Pepper Update

Just like my herbs this year - the peppers are going through changes. Ferdinand is now a bright shade of red.
Bob is huge.
Consuella was taking a nap and didn't want her photo taken today.

Weekend News

What a nutso weekend it was! I don't' remember what I did on Friday...humm. Saturday I rode to Kelowna to have the bike serviced and have the fender elimination kit installed. The guys at M&M are great, as always, but really slow this time. I was delayed in getting the heck out of K-town and back to the Loops for Cierra's 9th B-Day. While in Kelowna I had a great day hanging out with Twyla and Tia, browsing the farmer's market and having a yummy lunch. Then it was nap time before hitting the road and heading back home.
The B-Day BBQ was a blast, with lots of awesome food and great company. Cierra certainly was spoiled with all the amazing gifts!
On Sunday I played in the yard and cut the back grass after 3 weeks of neglect. I should have known better and the price of procrastination was huge. It took me over an hour to cut the grass - having to rake the clippings every row so the mower could make the next pass. I now know why Daryl suggested that I cut the grass every 5 days - especially when it is raining! GRRR!
I also was busy planting some seeds and transplanting some greenery to help balance everything out. The yard looks awesome, and I will take some photos tonight.
This weekend we (Chow and I) are going camping for the first time this year and I am so excited. We were invited by the Fisher's and are heading to Herold Park. I've got my "to do" list started and I don't know how I'm going to get it all done by Friday! Oh well - can't worry about that!

Pine Beetle

Some people still don't realize the impacts the mountain pine beetle has on not only the forestry industry, but also on our daily lives...
These are before and after shots from our home...after only 18 months.

What a Difference 2 Years Can Make!

Below are some photos of the changes our kitchen went thru in the last 2 years. There are a billion more...but you get the idea from these!
What it looked like on our first home visit...September 2005
I thought that I liked yellow - little did I know "Kayak Yellow" was so yellow and would really cause the 1970's flash-back! (March 2006)Gutting the kitchen, removing the t-bar and fluo lights in the ceiling, deciding what colour to paint the cupboards. (August 2006)
And the kitchen today...cappuchino wall, French butter-cream cupboards, new hardware, recessed fridge, walk-in pantry, pot-lights in a dry-wall ceiling (we gained 14" in ceiling height) and an old cedar beam...We still have some minor work to do, but that is the never-ending saga of our home!

Dinner Anyone?

Seeing as we have a new buffet...I'll be having more dinner parties! I just love the new addition, the oak on oak floor just looks awesome, and it matches the doors, windows and wood trim around both just perfectly!

Daryl as Spiderman...

Rappelling off the 70ft tower. At least this time he had a rope!

What Size Are The Peppers?

I've received many comments about the unbelievable size of our peppers...I'm sorry that I may have led people astray! Below are close-up photos of the peppers, followed by ones with a tape. I hope you still come over for fajitas when we cook them up hot 'N spicy!

Ferdinand - the big brother of the lot. At 10 months old, he is almost 2.5" long!Consuela - the first female sibling. At 4 weeks old she is growing much faster than older brother Ferdinand. She is 1.5" long with quite the swing in her hips.Bob - baby Bob is just 1 week old and is already growing like a weed! Without the dead-flower drop down, he is 1/4" long!

Thoughts to Live By…

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.
I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.
I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Buffet you say?

I love all you can eat buffets!
So here is the buffet...a better shot now that it isn't hiding behind and under boxes.I still don't know what to do. We went to look at the matching table last night and I was surprised at how small it was! Because our dining room is so stinkin' huge, I think that the small table will just get lost in the room. I can't believe that I'm whining about having too much space!
So now I am contemplating on the china cabinet and if we really need it. I love the buffet, I think it is just beautiful and will suite our decor and our need just perfectly...HELP! There is beautiful detail on the doors and also on the piece that sits on top...maybe it has a special name, but I don't know.

Trail Guys

Dining Room Furniture - To Buy or Not to Buy

That is the question of the day. I found some beautiful dining room furniture at a little decorating shop in the Loops on Sunday - it is hand-made, hand carved wooden dining room set from Belgium. There is a china cabinet, buffet, table (expandable with leaves) and 6 chairs (4 regular and 2 arm-chairs). They don't have the crazy, ornate garbage that makes me sick - the detail is beautiful, and I absolutely love it. I haven't seen the table or chairs yet, that is tonight as there was no room in the store for them.

The pieces were just off loaded from a container from Europe and just brought into the store the day before. And the price is great too!

The only problem is...well...is this a want or a need? We do need dining room furniture. Right now our dining room has my old desk and Daryl's 1/2 refinished table and other miss-matched pieces. The room isn't functional and is a complete waste of beautiful space with huge windows looking out into our back yard. I would love to be able to eat in this room, to actually enjoy it! But then there is the ever-present debt factor. It's not like we have $__K floating around in a secret bank account or anything...and any savings we have should go to pay off "things" that linger from the past. But you can't eat at a debt table, you can't sit on debt...

What to do?

I took some very quick photos, they are a little blurry, but you get the idea!

China cabinetChina cabinet - lower sectionDetail on the doorsBuffet - hidden in the storage area with boxes!

Weekend Report

It was a busy weekend, but I'm not sure why. The past week was very hectic, as it was Environment Week with the City and I was part of the organizing committee. It was exhausting! But I got Tim-bits on Saturday after my ride, so it was all worth while!When I was watering the plants (who were neglected the past week) I noticed that Ferdinand has a little sister! We don't have a name picked out yet - any suggestions? She isn't that big, the photo makes her look HUGE, she is about 1cm long, but growing everyday! Ferdinand is doing well too.

I did a minor kitchen reno - nothing too fancy, just painted the stainless steel boarder of our range hood to match the copper. There are a few before and after shots...and wide range shots of the kitchen (Chow is in them too!)Wide angle before....And after...(not much difference, but I had fun!)
Chow licking his nose! silly dog!

Update of the Lawn

We've had 2 days of rain in the Loops - the upside is that I haven't had to water the new seed, and that they had sprouted as if on steroids!

Side by side...before and after

Before and After

Our front yard once the junipers were ripped out...
Side view...before (obviously!)
YAY! GRASS! Look at it grow! I can almost cut it!
Ok, pan out and you can see that it has grown some, but very splotchy. These were taken on Friday afternoon and since then, with the heat wave we've been having in the Loops, we have much more! It is so exciting!
A general shot of the front yard...very inviting!And my climatis are blooming!