Moving Day

Today's moving day! Our phone service will be going off soon here so I won't be online until the phone service is installed at the new house sometime tomorrow. I hope to be back online this weekend.

Wordless Wednesday - A Final Goodbye to My Garden

A Final Goodbye

I Need a Magic Wand

This cartoon by Jeff Bucchino sums up just what I need right now! I would greatly appreciate a magic wand to help finish the packing here and the unpacking at the new house. It's two days before we move. I wasn't able to reach my goal of having everything packed by the 15th but we are just about ready. Last night we celebrated with our final cooked meal here, grilled fillet mignon. As of today we will be either eating out or take-out as it is just too difficult to cook with the kitchen torn apart and most of the food packed. We also know on the other end we have to do a kitchen renovation that means replacing a non-working dishwasher as well as removing an ancient stovetop and built-in oven so the JennAir will fit resulting in replacing the countertop. The renovation is top priority because of our closely approaching anniversary party.

As a Harry Potter fan, I know the wand chooses the wizard. What the wand is made of and its qualities are very important. I wonder what my wand would be made of and what qualities it would have if I were so lucky to have a wand? I think it would have to have a bit of willow for the core to be strong enough to bend but not break. I'm rather partial to oak but a cherry wood wand would likely choose me as well. I think it would have extra sparks when used to bring pleasue to the eye much like fireworks. At any rate a magic wand would be very helpful right now!

Monday Funnies - Landscaping

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - On the Countdown

Well, it is now four days until moving day. Needless to say things are hectic here filled with both excitement and uncertainty. Yet last week there were many blessings, including:

1. a loving, caring husband
   
2. family - support and so much more!
3. the generosity of friends
4. loyalty
5. diversions - blogging, Coronation Street, boating
6. healthy herbs for transplanting
7. liquor store boxes - very sturdy with dividers, great for packing
8. memories from our times in this house
9. physio
10. blogger comments

May many blessings fill your week,

Family

Grandbaby
April 3, 2007

Today things feel overwhelming. We heard rumours as to the buyer not planning to follow through once again. Yesterday we heard first hand accounts as to what an arrogant jerk (someone else's words not mine) the buyer is being. We are moving even if that means temporarily owing two houses so the stress level is just a tad high at the moment. The worst part is we will not know until moving day! At that point I just might be in the mood for killing the "was going to buy" buyer and even if he does follow through he had best not show his face here until the premises are completely vacated!

The one thing I rely on besides faith is family. I seldom post pictures of my family online but this picture taken April 3 of this year was just so cute so with Mom's aka my baby's permission here it is. She's going to be six months old pretty soon so I bought her Joe Boxer socks. I just got off the phone listening to baby giggles. Hearing that just washed a lot of stress away.

I've been spending a lot of time on the phone with the kids. What with one kid moving to Wisconsin, all the family events and this move what the heck. Don't get me wrong as I usually talk to each one of them daily on a normal basis. Right now I'm talking to them on a much longer basis daily. Family, that's what it is all about!

Generosity and Support of Our Family and Friends

Sunrise on Greenhouse

I sleep poorly for various reason even at the best of times but with the looming moving date quickly approaching my normal sleep of about four hours has become disrupted. So just after four this morning I was up and ready for the day. I don't mind this time of day and I love watching the sunrise to the awakening world. It's funny the thoughts that flit through your mind while packing. The peace of the morning allows these thoughts to flow freely allowing me to ponder a bit at times.

Four years ago July 1 we moved to this house. I can't believe it's only been four years as so much has happened in such a short period of time. Our lives have changed so much! We had bought the house based solely on location being waterfront property and had never seen the inside. My husband just had to be on the water! The house itself is quite cottage style with sloping ceilings upstairs that remind me of my childhood home. When we moved in everything was painted what the previous owner called chestnut but really was builder's beige almost a peach colour. We put our touches on the inside with Redwing Red in my husband's sports room, taupe for most of the house and pink for my kitchen. I've never been in another house where pink worked for a kitchen but here it just does. I can't say I'm fond of green painted anything but chose that for the garage and back door because it matched the exterior. We added our touches everywhere. Now as the house becomes stripped of our touches it once again becomes a house not a home.

I'm purposely avoiding the garden right now. I put so much work into it's creation and the reality is the new owners are likely going to demolish it. Instead I'm working on packing and am behind on my June 15th goal of everything packed. I'm back in physio which is helping but physical limitations are playing a role as to how much I can pack each day. Exactly one week from today we are moving. Today is the second last garbage day so I want to make the most of it. Yet I can't help pondering over certain things.

The generosity and support of our family and friends has been amazing! We have offers for help for this last week of packing, several trucks ready for the move even though we hired movers for the bigger items and we have both family and friends coming to help get the new house organized. I can't even begin to put into words how much this means to us. We are so very blessed to have such an out pouring of support this way!

Wordless Wednesday - Heirloom Rose

Heirloom Rose
June 14, 2007

Packing

Sunset on the Water
June 17, 2007

As our home becomes stripped of our personality we find a greater need to escape the growing mountains of boxes lining narrow paths to each room. Our escape has been taking off for a few hours on the boat. Sunday night we headed to one of our favourite marinas for dinner. The marina is at the mouth of the entrance to the lake. The meal itself is nothing fancy but the food and atmosphere is always outstanding. I think they have some of the best onion rings I've tasted. We usually eat outside on a covered glider overlooking the docked boats while watching other boats and freighters entering and leaving the lake. In the afternoon and evening there is a live band as well. They hold special events for the boaters as well like Christmas in July where boaters are to show up with their boats decorated. This event is quite popular with the little ones. We like this place well enough to boat there three or four times a month sometimes more often especially when we have others with us. Mind you we take the boat out as often as possible given our relatively short boating season.

Sunsets are beautiful at anytime but there is just something special about viewing a sunset while heading home on the boat. Sunday evening the water was rather calm instead of the often choppiness that occurs from extra boat traffic on the weekends. It was a gorgeous night to boat home with the sunset almost on the horizon that when combined with the lull of the engine and splashing of the wake was soothing to the soul. Just what we needed!

Monday Funnies - Barbecue Rebel

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Happy Father's Day 2007

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers today!

A special note:
Happy Father's Day
to my wonderful husband
This post is dedicated to you!

I didn't have a father growing up. My biological parents were deceased and the home I grew up in had no male role model. Things changed when we were wed as I learned to share living space with the opposite sex. That was a real hoot! Just when we had that somewhat figured out, I was expecting our first baby. My husband became more protective and as if possible more attentive. When our little bundle of joy was born he was there to help me through the labour and welcome our first into the world. As new parents we knew very little so did a lot of flying by the seat of our pants. My husband stepped right in helping with baby duties, changing diapers, doing laundry and calming the baby when nothing else seemed to help. The baby loved sleeping on Daddy's chest. I can still see his huge hands gently struggling with the first few diaper changes and those very small newborn clothes. In reward the baby's eyes would sparkle and give a huge toothless smile just at the sound of Daddy's voice. He was Daddy's boy! As his sibs joined the ranks, we became more assured of our parenting style and as parents we were united on major issues but the kids quickly realized that Daddy was a huge push over on smaller things. If Mom said no, Dad might say yes so why not cut out the middleman aka Mom and just go straight to Dad? We caught onto that little scheme faster than our darling angels thought we would. The kids also knew Dad was a little more liberal than Mom so by approaching Dad first, he might be able to talk Mom into allowing them to do something they really wanted to do. Since Dad had excellent negotiating skills it quite often worked to the kids' advantage but usually with conditions and they knew if those conditions were broke they wouldn't get that privilege again.

But Dad could fix things Mom couldn't. A bandage from him meant the world. Sure Mom could kiss boo boos but Dad giving a bandage, that was a real highlight. He could kiss away tears that sometimes Mom couldn't. He could do that man talk thing gals just don't get and if they try they mess it up. He could put things together without instructions because men don't need instructions and he could always find the way to where we were going because men don't need directions. And late at night, you would find him giving a final goodnight kiss and later as they got older, sitting up late waiting for them to get home. Getting home late was a good thing as the kids talked out what was going on that night and despite wanting to sleep he would listen patiently sometimes offering advice if needed.

There were some things that my husband aka Dad just did better than me aka Mom. Dad is a easy, laid back, take life as it comes and adjust type person while Mom is pretty much the opposite. They say opposites attract. Anyway, that made Dad the mediator, negotiator and sometimes humorous sidekick. He also encouraged the kids to try something new and even take risks that Mom would have balked at. He bit his tongue when sometimes they did stupid (on the surface) things long enough to find out why they had did so. Neither of us ever believed in spanking but I will tell you my husband has this thing where he twists his tongue then sticks it between his teeth when he is angry. The kids caught onto this very early and would stop whatever they were doing. They simply knew not to cross the line. If you give a child respect you get respect back and Dad knew that. So life went.

Over the years, my husband aka Dad taught the kids life skills to last them a life time other than fishing as that was Mom's job. He had the patience to teach them to drive. Oh and does he ever deserve medals for that! He's helped them move oh so many times without complaining and even provided comic relief for those tense moving moments! I saw him cry coming down the aisle with our second even though he was full of pride. The pride shines through in the family wedding photos! Now I get to see his love and pride in family take a new shape through our new grandbaby. And the cycle continues, ever change yet familiar.

Our kids are now grown and starting families of their own. While they are very independent, they still turn to us for guidance, support and sometimes help. Dad remains a key role model worthy of respect. He deserves accolades for a job well done, one he accepted of his own choice and one he has more than excelled at. He continues to be the pillar of strength for our family. He is aways there just to chit chat or to offer advice and he has no problem offering more when needed. He is the most unselfish and giving person I know. He has demonstrated a true love for his family in every sense of the word. We are so very blessed to have this unique and wonderful person in our lives!

I love you honey for being a wonderful father to our kids!

Mute Swans

Mute Swans
(Cygnus olor)
June 14, 2007

One benefit to living on the water is the abundance of wildlife. We have been visited by deer, wild rabbits, opossums, raccoons, skunks, voles, mice, ermines, muskrats, snakes, toads, bats and waterfowl just in the four years we've lived here. Then there is the wide variety of fish that I sometimes am lucky enough to get a picture of them swimming in the water. According to our soon to be new neighbours, we will be visited by even more wildlife at our new house. The house is designated rural so we will have an actual mailbox at the end of the driveway! My husband wanted on the water and I wanted in the country so this is the best of both, rural and on the water. I guess he missed that tiny little detail involving livestock and farming. That's not a problem since living life on the water is most pleasant indeed!

It always amazes me the diversity of waterfowl in our area. Yesterday a family of Mute Swans decided to visit. These swans are magnificent as they glide majestically through the water! The babies are just too cute as most babies are. They are called mute because unlike two similar looking swans, Trumpeter and Tundra, these swans do not make any sound. In this area we see both the Mute and Trumpeter Swans on the water and in wetlands. The Tundra Swans are seldom seen in either place here during the summer months but they do fly overhead during their migration and often land in the area then. Trumpeter and Tundra Swans both have black beaks but the Tundra Swan also has a yellow patch under the eye. They can also be distinguished by their voices with the Trumpeter being a much deeper resonate sound compared to the softer, melodious sound of the Tundra Swan. Mute Swans are large birds about 40 inches in length, larger than either the Trumpeter or Tundra Swans. They can be distinguished from the Trumpeter and Tundra Swans by their reddish-orange beak with a black base. The lores and knob are above the beak. The female (pen) has a slightly smaller beak than the male (cob) but other than that the sexes are very similar. The young are called cygnets and remain grey until their second summer.

It always gives me great pleasure to be fortunate enough to photograph wildlife in its natural habitat. Learning more details about the various local population of wildlife species, their demes and their habitats gives me a greater appreciation for the stunning beauty in the area we so very privileged to live. It also strengthens my desire to be a steward of the land, treading lightly and leaving the land and waters better than how I found it.

Life in General

Wake
June 9, 2007

And the soap opera of our move continues but we are plugging on despite the hassles. I joked with my husband yesterday that someday we would sit on the porch in our rocking chairs laughing at the whole event. Today instead of dwelling on the negative, I thought I would post some positive things going on. From the picture you can tell we've had the boat out. She's a sweet thing big enough to stay on for a weekend or so yet powerful enough to water ski. All worries melt away when you are on the water. A lot of factors play into this from the humming of the motor to the splashing of the water against the boat to the glistening of the water to the sun kissing your face and to the wind blowing through your hair. Aside of hiking in a deep forest, being on the water is one of the few times I feel totally at peace. Not that I don't feel at peace at other times but this is a total peace, a one of a kind feeling where absolutely nothing else matters and all is well in the universe. It's where I blend entirely with the environment to become one.

On the good news front, we have family reunion fast approaching and a wedding for one of our kids. At that time we will be step-parents to two lovely teenagers so we can't wait to get to know them better. Furthering the good news, our first grandbaby aka Grandpa's Suckie or Grandma's Toy is now sitting on her own and quite proud of that fact so she decided to play the roll-over game as well. You should see the pictures! Her Mom aka my baby aka (sib nic name) reports she has also taken to maneuvering herself down the stairs on her bottom when someone holds her arms. I can't wait to see this one! Mom also reports some serious teething going on with the teeth being ready to break the gums any day now. The internet and email is just so amazing that we can get pictures and videos of this kind of thing within minutes of it happening!

Apparently I turned a year older this month. Having spent that particular day in the dentist chair and at physio, I declined to go out for dinner. I think I feel a bit older but I'm looking good and feeling pretty dog gone good too :) I thought about shopping a bit for the new house, not much just solar lights, in between appointments but realized the friendly MOT would rather have my time and money. I can't say the picture on my license will look much better but it probably couldn't get much worse. I do hope they tweaked the filters to get that nice glint of grey something some of my friends don't get that I won't colour it but it is important to me to keep my hair completely untreated.

So in an hour or so I hope to be washing the worries of the day away as we enjoy another scenic view of the water.

Until tomorrow,

Wordless Wednesday - Mallard Duck

Mallard Duck
June 11, 2007

Rambling and Ranting

Blue Gill
June 9, 2007

On May 31, 2007 we signed the papers waiving all conditions for the purchase of our new house. Officially and legally our house was sold the day before. Little did we know we would be entering the twilight and nightmare zone! The buyers are obnoxious, arrogant snots who demand on getting their own way. They went through four times before the official signing, getting progressively ruder each time. They wouldn't budge on times at all to the point my husband missed his golf day and I missed a doctor's appointment because that was the only time they were available. Then they were only in the house all of 4 minutes! So when they insisted on coming through after signing the contract we told them not on Saturday as we had plans. He called and left a nasty message at my husband's office indicating either we let them in or he would pull out of the deal even though he had signed the sale contract! Excuse me? He signed the contract then was threatening to back out so we cancelled our plans on Saturday and let him go through for the fifth time. Imagine our surprise when he was actually showing the house to another couple! We have rooms pulled apart and boxes stacked. The house is organized chaos! The girl wanted to see under the carpet so he went to lift up the wall to wall carpet in the bedroom when I stopped him. She turned around and said "you will if you want to sell the house". I calmly told her no, the carpet stays as is. It is sold! Which part of that don't they understand? Well they were nice and pissy so we took that opportunity in front of both real estate agents to verbally notify them we were not available for them to go through for the following two weekends. Then my husband met with the lawyer this morning to weigh our options. You know threating to take your ball and go home when you don't even have the ball is not the brightest move in the book. At best the deal completes as intended. At worst we end up owning two waterfront properties, one of which will be sold very quickly if the first deal falls through. Of course if that happens there is the following lawsuit not something very appealing given I'm in one now (in my favour). Either way, we move on the 28th period.

BTW, I'm not sure if this is a rambling or ranting post or just one to get things off my mind. As upset and concerned as I am, some very positive things have come out of this deal so far. First I haven't killed the little snots and that is likely a very good thing. Second, I have bit my tongue a lot so as to not come back with snarky comments. Third, my husband and I are pulling on the same rope so we are gaining strength from each other. Forth, somehow despite everything I'm finding an inner calm. It's weird but I know what has to be done and so despite the stress there is still calm. Yesterday the phrase this too shall pass popped into my head and from that point the calm has grown.

Take care and many blessings to you,

Monday Funnies

Garden Gnome
©2007

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Dealing with Stress

Selling a house at best can be very stressful but when the buyers are arrogant young snots, it quickly becomes a nightmare. Unfortunately the senerio for us is a nightmare. This was a week where the many blessings helped keep my sanity! Some of these blessings were:

1. family - support, love, laughter
2. baby talk
3. good friends
4. discovering a new pub with good food
5. smooth and organized packing right on schedule
6. fresh strawberries
7. two lovely, problem free boat rides
8. wind blowing though my hair
9. a new med
10. blue skies

Have a great week filled with many blessings,

Wordless Wednesday - Strawberries from the Garden

Home Grown Strawberries

Monday Funnies - Predicting Hominid Behavior 101

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - The House is Sold!

What a whirlwind week we had filled with a lot of emotions and blessings. The biggest blessing filled with anticipation, excitement and a bit of nervousness was the official sale of our house and the official purchase of our soon to be new home mid-week. Some of last weeks many blessing included:

1. family - love, support, laughter
2. good friends
3. sharing a friend's well deserved community recognition
4. sharing a friend's 50th birthday celebration
5. hospitality and fellowship of soon to be new neighbours
6. the sweet taste of the first delectable strawberries from the garden
7. organized chaos
8. memories
9. digital camera
10. wildlife antics
    

Canadian Geese

Canadian Geese
June 1, 2007

A family of Canadian geese visited the neighbourhood yesterday. The goslings followed mommy around while Daddy kept a watchful eye!

Sold!!!

Exactly two months ago yesterday we listed our house. It doesn't seem like it has been that long ago. Wednesday it was officially sold but the sold sign didn't go on until Thursday after we waived conditions on the house we were buying. Once again we're making plans for turn a house into a home. We are both very excited!

Details: The house is single family well maintained brick two level with the lower level entirely below grade at the front of the house but exposed at the back much like building a house into the side of a hill. It is brick with solid structure. The yard is divided into three main areas - garage to road, garage to house, house to water. The side yards are what I would consider access areas but like the rest of the property are all maturely landscaped.

What we are gaining: The house is set on property geared towards friendly privacy. We really like this instead of fences! There's practically no privacy in our current home so that in itself will be a real plus. The house is on a dead end road off the main road so traffic will be minimum. Other gains - separate utility room, cold storage, guest room, larger dock, gas fireplace, bigger garage and mature landscaping.

What we are giving up: We are giving up the large vegetable garden and greenhouse. The moving date is early enough that I will be able to plant a few vegetables and will have some in containers but for the most part will not have any kind of formal vegetable garden this year.

We had decided to buy the other house regardless whether the HVAC or built-in appliances were working. Our reasoning for this was we have all new major appliances except the dishwasher which I had planned on replacing here this summer anyway. We found out in the early stages the AC wasn't working there and because of the age likely wasn't repairable. The owner compensated by offering to leave her three year old washer and dryer. Neither are energy efficient and since we have new front loaders, we will likely sell hers to offset some of the costs of a new AC. Yesterday we went through again to measure for appliances. We will have to do a kitchen remodel to remove her built-in stovetop and oven so the JennAir will fit but that shouldn't be too bad and it was something we knew we would have to do. Rechecking the furnace confirmed we need to go furnace shopping as well. It's a Clare Megasave I that is almost 24 years old. A bit of research revealed that we can't get parts for this beast and besides we want a high efficiency furnace something we had planned on replacing at this house. We replaced our hot water tank with an energy efficient one just over a year ago but the new house has a rental hot water tank so we will have to replace that. Oh and we found out yesterday after we had signed the papers the dishwasher didn't work so it looks like I'll be getting my much coveted Bosch. Other than that, the house is in move in condition and didn't present any problems we weren't expecting.

We had a chance to meet one couple next door who invited us in for drinks. I'm going to have to work on that aging process a bit more because they thought we might have young kids! They are really a nice couple with a lot of the same interests as us.

So there it is in a nutshell, signed, sealed, delivered and SOLD!