FRIDAY!

Thank God, never have I been more happy and elated that it is Friday than I am this week. When people say they have had a week from hell, I never quite knew what they meant...until now. I love my job, I love my life, my superintendent is a walnut. It is just very frustrating, day in and day out, to work for such a person. I won't go into details, cause that just stirs the pot...But I'm just really glad that it is Friday!
This weekend we are going to start kitty sitting for a good friend of ours (who adopts the kitten today). STELLA!!! will go home with Marci for 2 days, then comes to our house for a little over a week as Marci is on holidays. I am really looking forward to this, as Daryl and I have talked about getting a cat for Fletcher to keep each other company, and I think it would be cute. The only problem, Fletcher has eaten the last 3 cats he's met. We're not sure how this week will go...but we sure are hoping it goes well! We were going to take Stella boating with us, but Marci said that cats don't like the water. I think I have alot to learn about cats...I think Marci is nervous and having second thoughts!
Only one more week until the long weekend! We don't have any concrete plans yet, I'm hoping to take a mental health day on Friday to make it an extra long weekend. I think I deserve it!

A question to all you parents out there, or to wives who have husbands that may as well be children...how do you limit the amount of time spent on the internet? Recently, I have been having alot of issues with this situation in our home, especially when it is a beautiful, sunny evening and there are so many other things that can be done! I don't see Daryl during the day at work, despite working for the same company, we are on different sites, and occasionally we can have lunch together. In the evening is the only time that we can spend talking and interacting with each other. But mostly, he decides to burry himself in his computer. During the summer, when the weather is great and the days are long AND WE HAVE A BLOODY BOAT, why don't we spend more time outside? I know that we aren't to do any more renovations until at least October, but there are still things that we need to finish around the house. The last panel of our fence fell a few weeks ago during a big wind storm...we need to fix that, we need to build a ladder for Fletcher to be able to get into the boat (can't go boating until we get that), the shop is a disaster, then there are the neighbours with the pool! Anyhow, maybe I'm just ranting, but I'm getting annoyed. I don't want to have to make rules, but maybe chores have to be delegated. I know that he is tired when he gets home from work, but so am I! That doesn't mean we retreat to our separate corners for the night! Any thoughts or suggestions on what to do?

My Aching Heart

My heart is breaking for some very close friends of ours who received some sad news about their beloved pooch. Daisy joined our lives while Daryl and I still lived in Whistler, as the Schmuelers adopted her from the WAG shelter. She became an instant hit with everyone, and one of Fletcher's favorites! Unfortunately, Daisy wasn't treated as best as she should have been and was undernourished before arriving at the shelter and taken home by the Schmuelers. Her joints in her ankles and hips did not develop as they should have, resulting in Daisy's "unique" walk and flop around the world. Don't think for one second that this slowed her down! She was frisky and energetic and a complete nut! Which is why we love her so much. Daisy's two little sisters will be devastated...perhaps Fletcher will be used as a surrogate love-hog until hearts start to heal. Daryl and I will head to K-town to be with the Schmuelers when Daisy's day comes, and she will pass on to the place where she will have no physical limitations, her body will be able to keep up to her mind and heart. She will be surrounded by people that love her, now and always will.

Here are some of my favorite quotes about dogs...

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.-Josh Billings

The dog was created especially for children. He is the god of frolic.-Henry Ward Beecher

The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.-Samuel Butler

The dog is mentioned in the Bible eighteen times - the cat not even once.-W. E. Farbstein

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.-Ben Williams

We took the boat out for her maiden voyage last night on the river and found out that we don't have reverse! Well, we do, but it's just a tad sticky. We brought pizza, snacks, drinks and had a toast to our first cruise. Fletcher loved the wind and was almost brave enough to jump in the water. I think he realized how difficult it was going to be to get back into the boat afterwards! Can't wait for the weekend!
This is a funny picture of some animals from Chernybol. I call these duck-dogs! it's the simple things in life that make me smile! :)

Crusing Up That Friend Scale!

Does having a boat make me a better person? I don't think so, but we've certainly moved up on some people's friend-scale! All of a sudden we're invited on camping trips with the neighbours, to cabins for the August long weekend from friend's we haven't seen all summer, and out on the river by complete strangers! Ok, so it isn't quite like that...but sort of! Great friends of ours, we'll call them the Schmuelers, invited us for a weekend stay at someone else’s cabin! We are actually very excited about upcoming weekend adventures, and if we arrive somewhere and we aren't actually welcome, we can always sleep in the boat! This weekend is going to be a scortcher here, hitting 36C today and up to 40C tomorrow! Saturday and Sunday are well in the 40C's! I guess the best place to be will be on the water! We're heading to the Shuswap for the August long weekend, and up to Green Lake with a group of our neighbours for August 18-19-20. We're trying to get other couples who don't have kids to come along as well...’cause you know! Anyone want to come? I don't think Daryl has been more excited...he loves his boat. I found him the other night sitting in it with the dog, in the driveway. I wish I had my camera then!

Such a KNOB!
Kitchen is almost done! only knobs left to do! We hung the yoke last night with the little copper pots, and finally cleared everythign up from the party. It looks great!

What the...
Just when we cleared the drivway of all the towables that have been clogging up our lives for the past few years, Daryl comes home with this...I guess I need to learn to wakeboard!

HAPPY 50th ANNIVERSARY!

We had a great weekend with a wonderful party on Saturday to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of my aunt Sis and Uncle Harry. What an inspiration! The food was delicious (thanks mom!) the house was spectacular (thanks Chico) and the company could not have been better. We had family and friends come from all over the province and country (Eleanor and James from back east) to share this amazing day! The weather was outstanding, and we could not have picked a better day! Forcast says 38C by Friday!

TURTLE TURTLE TURTLE!

What a weekend! The weather on our camping trip couldn't have been better (except for the hail storm on Thursday night) with hot sunny days, and cool evenings spent sitting around the camp fire. With the Kettle River spitting distance from the camp site, we spent lots of time drifting down in the cool water. It was also our last weekend camping in the trailer, as the new owners come to pick it up tonight. It was very sad to say good bye, as we've had so many great trips in that Outback. Now we're back to tent camping (and have more room in the driveway!)

I think that Fletcher had a great time in his turtle boat. He was the talk of the campground, this big crazy dog sitting in his boat, floating and drifting down the river. He had the cooler with him and was in charge of the distribution. Good thing he can be easily bribed with cookies! Fletcher loves to swim, and to get rocks. There is nothing he likes more in this world than to play in the water and get rocks from the river. Everyone was amazed at how he blows bubbles as he dives down to get rocks. He doesn't chew them, just likes to make piles of them on shore. What a nut! He was a little pooped by Sunday!

On Saturday night we were attacked by SILLY STRING! Alicia thought that it would be funny, and it actually was, to spray copious amounts of the silly goop all over everyone! I'm not sure who got the worse of it, us or the dog! Poor chow, he is such a good sport.

We packed up the trailer and gear and left Kettle Valley in Sunday just before lunch and headed to Kelowna. We had a nice visit with Sherri who is down from the Yukon for the summer at Twyla's place, and we were spoiled for our 1 year anniversary with Japanese Chicken Wings! They are both Daryl and my favorite, and it was such a treat! We headed home in another amazing down pour, which washed the trailer after our crazy weekend adventure.

We are already planning the next camping trip in August! We can't wait!

Camping!

We're going camping this weekend! What a great short week! I like these 3 days of work...but I'm sure I get more done in 3 days than other in this company do in a whole 5! We're heading off to Kettle Valley in the Southern Okanagan with Shannon and the family and a bunch of other friends too. Fletcher is so excited that he gets to come!
It is a sad day too, as we have sold the travel trailer and this will be our last vacation in it. We will be back to roughing it in a tent! Somehow it seems so much easier. Lets just hope that the weather keeps up!

Some photos from the Weekend

I tried to upload some photos yesterday, but it was like a Monday! So here they are today. This is what our house looks like today. Our living room is the painting hall. Thank goodness we moved from a fully furnished trailer to our 3500sf house! We have so few pieces of furniture and so much space. The living room was going to be the trampoline room!

This is what the chandelier looks like in our front hall entrance. Of course, the photo doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea. Another project on the long list of improvements is to paint these beautiful white walls. Ok, so they are a very light beige, but still. I am thinking of a rusty orangy colour, but not the "terra cotta" orange. Then a friend got me thinking about greens...I have no clue. Any suggestions? There is a huge velux skylight above which gets sun from 9am to about 5pm in the summer. With the new light and the glass it looked like a disco on Monday! We will be replacing our front door with another fantastic find from 4 years ago! (Thank goodness for friends with large lots for storage!) We found a beautiful oversized solid wood door with a stained glass sunburst window in it. I can't wait to see it here!


This is the almost final product of our kitchen. Daryl was busy building our beam that covers some weird architectural details from the 1970's. We will be staining this to match the molding around all the windows and doors. Someday the doors will go back on the cupboards! My mom said that enough was enough and we purchased all the hardware for the drawers and doors. They are a beautiful rough iron knob and handle, and I think they are spectacular! I can't wait to install them! Again, someday, granite counter tops and new appliances...but that can wait! We need to put the shelving in the pantry first!

Light at the End of the Tunnel!

We're at the point that we can now see the light at the end of that very long, very dark tunnel of home renovations. (and we only did the kitchen) I can't imagine the chaos and bedlam that would be...had it been an entire home!

The weekend in review...

Friday evening & Saturday morning we bulldozed through the last of the drywall sanding and finally primed the ceiling. It's amazing what those professionals know! That once you prime new drywall all the imperfections come right out, but also it is much easier to fix!

Saturday we had a great visit from Twyla and Gil, which allowed for a brief break from the chaos! We had a delicious lunch, which was my first attempt at making a tomato tart! Afterwards, we went to visit Daryl's great-aunt who also lives in the loops. This past month has been family overload, which has been amazing! Unfortunately, Daryl's mom had to leave that same day, but we were so happy for the visit. We continued to celebrate our nation's birthday by painting. Fun Fun FUN! The loops isn't Vancouver, and we don't have the symphony of fire like the coast, but we did have a beautiful 15 minute firework display that we watched from the top of a hill in our neighbourhood. Fletcher wasn't all that impressed with the sights or sounds, but he soon settled down and let us watch the show. Saturday night my parents arrived at just about midnight. By that point, we were all exhausted! Sunday was a day of work, for everyone! My dad installed my find of the century! While out looking for light fixtures we came across this god awful chandelier with 8 sides of beveled glass. It had been sitting in the shop for about 10 years, according to the owner, and the original price was well over $650!!! After years of people overlooking and passing this poor lamp by, finally someone came along to take him home! Deep down, I could see past the dust and dirt, the green paint and frayed cables. I picked up a can of black tremclad, a small paint brush, and went to work. A few hard hours of work and voila! An absolutely magnificent ceiling chandelier that hangs so magnificently and proud in our front entrance! With these finds more work does follow, but that's what family is for! My dad spent the day rewiring the lamp and climbing a precariously positioned ladder to drill and install this masterpiece! By evening on the second day, we had light! And what a breathtaking light it was! Thank you Papa for all your hard work! You are the best!

Meanwhile, my mom and I were painting the kitchen cupboards "French Butter". I'm getting sick of butter. Monday...ah, the wonderful long weekend...I wish! I could have rested if I went back to work! The great news of today, we sold the Outback trailer! Our bank will be so happy! A really nice couple from down the street saw our For Sale sign and there you have it! We also had a forest fire down the way...actually; it was quite a ways away, but still! After all these renovations and hard work the last thing we wanted to do was watch it all go up in flames!

Monday morning it was back to work and my parents left. I'm exhausted!