday," which I know he doesn't mind as he's too Italian to understand the joys of eating breakfast for dinner. </b><br />
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<b>When we were first married he was actually appalled by the idea of bacon & eggs </b><b>past 9-am. </b><b>I remember accusing Lorenzo of being snob - and reminding him that if his ancestors had been on the Titanic, they'd have been in steerage. He fired back, "Oh, and your family were aristocrats!" I've never forgotten that - I laughed so hard. In any case, </b><b>the kids love Pancake Tuesday as do their friends. Sometimes I've had to double the recipe - and I always use buttermilk which makes such a difference. The thing is, it is very tiring coming up with a new meal every single day. Pancake Tuesday is like my little vacation - one bowl, one pan, throw some fruit on the table and you're done...</b><br />
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<b>What else....I am itching to get over to Mayne Island and might leave later in the week, I'm not sure. With my wrist being sore, I don't have the same strength. And I'd want to start bringing some smaller furniture over and all the boxes with odds & ends, etc. Also, the floors and windows need to be thoroughly cleaned. Didn't realize how much an injured wrist can slow you down. Maybe I should have it looked at....my hand is a bit numb and tingly which probably isn't a good thing.</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">* * * *</span></b><br />
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<b>I've been meaning to get a "No Soliciting" sign for my front door. Yesterday, the door-bell rang - dog went bonkers. It was two young men representing "Weed Man" offering to sign me up for a free consultation. They wanted my phone number. I told them that I'm not interested and then one of them said,"If they call, you don't have to sign up for anything but we'll still get our five-dollar commission. Can you help us out?" So I gave them my phone number. I have compassion for young people just trying to make a living but I don't support lawn pesticides.</b><br />
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<b>An hour later, it was the Girl Guides selling cookies. There's nothing worse than being confronted with a cute tot on the porch with their hopeful parent standing in the background. I never have cash on me, so had to decline. But even if I did, I might have said no, because they contain palm oil. Palm oil is the cheapest oil on the planet and it's saturated. But worse, is that rain forests - which contain the planet's most bio-diverse ecosystems - are being mowed down to allow space for palm plantations. Palm oil is found in everything from soap to granola bars and it's bad - for us and for the planet. Therefore, I don't support Girl Guide cookies.</b><br />
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<b>A few hours later, another knock on the door. By this time, I was getting ticked off. A woman holding a clip-board identified herself as a canvasser for the Canadian Cancer Society. I told her that I do not support the Canadian Cancer Society. She blinked a few times and said, "May is cancer awareness month." Think about this for a minute: can you think of a single person you know who hasn't had some experience with the disease? It's practically an epidemic. It's like having "Rain Awareness Month" for Vancouverites. Imagine someone canvassing for "Cancer Oblivion Awareness." To raise awareness for people who are oblivious to cancer. </b><br />
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<b>In any case, this woman was not interested in knowing my reasons for declining support which was a relief, actually - discussing big pharma and the multi-billion dollar cancer machine with someone working for the agency is akin to discussing the possible non-existence of god with a Jehovah's Witness. </b><b>Also, I'm tired of this "raising awareness" all the time. I am fully aware of cancer: it took my mum, several aunts and uncles, my husband's mum, my neighbour's son, and my best friend in grade four, just to name a few. I'm <i>aware</i> of cancer. </b><br />
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<b>Last month, two fellows from Iran were canvassing for the Red Cross. I told them I don't support the Red Cross. Man, I sound like such a cranky old bag. I support nothing! Bugger off! Anyway, the Red Cross has been under fire for financial mismanagement for years now. They received <i>two billion dollars</i> for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Where did it all go? People are still living in shacks with no running water. I just think it's always a bad thing when non-profits become bloated international bureaucracies; I'd rather donate to community food banks or local environmental groups. And I have to mention that it bothered me greatly when the Red Cross refused a one million dollar donation from the Dixie Chicks because they voiced their disapproval of the war in Iraq. </b><br />
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<b>So, I need a sign....</b><br />
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<b>But I don't like the thought of sticking something this unattractive on my nice front door. This one is perfect: Who's going to doubt it?</b><br />
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<b>BC is gearing up for another election and by all accounts, the Liberals are out and the NDP is in. I chose not to run in this election and my neighbourhood is being represented by a friend of mine in the Green Party. I wish her all the best. I've got to dig up my Green Party signs and get them to her asap. My main reason for not running this time is because Lorenzo is having hernia surgery on May 8th, and he'll need my support. He's not supposed to do any lifting or engage in anything strenuous for about six weeks; if I were gone all the time I know he'd end up injuring himself. I'd find him climbing a ladder or scurrying around with the leaf blower....chasing that one lone pine needle down the sidewalk...</b><br />
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<b>Well, that's my boring blog for today!</b><br />
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<b>Cranky Lady signs off....</b><br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-62931076930800219982013-03-30T22:03:00.001-07:002013-03-31T02:19:32.346-07:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">My cottage-weary husband returned home</span> on Thursday morning and went straight to his work to do up the payroll. Around 3pm he came through the door. I had a little surprise for him. We'd been talking about getting a small bistro table for our sundeck. For years we had admired cast-iron pedestal bases that we'd occasionally see in cafes but never in retail shops. I was scouring Craigslist on Tuesday night and saw exactly what I'd been looking for...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgkqW9vxhgjQnFICI9yS55_HIN6W84UU1-KEdHIoOgiR37_Jl9U2mVcjlwe8SHMugvYJwp5Z-Kfg_j3GxwMhtDCSW2UJZ200ambqjO2D-IrlK3TXmscUvaFy7VUyqfDt_Fk09Y_LduA/s1600/iron+wood+bistro+strathcona+$120.ajpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgkqW9vxhgjQnFICI9yS55_HIN6W84UU1-KEdHIoOgiR37_Jl9U2mVcjlwe8SHMugvYJwp5Z-Kfg_j3GxwMhtDCSW2UJZ200ambqjO2D-IrlK3TXmscUvaFy7VUyqfDt_Fk09Y_LduA/s320/iron+wood+bistro+strathcona+$120.ajpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The guy was moving to San Francisco and was asking $120. I wasn't interested in the table top or the chairs - just the pedestal base. On-line, I have seen these sell for about $300. (US funds) not including shipping, handling, etc. I called him right away and the next afternoon I drove down to East Vancouver and we managed to squeeze it into my car. The table weighed a ton. Brought it home, lugged it onto the deck, and cleaned it thoroughly with dish soap and baking soda...</b><br />
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<b>A few days prior, while waiting for my son to have his drum lesson, I walked into Micheal's Craft Store. They had these cool seeded glass candle holders. They were 40% off and ended up being $10. each...</b><br />
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<b>When Lorenzo came home, I served us chilled white wine on our new little patio table...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWwVT0c_3ATDy_66baw3cYIysOH7KZAo9d3Difguply7jYPd2S4RSEvqWOvZjATpjNP7bmR7kvqay2UlFPzGlFKXbVTLpTPNln49Jz0O0eNuz9cDKvxSWO7dPsazYv625UqryEx6H7A/s1600/wrought+iron+bistro+set.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWwVT0c_3ATDy_66baw3cYIysOH7KZAo9d3Difguply7jYPd2S4RSEvqWOvZjATpjNP7bmR7kvqay2UlFPzGlFKXbVTLpTPNln49Jz0O0eNuz9cDKvxSWO7dPsazYv625UqryEx6H7A/s400/wrought+iron+bistro+set.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>He was so pleased - he calls it our "cafe." Every now and then he'll say, "Coming out to the cafe?" There's something about sitting at a small table with someone that is very inducive to conversation. Anyway, we sat in the beautiful sunshine and he expressed his profound relief that the cottage is done. <i>Done!!! </i> He wore an expression of disbelief and his eyes filled with tears - we were almost in a state of shock. So we toasted our fun-filled future on Mayne Island, drank wine and talked about renting a truck, getting our furniture over, and all the other tiny details left to do. Then the kids came home who were very happy to see their Dad...</b><br />
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<b>Vancouver is a crazy place. A week ago, it snowed. I was going outside in a heavy coat and boots. Now, it's warm and spring is in the air; trees are in bloom, the birds are singing and people are mowing their lawns. On Thursday night Lorenzo and I were feeling very "springy" and decided to walk down to our favourite restaurant, La Villetta. It sits on the corner of Hastings and Ingleton and it's been in our neighbourhood for decades...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrP7ZYcLEpFEZEJZnci3xiXUNmGLt2O18Ubo-oZPGVczdShTKivuieLNKXtVo9pKhdL_IQSi33K7JDFFp8NXtcc3EZYOZP091_0zC4teHcmVkLRAvpqkKEWadljQnJHjhmG7SeN6E6g/s1600/La+Villetta+Restaurant+Burnaby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrP7ZYcLEpFEZEJZnci3xiXUNmGLt2O18Ubo-oZPGVczdShTKivuieLNKXtVo9pKhdL_IQSi33K7JDFFp8NXtcc3EZYOZP091_0zC4teHcmVkLRAvpqkKEWadljQnJHjhmG7SeN6E6g/s400/La+Villetta+Restaurant+Burnaby.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Lorenzo is Italian and I'm half Italian, which makes us extremely picky about Italian food. People will rave about some restaurant that we think is terrible. We are constantly biting our tongues because we don't want to appear as food snobs. For this reason, we eat Italian at home. La Villetta, however, is an exception - their veal parmigiana is the best I've ever eaten outside of Italy. So that is what I had, with a lovely green salad with the most delicious vinaigrette ever. Usually when we go there Lorenzo has Osso Bucco - he is convinced no one does it as well. The owner bakes his own bread too, and it's just to die for. I'm eating low-carb these days, but I still had to stick my face into the basket. There is no smell as heavenly as fresh baked bread. </b><br />
<b>La Villetta is a small friendly place and has become our home-away-from home. And it's only a block away! What a nice evening.... </b><br />
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<b>The next day the kids all took off with their friends. Since it was such a nice sunny day, we headed into Gastown which is one of my favourite places in the city and only about a 15 minute drive from our house. It was established in the mid-1800's and was the first downtown core of Vancouver...</b><br />
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<b>When I was a little kid, one of my uncles owned The Blarney Stone pub as well as the Spinning Wheel Pub. My other uncle owned The Savoy jazz club. So I grew up kind of thinking that my family owned Gastown. Anyway, we strolled around and in celebration of finishing the cottage, we headed into Fluevog Shoes...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVr_2Vt5np7zHw6YMNk8f59a1Ep6-lSi7L1MJJkfbA-ycRi7_KZSETpZcQQtVLcmfulm9DCl3EfktYKPrVeSryTBuJa_E7u36vZsNtH9_d4om4pkDuvOy4e2pXHQFGbKCJIpiXNCEciQ/s1600/fluevog-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVr_2Vt5np7zHw6YMNk8f59a1Ep6-lSi7L1MJJkfbA-ycRi7_KZSETpZcQQtVLcmfulm9DCl3EfktYKPrVeSryTBuJa_E7u36vZsNtH9_d4om4pkDuvOy4e2pXHQFGbKCJIpiXNCEciQ/s400/fluevog-b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>John Fluevog is a Vancouver original and his footwear was put on the international map by Madonna who began wearing his funky books in the 1980's....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DjEIaDTdSg36Zs_EzJkIYMOrElUQyAq3tXKkqkgiBmFHMOz7nDigYyb50aDIzJTbJ5HItjdH1T9G3wohYxL87agD6HrNsJEDhp8icDHv8XH43W_cITq4DcWQbgVGUNWSOJrWnQldZA/s1600/fluevog-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DjEIaDTdSg36Zs_EzJkIYMOrElUQyAq3tXKkqkgiBmFHMOz7nDigYyb50aDIzJTbJ5HItjdH1T9G3wohYxL87agD6HrNsJEDhp8icDHv8XH43W_cITq4DcWQbgVGUNWSOJrWnQldZA/s400/fluevog-a.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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<b>His Gastown shop is amazing - he took over what was once an alley in-between two buildings and somehow fashioned a retail space using steel girders and glass. It's a remarkable feat of design and engineering; Lorenzo and I found ourselves staring upward while we were there. </b><br />
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<b>I don't know how I could have lived in Vancouver my whole life and never venture into Fluevog. The shoes are absolutely delightful and they're sturdily made with chunky heels and heavy rubber soles - even the dressy pumps look like you could chase a cab in them if you had to. The reason we went there, was because we ducked in on St. Patrick's Day on our way to the Irish Heather Pub. I spied a pair of black shoes that reminded me of my old Irish dancing hard-shoes...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDN_FFt_3ckrDJ0b_hWyF2E7jdb39M_2hSSQqxOnjW_emnJl7IkNd3ZDjt1-qXTfAq2mzJmZLJKKaUVJFnL5YmZMBp6wIYbGD-_SPijo1XVw8vkksdZU0HZgpU2LoPEx-w1L1xDfEhg/s1600/fluevog+hopefuls+luxon-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDN_FFt_3ckrDJ0b_hWyF2E7jdb39M_2hSSQqxOnjW_emnJl7IkNd3ZDjt1-qXTfAq2mzJmZLJKKaUVJFnL5YmZMBp6wIYbGD-_SPijo1XVw8vkksdZU0HZgpU2LoPEx-w1L1xDfEhg/s320/fluevog+hopefuls+luxon-a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>They're called "Hopefuls." I tried a pair on and did a happy dance and bought them on the spot. A few days later I realized they were too small, so yesterday I exchanged them for a size up. I can't believe how comfortable they are. I've always been cheap when it comes to clothing myself, but I've decided never to wear crappy uncomfortable shoes again. I just love these...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvzNnoolCQuqcIYESy7RVUIhToRkexqsk3XKidA2tWN5EowwxV5pfxYoImfPz_Z4dy7uxj0cTFtQGCAag5YOOURaUEFI6_Gz05Q3DB3GOvrpwjPFDX20_qLhI0U_GfYOg1I8G7k8HXg/s1600/fluevog+hopefuls+luxon-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvzNnoolCQuqcIYESy7RVUIhToRkexqsk3XKidA2tWN5EowwxV5pfxYoImfPz_Z4dy7uxj0cTFtQGCAag5YOOURaUEFI6_Gz05Q3DB3GOvrpwjPFDX20_qLhI0U_GfYOg1I8G7k8HXg/s400/fluevog+hopefuls+luxon-b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>I made Lorenzo get a pair too, so he bought these...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYdBhrhggmfNw2kBSlSJKdw0By9x4qB0hIUbn-Jx7nMQpgtYqMRbNowEx0G3jPNv1EegVALPyhucebD1TcGGRGDnoIUvQUPxcXIogIMpX_2UWG4VbbbteczwAK0f1Pq2ohbAxmsQsrA/s1600/fluevogs-michael.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYdBhrhggmfNw2kBSlSJKdw0By9x4qB0hIUbn-Jx7nMQpgtYqMRbNowEx0G3jPNv1EegVALPyhucebD1TcGGRGDnoIUvQUPxcXIogIMpX_2UWG4VbbbteczwAK0f1Pq2ohbAxmsQsrA/s320/fluevogs-michael.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>They're called "Michael" and they look so cool on him....</b><br />
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<b>After weeks and months of relentless rain and gray depressing weather, it was as if the city had been reborn. I've seen many parts of the world and I can honestly say that few places are as beautiful as Vancouver on a sunny day....a <i>sunny</i> day, mind you. On a rainy day, you just want to stick your head in the oven. </b><br />
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<b>This is the "Big Ben" steam clock...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybcHwuwLf_nz-vUolYCJmNHDQhKRmbk0XDfYdU3nxvFpLgYZ7auqoHJ7wI9b_93FQAsCLBLbJJ4janMqIDPlCbpT9YjvvzeQrFaPAnfiJbOhHPGWkDdN2bmJzkjNVlIdoaDXctj5J-Q/s1600/gasstown+vancouver-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybcHwuwLf_nz-vUolYCJmNHDQhKRmbk0XDfYdU3nxvFpLgYZ7auqoHJ7wI9b_93FQAsCLBLbJJ4janMqIDPlCbpT9YjvvzeQrFaPAnfiJbOhHPGWkDdN2bmJzkjNVlIdoaDXctj5J-Q/s400/gasstown+vancouver-a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>We walked all over Gastown and ventured into an Aboriginal art gallery. We saw this little print by Sue Coleman. It's called, "Night Owl." It's just a 9 x 12 art card and was only $14. I think it will look cute in the hallway at the cottage...</b><br />
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<b>I love her paintings. Here are a few samples of hers that I cannot afford:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2tBRaw2Bi_nYLIcj7EYgi-UP72qbDWdiY3J_wgsWK13Q_AC9rCFjtAJOMATPYA2LAU3ZLcXNvTcecKE5AJgErw0rdvERoAfTmeLXjuM5sgJWItGjTokfhyphenhyphenHgdn21y2mDxfFpGx5ang/s1600/Coleman,+Sue+-+Blue+Heron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2tBRaw2Bi_nYLIcj7EYgi-UP72qbDWdiY3J_wgsWK13Q_AC9rCFjtAJOMATPYA2LAU3ZLcXNvTcecKE5AJgErw0rdvERoAfTmeLXjuM5sgJWItGjTokfhyphenhyphenHgdn21y2mDxfFpGx5ang/s400/Coleman,+Sue+-+Blue+Heron.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
<b> "Blue Heron"</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOYmuKueEwzXem_LYvJ6DqzJViy1J6BioB6MhmU92PPBQYkt1g9eN6DnRTFRtHdWra2dLkVvgDAFD4P-oOAKsMzW8tdtf0KHvS9KHHaYNeqtLvbuLDJjgjrri1CI8ysBivxoStXkChw/s1600/Coleman,+Sue+-+Killer+Whales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOYmuKueEwzXem_LYvJ6DqzJViy1J6BioB6MhmU92PPBQYkt1g9eN6DnRTFRtHdWra2dLkVvgDAFD4P-oOAKsMzW8tdtf0KHvS9KHHaYNeqtLvbuLDJjgjrri1CI8ysBivxoStXkChw/s400/Coleman,+Sue+-+Killer+Whales.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b> "Killer Whales"</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSLpOIcbZMNGBXFUNJa6FOEmN2VTG2ZQABeD2e2xZCHqYpkIL4HsUt8PDWpvLMRJSEOqxcMXVfkK8bQXgDTLyZ2FhwWI2rkgaSHbHgsdeM1DnxO4lBlIhUf4lfBF_v-nGNKxxQruxRRQ/s1600/Coleman,+Sue+-+Wolf+AC361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSLpOIcbZMNGBXFUNJa6FOEmN2VTG2ZQABeD2e2xZCHqYpkIL4HsUt8PDWpvLMRJSEOqxcMXVfkK8bQXgDTLyZ2FhwWI2rkgaSHbHgsdeM1DnxO4lBlIhUf4lfBF_v-nGNKxxQruxRRQ/s400/Coleman,+Sue+-+Wolf+AC361.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<b> "Wolf"</b><br />
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<b>All of this traipsing around Gastown made us hungry so we popped into "Brioche. " I had forgotten how wonderful the food is...</b><br />
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<b>Located at 401 West Cordova, it's one of those tiny little places that you often forget exist. Lorenzo and I hadn't been there for at least a year and a half...</b><br />
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<b>We know the owner, Eduardo, who hails from Sicily. He was excited to see us as he'd been wanting to contact Lorenzo about casters he needs in his kitchen. Anyway, I told him that I'm off carbs, so he brought me a salad that was amazing. He makes his own mayonnaise, uses the finest bacon I've ever tasted, tosses in a few prawns and grilled tomatoes...this is the perfect meal for me. It was hard not eating the giant chunk of crispy bread that came with it...</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo asked Eduardo to bring him anything. Out came a plate of spaghetti with a rack of lamb...</b><br />
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<b>I tasted the sauce and nearly passed out. Indescribably good - hints of anise and cinnamon; a fragrant rich concoction that I could have eaten by the bowlful. What a delightful little restaurant. If you're in Vancouver and you get hungry, please go to Brioche. You will not be sorry! He told us to come back and try his Cioppino and his baked eggplant.</b><br />
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<b>Eduardo refused to let us pay the bill which made us feel terrible - he did this the last time we were there. Lorenzo says he's going to set him up with the best stainless steel casters for his equipment. Free of charge, of course. Brioche used to be a lunch-only establishment, but now he's open for dinner. I can't imagine a nicer evening; Gastown is magical in the dark...</b><br />
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<b>After our lunch, happy and stuffed,</b> <b>we decided to head home. We passed a shop I've always meant to go into called "Iron Accents" on West 2nd. So we popped in.</b><br />
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<b>We got chatting to the owner - Murray - and get this: he got married on Mayne Island many years ago. Usually people ask, "Where's Mayne Island?" So that was kind of fun. His store is filled with iron baker's racks, planters, trellises, wall decor - you name it. I spied a very cute side table. I loved the black/brown patina and the way it was held together with these collapsible supports. It holds a removable metal tray on top which was an added interest. It was only $60. So we bought it....</b><br />
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<b>I've been pricing iron hooks for the cottage and they're usually around $10-$12 each. Murray had these huge, heavy iron hooks for $4. So I bought six of them for the bathroom...</b><br />
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<b>A while back, I was thinking of getting a vintage tin sign to hang on the space above the stove at the cottage. We don't have a back-splash so I wanted to put something there. I saw one on-line that I really liked but it costs $35. (US) not including shipping, etc.</b><b></b><br />
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<b>I thought this was so whimsical - and I liked the shape of the eggs because they reminded me of the giant knobs I'll be installing onto the cupboards But $35. was just too much to pay in my opinion. Murray had three tin sings in his store and I bought one for $12. I think it will look very homey...</b><br />
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<b>Today Lorenzo cleaned all the gutters, I worked around the house and made dinner, the kids took off again with their friends. We went for a long walk with the dog and, of course, we talked about houses. We'll stop in front of a house and Lorenzo will say, "How the hell did that pass code? The upper deck is completely crooked." We admire the older homes, the ones with leaded windows and wood mullions. Old homes just seem to blend into the surroundings better than new homes - there's something humble about them. Sadly, on our walks we always stumble upon what is referred to as a "Vancouver Special." When we were growing up, they were called "Italian Specials" by sneering non-Italians. I suppose political correctness influenced a name-change. Despite being well constructed, they are boxy and boring and a blight on the urban landscape. Not Italy's finest hour, surely...</b><br />
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<b>What saddens me is what got torn down to build one of these horrible looking things. How many gorgeous old homes were razed to make room for something so unappealing and so lacking in charm, warmth, and character? It should not have been allowed. And because they're so bloody sturdy and well-made, they'll probably be a permanent fixture in our city for the next hundred years.</b><br />
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<b>A few years ago, our neighbours three doors down sold their beautiful character home. In my opinion, it was one of the loveliest houses in the area. Every time I walked my dog, I smiled. I felt truly grateful to be sharing my street with something so delightful...</b><br />
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<b>The buyers tore it down and built a massive monster home. It is a looming dark structure that lacks a single redeeming feature. And it has enough outdoor accent lighting to illuminate a sports arena. You walk past at night and you're blinded. Clearly, they've never heard of global warming. </b><b>I've never spoken to them - I'm still too upset about the house they tore down. </b><b>Once these older homes are gone, they're gone forever. And even when new homes attempt a "character" type of design, you can always tell they're new. That was a really sad day for me - I wish I had snapped up all their garden plants, at least...</b><br />
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<b>Well, tomorrow is Easter. Happy long weekend everyone. Ciao for now!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-60895242517158382812013-03-28T00:27:00.002-07:002013-03-28T01:33:43.272-07:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lorenzo is returning home</span> tomorrow morning - he's been gone since Saturday night. It seemed that every time he phoned me, there was another glitch... The Ikea instructions for the Domsjo sink tells you to router out the counter to enable the sink to sit properly. Lorenzo didn't like the way it looked and was annoyed - so he decided he'd have to fix it. Then he called to ask me if I'd remembered to pack the drain for the sink. I hadn't. Then he called to say that we were four cabinet hinges short. Last night, I was feeding the kids and one of their friends, gearing up to take my younger son to his drum lesson in North Vancouver, and suddenly I just didn't think I could take one more call from the cottage. So I unplugged the phone.</b><br />
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<b>I called him from the parking lot and we chatted - he sounded so very tired. And I felt weary - a sense of this cottage never being done started to take over. There is always some stupid piddly little detail that manages to derail everything. I will never ever renovate another house. I would have to win the lottery first - and hire a team to do everything and call me when it's done.</b><br />
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<b>Here is what Lorenzo did on this trip:</b><br />
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<b>Because the walls in the cottage are crooked, there were gaps here and there along the floor. So Lorenzo went around and installed moulding. A lot of people wouldn't mind the gaps, I suppose, but we're not like most people. We're insane.</b><br />
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<b>Notice the lovely 45-degree cut... Normally I believe floor moulding should be painted the same colour as the door and window trim. However, in this instance it will be painted the same colour as the walls. The reason is because it is so narrow; painting it white would only draw attention to its insignificance.</b><br />
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<b>When Lorenzo sent me these pictures, I felt a wave of gloom sweep over me. All I could think of was how on earth to paint this moulding without touching the new floors. </b><br />
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<b>The panelling around the cabinets looks fantastic. Because these baseboards are a good height, they will be painted Cloud White like all the other trim on the main floor. The panelling will be painted the same as the walls - Man On The Moon. I considered introducing an accent colour - such as a watery gray or some other beachy hue - but I think it would be wrong and only cause an already small area to appear narrower.</b><br />
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<b>I ordered the stove fan from the Sears catalogue so long ago that I forgot what it looked like. It's cute - I like the curved front. Lorenzo said the install was very time-consuming; he'd never installed a hood fan before...</b><br />
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<b>The gable adjacent the dishwasher was shortened to address the crookedness of the floor. It still appears skewed to me but Lorenzo assures me it isn't. Lee the Plumber arrived and hooked up the sink and dishwasher. And by some miracle, he happened to have a brand new Ikea drain sitting in his workshop! How great is that?</b><br />
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<b>Here are the 15-inch drawers....</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo managed to figure out the drawer assembly that nearly gave me a nervous breakdown....</b><br />
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<b>Tight squeeze, but he got it in. The top of the pantry cabinet has a small door - which he couldn't install because we didn't get enough hinges...</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo decided to finish off the cabinets with end pieces, which is a nice idea, but I'm bothered by this picture. The fan cabinets should have been installed slightly lower - you can see where the top finishing piece suddenly ends because there wasn't enough room. This really bothers me...my eye is going fix itself on that black space every time I look in that direction. We'll have to figure something out...</b><br />
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<b>So here is what is left to do: </b><br />
<b>1) Paint mouldings</b><br />
<b>2) Paint panelling around base cabinets</b><br />
<b>3) Install lights</b><br />
<b>4) Buy some window coverings</b><br />
<b>5) Bring over washer & dryer...</b><br />
<b>6) Attach cupboard knobs</b><br />
<b>7) Install flange around wood stove pipe</b><br />
<b>8) Get chimney swept</b><br />
<b>9) Install kitchen shelves</b><br />
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<b>ETC. ETC.</b><br />
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<b>The list goes on and on <i>ad nauseum</i>. Lorenzo said we could plan on moving our stuff over but we can't. I want to wash all the hardwood floors because they are dirty but I'm not going to do that before the painting is completely finished. It should be the last thing I do before I bring in any furniture.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">* * * *</span><br />
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<b>Every week or so, I make a trip to the library and try to find things for my kids to read - a healthy blend of fiction and non-fiction. My daughter is really into wolves right now - so I found her a book called "Wolf Totem" by Jiang Rong. The story takes place during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and weaves the demise of the Mongolian culture with the extinction of the Mongolian wolf - which they believed to be sacred. It has sold millions of copies and won numerous awards; I'm not sure how much my daughter is enjoying it. We'll see...</b><br />
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<b> My older son loves reading magazines, such as Rolling Stone, Macleans, The Atlantic Monthly, and Popular Mechanics. He's not really into novels anymore. But my younger son is reading a book that I could not put down a few years ago. When his brother read it last year he could hardly get out of bed in the morning from reading until the wee hours. If you haven't read this, and you like true stories of incredible human survival, give it a try. But be prepared to be up really late...</b><br />
<b>If I've already mentioned this, my apologies.</b><br />
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<b>My son is currently on chapter 8 and we had a nice chat about it. He asked me what "Achtung Juden" meant and what a Bombardier is. Anything my kids know about World War ll is what I've taught them. They have never, ever, covered the subject - not even the Holocaust - in school. Typically, students have to wait until grade 11 or 12 and by then it's largely optional. It's appalling. </b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now!</b><br />
<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-5996193028985524902013-03-26T00:44:00.000-07:002013-03-26T01:19:46.357-07:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome back to "<i>As the Cottage Turns</i>."</span> </b><br />
<b>On this week's episode, we find Lorenzo - frustrated cottage owner - having to face another long vista of discouragement and despair with no one to talk to except the frogs. Will he manage to get the kitchen finished? Will Lee the plumber show up? Stay tuned....</b><br />
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<b>So we had to go to Ikea on Saturday morning to pick up the rest of the counter top which was on back order. Knowing that Lorenzo intended to finish the kitchen, I suggested that he take our dishwasher with him. It is seven years old, it's seen better days, so it made sense to take it to the cottage. He didn't see what the "mad rush" was and that's when I began to feel a snapping twitching feeling in my brain. I am at the point where if I hear, "I can bring it over on the next trip," or "what's the hurry?" I will seriously blow a brain fuse. So Lorenzo crawled under the kitchen sink to investigate the situation. I held the flash light. When he cut the hose, gunky water sprayed him in the face and I knew that he was angry with me. But lickety-split it was taken out, he and our son loaded it into the truck, and then Lorenzo said, "This was the right thing to do." And off he went.</b><br />
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<b>Sunday he spent doing all of the small jobs, such as the baseboard heaters...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh702QiskOkT6WXsLuz37UXlWrMZtlVJbOLZHVGlnwZHvbvgTev21ZOgLvT7ccoROhNgpqeZ2KGfv-dNvNswlzFIH1OWMk_Utpv9wRfilH32f5avqRer3LaetAm3GOYAKFuwhW06rZDtw/s1600/mar24-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh702QiskOkT6WXsLuz37UXlWrMZtlVJbOLZHVGlnwZHvbvgTev21ZOgLvT7ccoROhNgpqeZ2KGfv-dNvNswlzFIH1OWMk_Utpv9wRfilH32f5avqRer3LaetAm3GOYAKFuwhW06rZDtw/s400/mar24-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Here is the bathroom baseboard heater. I can't believe how much things have improved in just seven years. The windows at our cottage are nicer than my windows here, so are the baseboard heaters. Go figure.</b><br />
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<b>Here are the lovely black door knobs... </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_Ocafc0af_voQoBlAbBDvl2zQDOSPfwauF49rau774XVNyqN40SaKRp8mB6mCCDfFNdHBcd_l5sI-N7guFp9r2mWvYorqzwJ1x394imAvKLdLk4gnIcMQdbOBDAcZL2TrGBL6yTCjA/s1600/mar24-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_Ocafc0af_voQoBlAbBDvl2zQDOSPfwauF49rau774XVNyqN40SaKRp8mB6mCCDfFNdHBcd_l5sI-N7guFp9r2mWvYorqzwJ1x394imAvKLdLk4gnIcMQdbOBDAcZL2TrGBL6yTCjA/s400/mar24-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Hey! If you have brass doorknobs from the 80's in your home, seriously consider switching them over. Make sure you change the hinges & catches while you're at it. </b><br />
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<b>Then again, where will all those sad brass door knobs end up? In a landfill? So try this: Buy a can of metallic black spray paint.... </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuxgxblkRP8uWYETZfxmyqxlLMfB_dJGPIJUZDXk-2uPp8qWOAJa_pdyU2zsdcP6qBaUP9A784j9GGE16wcyxTeMUhLtC4iPoBV_tF7dgHBKUkbdL6t3GppNvlV9ile9jWgzHEZtQnQ/s1600/249131_0910_UNI_11oz_Metallic_OilRubbedBronze_L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuxgxblkRP8uWYETZfxmyqxlLMfB_dJGPIJUZDXk-2uPp8qWOAJa_pdyU2zsdcP6qBaUP9A784j9GGE16wcyxTeMUhLtC4iPoBV_tF7dgHBKUkbdL6t3GppNvlV9ile9jWgzHEZtQnQ/s320/249131_0910_UNI_11oz_Metallic_OilRubbedBronze_L.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<b>...and transform them in seconds!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0V_W2B7VOxXbyLPNND_RGdNmEeB1rEXAQE-AMtIKU8JUn7-P8iYKQP4qGVP5KVkMwQV2OeecbK9GP6pAk7ygAtqr7nviDO7vvlwruVnq00hm1b9Q_q7k-p07N1h3FhUCi0Vd_2aMwfw/s1600/oil+rubbed+bronze+spray+painted+door+knob+before+and+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0V_W2B7VOxXbyLPNND_RGdNmEeB1rEXAQE-AMtIKU8JUn7-P8iYKQP4qGVP5KVkMwQV2OeecbK9GP6pAk7ygAtqr7nviDO7vvlwruVnq00hm1b9Q_q7k-p07N1h3FhUCi0Vd_2aMwfw/s400/oil+rubbed+bronze+spray+painted+door+knob+before+and+after.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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<b>Incredible. Got brass lever handles?</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDcWXtmV4_cNcIoHRYxa1Z8WjP4SeFxyJEEc5lA2sPIjR_IdeYwuYuhjKjRBMJKvizokbCmxBCRrs6rJ0tOe_wnVpA3LMldZkJup0hLJpa_R_QfvRfo-70gdwHpOKkQ0ATHfycUIPOQ/s1600/Rust-oleum-painted-door-knobs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDcWXtmV4_cNcIoHRYxa1Z8WjP4SeFxyJEEc5lA2sPIjR_IdeYwuYuhjKjRBMJKvizokbCmxBCRrs6rJ0tOe_wnVpA3LMldZkJup0hLJpa_R_QfvRfo-70gdwHpOKkQ0ATHfycUIPOQ/s400/Rust-oleum-painted-door-knobs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Here's the thing: If you have something that has a nice overall shape but the colour is outdated, either paint it white or black. You can't go wrong. Think of all the things we chuck out because they're brass: cabinet hardware, lamps, mirrors, light switches, fireplace tools... If you're sick of them, paint them black!</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo also installed the cupboard doors onto the built-in shelves in the bathroom...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAZ22a__MW0R0dzKc-htZTP-lWCWwGv_9e8X6oSrjyy8rmokK6qTvydg1k0ByCok3AbHvtGAiQ215U3LJRJoDZU_nU6kZo-Ag3IFod4IjL-TYA7Q5T-dnBsuWD6dko6J1MHKcExs80g/s1600/mar24-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAZ22a__MW0R0dzKc-htZTP-lWCWwGv_9e8X6oSrjyy8rmokK6qTvydg1k0ByCok3AbHvtGAiQ215U3LJRJoDZU_nU6kZo-Ag3IFod4IjL-TYA7Q5T-dnBsuWD6dko6J1MHKcExs80g/s400/mar24-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>I was hoping that the doors would sit flush inside the frames he built, but they are slightly proud. Oh well. It's a cottage. I need to keep reminding myself....</b></div>
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<b>Today was kitchen day. Here's the progression:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOY41rmEu-9ruZq1mxWUtJGJ_Y6kB_qyfd-IJdAHgosJxk0N8IHVNF1FIfsPQouDvTpENiuREHvW4027q-F4XVwUhBJC7_ga03CbEZtU5npOk1WhlVtsqJ0KrhOcijeFL1lCfPTQgSQ/s1600/mar25-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOY41rmEu-9ruZq1mxWUtJGJ_Y6kB_qyfd-IJdAHgosJxk0N8IHVNF1FIfsPQouDvTpENiuREHvW4027q-F4XVwUhBJC7_ga03CbEZtU5npOk1WhlVtsqJ0KrhOcijeFL1lCfPTQgSQ/s400/mar25-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>The porcelain sink is called "Domsjo." Lorenzo thought I had purchased the wrong sink cabinet, but I didn't. There's just a different way of assembling it which I didn't know. You're supposed to read the instructions for the sink <i>before</i> you assemble the sink cabinet. These are little Ikea rules that no one tells you about.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3Fcu-1L5q4IoNt9RmTw5GSIrqi4hbo0BhophyGctUT2tyrVAOO2h1LrEstEjktZXeaxVb8Y3b8G4ARtiDswAT6jk65ev0STeRnaQpQoDiY467trvnWGf1DfhidoRAftXblp5zd2N9A/s1600/mar25-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3Fcu-1L5q4IoNt9RmTw5GSIrqi4hbo0BhophyGctUT2tyrVAOO2h1LrEstEjktZXeaxVb8Y3b8G4ARtiDswAT6jk65ev0STeRnaQpQoDiY467trvnWGf1DfhidoRAftXblp5zd2N9A/s400/mar25-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>It's a pretty tight squeeze with the tall pantry cabinet. I really agonized over this, as we liked having that space where the hot water tank is to store the recycling. But having such a small kitchen required that I have this tall cabinet: it will hold everything from cereal to dog food. </b></div>
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<b>Lorenzo wrapped the cabinets in sturdy plywood, upon which he will install wainscoting. I'm toying with the idea of painting it in an accent colour, but we'll see...</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsqSuPMETS_ZhmPaYQ_znIsY0FuyxjmhO5vvjiuQRYfFpjctcLn5s_OqtAJy8tZdjG_Lnwhd1KrSKe5p-dj4TNmygg0zW5FAjutWmehyphenhyphenvuyKnNP79OedIc7iKEQ4qDKgUazs3ALGHjw/s1600/mar25-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsqSuPMETS_ZhmPaYQ_znIsY0FuyxjmhO5vvjiuQRYfFpjctcLn5s_OqtAJy8tZdjG_Lnwhd1KrSKe5p-dj4TNmygg0zW5FAjutWmehyphenhyphenvuyKnNP79OedIc7iKEQ4qDKgUazs3ALGHjw/s400/mar25-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>You'll notice that the fan cabinet sits below the ceiling beam. I really like this - I think it adds a quirky element to the space....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxp0Wm9px4Z5kNt5m0SUjXm3bHMV7t-bip9x-HiXA2Wy1oSNuxtRWM6dRZidy9GC5ZOd8egcc4RPuOh90kZTh7yMYnIWQmPBSKX9M023bF-XjVWcaohB-s35RCMtd-W01RJw6pVFYIQ/s1600/ikea+domsjo+numerar+cottage+kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxp0Wm9px4Z5kNt5m0SUjXm3bHMV7t-bip9x-HiXA2Wy1oSNuxtRWM6dRZidy9GC5ZOd8egcc4RPuOh90kZTh7yMYnIWQmPBSKX9M023bF-XjVWcaohB-s35RCMtd-W01RJw6pVFYIQ/s400/ikea+domsjo+numerar+cottage+kitchen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Then came the oak counter tops... When Lorenzo sent me this picture, I emailed him back asking if the counter where the dishwasher is going to go is level; it seemed like it was slightly dipping southward. He said, "Good eye. Yes, it's not level. Because of the floors." So he will shorten the gable to make the counter flush. Tomorrow. </b><br />
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<b>It's amazing how much counter space you achieve with a corner cabinet: 37 inches by 37 inches. Although this kitchen is very small, I'm confident that it will function well and I'll be able to cook anything there that I can here. I have never liked big kitchens anyway - too much wasted space.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">* * * *</span><br />
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<b>Recently, on "Canada's Handyman Challenge" the winner was a woman! Her name is Maria Nestoras...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_C0gCM44JqVCbBma9rZS6fIQXsnUQ3_VyIz0hYDjxNgwTBTqLDmhuEh0HMLWFXvdBV1sYzR_dNWyXglqp5l9wCO7Y66ivirk6r4cE7LKekXJJ2s0Ygi4yjreqD1zUDnb9JQc7VhnZQ/s1600/Maria+Nestoras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_C0gCM44JqVCbBma9rZS6fIQXsnUQ3_VyIz0hYDjxNgwTBTqLDmhuEh0HMLWFXvdBV1sYzR_dNWyXglqp5l9wCO7Y66ivirk6r4cE7LKekXJJ2s0Ygi4yjreqD1zUDnb9JQc7VhnZQ/s400/Maria+Nestoras.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Lorenzo and I watched this series and I was really rooting for her. Watching a woman design and build an entire outdoor structure, do plumbing, electrical, window install, roofing, etc. was really inspiring. It makes you realize that gender has nothing to do with any of this. Maybe this is how black people have felt seeing other black people achieve things that were previously thought to be impossible, or outside the realm of intellectual ability. You think, "Maybe I could do this too." </b><br />
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<b>On the night she won, a commercial for Tide detergent came on. For the first time in my life, a man was talking about how he uses Tide to wash his daughter's blanket. And then it showed him playing with her. No Mom in the picture; just the two of them.</b><br />
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<b>I thought, "Wow. This is different." Because usually, whether it's a commercial for Swiffer, or oven cleaner, or what to do with frozen chicken - it's <i>always</i> a woman. And it bugs me because the vast majority of women are holding down full-time jobs. They are making the bacon and bringing it home and without their salaries the mortgage wouldn't get paid. But somehow this reality has eluded the advertising executives. Even if women are the ones doing the majority of the housework (while working full-time) it isn't something to just accept as being a given; it isn't something to celebrate. It reflects a serious imbalance which is the cause of a great deal of marital stress.</b><br />
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<b>Advertising shapes the way we think about things - it holds real cultural importance whether we like it or not. Think back to the 1950's and those infuriating advertisements that depicted women as being absolute idiots, salivating over their appliances, waiting for their masters to come home, submissive and servile and always wearing an apron with a string of pearls. This had a profound affect on society and gender relations...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf390qUEhZgUJiJ3_ZSCEWhmkY9nF2zUWNykdSzhtsoE0VFHvK4G4xGAfIk0jG-tfBDCw5sRyITVdGXAUsgfrkYibtlZh8Hdk2jTPDDjFAq35go7osiV78cfCdglhwsIjRUSKvKtQTww/s1600/1950+sexist+ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf390qUEhZgUJiJ3_ZSCEWhmkY9nF2zUWNykdSzhtsoE0VFHvK4G4xGAfIk0jG-tfBDCw5sRyITVdGXAUsgfrkYibtlZh8Hdk2jTPDDjFAq35go7osiV78cfCdglhwsIjRUSKvKtQTww/s400/1950+sexist+ad.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b><b>It only took...<i>sixty years</i> to see this:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSFl2Hv4eE9YwsaI4GGETJVRJkzn9Y1saoEuztr1SYPVRQ6uQzAcVbmrucp6RZy2WeLHQ-tBWjpJr8UnGTVaXl5N4bZ651smid7f3cjnxmli1QwZ6ioG4KcI0Omx8s1eSJUiOM4vBFQ/s1600/Dad+doing+laundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSFl2Hv4eE9YwsaI4GGETJVRJkzn9Y1saoEuztr1SYPVRQ6uQzAcVbmrucp6RZy2WeLHQ-tBWjpJr8UnGTVaXl5N4bZ651smid7f3cjnxmli1QwZ6ioG4KcI0Omx8s1eSJUiOM4vBFQ/s400/Dad+doing+laundry.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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<b>If we see men caring about the laundry or stressing over what to make for dinner, it sends a very clear message that men are expected to <i>care</i> about these things; about what gets eaten and whether or not the sheets are clean. And why shouldn't he - he lives there too. I want my sons to see commercials like this. </b><b>Likewise, if my daughter grows up seeing women using power tools and not waiting for a guy to fix things, it will reinforce the idea that she is capable of figuring these things out. I don't want her growing up believing that housework is her domain, and I certainly don't want my sons assuming that one day their wives or girlfriends will be their personal maids. I do notice that my kids have very few gender biases - they see things very differently than I did which makes me grateful. As bad as things may be in 2013, I wouldn't want to go back to any other time.</b><br />
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<b>And all of this makes me realize that I am ready to do something else with my life now. I've been helping a friend design her kitchen and I was toying with the idea of doing this as a career. Took some books out of the library and tried to imagine myself dealing with paint samples and on-line design tools; lining up the trades and waiting for plumbers to show up. I enjoy this, but it lacks intellectual depth and ultimately it's all rather shallow in the big grand scheme of things. It wouldn't give me a sense of really contributing anything meaningful to society. I gave up teaching to raise my kids and now I'd like to go back. This blog has had a lot to do with this - although this is a "cottage blog" I discovered that I'd rather be writing about politics or literature. </b><br />
<b>Anyway, the big question is, will anyone hire me? I guess we'll see... I wonder if someone would pay me to read books all day. That would be a dream job.</b><br />
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<b>Anyway, a HUGE congratulations to Maria Nestoras. She's a trail blazer, for sure.</b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now. </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31x6Vud1Tun1Kc3ds3dOzGxySJRcsQtWhdp22Bx3iN8X-RPpYB_dUql5V2QouMvLZE2MD2RinJGusRxeycfOg_CFLcwMtSWEf55qCxveGhN-DjcgHhyphenhyphen_XYvzdaa9cHzIa0UwTrR0aJw/s1600/english+cottage+garden-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31x6Vud1Tun1Kc3ds3dOzGxySJRcsQtWhdp22Bx3iN8X-RPpYB_dUql5V2QouMvLZE2MD2RinJGusRxeycfOg_CFLcwMtSWEf55qCxveGhN-DjcgHhyphenhyphen_XYvzdaa9cHzIa0UwTrR0aJw/s400/english+cottage+garden-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b> English Cottage Garden</b><br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-19086707410775833132013-03-16T23:34:00.001-07:002013-03-16T23:34:25.591-07:00<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kYtoW4Q7VhLEglNlfcHtNv6H-oWAmAryWE4HSebbmkLZJw8F4LI-ITwxAJK-j-ScRCIKJ2nc2i9ghG0UWYvikn6M5pDlYmJrDvq_dcPunuKg7yPGU2cxmS48yHKhpjE7UKXHaKoWfg/s1600/Celtic+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kYtoW4Q7VhLEglNlfcHtNv6H-oWAmAryWE4HSebbmkLZJw8F4LI-ITwxAJK-j-ScRCIKJ2nc2i9ghG0UWYvikn6M5pDlYmJrDvq_dcPunuKg7yPGU2cxmS48yHKhpjE7UKXHaKoWfg/s400/Celtic+Tree.jpg" width="387" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Happy St. Patrick's Day!</b></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-79630738664035517892013-03-14T22:38:00.001-07:002013-03-14T22:38:12.738-07:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Another deadline</span> has come and gone. It's a bit of a drag because we wanted to spend spring break in our cottage as a family. We were going to sit around the wood fire and sing Kumbaya. The kids are totally crushed. </b><br />
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<b>That's not quite true - they haven't even mentioned the cottage actually. We should have done this ten years ago...don't you wish that we just had more time in life? Your children grow up so lightning fast - and by the time you can actually provide something like this, it's almost too late. But I know they will <i>love</i> having a cottage - to enjoy with their friends.</b><br />
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<b>I went to Mayne Island last Friday with the truck loaded up with Ikea cabinets and other paraphernalia. Arrived at the cottage, unloaded everything, including the solid oak counter top which nearly killed me. The cottage went from looking neat and clean to being a giant mess - boxes everywhere...</b><br />
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<b>I decided to assemble the kitchen cart first. When I purchased it, I forgot that it came in two colours: white or black. Stupid me, I picked the wrong one and I was choked. I don't like black furniture. </b><br />
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<b>Much to my horror, it required that I pre-drill some holes with the electric drill. I looked over at all of Lorenzo's tool boxes and wondered where it was. Then I had to figure out how to use the darn thing...</b><br />
<b>I had to use a 1/8th drill bit and I didn't even know what that looked like. I also didn't know how to open the "chuck" to put the bit in. Luckily, Lorenzo keeps all of his instruction manuals, so I managed to figure it out...</b><br />
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<b>Once the cart was assembled, I felt really disappointed. It looks so much better in white...</b><br />
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<b>Here is ours...I think I'll paint it.</b><br />
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<b>Then it was time to start on the kitchen cabinets. What I've learned, is that Ikea stuff is not difficult to assemble provided you follow the instructions and lay your pieces out exactly as they are in the diagram. I did the corner cabinet first...</b><br />
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<b>You can see by the light outside that I was moving at a rather snail-like pace...</b><br />
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<b>That night I had a nightmare that I was trapped inside a box and couldn't get out. I thrashed my left arm so hard in my sleep that I was in pain the next day. Will I ever have a decent sleep on that island?</b><br />
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<b>The next day I continued, got the three base cabinets assembled including the sink cabinet, popped in the support feet...</b><br />
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<b>Installed the drawer rails, then attached the slow-closing hinges...</b><br />
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<b>And then I did the upper cabinets. Before long they were all done. The tall pantry cabinet was the hardest and it would have been nice to have someone there to help me. I had to lift the side panel and place it perfectly onto the screws & pegs which was a bit of a workout for my arms...</b><br />
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<b>I was feeling pretty proud of myself at this point and realized that we women are too quick to leave things like this to the men. If you can cook Christmas dinner for sixteen people, you can definitely assemble cabinets and use basic tools. I am going to make a point of learning how to do more handy-man jobs. After this, I felt sufficiently confident to begin assembling the drawers...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Each drawer consisted of many parts and this proved to be the Achilles heel of my trip. I mixed up part of a drawer that belongs in the pantry cabinet with a drawer that goes into a different base cabinet...long story and I was absolutely frustrated. The front panel on the drawers lock into place with spring clip mechanism and I could not get it off for the life of me. I nearly had a melt down. Ikea drawers have these side rails, shown here...</b><br />
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<b>I sat on the floor reading the instructions for these bloody side rails for over an hour. Just kept reading it, thinking it would sink into my brain. I just didn't get it. The instructions made absolutely no sense to me and I was so incredibly angry at myself for not being able to grasp something so basic that a 12-year old could probably figure out. I drove into town to call Lorenzo because I had no cell reception. When he asked how it was going I nearly broke down - all because of some stupid side rails. He said, "Stop what you're doing. Put your feet up and just relax." Impossible. </b><br />
<b>I was surrounded by boxes, cardboard, crap everywhere....I can't function in mess like that. So I went back to the cottage and had to resign myself that I would be leaving a huge job for Lorenzo and I felt terrible. Here's what he'll be facing...</b><br />
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<b>To cheer myself, I decided to assemble a "Stenstorp" shelf that will go in our daughter's room...</b><br />
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<b>This was a breeze compared to everything else...</b><br />
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<b>Voila...</b><br />
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<b>And then I did what I enjoy the most. I began setting up the rooms upstairs. Lorenzo told me that my brother would be coming over with him to help, so I did his room first. I vacuumed every nook and cranny, dragged over the mattress and box spring, and put fresh linens on the bed. Despite there being no furniture in the room it ended up looking very cozy...</b><br />
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<b>Last summer I went to Sears on Granville St. because they were closing down and I found a lovely king-sized quilt set for super cheap. I put it on our bed. Another disappointment...</b><br />
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<b>When did mattresses get so tall? Pretty soon we'll need a ladder to get into bed. I wish I had thought of this when we bought it. A quilt is supposed to drape over the mattress and cover the box spring This barely covers the mattress! Stupid big fat mattress. My fitted sheet is straining at the seams. I shouldn't have bought it. I stood there just feeling deflated. I tend to imagine things being perfect...it's a problem.</b><br />
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A<b>nyway, the previous owners left us this dresser which Lorenzo wanted to throw into the dust bin. I was shocked because I think it's absolutely charming and very suitable for a cottage. I bought two vintage lamps on Craigslist and I was pleased by the down-light they create...</b><br />
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<b>When it was done I stood in the doorway staring at my bedroom. The wall colour is so beautiful, the wainscoting on the ceiling glowed, the new hardwood looked fantastic...I found myself looking forward to going to bed for the very first time...</b><br />
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<b>And then I brought in all the stuff for the bathroom and got to work. Here is that laundry hamper I found at Homesense...</b><br />
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<b>I set up the bathroom and I'm pretty happy with the results. Here's a before and after...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sKs1nUYwTVL53nvBWIYQIhWqAd1Kwr3JXDVm-mt4HA4tiflofZImw_Vav5Ca6sg77-rFlJxUWpvuPQ6cxNRQ1HwNyYVA389A8Z8pvTZGZMoVz93Nfvtk1QDi4WnnU4pt3Q_tRRJ9zQ/s1600/18a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sKs1nUYwTVL53nvBWIYQIhWqAd1Kwr3JXDVm-mt4HA4tiflofZImw_Vav5Ca6sg77-rFlJxUWpvuPQ6cxNRQ1HwNyYVA389A8Z8pvTZGZMoVz93Nfvtk1QDi4WnnU4pt3Q_tRRJ9zQ/s400/18a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>So let's take an inventory, shall we:</b><br />
<b>Console table from the Sears clearance centre</b><br />
<b>The mirror is an Ikea cabinet door with a mirror glued in that I had specially cut, then I distressed it to make it look a little more rustic.</b><br />
<b>Sink & taps: Home Depot</b><br />
<b>Jars/soap dispenser: Homesense</b><br />
<b>Towels, bath mat: Homesense</b><br />
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<b>The mirror will be hung with the proper hinges on the next trip. </b><br />
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<b>I had to place a small plate under the pipe because there was a slight leak. The plumber came by the cottage and fixed it but I left it there just in case. The slide-in baskets hold much more than I thought - very handy. So with these drawers and the two medicine cabinets, we won't require any additional storage. </b><br />
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<b>So I arrived on Friday morning and by Saturday night all of this was done. I thought about coming home on the Sunday morning ferry but I slept in. So I spent the day sitting by the fire listening to music and making lists of things that still need to be done; </b><b>played the piano, puttered around, gathered fire wood, etc. </b><br />
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<b>I caught the 5-pm ferry home...</b><br />
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<b>When I showed Lorenzo the pictures his jaw dropped. It isn't until you see a room decorated that you realize how lovely it is. It just changes everything...</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">* * * *</span><br />
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<b>My younger son has strep throat - he had me up at 2-am last night. He was so drenched in sweat I had to put his head under the cold water tap. He looked terrible but he did manage to eat a giant bowl of ice cream, so I think he's going to pull through. My older son is also under the weather. In light of this, and the fact that it's St. Patrick's Day on Sunday, I think Lorenzo should stay home this weekend. We can't miss all of the festivities!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxa7SkvXFBB_ANMBxLxvJvJKp9Qvtrk13Qrcj2AH_9oe6PUbzdJBIDEZX5ML1GHfqrgW0sPRfN44Inx0ntsdSJoTdAX_IMiaSQeaQrrNYzv3HxPS71outbw2uhOvph3eIP1XH4BWOpQ/s1600/Parade+15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxa7SkvXFBB_ANMBxLxvJvJKp9Qvtrk13Qrcj2AH_9oe6PUbzdJBIDEZX5ML1GHfqrgW0sPRfN44Inx0ntsdSJoTdAX_IMiaSQeaQrrNYzv3HxPS71outbw2uhOvph3eIP1XH4BWOpQ/s400/Parade+15.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b> Our girl - St. Patrick's Day - 2005. </b><br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-70239526540940087172013-03-14T00:38:00.000-07:002013-03-14T00:38:15.225-07:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">We have a new Pope!</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAy_vyGO0obnbdWsjvne12K7I0hb2HofNpO7tlTRhXxQdM4UjP9PGqstQh9hmrL59pDIeSTJkwO5vtNqeQkXHR1ALd37fZd-EGai4371Bq3HQON8C8OYfOUm_TV8DEo0X-v8r0lwPqYA/s1600/Pope+Francis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAy_vyGO0obnbdWsjvne12K7I0hb2HofNpO7tlTRhXxQdM4UjP9PGqstQh9hmrL59pDIeSTJkwO5vtNqeQkXHR1ALd37fZd-EGai4371Bq3HQON8C8OYfOUm_TV8DEo0X-v8r0lwPqYA/s400/Pope+Francis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Notice how so many male-dominated clubs tend to favour interesting head-wear....?</b><br />
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<b>I know this is supposed to be a cottage blog but the appointment of the latest Pope cannot go unmentioned. It has been all over the media throughout the week; crowds have gathered around the world waiting with bated breath to see who will become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. </b><br />
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<b>A few critics have said, "Who cares?" That is not my feeling at all. We should care. We should care that this "church" - this powerful organized crime ring - is still able to generate media respect. Despite the fraud, despite the corruption, despite the hundreds of millions of dollars paid to victims of abuse, somehow the Catholic Church is still granted world-wide acknowledgement. It is still deemed a legitimate entity that deserves courtesy and consideration. All the major news stations have been reporting on this story - not with cynicism, not with incredulity - but with something akin to reverence. As if it actually matters.</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>As a former Catholic, I feel that the best thing the church can do at this point is implode. It is corrupt from the top down and from within. If evil truly exists, it is personified by the Catholic Church.</b><br />
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<b>This is a church that has long functioned in a state of criminality - aiding and abetting pedophile priests and clergy for over a century. A bunch of men who disdain women, who dare to condemn homosexuality, and who enjoy the protection of "infallibility," have been allowed to commit rampant and continued atrocities. And the media always refers to it as "abuse." </b><br />
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<b>Let's call it what it really is: the systematic rape and torture of children. Parents bring their innocent sons and daughters into a church that has no regard for them, despite being champions of "human life." The hypocrisy. </b><b>This church not only fails to be outraged by these crimes, but makes every effort to protect the abuser, transfer the abuser to another location, deny the accusations, undermine the victim, and close rank in order to protect the entire fetid dung-heap that it is.</b><br />
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<b>But the media is saying, "Maybe this will be a new chapter in the Catholic church." Would we say this if the Ku Klux Klan were appointing a new Grand Wizard? What possible difference can a new P</b><b>ope make when the entire system is rotten to the core? It's like having a dish of festering diseased meat and pondering whether a garnish of parsley may somehow turn it all around. Maybe if the Nazis had ousted Hitler and instead appointed Himmler or Goering, everyone could have breathed a huge sigh of relief. </b><br />
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<b>Recently, the archdiocese of Los Angeles paid out ten million dollars in claims to yet another group of victims. Ten million dollars. Who gave them this money? The parishioners. They enjoy tax-free status and until recently, their books were closed to revenue agencies. They have long been exempt from the kinds of legal investigations to which any other group would be subjected. They are the Untouchables. </b><br />
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<b>Watching the news coverage of this appalling spectacle I wonder what's happened to journalistic teeth. Another geriatric Pope with one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel shuffles to the podium in a ridiculous hat...to say what? </b><br />
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<b>I wonder how the millions of people who have been harmed by this church are feeling when they turn on the news and see this celebration unfolding.</b><br />
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<b>I'll talk about what I did at the cottage tomorrow...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-74083416387956823832013-03-06T23:34:00.000-08:002013-03-06T23:34:47.800-08:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lorenzo stayed until Monday</span> this time around...he didn't want to leave until all the hardwood flooring was finished. It is done, and it looks fantastic. Here is our bedroom...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Here's how it looked when we bought the cottage...</b><br />
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<b>The bed looks much better against the slanted wall...</b><br />
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<b>Here is the hallway...</b><br />
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<b>Here's a before and after...</b><br />
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<b>Notice the transition pieces - this looks so nice...</b><br />
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<b>Here is the hallway looking in the other direction...</b><br />
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<b>I haven't found a light fixture for the stairwell, yet. This ugly thing needs to go...</b><br />
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<b>The boy's room...</b><br />
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<b>Looking in the other direction...</b><br />
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<b>Heading down the stairs...</b><br />
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<b>No railings yet! We need to be careful....</b><br />
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<b>I like that our staircase has this turn with the little landing - it reminds me of an old farmhouse...</b><br />
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<b>Look at our beautiful stairs! Lorenzo couldn't find any proper bull-nosing at Home Hardware, so he just used strips of fir and made sure there was the necessary overhang...</b><br />
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<b>What I am so impressed by, is the fact that Lorenzo chose to do this hard way instead of taking the easy way out. If he had laid the wood horizontally on the risers, he would have been finished on Sunday. But he chose to install it vertically which was incredibly time consuming; each riser required seven cuts. Visually, the difference is remarkable; it mimics the direction of the wall paneling...</b><br />
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<b>I'm going to stain the fir stripping and then you won't even notice it...well done, eh? I am so proud of him.</b><br />
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<b>What a change from before...</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo has done such a beautiful job - and the worst is officially over. All the big jobs are done!</b><br />
<b>Today, I took advantage of the Ikea Kitchen Event and bought our cabinets. I was so worried that I wouldn't get them all in my vehicle, but it worked out in the end. Unfortunately, part of our counter-top was out-of-stock, so we have to go back next week. I did find a cute kitchen cart which will come in really handy as we're really limited for space...</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo & I planned to head over on Friday morning and install the kitchen together. We were really looking forward to it as we desperately need some time alone. But then my daughter said, "It sucks when you guys aren't here." Maynus Interruptus. Lorenzo is staying home, I'm going over by myself. </b><br />
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<b>I'm so tired right now, I can hardly type...anyway. You know what I love? Braided rugs! And are they ever expensive. The ONLY place I've been able to find any is Sears - and only on their website. I have braided rugs in my house and they are fantastic; incredibly durable and they never pill or unravel. I like these ones...</b><br />
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<b>I check Craigslist on a regular basis for braided rugs to no avail. Couldn't find anything at Homesense or Home Depot. The ones above are a bit pricey, but Sears has these ones which are a bit cheaper - not surprisingly, they're not quite as charming...</b></div>
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<b>However, these are strong enough to use indoors and out, and they can withstand being hosed off when they get dirty. What I love about braided rugs, is they never bunch up. Also, with hardwood flooring you can't lay down rugs that have latex backing - it can ruin your floors. And latex never washes up properly anyway - I don't buy any rugs that have latex. Eventually, it cracks and flakes and you're left with a mess. A well-made braided rug will last your whole life - you'll be able to pass it down to your kids. But they probably won't want them..!</b><br />
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<b>It's a drag that I'm going to Mayne Island alone. Lorenzo & I were going to hitch our little trailer to the truck and bring over some of the furniture. We were going to work together all day and then have a nice dinner at the Springwater. And I wanted to set up our bedroom and bathroom - I have no room in the truck for anything else right now. I don't trust myself driving the trailer over - too nerve wracking. If I have to go in reverse for any reason I'm afraid I'll jack-knife it. </b><br />
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<b>Have you ever been reading a book that is so enjoyable you don't want to keep reading? Because you don't want it to end? I mentioned awhile back about an author I discovered named Elizabeth Jenkins. I made it my mission to track down her out-of-print books and I am just enthralled with her writing. I'm currently reading "Robert and Helen" and it's as good as anything I've ever read by E.M. Forster, Somerset Maugham, or Jane Austen. Just brilliant...shocking that her books have been allowed to moulder into obscurity. This book arrived in the mail from Australia. The pages are yellowed and the print is ridiculously small, but I'm enjoying it more than anything I've read in years...</b><br />
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<b>Is anyone watching "Downton Abbey" on PBS? I've read so many great reviews of this mini-series that I borrowed Season One from the library. I'll watch it on Mayne Island - I love all that upstairs-downstairs English drama. Apparently, if you liked "Gosford Park" you'll like this...</b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now...</b></div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-11515777191850033602013-03-01T14:21:00.004-08:002013-03-01T14:21:32.724-08:00<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Do you have 2 minutes and 15 seconds to spare?</span></b><br />
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<b>Check this out. Three brothers playing music together in their bedroom. Their parents must be so proud....this will put an ear to ear grin on your face. </b><br />
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<b style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">www.youtube.com/user/sleepymanbanjoboys?feature=watch</b><br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-3582361247162664302013-03-01T01:21:00.000-08:002013-03-01T01:56:51.917-08:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lorenzo left for the cottage tonight.</span> Normally, he's in good spirits when he leaves and is enthusiastic about moving forward with the renovation. But tonight he looked like he wanted to stick his head in the oven. It was pouring rain and miserable outside and he just wanted to stay home and put his feet up. He's so sick of this, and said he isn't coming home until all the hardwood is done. I packed him some homemade stew... I'm really starting to feel sorry for him. You show up at the cottage, it's freezing cold, you're all alone, and you know you have a ton of back-aching work ahead. But then...we chose this. </b><br />
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<b>I spent the evening trying really hard not to get a migraine. Tomorrow is the final day for my kids to choose their courses for next year. But only one of them brought home the necessary paperwork. So I'm helping my oldest son go over his course selection and I want him to take Honours English again. But he'll only take it if Mr. So-and-So isn't teaching it. I don't blame him - Lorenzo spoke to this man on the phone the other day because my son got into an altercation with him. He started telling Lorenzo about how big his class is, it's almost all girls who expect A's, he's had a cold, etc. Lorenzo basically said, "That's really not my concern. I want to talk about my son." He got off the phone and said, "That guy is a jack-ass." </b><br />
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<b>My son also wants to take Spanish 11, but he didn't take Spanish 10. Can he still take it? Who knows! I had to email his counsellor a bunch of questions. They leave everything to the last minute and it really frustrates Lorenzo & me because we aren't like that. Leaving things until the eleventh hour actually gives me anxiety. Why are they like this? So calm about everything...</b><br />
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<b>I did a bit of shopping for the cottage the other day. As I mentioned before, our entire budget for this renovation is $25,000 so I have to be thrifty. The best place to shop for home accessories is Homesense. I still can't believe how reasonable everything is. I needed a soap dispenser for my house (not the cottage) because the one I had broke. Let's do a "High and Low" shall we?</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMhTEJWBbd7xO5OasT1tBDDf5A4wSCpR4jk61loA1bcmSLdmiBnxolK1z7O56Vs1xqiEoubjLDVdErmx7ifxtDgIQBPkpWprj4gkNLYmBqq8CCd454WfgTi52gqL9JsVs-oW3ahQIkA/s1600/soap+dispenser-pottery+barn+$29.70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMhTEJWBbd7xO5OasT1tBDDf5A4wSCpR4jk61loA1bcmSLdmiBnxolK1z7O56Vs1xqiEoubjLDVdErmx7ifxtDgIQBPkpWprj4gkNLYmBqq8CCd454WfgTi52gqL9JsVs-oW3ahQIkA/s320/soap+dispenser-pottery+barn+$29.70.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>This plain glass soap dispenser is $29.70 at Pottery Barn.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITa8xP2QR-7JeB24z4D5hr5yHs7tuX1tl0TuSEpuchi_15JGIV7F-89a0P3tcqeKLq9xptjn0oRr7KK2rZoosPOUjpDZM-Ow9mqiONwgkAEFixH616raFbW17M8uHxZx3-qJ74QRngg/s1600/soap+dispenser-restoration+hardware+$50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITa8xP2QR-7JeB24z4D5hr5yHs7tuX1tl0TuSEpuchi_15JGIV7F-89a0P3tcqeKLq9xptjn0oRr7KK2rZoosPOUjpDZM-Ow9mqiONwgkAEFixH616raFbW17M8uHxZx3-qJ74QRngg/s320/soap+dispenser-restoration+hardware+$50.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Here's a collection from Restoration Hardware. The tall dispenser is $50. It's nice - I like reeded glass, but it's way too expensive.</b><br />
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<b>I found this one at Homesense for $16.99. It is very heavy, has reeded glass, a brushed-nickel top, and I was very impressed with it. Here it is in my bathroom...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xsSjfkxBH3JJLLnia-XGUkruXVLrrhBey4A-2CLU5oWxr4gbQCfpWLHb7QV-dEOk7f4vpDptYSAQJF2EyCsUK_ppccbzfrW6pPaf6U78tOgUxTeoQaPpklbhksVSzSSBSBJkPv_iXg/s1600/soap+dispenser-Homesense.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xsSjfkxBH3JJLLnia-XGUkruXVLrrhBey4A-2CLU5oWxr4gbQCfpWLHb7QV-dEOk7f4vpDptYSAQJF2EyCsUK_ppccbzfrW6pPaf6U78tOgUxTeoQaPpklbhksVSzSSBSBJkPv_iXg/s400/soap+dispenser-Homesense.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>It's probably the nicest soap dispenser I've ever owned...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe6h7pmvNsPAGULKelJRxvtGy1GAyYnFnWlQq4Te-rjGlDmEIywk0hxXQ7evVz8ggCM4m1TEJ5rLQ876es1TxOsfTY9Fh9exwP9X4gYCxIQw6dZmc5b4xjwkvUYDBvg8imloBRfmM_g/s1600/Soap+Disp-Homesense.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe6h7pmvNsPAGULKelJRxvtGy1GAyYnFnWlQq4Te-rjGlDmEIywk0hxXQ7evVz8ggCM4m1TEJ5rLQ876es1TxOsfTY9Fh9exwP9X4gYCxIQw6dZmc5b4xjwkvUYDBvg8imloBRfmM_g/s400/Soap+Disp-Homesense.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Something as seemingly insignificant as a soap dispenser can practically transform the whole room. For $16.99!</b><br />
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<b>For the cottage, I wanted to find some nice storage jars for the bathroom. Let's see what's out there in Shopping Land...these are from Pottery Barn. The smaller jar is $32.40, the tall jar is $45.91. If you want both, you're spending nearly $80 dollars...</b><br />
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<b>Ridiculously priced. So let's see what Ikea has... this Lillholmen jar is $9.99. </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG693fsHm6ulJwQ9hrjRtx1_eIpqmkXdUR-UDsiVo2s7-2dWgx2PRjFOphzwxpF2OQp65oVv6P1JePruUPZw4NveIX9ncVyxwL3lNAZEG1Fmq2FxxBmrmYb3N-rJYacsAb660yODerWA/s1600/lillholmen-jar-with-lid__35052_PE125573_S4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG693fsHm6ulJwQ9hrjRtx1_eIpqmkXdUR-UDsiVo2s7-2dWgx2PRjFOphzwxpF2OQp65oVv6P1JePruUPZw4NveIX9ncVyxwL3lNAZEG1Fmq2FxxBmrmYb3N-rJYacsAb660yODerWA/s320/lillholmen-jar-with-lid__35052_PE125573_S4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>A good price I guess, but it's rather ugly, and it's only five inches tall. I found these ones at Homesense: they are heavy reeded glass. The small jar was $5.99, and the tall jar was $4.99. Pricing doesn't quite make sense, but oh well...</b><br />
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<b>These are so cute. The small one could be used for q-tips or hair-holders, the taller one could hold bars of soap or whatever...</b><br />
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<b>They have a nice weight to them and lids with rubber gaskets...these are almost too nice to take to the cottage, to be honest. So both jars came to $10.98. </b><br />
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<b>I also needed a laundry basket for the cottage and I wanted something relatively pretty as it will sit upstairs on the landing. The range in pricing for baskets is mind-boggling. I went to Pier-One and felt they were too expensive. This one is $79.95 on their website and that is in US funds, so it would be higher in Canadian dollars...I found Pier One's baskets to be loosely woven with sharp edges sticking out. </b><br />
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<b>This one from Pottery Barn is an astonishing $241.68. Who would pay this?</b><br />
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<b>This Branas laundry basket from Ikea is $34. It is badly made and I would never buy it at any price. The rattan is sticking out all over the place - it will catch on your clothes and drive you crazy.</b><br />
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<b>Guess what? Found a great laundry basket at Homesense....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYr-bfWQZEe3wXzkEyG4FTDhWJziGw5y6xjKmNL3dYQhGAvHIaem48qdOXskIc1IJrqDVEopLl90WFkqBkFjgpK8mjjrOZTZIhs_hDZx-oUJR6_Bv4NxJG44LHMt10xbgw7vu-LszsaQ/s1600/Laundry+Basekt-Homesense.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYr-bfWQZEe3wXzkEyG4FTDhWJziGw5y6xjKmNL3dYQhGAvHIaem48qdOXskIc1IJrqDVEopLl90WFkqBkFjgpK8mjjrOZTZIhs_hDZx-oUJR6_Bv4NxJG44LHMt10xbgw7vu-LszsaQ/s400/Laundry+Basekt-Homesense.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>I loved everything about this laundry basket: the weave is firm and extremely tight, the lid has a big happy knob on top, and the handles are big and well-placed; it's easy to pick up, and carrying it downstairs at the cottage will not be awkward. This little gem was $29.99. It is so well-made that I would have paid more. No sharp edges sticking out at all which means it won't unravel before my eyes, and it's flexible - you can bend it and it pops back into place.</b><br />
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<b>Then I saw another cute soap dispenser...</b><br />
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<b>This was the only one there - it caught my eye because it actually looks like a chunk of soap. Or cheese. It's made of resin, and it was $7.99. I'll take this one to the cottage.</b><br />
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<b>Also bought a tub mat...it kind of looks like this. It's thick, soft cotton - no latex. I paid $14.99</b><br />
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<b>This one from Pottery Barn (above) sells for $79.66. There must be people out there who are so stinking rich they don't mind paying double and triple for similar items you can find at Homesense. Paying for superior quality is fine - for instance, sheets made in Italy - like Frette or Bellino. If you can afford them you'll have them forever and you'll appreciate them every time you go to bed. But a tub mat? </b><b>I can't afford Italian sheets, but if I could I wouldn't hesitate. But a tub mat is just not that important to me.</b><br />
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<b>Speaking of quality, the same principal applies to good dishes. I can't enjoy cheap dishes, especially cups - when they touch your mouth, you can feel the rough glazing against your lips. Dishware made in England ie - Denby, Dudson, Johnson Brothers, Port Meirion - is worth the price because they are so well-made you'll have them forever. </b><br />
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<b>My Mum once told me to feel the glazing underneath a plate; if it's rough, don't buy it. Because when you stack them, your dishes get scratched. Good dishes are well-glazed front and back. She also told me to see if the dishes stack evenly - cheap dishes don't stack properly - they look warped. Good dishes stack nicely and slide into place - no scraping sounds.</b><br />
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<b>My dishware at home is Dudson - I bought them at Russell Food Equipment in Vancouver. I bought them in 2005 and <i>not a single dish</i> has a crack or chip and they're used every single day. I always turn dishes over in restaurants to see the make, and often they are Dudson. </b><b>They're lovely and worth every penny. And buying quality has environmental impact - if it lasts, there's less crap going into landfills. </b><b>Here they are in my kitchen...</b><br />
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<b>I have to say something here. The open shelves in my kitchen are stair treads I bought at Home Depot. I bought them because they were exactly 36-inches wide and deeper than most shelves. I painted them Grand Teton White (Benjamin Moore) and Lorenzo installed them. It was cheap, and it's my favourite thing in my whole kitchen. I'm doing this at the cottage as well.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Open shelves are cozy and welcoming - here's another view of my kitchen. It's my favourite room in the house, which is good because I'm always in it. Anyway, back to talking about good deals at Homesense...</b>
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<b>This is a Denby mug, and my favourite mugs for tea are Denby. Made in England, and rather costly. This one retails at The Bay for $41.88</b><br />
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<b>I found some at Homesense for $6.99. I nearly passed out. These are exactly the ones I found, and I bought 4 of them...</b><br />
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<b>What happens is, companies like Denby discontinue a particular design or colour, and the leftover stock goes to places like Homesense. I have seen top-quality dishware at Homesense mixed in with the cheap stuff made in China. You have to take your time and know what you're looking for.</b><br />
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<b>Portmeirion Botanic Garden mugs retail for around $25-35 each...</b><br />
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<b>I found two at the Homesense in West Vancouver last year. They were $5.99 each. I bought them both. I have a weakness for good dishes - it's terrible.</b><br />
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<b>The goal at the cottage is to only have what we need. If the sheets need changing, they'll be washed and put back on the beds. I don't want excess or clutter, and I want the place to feel simple and airy. It's small and I don't have the storage space anyway. I needed towels, and I decided not to buy any towels that match. This way, the kids will remember their towel, and they'll have to use the same one for a few days. These bath towels from Homesense are Calvin Kline and Ralph Lauren and ranged from $5.99 to $9.99 each. I really like soft blues, greens, and grays - they remind me of the beach. </b><br />
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<b>I bought 7 bath towels (in case we have a guest) and 4 hand towels. I'm hoping that will suffice...</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo told me to pick up a log holder and the cheapest one I could find was at Canadian Tire...</b><br />
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<b>This was $39.99 which was more than I wanted to spend. I just thought we'd use an old box, but Lorenzo wanted something with handles for carrying in from outside. Good enough. The previous owners left us an old brass ash can. I cleaned it up and we'll use that for kindling.</b><br />
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<b>So my cousin phoned me up and told me I was WRONG about the whole Capital Gains Tax that I wrote about. She explained that it only applies if you own more than one house. I went back to my books and still felt I had understood it differently. Turns out, I was wrong. No Capital Gains on your primary residence. On the cottage, yes. Whew... It's funny how you can read these books on taxes and estate planning and you assume you're intelligent enough to comprehend what is being written. Apparently not.</b><br />
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<b>The Ikea Kitchen Event is back on. We're going to buy our cabinets this week...can't wait to get sucked into the Ikea Vortex!</b><br />
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<b>Well, that's it for today....</b><br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-53233566407970426882013-02-25T23:50:00.001-08:002013-02-26T01:36:54.406-08:00<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">What a beautiful full moon</span> we had tonight! It made me think of a song by a group that my niece told me about. They're called "Elephant Revival." </b><br />
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<b>As soon as I heard the song "Ring Around the Moon," I bought the CD on Amazon. Check this out:</b><br />
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<b style="background-color: #93c47d;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd57MRcW-NQ</b><br />
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<b>So, Lorenzo returned from Mayne Island on Sunday morning. You guys must be so sick of this blog by now... Anyway, he was rather spent and I'm beginning to expect a phone call one of these days from the cottage where he says, "I'm not coming home. I'm too tired." It's a very good thing that we're nearly finished because we've spent so much time apart that we're having difficulty communicating lately. I'll say something, he'll answer, and I haven't a clue what he's talking about. It's as though we need flow-charts and flash cards or something. We've started talking to each other in <i>very slow</i> careful language - as though we're conversing with learning-disabled toddlers. It's bad. But I know if we could spend a weekend together alone - away from these soul-sucking parasites we call teenagers - we would merge back into harmony. And for the record, we love our children dearly. We adore them. We just can't stand them right now.</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>Anyway. He laid the hardwood floor in our daughter's little bedroom. This room is tiny but it has a certain charm. It's just big enough for a twin bed, a small night table, and an upright cabinet for her clothes...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>It's best feature is that it faces south, so she'll wake up to the sun shining on her beautiful face...</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo said he encountered the first wasp of the season. Mayne has an unusually large wasp population - one summer, we went for a walk in the evening and it sounded as if the entire island was vibrating; it was a low, resonant hum and it was a bit unnerving. We almost expected a giant swarm to suddenly emerge from every corner. Anyway, the wasp came into the room where he was working and did what wasps typically do: it dive-bombed his head. He swatted madly and managed to knock it unconscious. Poor little guy. But they really are a nuisance. Apparently you can buy fake wasp nests - you hang one on your property and they'll stay away as they're very territorial.</b><br />
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<b>After our daughter's room was done, Lorenzo moved onto the bathroom. Every room is crooked which involves many cuts and a great deal of frustration...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5-ZY4MbXy6z82VI78pNc0egmscH1HseyAOX47bNl3HdWT1lVTrJvUhH7BO2d9Tc7DFvHPY42QymPqJRIRQvDUipkMsSY_VCIWX7oX_e81tyreeJ_qnJpMmJluTfDlIAstq689v__CQ/s1600/Feb+22-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5-ZY4MbXy6z82VI78pNc0egmscH1HseyAOX47bNl3HdWT1lVTrJvUhH7BO2d9Tc7DFvHPY42QymPqJRIRQvDUipkMsSY_VCIWX7oX_e81tyreeJ_qnJpMmJluTfDlIAstq689v__CQ/s400/Feb+22-a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>He had to remove the toilet, and once he did he decided to buy a new one. I wanted to keep the original toilet but he didn't like it. What's not to like? It's a <i>toilet</i>....</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1b2GqMLOmkwfvMBoVkLdSrTMS56YfZKZlxXtfXaN1b-6BamXoPIp2aKnG36JzJAkOaHHJmQMT_zsB9q8Vr1qkJi0wk12jsH2RshqKZmMs5E-6_bwoINT4LiKLCMRoo4mQq2HovD_aA/s1600/Feb+22-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1b2GqMLOmkwfvMBoVkLdSrTMS56YfZKZlxXtfXaN1b-6BamXoPIp2aKnG36JzJAkOaHHJmQMT_zsB9q8Vr1qkJi0wk12jsH2RshqKZmMs5E-6_bwoINT4LiKLCMRoo4mQq2HovD_aA/s400/Feb+22-b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>After this, the console table I bought at the Sears Clearance Centre was hauled in from the truck. This was a really good bargain - I think it was two hundred dollars...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX8Od7vMN2xo-k1iUrrpjOU_zBHEjCiQtgOXU46MICO3foF_EzKZyZoFSzSUVrM5XhnXVuTBqK1XGs24SduqZFUlgx0QMEUnDE9JGwK-Ya3_2kcBEyyLZgk9CvcYkiVgg7u0Ze1r13Q/s1600/console+table+-+sears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX8Od7vMN2xo-k1iUrrpjOU_zBHEjCiQtgOXU46MICO3foF_EzKZyZoFSzSUVrM5XhnXVuTBqK1XGs24SduqZFUlgx0QMEUnDE9JGwK-Ya3_2kcBEyyLZgk9CvcYkiVgg7u0Ze1r13Q/s400/console+table+-+sears.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>The dimensions were perfect, so I bought it to use as a sink vanity. Here's a before & after:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQlr2Bwj57vSuORYlsGK2JaYp8gE42s-h5PyPIQOMWicu84P2e31xQNqiGYfRR7bqjUVNdsuzFtAHqG7sGuUdgCgQ_inMO7jItrsU9kyjhZI65Rfn1xU9cFe4LmMFuRAGRfPQ7LgE0g/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQlr2Bwj57vSuORYlsGK2JaYp8gE42s-h5PyPIQOMWicu84P2e31xQNqiGYfRR7bqjUVNdsuzFtAHqG7sGuUdgCgQ_inMO7jItrsU9kyjhZI65Rfn1xU9cFe4LmMFuRAGRfPQ7LgE0g/s400/046.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0RdkksZdGrvWO4wss5IAP7R48jug_yv7BM3gi7Oko22Qv1wPYFfuBNVh58Z7mPoM-WK2SZw-MGJnAYLGx9qIppbNZ5UCMYlYpjcDiCmaHnV0EtAzKNHmqYJcJXuhW8Twtp9vCJmzng/s1600/Feb23-e.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0RdkksZdGrvWO4wss5IAP7R48jug_yv7BM3gi7Oko22Qv1wPYFfuBNVh58Z7mPoM-WK2SZw-MGJnAYLGx9qIppbNZ5UCMYlYpjcDiCmaHnV0EtAzKNHmqYJcJXuhW8Twtp9vCJmzng/s400/Feb23-e.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Teamed up with a $59 sink from Home Depot, I think it looks pretty terrific...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkTVGAMJLntHMoXSvh5tM_isPRrmdqBbqddl1gh86teB3K5dwOtKr-gUreWoHIIUbtr-R-0_k_5Cit0reQM-_G5lv849ggDJOakIE1EiWBgL6QKNxoyBlnUMKdJXG6Wh2tBWWihZ7aQ/s1600/Feb23-c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkTVGAMJLntHMoXSvh5tM_isPRrmdqBbqddl1gh86teB3K5dwOtKr-gUreWoHIIUbtr-R-0_k_5Cit0reQM-_G5lv849ggDJOakIE1EiWBgL6QKNxoyBlnUMKdJXG6Wh2tBWWihZ7aQ/s400/Feb23-c.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><br />Here's a before and after:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F5pFEB5jH2zvQcf1mQnNGFP22uoXjfJ3NfS_PXuQ2TBn_atMOO6vjKVUulVwWScPyptId1xUJoPZD1FwyiKMhsfwARMyVE9jkN5XIhTT1hS-6mhgFvwvTfz0UaKTklTMgtJE4TRj8w/s1600/bath-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F5pFEB5jH2zvQcf1mQnNGFP22uoXjfJ3NfS_PXuQ2TBn_atMOO6vjKVUulVwWScPyptId1xUJoPZD1FwyiKMhsfwARMyVE9jkN5XIhTT1hS-6mhgFvwvTfz0UaKTklTMgtJE4TRj8w/s400/bath-10.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnqzPmyIZLQihrZ-dEDfy_Inih4AgBXCTwYUXdR__X6qt64a46Im6MCTaID3jgT8r3BwlxAJQJAZG71mpfbHZazluNPUBpLNRAP1kiYorm0_YSS2r2mLxa-w3zAAtusBNYcJIcwSfag/s1600/Feb23-d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnqzPmyIZLQihrZ-dEDfy_Inih4AgBXCTwYUXdR__X6qt64a46Im6MCTaID3jgT8r3BwlxAJQJAZG71mpfbHZazluNPUBpLNRAP1kiYorm0_YSS2r2mLxa-w3zAAtusBNYcJIcwSfag/s400/Feb23-d.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b><b>A plumber on the island is going to meet Lorenzo at the cottage next Friday as he doesn't feel entirely comfortable hooking up the sink himself. He says there's some copper pipes coming out of the wall that need to be cut and he's worried about doing something wrong...</b><br />
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<b>So that was the trip. Next weekend, he's hoping to have all the hardwood done. We have to buy stair nosing at Home Depot and a new hand rail, but the stairs themselves will be the same hardwood as the floors - we're not buying solid wood stair treads; too much hassle having to stain them, etc.</b><br />
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<b>What else? He installed one of the light fixtures - these are really cheap outdoor lights but they have a cottagey-nautical feel to them. He says they're <i>huge</i> - if he were a couple of inches taller, he'd hit his head on it...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPl3KukSMKS70I4KScTUBiQp4O6RXXdbH_u5hRx2GT7HL5AmD4eL4EEJ3LcaiA2id5cAyOeOrxd-GUHo26Ti3-upAH4-FWd1hNA1Lyco30paZHx5AVAFYi0MbMrWl5tTaj-27iioQSA/s1600/Feb23-f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPl3KukSMKS70I4KScTUBiQp4O6RXXdbH_u5hRx2GT7HL5AmD4eL4EEJ3LcaiA2id5cAyOeOrxd-GUHo26Ti3-upAH4-FWd1hNA1Lyco30paZHx5AVAFYi0MbMrWl5tTaj-27iioQSA/s400/Feb23-f.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">* * * * *</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Meanwhile at home...</i></span></b><br />
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<b>While Lorenzo was gone, I was here with the three teenagers. There was a dance at the high school, so I found myself driving three 14 year-old girls who were so drenched in body spray my eyes were watering. Prior to this, my son's friends showed up - they decided to walk to the dance. One of them had a backpack that he left on the front porch. It weighed about 60 pounds. I secretly lifted it just as Lorenzo was pulling out on his way to the cottage. He's waving to me and I'm standing there eye-balling this gigantic backpack that appears to be stuffed with bricks.</b><br />
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<b>So I said to the lad, "What's in the bag?" He says, "Oh, just my stuff." Stuff like twenty cans of beer. I said to my sons, "Don't think I'm stupid." They feigned innocence. What am I supposed to do - search the kid's backpack? Did I drink at 15? Yes, I did. Anyway, after the dance, my daughter said they were going to A's house to watch a movie. This girl lives about half a block from us. A few hours later, this girl's mother texts me - she thinks her daughter is at <i>my</i> house. Pack of liars, they are. They were at the park with a gang of kids.</b><br />
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<b>I told this mother that I feel like I'm grounded. She says she feels the same way. We have to be here, like sentry guards. And they're having all the fun. I resented the fact that I couldn't be at my cottage helping my husband, but if I were to leave, I'm quite certain that a giant party would take place. By the time we have some real freedom we'll be senior citizens. They'll be at the cottage having a rip-roaring good time, putting dents in the walls, and Lorenzo & I will be hobbling about on canes. Shouting into each other's hearing aid.</b><br />
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<b>And while he was gone, I worked very hard around here. And I don't mean to sound like a complainer - even though I am - but it kind of hurts my feelings when the work I do goes completely unacknowledged. I made a giant pot of homemade soup, I made green smoothies, I baked, I washed all the floors on my hands and knees, did about ten loads of laundry, went grocery shopping, chauffeured kids around, walked the dog, vacuumed, cleaned, etc. But if I had a blog detailing all of this drudgery, no one would be remotely interested. But if I built a bookshelf, or nailed in some wainscoting, somehow the work would be elevated to some prestigious level. I'd be a hero! Look at her - she can <i>build</i> stuff!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kMgt2nsxb4iHRqRb2aCnNw46WdAPnrRbwSJXlSpjMWgWbfyJjcHRXlPI4fjBK7duLr8EgRmk-w-Aef74by9fAGCS3_pfyYFipYe48vaguCc68IYKzViyOABZLHRmkwTCEXtR-c2quw/s1600/Handywoman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kMgt2nsxb4iHRqRb2aCnNw46WdAPnrRbwSJXlSpjMWgWbfyJjcHRXlPI4fjBK7duLr8EgRmk-w-Aef74by9fAGCS3_pfyYFipYe48vaguCc68IYKzViyOABZLHRmkwTCEXtR-c2quw/s320/Handywoman.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<b>I thought about this while I was tripping over jackets, backpacks, and damp towels and cleaning gunk out of the shower-door track with a q-tip. To the soundtrack of rap music coming up from the basement. I felt really ticked off but I'm over it now. My kids are just normal kids - they're full of spirit and hormones and despite it all, they're good human beings. They're kind, and that's important. Unfortunately, they're also bald-faced liars right now.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">* * * * *</span><br />
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<b>Next month, it will be spring. With spring comes bills. In March, we have to pay our utilities which is around a thousand dollars. April is Revenue Canada's big cash grab which is another huge chunk of change. In July, we have property taxes on both the house and the cottage. It's a crippling amount. Lorenzo & I had a big discussion about money tonight - we have accepted that buying this cottage was a lifestyle choice that entails a genuine financial sacrifice. We discussed whether or not it was the right decision and both agreed that it was, which </b><b>mitigates some of the sting of not having a lot of extra cash like we used to. </b><br />
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<b>And when you read that 85% of college graduates are living at home, it becomes pretty apparent that our kids won't be flying the nest any time soon. For this reason alone, I am almost deliriously grateful that we'll have a place from which to escape the noise and stress of living with three teenagers. I just wonder at what age they'll have to be, in order for us to feel comfortable leaving them...</b><br />
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<b>I took a few books out of the library on estate planning. What I read really got my Irish up. Consider this: You scrape together a down payment to buy your house. You spend decades paying your mortgage (which is French for "pay til you die") and handing tens upon thousands of dollars to the bank in interest charges. You had to pay property purchase tax to buy it - and BC has the highest tax in all of Canada. A house which costs $750,000 (a veritable dump in Vancouver) will run you $13,000. The same home in Alberta? You'll be paying only $185. If you live in Nova Scotia or Nunavit, you're paying zero. Anyway, you work hard owning your home - it eats up the vast majority of money you earn <i>which is taxed</i>. Everything you buy, from food to clothes and everything in between - is <i>taxed</i>.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0QNmD_4dP4E3FZgEB6t7dv1KjzjQ-nIBbLklUjP8Du74EabxfR1vm1ZPerD6jbFo5YS_koDzfOJTGLr7W2u4WQIfkyv0uVk-rQ1WJwELxDcIsYZ9SbQ2G-XJjpOfgGEGxEOdzFLnDQ/s1600/doghouse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0QNmD_4dP4E3FZgEB6t7dv1KjzjQ-nIBbLklUjP8Du74EabxfR1vm1ZPerD6jbFo5YS_koDzfOJTGLr7W2u4WQIfkyv0uVk-rQ1WJwELxDcIsYZ9SbQ2G-XJjpOfgGEGxEOdzFLnDQ/s400/doghouse2.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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<b>Now you die. Guess what? The government moves in and your estate will have to pay Capital Gains on 50% of the appreciation. So you bought your house for $150k, it sells for $850k, and the government demands the tax on about $300,000. Transferring the title to your children probably won't work because eventually they'll have homes of their own and won't be eligible for the Primary Residence Tax Exemption. At some point, the Capital Gains Tax will have to be paid.</b><br />
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<b>There is, however, one way to stick it to the government. Because if you die with stuff, the government wants some of your stuff. If you die with nothing, they get nothing. Sell your stuff before you die, give your kids the cash, and tell the government to sod off. Because in Canada, there is no tax on cash gifts. I almost didn't believe this - it sounds too good to be true. But there you have it:</b><br />
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<b><i>“Regarding gifting of assets, the basic premise is simple.
If you don’t own the asset when you die, it is not included in the probate tax
calculation. A gift of non-cash assets (ie, property) is deemed to be a
‘sale’ (at current market value) with a potential taxable profit in the eyes of CRA and fall under the
attribution rules.”</i> In other words, capital gains tax. </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtr9yWf_OdnBldYRihRrvz-NbYdyOAZS3bRW-4ESRlAZ0pVBr0Yrrw_gNy0uo81540RFj7WhzTa_CRST-8BJ63NZAhnLArB91hCHngCWX9TvQO0yv0OWeL2F1uUvP1YHGpD73TPumzpg/s1600/blg5888.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtr9yWf_OdnBldYRihRrvz-NbYdyOAZS3bRW-4ESRlAZ0pVBr0Yrrw_gNy0uo81540RFj7WhzTa_CRST-8BJ63NZAhnLArB91hCHngCWX9TvQO0yv0OWeL2F1uUvP1YHGpD73TPumzpg/s400/blg5888.gif" width="342" /></a></div>
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<b>So Lorenzo and I have decided that when we reach the age of say...65...we'll sell <i>everything</i>. Sell the house, sell the cottage, sell the business, sell the rabbit... Because by then, we'll have paid more money to the banks - in the form of interest payments - and the government (in income tax, property tax, corporate tax, etc.) than we've ever paid ourselves. We're not about to give them more. That's my anti-government rant for the evening...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAsqRP_CU8jFpR1fDHZRGjkuB9qQnMPIuGiOpiv6Th5OcXZ2ceaLRW-2LFncz5cw9cdxqHexyhHhyBkl7i663w_zAggqZcOOEmJ57vNbhykhvzoV21RwfqoxlfDveoYM6QW9Eom55xw/s1600/Tree-hugging+GreenPeacers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAsqRP_CU8jFpR1fDHZRGjkuB9qQnMPIuGiOpiv6Th5OcXZ2ceaLRW-2LFncz5cw9cdxqHexyhHhyBkl7i663w_zAggqZcOOEmJ57vNbhykhvzoV21RwfqoxlfDveoYM6QW9Eom55xw/s400/Tree-hugging+GreenPeacers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b> Tree Huggers - Galiano Island 2007</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-16683078445635059752013-02-14T10:43:00.001-08:002013-02-14T10:43:41.716-08:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Way to go Obama...</span></b><br />
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<b>"But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change...it's true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods -- all are now more frequent and intense.</b><br />
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<b>"We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science -- and act before it's too late."</b><br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-54953634133225127762013-02-11T22:19:00.003-08:002013-02-11T23:19:05.564-08:00<div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lorenzo limped through the door</span> at about 10:30 last night. His back is killing him because when he put the piano on the dollies, one end of it slipped off. He managed to catch it, which left him somewhat injured and mangled. The old steel casters on the piano destroyed the floor that it fell on, so he had to tear up about fourteen planks to get to the damaged pieces which was a huge pain in the neck. Things like this always happen. So that would be the bad news. The GOOD NEWS is that he finished the whole main floor! He began by prepping the floor, filling in gaps, screwing down areas that were squeaky, etc...</b></div>
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<b>He bought a floor-nailer at Home Depot but when he opened the box, a crucial component was missing and he was freaking out. By some miracle, the good folks at Home Hardware happened to have one sitting in a back room that someone had returned. So they gave him the cartridge he needed so that he could continue with the job. He was very annoyed about this, because he was up at 6am and ready to get going; by the time the nail-gun fiasco played out, he didn't start until about 11:30. I think this was Friday. In any case, he said he kind of learned as he went along and once he made a plumb line and got his first pieces nailed down, it went fairly smoothly...</b></div>
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<b>This job was pretty hard on his back, and he's not exactly looking forward to doing the upstairs. Having said that, he's very pleased with how it looks. The west wall, with the black foyer tile gone, now seems twice as big - I love this wall...</b></div>
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<b>Lorenzo really took his time choosing the pieces so that the different colours were well-placed; some were very blonde, some were red, and some were distressed, and he made sure they were fairly evenly distributed. I am really liking this floor!</b><br />
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<b>You know, I have never understood why anyone would put laminate floors in their home. They are the shag carpet of the future; the avocado-coloured appliances that were once on the cutting edge of style. </b><br />
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<b>Laminate flooring is essentially a photograph - <i>a piece of paper</i> - covered in plastic. The substrate is a bunch of sawdust mixed with glue. Once laid out, it has no depth, no shine, no texture. It is fake flooring and it feels really strange to walk on because it's essentially a counter-top. Walk across a laminate counter in your socks, and that is what laminate flooring feels like. See the difference:</b><br />
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<b>If laminate floors were dirt cheap, I could understand how economics might force someone into making the purchase. But there are laminate floors that cost as much as $5. a square foot. I have seen hard-wood flooring that is cheaper than its plastic counterpart.</b><br />
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<b>It is mind-boggling to me that people actually believe they're installing something more durable than wood. If anything, they are devaluing their home. The floors we found were $2.35/square foot. They are solid pre-finished hardwood, not to be confused with engineered flooring which I don't like. If you look around, the deals are out there. And consider this: there are abandoned farm houses which dot the American landscape from one end to the other - many are hundreds of years old. And those old floors are being salvaged and re-used. Can anyone really believe that plastic floors will stand the test of time? If we called them "plastic floors" instead of "laminate floors" I think people would view them differently. It's like Alzheimer's disease. Call it "impending madness" or "soon-to-be bat shit crazy" and you think about it differently. Wording is everything.</b><br />
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<b>Anyway,</b> t<b>he cheesy laminate did not complement the pebble tile at all. Now it really pops...</b><br />
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<b>We cannot really believe that we're nearly finished. We thought this day would never come. The trim and doors are painted, and all that is left is the upstairs and the staircase.</b><br />
<b>The kid's spring break is March 18th, and there is a very good chance it will be done by then. It's now time to buy the kitchen cabinets. Lorenzo might teach me how to wire-in the light fixtures - I'd like to head over with some of the furniture we've got piled up in the basement. He says it's very easy, provided you don't electrocute yourself. </b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">* * * *</span></b><br />
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<b>Today was "Family Day" - a new statutory holiday for British Columbia, dreamed up by the Liberal Party which also gave us the HST and Smart Meters. For small business owners like us, "Family Day" is just a huge expenditure. And when you have teenagers, "Family Day" isn't exactly the same as when your children are little. It's not as though we sat around the kitchen table playing monopoly or doing arts & crafts. They took off with their friends and Lorenzo and I spent the afternoon getting groceries. The stores were open, the cashiers - many of whom have children - had to work all day. Gas stations were open, restaurants, retail stores, etc. Everything was business as usual for the vast majority of workers...who have families they couldn't spend the day with. </b><br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-35373368201468952782013-02-07T01:46:00.003-08:002013-02-07T02:06:12.680-08:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lorenzo is heading over</span> to the cottage tomorrow. He's going to level the floor and begin installing the hardwood. I've packed his food and drinks along with homemade cookies...I feel rather sorry for him, he's so tired right now. And that's all there is to say about the cottage!</b><br />
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<b>He was sitting at the kitchen counter tonight while I was making the cookies and I said, "What's wrong?" He said, "I feel overwhelmed." When asked to elaborate, he started listing all the things around the house that need to be done. You see, our kid's bathroom upstairs has sprung a leak. Small, faint water rings have suddenly appeared on the living room ceiling. You look up at them and you just feel dread. We told them they have to shower in the other bathrooms until further notice. So there's that. And what does that mean...investigating, opening up the wall, mess, disruption... Then there's the damaged drywall around the house - a chunk here, a chunk there - our once pristine walls marred by careless teenagers wielding a broom or a vacuum pole and ...<i>oops!</i> The hinges on our kitchen cupboards need to be replaced; they just don't close properly anymore. What else? Painting, gutters to be cleaned..it never ends, does it? </b><br />
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<b>This has been a really tiring few weeks - I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the weather. In the spirit of improving our health, I decided to buy a blender. I've been reading books about green smoothies, and the health claims made by incorporating huge amounts of greens into your diet ring true to me. There are blenders out there that cost a fortune - five hundred dollars for a Vitamix, for example. I picked up a Ninja blender at Canadian Tire for $99.</b><br />
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<b>What can I say? It blends. It's like a garburator, this thing. I've been making Lorenzo green smoothies to take to work, and I'm forcing my kids to drink two big glasses everyday. Today I made a full gallon - my kitchen looked like a farm. I used: bananas, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, pineapple, kale, watercress, Swiss chard, spinach, carrots, cucumber, celery, parsley, flax seeds, and coconut oil. Did you know that parsley has three times the calcium as spinach? I'm learning so much. Anyway, the final product looks a bit like green sludge, but it tastes great (to me) and I feel really good about knowing my kids are drinking the equivalent of about 6 giant bowls of salad every day. I have always made salads, but I knew the kids weren't eating enough and often I'd have to issue threats to finish it, and it just got so tiring..</b><br />
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<b>I feel more energetic since I've been drinking them - in fact, if I drink one at night I won't be able to sleep. My youngest son had insomnia the other night because he drank a big glassful before bed. That says a lot. </b><br />
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<b>I was going to buy a juicer, but I read that you can't live on juice but you can pretty much live on smoothies. And I didn't like the idea of discarding all of the pulp and fibre that gets trapped in a juicer. It's a terrible waste to me, and fibre is crucial to your health. Also, smoothies fill you up - it's like a meal. So the plan is to drop 15 pounds: I'm working out again and drinking my smoothies. It's an exciting life, I tell ya. But think how much your body would benefit from drinking a few litres of this everyday... You'd have to chew your way through a gigantic heaping mound of salad just to get the goodness out of one nutritious smoothie. Just turn this:</b><br />
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<b>Into this!</b><br />
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<b>My kids came home with their report cards today and I'm really ticked off. My youngest son is a very serious musician. His drum teacher came second in Canada in a national drum contest recently. He said to us, "If your son played hockey as well as he plays drums, the NHL would be scouting him right now. He's that good." So how did he end up with a "C" in band class? By what criteria? The teacher wrote, "Often off-task." Last term he wrote, "Easily distracted." This is the feedback you get after an entire semester - a few snarky words that are ultimately meaningless. My son is the most focused musician - he may be a dingbat or a slacker when it comes to other things, but not music. </b><br />
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<b>When I was in teacher training, we were reminded that you cannot grade a student on their behaviour. You are to grade them on their mastery - or lack thereof - of the academic content being presented. It should reflect their ability to meet the "prescribed learning outcomes" set forth by the Ministry. So I typed up a long email to his teacher but I haven't sent it. Tomorrow, I'll read it again and perhaps adjust my <i>tone</i>. </b><br />
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<b>I just know he is grading my son on his conduct because if he were grading musicianship he'd be skipped ahead three grades. So unfair. I talked it over with him and he says he's bored out of his skull. He lives, breathes, and eats music all day long. And while the other kids struggle on their recorders, he's left sitting there watching, and what does he do? He starts tapping quietly on the snare...tap tap tap...I can just see him.</b><br />
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<b>I don't blame the teacher for not knowing how to utilize my son's talent, but don't grade him for being bored. That's just bullshit. I think he needs to form a band and start rehearsing in the basement...it wouldn't bother me at all. His drumming is just a part of the soundtrack to our lives at this point...</b><br />
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<b>I really feel kind of sorry for this generation of kids. I think we had the last normal childhood. Lorenzo sent me an email the other day with the caption "tuned-out teenagers." Check this out:</b><br />
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<b>This is what it's come to. This is youth in the modern era - staring at their screens, oblivious to the present moment. </b><br />
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<b>Do these kids look like they're having fun? Are they doubled-over in laughter, c</b><b>racking jokes? Sad...they might as well be alone, because in a sense they are. It's like communal loneliness.</b><br />
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<b>My kids were laughing the other day while looking at pictures of their parents in their youth. They can criticize the clothes we wore, or our hair styles, but they can't say anything about our <i>music</i>. And that makes us cool in their eyes. I never thought my parent's music was cool, except for the Irish stuff. I remember a few road trips, trapped in the cigarette smoke-filled car with my Dad's 8-track cassette of Marty Robbins..<i>."out in the west Texas town of El Paso, I fell in love with a Mexican girrrrrrl" (twang!) </i> </b><b>Lame. </b><b>Compare that to, <i>"Hey, Joe...where you goin with that gun in your hand...?"</i> </b><b>Heavy. Timeless. Perhaps a tad before my time, but not by much. </b><br />
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<b>My kids have hundreds of songs on their i-pods, and they don't realize how crappy compressed files sound. And they don't listen to entire records the way we did. It's a smorgasbord of disjointed songs, none of which comprise a cohesive musical listening experience. There aren't any albums anymore, no cover art to examine, no liner-notes to read...we used to memorize the producers, all the band member's names, who wrote which song, which session player sat-in on a particular number, etc. They meant so much to us in the age before Facebook and Twitter and endless texting of oh-so-erudite and pithy remarks such as "LOL" and "OMG" and "WTF."</b><br />
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<b>Kids don't talk on the phone, they punch in meaningless codes and letters, and they're constantly taking pictures of themselves. Their concept of privacy is non-existent. And all of this makes for a disturbingly silent household which really irks me. I want noise! I want to hear my kids talking to their friends! It's all just so weird to me, and I wonder if other parents feel as I do.</b><br />
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<b>I rue the day we ever agreed to all this, but we held out as long as we could. Ours were the last kids on the block to get "connected." They convinced us that life was passing them by, leaving them stranded at the station in a cloud of misery, if they remained <i>"stuck in the seventies."</i> </b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now.</b><br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-78692747247486723172013-01-27T12:01:00.001-08:002013-01-28T11:39:34.252-08:00<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I'm back.</span> I caught the morning ferry on Thursday, after dropping the kids off at school. They complained that their Dad turns the house into a work-camp when I'm gone. I figured they'd survive. </strong><br />
<strong>Big hugs and off I went.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><strong>The ferry was delayed 45 minutes because something was wrong with the "anchor winch." So we all sat in our vehicles waiting and waiting. </strong><strong>At the terminal, I ran into my Uncle Pat. He was just heading over for the day to check on his house and pick up the mail. I told him to pop by the cottage on his way home. </strong><br />
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<b>I stopped in Miner's Bay and picked up some milk for my tea at the grocery store...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sIpsgwu5-i2bqSxTOZkujj24Ki2H-8LPEkaiXKPSIjiRIwsGM3hbGcBcyUuAWsfirT5AYe-vcRogTlzWVl9X_rYIxjfh6m0zGOuevFwtNuTxhyphenhyphenF6JY8OSSMCrdAIk-sfx0JRQNrfNw/s1600/miners+bay+mayne+island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sIpsgwu5-i2bqSxTOZkujj24Ki2H-8LPEkaiXKPSIjiRIwsGM3hbGcBcyUuAWsfirT5AYe-vcRogTlzWVl9X_rYIxjfh6m0zGOuevFwtNuTxhyphenhyphenF6JY8OSSMCrdAIk-sfx0JRQNrfNw/s400/miners+bay+mayne+island.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>...went into the Sunny Mayne Bakery and bought a few cranberry-apple scones. I have to say this: unless you've had a homemade scone, you really don't know how they're supposed to taste. They should be fairly small, with a crumbly texture and a toasty golden crust. The scones you buy at Starbucks and other places are glutinous and cakey. They're chewy because there's no air in them. They sit in your gut like a sad lump of dough. </b><br />
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<b>The Sunny Mayne Bakery makes a proper scone and they're the best I've ever tasted...</b><br />
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<strong>Strolled into the Trading Post to check out the movie rentals...</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvUHiakj3j2W9S_wLj646iZenZOGBQXi_B0BWne99Av1vSFeG-Z0sWTt2RTigimxc614xlizJKyJWjKWccdCQGnrtGFdqp3sSFhTxXG2NiOcCMSCA1skdyC22p6go7Lp5IhLpfLVuUQ/s1600/mayne+island+trading+post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvUHiakj3j2W9S_wLj646iZenZOGBQXi_B0BWne99Av1vSFeG-Z0sWTt2RTigimxc614xlizJKyJWjKWccdCQGnrtGFdqp3sSFhTxXG2NiOcCMSCA1skdyC22p6go7Lp5IhLpfLVuUQ/s400/mayne+island+trading+post.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>I knew when I arrived at the cottage I would be seeing all the windows & doors trimmed-out and I was so excited that I refused to look at anything until I had a fire going. I just kept my eyes averted. Once the cottage warmed up and the kettle was on, I looked around. Wow...it just looks lovely. Here is the front door and window...(you have to enlarge these pictures to get the full effect)</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfUjGfuLIN8yh06zuLvoT7CK4MtF_WZMFe7k7iYjdPH3-bNysYjURcAP_kcnn8NsMkN0mhR6Lpe-zTpeLHWXdeJzAV6tjP47GtZElcihDwn5Q7Vb3tTBdNfkhuj1lMEOQTnodbEz81w/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfUjGfuLIN8yh06zuLvoT7CK4MtF_WZMFe7k7iYjdPH3-bNysYjURcAP_kcnn8NsMkN0mhR6Lpe-zTpeLHWXdeJzAV6tjP47GtZElcihDwn5Q7Vb3tTBdNfkhuj1lMEOQTnodbEz81w/s400/010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Here is the north-east corner...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkiUfC8eJ5bB7ozCthXvIzPVEjIRbgh5Vzzriyk8HcG4EU2OIM3_SHSR-KVMIoYYBpQut8CkApxf85QSFwL6gZRQ5pFoPAg9s_jDeXsf1jc7gn-SKhNHPm-np4Z4jIP0RuslA1NEFuQ/s1600/jan25-a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkiUfC8eJ5bB7ozCthXvIzPVEjIRbgh5Vzzriyk8HcG4EU2OIM3_SHSR-KVMIoYYBpQut8CkApxf85QSFwL6gZRQ5pFoPAg9s_jDeXsf1jc7gn-SKhNHPm-np4Z4jIP0RuslA1NEFuQ/s400/jan25-a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Here are the closets...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGOuUVSrZuY8fYPA280OoEUxpqm5-dJuqeRTyCtHaDG9Avw0aM-qa1qfFS658YqDSxkTWxngWatVi4lupZZnM9Umj2ka48QyQYmBCoDXsE-vt78D4NbTA2yzWGfwzMiqTmVZi1ABa-g/s1600/jan25-c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGOuUVSrZuY8fYPA280OoEUxpqm5-dJuqeRTyCtHaDG9Avw0aM-qa1qfFS658YqDSxkTWxngWatVi4lupZZnM9Umj2ka48QyQYmBCoDXsE-vt78D4NbTA2yzWGfwzMiqTmVZi1ABa-g/s400/jan25-c.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Now let's head into the kitchen/dining area...</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4a17dW_45rayZnYKMBFsYCpupy9dIZynvujp10O8tIkB_hupwRxr-1rSHjE-mVGWey0zt836kAw6cwA6RbSUY2LblL-hkdQiZWDNF3FNVyQLjyjQz5nDyayeWeZAdg_6xPK4zhJO3Q/s1600/jan25-s.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4a17dW_45rayZnYKMBFsYCpupy9dIZynvujp10O8tIkB_hupwRxr-1rSHjE-mVGWey0zt836kAw6cwA6RbSUY2LblL-hkdQiZWDNF3FNVyQLjyjQz5nDyayeWeZAdg_6xPK4zhJO3Q/s400/jan25-s.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>They look just beautiful. I'm very pleased. You may notice that some of the trim work is painted and some is not; Lorenzo had to get more wood to finish the job and I'm glad because I decided that I hate the trim colour we chose. I went with my favourite white, which is "Mayonnaise" by Benjamin Moore. Home Hardware matched their paint, but the colour turned out slightly peachy. Their recipe is wrong, in my opinion. Peach and creamy yellow clash. I was really disappointed and I spent a few hours wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me; in some light, it looked fine. In other light it looked terrible. So I went back to Home Hardware and had them mix me up a small can of my other go-to trim colour: Cloud White. I did a sample and it made a huge difference. The Mayonnaise made the walls look a sickly yellow, but against a true white, they look cream - which is how they're supposed to look. </b><br />
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<b>Sadly, I made this decision <i>after</i> I had taken all the doors off the hinges and applied a first coat. I felt so deflated the first day. And taking solid-core doors off the hinges is really hard, by the way. And then lifting them onto a saw horse is even harder. I think Lorenzo thinks I'm a man.</b><br />
<b><br />My Uncle Pat came over and we had a little visit. He sat on my sofa drinking tea while I painted and we had a nice chat. He is 78 years old now...it's hard to believe. He brought me some kindling which I really appreciated, and he told me to start burning all the wood we have stacked outside. I assumed that because it hasn't been under shelter it wouldn't burn, but he said to go ahead. I did, and was quite surprised - it burned fine. I hope it doesn't wreck my stove. Uncle Pat stayed about an hour then left to catch his ferry. I feel an enormous debt of gratitude to my Aunt and Uncle who introduced so many of us to Mayne Island. Were it not for their hospitality over the years, I doubt any of us (myself and my cousins) would have come to love the place so much. I doubt we'd have known it existed - just another a little island dotting the west coast of British Columbia.</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>I ate soup for dinner, then had my delicious scone with a cup of tea. Bliss. </b><br />
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<b>The next day was Friday, and it was a beautiful clear sunny day. Because I knew our painter was coming back, I decided to let him re-paint the doors the new colour and finish the trim. I had too many other things to do. I put the doors back on their hinges (I cursed many times) then I began tearing up the laminate floor. This took me several hours...</b><br />
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<b>I pulled out the stove and fridge, ripped up the laminate and the underlay, then put the appliances back in place...</b><br />
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<b>My goal was to do everything I could to make things easier for Lorenzo. We knew we wanted to get rid of the tile foyer, so I decided to tackle that as well. With a crow-bar...</b><br />
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<b>It was at this point that I turned off my Irish music. I needed something heavier, so I switched to Jimi Hendrix. Music really affects my energy level. Anyway, I've never done this before, and it took me a bit to get the hang of it. It was very hard work - probably the hardest thing I've done at the cottage. I was happy when it was over...</b><br />
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<b>There was a lot of mortar left on the sub-floor and I had a very tough time bringing it up - we don't have a shovel at the cottage and the crow bar was just not cutting it. I did about half and had to stop - I was so tired. The pile of crap to be taken away outside has expanded to rather disturbing proportions...</b><br />
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<b>The hard part was moving everything around in order to get to the flooring. I had to move the piano, all of the boxes of hardwood flooring, Lorenzo's tools, etc. So many times I boxed myself in, shouted out curse words... Anyway, it got done, and I re-arranged the living room furniture in such a way that the painter has clear access to the windows and crown moulding. As you can see, the area is boxed-in by the hardwood flooring...</b><br />
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<b><br />The floor in the eating area is covered by random pieces of plywood - this was the former bathroom, so the floor is a mess. I don't know how Lorenzo is going to level everything...</b><br />
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<b>I guess it was around 7:30 pm when I finished and cleaned up. M</b><b>y muscles were twitching and I was so tired that I was starting to do stupid things - putting something down, then spending ten minutes trying to find it, putting the kettle on and then forgetting about it... I staggered upstairs and had a shower, figuring I'd turn in. But then I got my second wind. So I re-arranged the furniture, just to see how the sofa will look in different spots. Here it is on an angle in the north-east corner...</b><br />
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<b>I don't think it looks it very good. So I tried it against the wall...</b><br />
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<b>I'm not keen on this either. </b><br />
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<b>This is a hard room to figure out. The north-east corner is where the piano is going to go; maybe we can put a comfortable arm chair over here...</b></div>
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<b><br /><br />I didn't get to sleep on Friday night until about 2:30 in the morning. I assumed I would sleep well, given how tired I was but I didn't. I couldn't sleep, and then I had my recurring nightmare which I experience every three or four months. I dream that I'm my age now, but I don't have any children. I haven't been to school, I have accomplished nothing in my life. In my dream, my mum is alive and she is disgusted by what a failure I've turned out to be. I am overcome by panic and regret; I <i>forgot to have children</i> and now it's too late! The feeling of desolation is so intense. I wake up relieved that I have my children, I have a husband, I've got my degree, everything is fine...</b><br />
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<b>I have consistently disturbing dreams on Mayne Island. Lorenzo says he does, too...it must be a combination of stress and fatigue. The cell phone reception is usually non-existent and sometimes I feel very isolated not knowing what's going on at home. Maybe this plays into it on a sub-conscious level. The last time Lorenzo was there, he dreamt that his car was surrounded by four or five guys and he had to fight all of them. He woke up feeling as though he'd swum the English channel. But in <i>his</i> dreams, he wins! That's right - Lorenzo takes on a gang of marauders and comes out victorious. In my dreams I can't even tie my shoes.</b><br />
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<b><br />When my mum was alive, I'd tell her about the awful dreams I'd have about my kids - that I'd lost them in a store or that I'd forgotten all about them, only to find them starving somewhere. She said, "You're going to have those dreams for the rest of your life." Motherhood. Before kids, I had <i>great</i> dreams. Dreams about hot looking men, dreams about lying on a sandy beach (with hot looking men), dreams where I'd be soaring high above the clouds with the eagles...</b><br />
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<b>Now I dream about confusing things; I can't find my keys, something is wrong with one of my kids, I am in high school and I can't find my class.... And lately, I'll dream that I'm in the company of young people and I'm feeling happy until I realize that I'm old - I'm not young anymore! It's so depressing.</b><br />
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<b>Woke up this morning (Saturday) feeling like I hadn't even slept, and decided to catch the 5 pm ferry home. I gathered up wood on the property for Lorenzo and stacked it on the front deck. I looked around our property...there are a lot of trees that I want gone...</b><br />
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<b>I can envision how this could look with blossoming trees of various heights and foliage. Maybe some dogwoods and flowering crab-apples.. And the end of the property could be a lovely sitting area with a camp fire. I love trees but we are so hemmed in that even on a sunny day it still feels rather dark. And my brain needs light - without it, my serotonin dissolves and I start to feel like I'm pushing through mud. Lorenzo agrees with me - he isn't sentimental about trees the way I am and figures if we're replacing them with other living things then we've offset the damage, so to speak. I just wonder about the little birds in their nests when the guy shows up with his chainsaw. Speaking of animals, I didn't see a single deer on this trip, and that has never happened. Strange.</b><br />
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<b>I cleaned up the cottage and organized a paint-station for Freddie the painter, then I noticed that I had a couple of hours to kill. I popped in the screen that came with our wood stove to see how it looks. Not bad! This allows you to enjoy a fire on a summer night without over-heating the house...</b><br />
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<b>Then I played the piano...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>This piano was given to me by my cousin. It was sitting in Uncle Pat's house not being played and she suggested that we take it. Thrilled, Lorenzo and I somehow managed to load it into a rickety trailer and bring it into our cottage. I don't usually like playing most pianos except for my own, but this one has a lovely warm sound. I played for about an hour - no interruptions, no phone ringing, no dog scratching at the door... I can hardly express how much it means to have that instrument there. We even renovated the cottage around it; Lorenzo made sure we had a wall span of 63-inches. Hence, the single French door instead of doubles. We chose music over design. </b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo plays too - he's very good. When we were in Las Vegas, he decided to play the piano at the Bellagio. <i>Which was against the rules</i>. As you can see, the other guests were thrilled. Check out those two miserable faces in the background...</b><br />
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<b>And then I took the road home...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>When I arrived at the house, Lorenzo walked out to the truck to greet me followed by my dog who was going nuts. We talked for a few hours and hashed out the next sequence of events: he has to level the sub-floor and fill in all the areas where walls were taken out, then put down an underlay, and then the hardwood... He looked at my pictures and was very pleased that the flooring was all taken up. He says I've saved him a whole day of work. </b><br />
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<b>I said, "When this cottage is finished, what the hell are we going to talk about?" He said, "Oh, there's still so much to do - I have to put up new gutters, we have to deer fence the property..." In other words, we have many months and years of gruelling work ahead of us to keep the conversation going. In any case, we're getting closer...</b><br />
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<b>(I hung a sheet on the window for privacy)</b><br />
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<b>There was a full moon tonight. It's damp and cold outside and the ground is wet...my thoughts are turning to spring. I really need winter to be over...</b><br />
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<b>Until next time...</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-48873902476389202282013-01-23T23:40:00.000-08:002013-01-24T00:37:37.186-08:00<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I am going to Mayne Island</span> tomorrow. Lorenzo showed me how to remove a door from its hinge using a screwdriver and a hammer, so hopefully I'll be able to manage it. I have eight doors to paint and if I have time, I'll start ripping up the laminate flooring. My daughter made a sad face when I told her I was heading over there and now I feel guilty. She feels really out-numbered when I'm gone. </b><br />
<b>In any case, I need to prepare for - get this - the kids' <i>semester break</i>. </b><b>They just had Christmas vacation, and now they'll have a week off. And if that weren't enough, the following Monday is a pro-d day. So I'm going to enjoy a bit of solitude before all hell breaks loose.</b><br />
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<b>Before I leave, I'd like to pass this along. I went over all the books I read in 2012 (I keep a list) and it was fairly lengthy. And the best book I read all year is "The Tortoise and the Hare" by Elizabeth Jenkins.</b><br />
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<b>I found this book sitting on the shelf at the condo we rented in Puerto Vallarta. It knocked my socks off. Her writing is beautiful, evocative, and she creates subtle tension in her story that reminds me a bit of Jane Austin.</b><br />
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<b>Anyway, this story takes place in England just after the second world war. A woman lives with her husband who is a lawyer, and their eleven year-old son. The protagonist is a very intelligent woman, but she isn't particularly ambitious. Her husband is an alpha-male type who treats his wife with thinly-veiled contempt; he is irritated by her. And her son is already adopting his father's attitude and begins to perceive his mother as being somewhat deficient. The wife begins to lose her confidence - she's always on edge, always lamenting the fact that she keeps annoying her husband, whom she loves very much. You begin to see how displaced she is in her own home and the reader perceives something sinister developing.</b><br />
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<b>You see, the husband is falling in-love with the next-door neighbour. She's an aggressive woman who sees something she wants and is relentless; she makes herself continually available, offering to drive the husband to work, and even insinuates herself into the life of the little boy. As the reader, you see this unfolding and it's almost horrifying because the wife is such a gentle and trusting human being. It's an excellent story, deliciously English, and the writing is astonishingly good.</b><br />
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<b>I have searched everywhere for books by Elizabeth Jenkins, and most are now out-of-print. I am currently reading one of her novels called "Brightness" and so far, it's excellent. I purchased it on-line from a second hand book seller in Boston - it cost me $42. and it's a mint condition hard cover. Worth every penny. I am determined to collect all of her novels, even if I have to have them shipped from across the globe.</b><br />
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<b>I can't believe I never heard of this author - I feel like I've discovered my new favourite writer.</b><br />
<b>So, if you want to read something unusually good, I highly recommend this. Hands down, the best novel I read all year. </b><br />
<b><br /><i>"Perhaps the greatest reading pleasure has an element of self-annihilation. </i></b><b><i>To be so engrossed that you barely know you exist." (Ian McEwan)</i></b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-46864253782273209472013-01-22T01:56:00.000-08:002013-01-22T03:10:57.822-08:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Our entire neighbourhood</span> has been shrouded in heavy fog lately. Tonight, I walked the dog and imagined myself in Whitechapel, London...in the late 19th century....when Jack the Ripper was on the prowl! It was most exciting. </b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo returned home this morning and had taken some pictures on the camera. Unfortunately, when I downloaded them something went wrong and they were inadvertently deleted. Sorry. </b><br />
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<b>We talked for a long time and hashed out what our furniture placement should be. It is such a small space, and we have two large support posts which are real obstacles. Lorenzo says we should ditch the piano and bring over his electric keyboard which would take up far less room. My position is that without the piano at the cottage, I will never be fully relaxed. Playing a keyboard is akin to drinking instant coffee: it will suffice in a pinch but it doesn't really satisfy. </b><br />
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<b>He's correct that an acoustic piano takes up a considerable amount of precious floor area, but it isn't a piece of furniture - it's an instrument. It is part of the soul of a home and without it, I would not feel the same way about being there. So the piano stays.</b><br />
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<b>I have done endless 3-D designs of the cottage and I have to say that at this point I am really disheartened. I thought it would be nice to put the harvest table with two benches in front of the wood stove. I only came upon this configuration recently and it looks very welcoming and appealing - I can envision the family around the table on a chilly winter evening with the fire crackling beside us...singing Cumbiya</b><b>...</b><br />
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<b> And with this idea, the dining area could be home to some comfortable chairs and a small table - a cozy space to read a book or have a glass of wine with friends. Lorenzo vetoed the idea and started yelling about how hard he worked installing those windows to accommodate a dining area and here I go throwing a grenade onto his happiness. Then he accused me of a coming up with a bad kitchen design. I scoffed! He actually came home today and announced that we should have a galley kitchen. I said, "What about the plumbing?!" He says, "I can move it." </b><br />
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<b>Here's the thing: I had a galley kitchen in our previous house. This home was built in 1902 and was quite possibly the oldest house in our neighbourhood. It was so horrible when we bought it, Lorenzo referred to it as "our east-end crack house." When I first called the realtor he sounded so weary. He said, "It's in really bad shape." I said, "I know." He said, "I don't think you understand....it's uninhabitable." Here was the back of the house before:</b><br />
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<b>We painstakingly renovated it, right down to the studs, and to this day I regret selling it. My heart went into this home...but we had a refinery practically in our back yard and I couldn't take the stench anymore. </b><b>But if we'd stayed, we would have been in a position to buy waterfront on Mayne Island....ah, regrets. They're a killer. <i>("Never look back unless you are planning to go that way." </i>- <i>Henry David Thoreau). </i>Here is how it looked right before we sold it, after a bidding war:</b><br />
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<b>Anyway, the galley kitchen was a giant pain in the ass. Here is it...</b><br />
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<b>So, I had my stove on one wall....</b><br />
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<b>and my sink on the other. Unless you rarely cook, constantly turning from one side to the other becomes extremely frustrating. Christmas dinner was especially joy-filled. You wash vegetables in the sink, and when you turn your body to put them into a pot, there is water on the floor. Back and forth you go, spinning like a top, taking unnecessary steps over and over again, leaving trails of food everywhere. So many times I would be carrying something hot from one side or the other, and one of the kids would come racing through the kitchen and it was potentially dangerous. Lorenzo did build a cute nook in that kitchen, though...</b><br />
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<b>These pictures make me nostalgic..so many birthday cakes, so many images of my three kids sitting in the nook with missing teeth and flannel pajamas on... Anyway, as cute as it was, the galley idea was not ideal. So I told Lorenzo that I do not wish to change my kitchen plan. It works, and I am just so desperate to finish this blasted cottage that I can't even discuss making alterations. Even the single French door is going to stay; why start causing more delays?</b><br />
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<b>So we hashed out various plans, stated our cases emphatically to each other, interrupted each other in mid-sentence, and still we are no closer to an agreement. All this cottage talk is exhausting. And Lorenzo is determined to have not one, but <i>several</i> areas in which to "crash out." He envisions lounge-chairs, recliners, sectionals, giant ottomans, enormous pillows...a veritable harem of comfort; the floor littered with puffy cotton balls in case he needs to suddenly collapse.</b><br />
<b>I tried explaining to him that we can't turn 500-square feet into a furniture show room - it will look ridiculous. And if you're that tired and in need of "crashing" go to bed, for crying out loud.</b><br />
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<b>I wish I had the pictures he took; he did an amazing job and it just looks delicious - he finished it all: the window & door trim, as well as the crown moulding. I can't wait to go over again. I think I'll head over Wednesday. The doors need to be painted and the hideous laminate floor has to be taken up and chucked into the bin. My cousin and his wife will be on the island too, so that will be nice.</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">* * * *</span></b><br />
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<b>There is only one show on HGTV worth watching (in my opinion) and that is "Love It or List It." The show follows a fairly predictable format, but the hosts are intelligent, funny, and the final results are usually worth the wait.</b><br />
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<b> Recently, "Love It or List It Vancouver" was created, so it was with real interest that I tuned in...</b><br />
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<b>Tonight's episode left Lorenzo and I stunned. First of all, the female host is a former "Bachelorette" whose design skills are dubious at best, and she comes across like a bit of a dim-wit, delivering her lines in a somewhat valley-girl style of diction. I don't believe she understands anything about construction and I cannot help but wonder if she became a "designer" after taking a few night-school classes. What I find really comical is her requisite designer side-kick who appears on screen looking stunned and never has anything to say. The realtor fellow isn't too bad, but whoever is responsible for spending the client's money should be seriously investigated. I think it might be Bernie Madoff.</b><br />
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<b>Anyway, tonight her job was to renovate a Vancouver bungalow to satisfy the homeowners into staying as opposed to selling. Her budget was $80,000. The couple needed a complete kitchen renovation and alterations made to the main floor - ie, opening up walls, improving the floor plan, adding storage, etc. The main floor was not working for a family of four. But this "designer" chose to renovate the basement instead, and relocate all of the bedrooms to the downstairs. Leaving the main floor in appalling condition and focusing on the basement is bad design sense and a poor investment: kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, not basements, and their basement was already finished.</b><br />
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<b>I don't know about you, but I would not want my bedroom to be in the basement unless it was a stunning transformation. And I wouldn't want to be hunkered below-stairs <em>with my kids</em> like Victorian scullery-maids. Kids and parents need distance. Lots of it. To make a long story short, somehow she managed to squander $80,000 without doing anything significant on the main floor (no kitchen reno, no bathroom reno) and the basement looked, in my opinion, really bad: Three bedrooms, none of which were remotely interesting, a puny "walk-in" closet that did not provide sufficient clothes storage for one person let alone two, no en-suite bathroom, bad wall colours, horrible window treatments, cheap flooring materials, cheap-looking furniture, tacky art work, etc.</b><br />
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<b><i>Eighty thousand dollars</i>. Lorenzo said, "No kitchen, no bathroom...where the hell did the money go?" </b><b>The only structural change was re-configuring the stairwell to meet code. It was bewildering.</b><br />
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<b>I am mentioning this show because our next-door neighbours are going to be on it! They live in an adorable character home that looks like a cottage one might find in the Cotswolds and I am truly concerned that this ding-a-ling is going to ruin their house. I am cringing at the thought. Because if a designer wrecks your house, who is going to buy it if you decide to list? What if you hate the final outcome? I will be keeping my fingers tightly crossed...</b><br />
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<b>One of the best designers in Canada is a woman named Sarah Richardson. I have learned a great deal watching her shows, but for some reason she is nowhere to be found on tv these days. She renovated her own cottage a few years ago and the results were stunning. I have referred to these pictures many times...</b><br />
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<b>There is a profound difference between decorating and designing. Anyone can paint a room or change the carpets. But the ability to envision space; to visualize a room three dimensionally, is a genuine skill and one that requires an artistic eye. Look at her finishing: the way trim wraps around a structural element; the implementation of salvaged materials like the barn-board on the island and the corbel supporting the counter-top. These are added features that take a room from looking nice to looking spectacular.</b><br />
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<b>Her understanding of space, light, and the importance of scale is one that comes with many years of experience. Sarah Richardson has a genuine talent for design that I do not believe anyone can teach you. My favourite style is what she achieved in her cottage - it is many elements combined: vintage, salvaged, contemporary, and modern country. And it is blended together seamlessly - this is just a gorgeous space from top to bottom. There is isn't a single thing that is wrong or out of place. Most admirably, is that her cottage is completely off-the-grid.</b><br />
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<b>My cottage will never...(gulp)...ever...(sniff).. look like this. </b><br />
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<b>Click on this picture: Here is Lorenzo's ultimate crash pad.</b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now...</b><br />
<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936914189941884211.post-36855278511200415752013-01-18T13:22:00.002-08:002013-01-18T14:29:17.534-08:00<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lorenzo took the evening ferry</span> to Mayne last night, and I actually had butterflies in my stomach. We are nearing the end of this bitter slog-fest, and now is where it starts to get really exciting. Moulding is everything! </b><br />
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<b>Here is my design philosophy: a room should be beautiful <i>empty</i>. And how do you achieve this? With moulding and trim. Before you buy new furniture or paint a room, take a good look at the bones of the room: wimpy trim is ugly; two-inch baseboards are ugly; popcorn ceilings are <i>really</i> ugly.</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo emailed me a picture this morning to get my approval on the math - trim is all about getting the math right. I am so so pleased!</b><br />
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<b>We decided to do a real arts & crafts style of trim at the cottage which looks like this:</b><br />
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<b>Check this out. The west wall just after installing the new windows...</b><br />
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<b>And as of today...</b><br />
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<b>Oh, this is going to look so gooood!</b><br />
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<b>Lorenzo says he isn't coming home until all the trim (except for the baseboards) are done. </b><br />
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<b>Ciao for now!</b><br />
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888655746688634405noreply@blogger.com0